In autumn 2006 a Bornholm guide by Marcin Jakubowski got into my hands. While reading about bicycle routes I noticed that the path leading around island is 105 km long. It sparkled! After all this is the same distance I covered on foot during Toddle Around Cracow, and mountain 'Marszon' (twenty-four-hour marches), which I have organized for several years - are a little shorter but at the same time more difficult than lowland rallies. How about going to ... 'Bornszon' then?
I sent a dozen invitations to Marszon's participants - the best of the best from accustomed to long-distance marches. Will they feel like doing this in so diametrically different surrounding, or are there only mountain-routes that count for them? To my surprise almost everybody answered favourably! We decided to do it during the long weekend in June 2007.
8.06.2007
11.30 a.m., Nexo. Our impatience crosses the borders (and countries)... Half of the team jumps out on the bank before the staff are ready to install accommodation-ladder... We set off north with bicycle path of No. 10.
12.30 p.m., Arsdale. The memory card in Adam's camera breaks down. He is upset, as he bought a bigger one especially for this expedition. I'm using the walkie-talkie to ask Magda and Asia, who are riding bikes around, for help. They're taking the camera hoping to buy the right memory card for it.
13.00 p.m., Svaneke. There are no memory cards available. What I can see is the cigarette-end on sidewalk - just one! It is so clean a town that even one, lonely "fag end" under your feet stands out.
14.00 p.m., Bolshavn. Just outside the town we are leaving "ten" and turning into seaside - to come across a narrow path leading along the spectacular, rocky coast of Randklove. The views are breath-taking!
16.30 p.m., Gudhjem. Magda asks a native about a possibility of purchasing memory card, he answers that in such cases he calls for customer service... Meanwhile, without asking anybody Adam buys the card in the souvenir shop. To exit from Gudhjem we are taking a walking route - a picturesque, narrow path leading us over the cliffs and through rocky crags.
18.30 p.m., Stammershalle. We are coming back to the "ten".
19.15 p.m., Tejn. We are noticing information written by the girls on the street: they went to Hammeren - a point the furthest north on Bornholm.
20.20 p.m., Allinge. Changing the direction of the march, we're turning west.
21.45 p.m., Hammershus. To reach the ruins of the castle we are leaving the "ten" again - just before the sunset and... we fall silent like under a spell. Such scene can hypnotize. But the chill of the evening calls back us to reality. We are taking a walking route that is signed - differently than in Poland - by small, yellow circles. The path leads first through dark, thick forest and later on short but neck-breaking approach to Slotslyngen - a wide slope, overgrown with grass and covered up with stones. The sun has already hidden behind the horizon, but the sky is still lit up wonderfully. This is one of the most beautiful places on "Borszon" rout. We changing the direction of the march again, going south.
23.00 p.m., Vang. The twilight slowly turns into the night, yet the afterglow can still be seen in the west.
9.06.2007
0.15 a.m., Teglkas. The "Ten" picturesquely leads along the road just by the Baltic coast. What a shame that after dark we cannot fully appreciate the charm of the places we go by - but while walking for 24h it is impossible to experience everything in the daylight. Well, it is, unless you're beyond polar circle...
1.15 a.m., Hasle. We have just covered half of the route, there is still 50 kilometres ahead. The night is not really black even for a moment. It hasn't got dark for good yet, and it begins to dawn.
4.00 a.m., Ronne. Injuries start to bother us. Ela walks with a swollen ankle pond; the knees injury renewed to Grzegorz; Tomek has blisters on his feet, Adam has chafed heels. Well, it is no wonder because we have been walking for sixteen hours now, and we have done over 60 km already. We are separating - Magda and Asia are riding to Rytterknaegten - the highest place on Bornholm, we are bowling along with the "Ten" - changing direction again, eastwards this time
6.00 a.m., Arnager. The pace of the march falls just as the temperature goes up, and it does go up quickly... The group begins to stretch more and more.
8.00 a.m., Boderne. We find Magda and Asia sleeping soundly by the bicycle route. Neither our arrival, nor the conversation and taking pictures, wakes them up... But they get awake in a flash when I ask about some help with finding water. They get several bottles which they deliver it to the ones who are thirsty. The girls ride among the leaders and those being at the end of the march, passing on information. It would have been much more difficult for us without their support.
9.30 a.m., Pedersker. The pace of walk is still dropping, the heat grows and injuries trouble us more and more. We decide to modify the route, according to our physical condition. Those who feel strong enough, go by the original route - path No. 10, while the ones whose to which pain makes it difficult to roam will take short cuts.
10.30 a.m., Somarken. I've chosen the "ten". The girls catch up with me and escort me for some time but then move on. I get envious watching how easy it is for them to cover the distance.
11.45 a.m., Broens Odde. This time I catch up with the girls who take their time sunbathing on the beach. The view of this part of Bornhol is truly magnificent and I understand now why it is called the Northern Riviera: clear and fine, fair sand, dunes, blue waters and cloudless sky and on top of that this mad sun.
12.30 a.m., Snogebaek. I've done a 100 kilometers.
14.40 a.m., Nexo. Everybody's there. It was a beautiful route! But why is this island so tiny?
Members: Elżbieta Hyży, Jacek Hyży, Adam Iwański, Grzegorz Kochmański, Tomasz Kochmański, Marek Madejski, Michał Matuszewski, Stanisław Pawełek, Marek Polus, Kuba Terakowski, Joanna Wachta (on cycle) and Magdalena Zielony (on cycle).
Text and photos: Kuba Terakowski
Translate: Magdalena Zielony
