NO LONG TO GO NOW.....

 The count down is on.... I am actually starting to get quite excited about our trip away to see family on the other side of the world....

We are finally starting to plan our time away... Places to go and visit,  things we want to see...

One of the things I am really keen on seeing are the Hidden Giants around Copenhagen.  Pete has visited these in the past and sent photos so they have been foremost of the top of my list of things to do and see.  

To find them, you have to go on a treasure hunt.  They can be located in the western municipalities of Copenhagen: Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund and Høje Taastrup.

All six sculptures are made from scrap wood with the help of local volunteers, and is the first chapter of Thomas Dambo’s ongoing story: “The great story of the little people and the giant trolls”.

The project was created to bring art out of the museum, show the beautiful and often overlooked nature spots, and at the same time give an exciting and different experience.

These are the guys we are off to visit...

Teddy Friendly

  Teddy Friendly is a recycle sculpture Thomas Dambo made as a part of the larger project “Forgotten Giants”. The project consists of 6 large sculptures made in the outskirts of Copenhagen. Common for all sculptures is that they are made solely from local scrapwood and recycled materials, and made in a hidden beautiful location. This way it invites the viewers to go on a treasure hunt, not only to see the sculptures, but also to discover hidden gems in nature.

Oscar Under the Bridge

 

 Oscar under the bridge is made from scrapwood from a torn down watermill and broken pallets from local industries. He is named after an artist from Chile who came to visit Thomas and help him in his work during the time that Thomas and his team was building the sculpture.

Sleeping Louis

Sleeping Louis is taking a nap on a hill, covered in trees and nature, in a secret place in Rødovre outside of Copenhagen. People can crawl into his gaping mouth, and play or even sleep inside of him.

Little Tilde

Little Tilde is located in the area of Vallensbæk Mose, af beautiful area filled with wild nature and animal life. She watches through the trees at the other side of a small lake, from where you will be able to catch a glimpse of her at a distance.

As a little bonus Thomas Dambo made 28 birdhouses inside the sculpture, for the birds and maybe a squirrel to seek shelter when winter hits Vallensbæk Mose.

Thomas on the Mountain

Thomas On The Mountain has found a good place to chill on top of a hill. From here he has a great view of the municipality of Albertslund, and so can you if you join him. His legs are long, and a good place to sit with your friends.

The giant sculpture is made solely from local scrapwood scavenged by the Thomas Dambo team. To build the sculpture the team had help from a group of young volunteers from a local school as well as a couple of seniors. The giant is named after Thomas Dambos intern also named Thomas, who has been a huge part of the Forgotten Giants project, and helped create all six sculptures.

Hill Top Trine

Hill Top Trine is resting on top of a little hill in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, where you can crawl into the palms of her hands and get a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Avedøresletten. She is named after one of the volunteers who worked on one of the other hidden giants.Just like her siblings, Hill Top Trine is made from scrapwood, branches and old pallets from Stark. The Thomas Dambo team have had help building the wooden sculpture from a handful of local volunteers. 

There are another 10 of these Giants throughout Denmark as well.  They have been built in the last couple of years whilst they were unable to travel.  He was to build these giants all around the world but because of Covid, Denmark has really benefited with the extra giants.  I also want to see these  in our future travels to Denmark.. 

This one would be my favourite

We also have castles and palaces we want to visit....

Egeskov Castle

Egeskov Castle is located in Denmark and, more precisely, on Denmark’s third largest Island, Fyn.  The town where Egeskov Castle is found is Kværndrup, although the castle is much more famous than the town itself.

Between the end of April and the end of June, and in September and October, the park opens at 10:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm, with the castle opening an hour later.

Frederiksborg Castle

Frederiksborg Castle is beautifully situated on three small islets in the Castle Lake in Hillerød. Within the castle’s walls there are major cultural attractions for the whole family, while the highly picturesque setting is perfect for peaceful walks in the gardens and boat trips.

 

  Camp Adventure Observation Tower/Effekt

Usually one walks through a forest, but here, an hour outside of the Danish capital of Copenhagen, there's the chance to go right up into it, and, ultimately high above its canopy of trees. 

A spiraling walkway – one continuous ramp – soars 14 stories high. On a clear day, from the top, visitors can see Sweden.

It was the brainchild of Jesper Mathiesen, and the centerpiece of a nature park he runs called Camp Adventure. Mathiesen, a former Danish Navy SEAL, feels at home in the forest – and in a Denmark which lost huge swaths of forest to farming, he's hoping this might foster a connection with nature. It was built for everyone, for families with small children, for retired folk, and the beauty about it is that you can just take your time walking up it... 

This unusual tower was designed by the architect Tue Foged and his team and it is meant to both stand out and at the same time to blend in with the forest.  It is set in a  glacial woodland characterized by rolling hills, ephemeral streams, lakes, wetlands and meadows - on its own a changeable landscape experience that is influenced by the rich bird life and the seasons changes - the experience features a 900 meter elevated boardwalk zigzagging in and out between the trees, culminating in a 45-metre tower with a 650 meter long inner spiraling ramp, which offers breath-taking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and nature. 

And the list goes on... For Pete's birthday last year we bought Theo a yearly pass to the Experimentarium.  By buying the ticket for Theo, it means any adult can accompany him free of charge, so we are definitely hoping to take both he and Elliot for a play date there...

The Experimentarium

There are so many more wonderful things we want to go explore and visit, but I am not sure that we will have anywhere near the time to do it that we wold really need.  They just might need to be left for another post...