Of all the excursions in this vacation, this three-hour walk around the ramparts of Fredericia added the most paces to my pedometer. Our guide was great and kept up the pace to complete the excursion in the allotted time. He stopped to tell us the history of Fredericia and its importance to Denmark as a military stronghold.
The walk began on the dock, the straight section in the lower left corner of the picture below. The Ramparts are the wiggly “W” green shape separating the point of land from the mainland at the top. The red marker is where this sign was located along the beach path.
The tanks on the left of the picture above belong to the Shell Oil Company. Their property is on the point of land in the map above. The area is twice the 70-hectare size it was in 1966. In the early 1970s, North Sea Oil discoveries lead to a 320-kilometre undersea pipeline being built to deliver the crude to Denmark where about 15 million tonnes of crude is refined annually here in Fredericia. They produce liquified petroleum gas (LPG), jet fuel, fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and furnace oil. It also sells “waste” heat from the process to heat local homes. A little over half of the produce is shipped by tanker ships from this port and the rest is carried by tanker trucks to the Jutland peninsula.
The beach is sandy and looks inviting.
On this excursion, I finally understand the origin of the word “rampart”. I have heard it in history lessons and in the lyrics of a national anthem. Now I will always remember that is just a big ramp of dirt. In its time, it was of military significance, but now it provides a lovely vantage point.
Did you know that there are beaches specifically designed for use by the blind? The posts in the water have holes drilled in them. When the air moves through the holes, it creates a humming sound which can be used to orient the swimmers.
When the ramparts were used for defence, an army would also be part of that defence. At the time, the army had to have a safe place to store their ammunition. The building below was built specifically for that purpose.
Now, this beach walk is a great escape from city life.
In researching the oil industry in Fredericia, I learned that CBD oil is also a profitable industry in Denmark.
I love all the places that you visit and travel to – how do you decide on your destinations? What is on your upcoming itinerary?
Hi Paul,
Upcoming on this itinerary are a few ports in Norway, four ports in Iceland, a visit to “Nessie” in Scotland and a look at what is left of Hadrian’s Wall in northeastern England.
Usually, there is a place or two we want to see from either my or my wife’s bucket list. Then, the cruise ship or bus tour throws in the other destinations as part of the package.