A new look at a land of Nordic Noir

Since stylish crime dramas hit our screens at the end of the last decade all things Danish have experienced an irresistible rise in popularity.

For many people wanting to sample the land of patterned sweaters and neurotic detectives a weekend trip to Copenhagen is the obvious choice.

After all, with a population of just over five and a half million people a trip to the capital and largest city should cover it all, right?

Not quite, although most Brits would probably struggle to name another Danish city never mind pick somewhere else to go for a short break.

Most people who have heard of North Jutland will associate it with the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the largest naval engagement of the First World War.

But Denmark’s most northerly province, which lies at the top of the Jutland peninsula, has as much to offer as Copenhagen in its own laid-back way.

Its largest city, Aalborg, shares some of its soul with Oxford, with a heritage built on its university and manufacturing industry.

The comparisons end there though. Aalborg is very much a Manchester or Liverpool of 15 years ago, a city which has suffered from the decline of industry and is now bouncing back with a vibrant arts and music scene.

The Musikkens Hus, the city’s new concert hall, is a concrete behemoth on the waterfront which might not be to everyone’s taste but is at the heart of the city’s new cultural quarter.

The regeneration of this part of the city remains very much a work in progress, but although sections of the waterfront are still building sites it’s easy to see where the city is going.

It’s a regional capital brimming with confidence, especially when it comes to food and drink, and not without good reason.

Mortens Kro, one of the city’s best- known restaurants, exemplifies Aalborg’s modernity and style, provided you don’t mind surveying dozens of paintings of nude women while you eat.

Like everywhere else in Denmark there was no shortage of fish on the menu, although after a hefty helping of pickled herring for lunch a main course of witch (another fish) was a pleasant change.

It can sometimes feel Aalborg is marching unstoppably forward into a plate-glass and concrete future but just north of the city there is a striking monument to the area’s Viking past.

The Lindholm Hoje burial ground, which dates to about the 5th century AD, contains the graves of 700 Vikings, many of which are marked out by headstones which pockmark the hill.

The cemetery was covered by drifting sands from about 1200 until the 19th century, preserving it as a permanent reminder of Denmark’s medieval population. It’s also a perfect spot to get a view of Aalborg from afar, and the surrounding countryside.

Locals don’t seem to have any qualms about eating lunch among the graves, although you do have to contend with dozens of bleeting sheep who are determined to grab some free food.

An afternoon meal at Utzon, in the centre of Aalborg, is probably a better bet, especially if you want to try dozens of different varieties of Denmark’s speciality – the open sandwich.

There’s easily enough to see and do in Aalborg during a long weekend break, but the city is also a perfect base to explore the rest of North Jutland.

I made the trip north by road to Skagen, which sits right on Denmark’s northern tip, just across the water from Sweden.

The town has a population of just over 8,000 but draws in about two million tourists each year, mostly from the rest of Scandinavia and northern Europe.

It is in stark contrast to busy, bustling Aalborg.

The waterfront at Aalborg 

Skagen is a sleepy holiday resort of narrow streets and traditional Danish homes, all painted yellow (there are a number of explanations for this, none of which are particularly convincing).

Like much of Denmark it is very easy to get around by bike, which is probably the best way to explore the town. Having not been on a bike for more than a year I surprised myself by finding it a very enjoyable way to get around.

It was also the perfect way to work off lunch, which featured yet more herring. It is the way you are meant to enjoy Skagen, a holiday destination designed for lazy afternoons, good food and beautiful scenery.

But, if you so desire, you can relax even further in a land without mobile phone signal, television or computers.

Hjorts Hotel, a few miles outside Skagen, is rustic accommodation surrounded by shifting sand dunes and not much else. It also boasts a fantastic restaurant, which was not what I expected to find in a tiny rural hotel.

This time there was no herring, instead it was salted veal which I could have cut with a spoon.

My room was basic, with just a bed, wardrobe, bedside table and sink, which only added to the sense of being cut off from the rest of the world.

A more relaxing place would be hard to find. That really sums up North Jutland, even Aalborg with its quickly developing cultural scene is more laid back than Copehnagen or other Scandinavian cities.

Just under two hours away from London it’s an ideal place to take a short break, experience Denmark and, if you want, just get away from it all.

ESSENTIALS

* Norwegian Air Shuttle flies to Aalborg from London Gatwick with two flights every Thursday and Sunday. Flights start from £31.50 one way. norwegian.com/uk

* First Hotel Europa Aalborg – twin rooms from £68 a night. firsthotels.com

* Hjorts Hotel – double room with bath from £112 a night. hjorthshotel.dk/

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