The train ride from Copenhagen to Malmö is short – under forty minutes – but remarkable. It goes via tunnels, causeways, viaducts and bridges for around 12km over the Øresund’s choppy grey waters. (Bikes have to cross by train or bus.) So today we crossed over from Denmark to Sweden for a brief look at Malmö, once voted the world’s sixth most cycle-friendly city.
It is indeed. So friendly in fact that you’ll be exchanging email addresses and organising dinner dates. Excellent smooth, wide, segregated bike paths network the city and environs, with priority over motor traffic at junctions, in much the same way that Britain’s don’t.
Despite the rain, which kept coming back as if it had forgotten something, we enjoyed a little jaunt up to the pleasant town of Lund about 20km away – on excellent paths of course – and then another little jaunt down to gawp at the Øresund bridge.
We turned up at our hostel dripping wet and in need of a good strong beer. However, Sweden only allows mediocre weak beer to be sold in shops, so we had to make do with that. Still, to wash down a plate of meatballs post-shower, it was enjoyable enough.
