Scan Magazine | Culture Profile | Hjejlen A/S
Photo: Lars Holm
Pirates of the not-so Caribbean Imagine navigating Denmark’s Lake District by sea instead of by car. Right in the middle of Jutland, you can hop aboard a glorious steamboat and see all the gorgeous villas, diverse wildlife, and magnificent landscapes that this region has to offer.
from the company’s history, humorous anecdotes, even little tidbits of juicy gossip from time to time.
By Kathleen Newlove
Whether you are looking for a pleasant day on the water or a dinner cruise, this is a special outing that you will remember fondly for years to come.
At Hjejlen, many of the different boats in the fleet can be hired for private events, or you can choose to buy a day pass for hopon/hop-off access to many different points of interest, including Himmelbjerget (The Mountain of Heaven), a 147-metre tall hill, considered a mountain by Danes as it is one of the highest points in the country. It is an exceptionally cosy hike for visitors young and old, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding area. The kind folks at Hjejlen offer activities including pirate-themed voyages for the children, Frikkedelle (Danish meatball) dinner tours, and floating rum tastings for the adults. Their namesake, the boat called Hjejlen (The Golden Plover), is the world’s oldest original paddle steamer still in operation. “It is in itself quite an experience to come aboard and see ‘the old lady’ sail at full speed while the stokers
are in the hot engine room shovelling coal to power the engine, just as has been done for the last 153 years,” says Hjejlen’s tourism and marketing coordinator, Rikke Klarbæk Olesen. The lucky passengers on these boats keep very good company. Not long ago, when Hjejlen celebrated its 150th anniversary, Her Majesty Queen Margaret enjoyed an afternoon sailing the same route as King Frederik the VII of Denmark, who was one of the first guests when the boat originally hit the water in 1861. Come experience for yourself the informal atmosphere of Hjejlen’s crew. “They are like one big family who come and sail year after year and delight in giving guests amazing memories on the lakes,” Olesen continues. Engage them in conversation and they will share interesting stories
Boat Skipper Bent Jensen and Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark exploring the waters. Photo: Jens Anker Tvedebrink
For more information, please visit: www.hjejlen.com
Issue 67 | August 2014 | 19