As one might expect, the Danish Summer Camp last week was pretty much an all-round success. I don't think there was any doubt that the Danish BSA Owners Club guys and girls had put a lot of effort in to running this event, and it started from the moment we disembarked from the ferry at Esbjerg to be met by three of their members wearing bright orange tabbards emblazoned with "BSA Official" to guide us to the site at Jels in Jutland about an hour and a bit away. This short journey made up for the 7 hours we suffered from Newcastle to Harwich to catch the ferry (I hate that A1 road).

Some confusion at the rally site was quickly cleared up when it transpired that all the Brits had not pre-booked a free meal when sending in their bookings weeks before. (Now that *IS* confusion, not to take advantage of free grub!). However, the Danes correctly assumed we would be wanting these things, and arranged this accordingly.

We quickly became accustomed to fizzy lager again, and spent the night renewing old relationships and carrying out much chin-wagging. The location was excellent; in a sports/community centre with surrounding fields for camping. A cafeteria, top notch showers and toilets kept the ladies happy.

The rally lasted a week and wwas mostly in the temperature range 23 to 30 degrees celcius (and I thought Scandinavia was cold!) and we had some good runs out. Many were arranged with guides, and with security to look after bikes and clothing whilst we walked around the destinations. The organisers had also thoughtfully provided photocopies of suggested runs, should riders wish to do-it-themselves in their own time.

This area of Denmark is very quiet - in fact we thought the country was closed for the week - until the day we visited Legoland ! It seemed the whole of Denmark was there ! The Danes seem to be very eco-conscious; beer cannot be bought in cans, but only in recyclable bottles. The roads are repaired only where the wheels travel, leading to long striped tarmacadam stretches. Everywhere you go, there are wind turbines generating electricity for the towns and villages.

The official line-up was at Koldinghus, a recently-restored castle near the east coast of Jutland. A superb setting, with wine provided by the Kolding Town Council, and a Mayor who provided us with tales of times gone by, which kept everyone amused.

Koldinghus was occupied by the German Gestapo during the Second World War, and a prison room was left pretty much as it was then, with torture instruments used by the Gestapo, and the victims names scratched into the plaster walls, dated 1944 and 1945. The Mayor told me this was a sad reminder of "the very bad things" that happened there.

A run out to the west coast was a lot of fun when we removed our footwear and walked in the mud flats, digging up small sea creatures in the very fertile areas around the huge dykes, constructed to recover land for farming. Almost like a school trip, but thanks to entertaining english speaking guides, became very interesting.

There were a couple of hundred particpants, and a great variety of BSAs from Dandys up to giant vintage V-twins. An interesting and highly tuned Rocket Three had a gear-driven primary drive. Solves the arguments over belt drive versus chain I guess. Peculiarly, this bike did not have Rita or Boyer, but the three sets of contact points as original. Weird.

A couple of over-enthusiastic visitors from another Scandinavian country kept us all awake on the first two nights with top-of-the-voice shouting and starting bikes. They were the source of many complaints to the organisers, who immediately made contingency plans, but thankfully they left on the third day of their own accord.

The sun shone as we hit 'Mediterranean' temperatures, and the whole week was just great. To top it all, the normally boisterous North Sea decided to give us all a restful journey over smooth waters for the 19 hour ferry journey.

Those who missed it, missed a great week.

Ken the Geordie