Rosenholm Rotary Klub

05 Monday - 07 Wednesday

What is Anholt?

The island you are going to visit! -from Saturday the 1st to Monday the 3rd of August, CAMP DJURS 1998 will take you to this small island.

The island is the most isolated place in Denmark. The distance to Grenaa is 44 Km and to Sweden 47 Km. When the weather is very clear, you can see Djursland and Sweden from the top of the lighthouse.

Anholt is 22 Km² "big". It is 10 Km long and 5 Km wide. To walk around the island is only 26 Km. Only 6 Km's of road are asphalted.

3/4 of the island is a desert, which makes it the largest desert in Northern Europe. This peculiar and very sensitive heath arose partly from many years of foresting. Huge amounts of wood were needed to keep the light in the lighthouse burning.

Since 1674 80% of the island has been owned by just one family. Anholt has its own football team "Anholt United" and they also have cycle racing, "Tour de Anholt".

Archaeologists have found traces of inhabitation dating back to approx 7500 - 6000 BC. At that time Anholt was connected with Jutland, but in the period app. 6000 - 3800 BC the sea rose and Anholt became an island.

There are 176 inhabitants. The main occupations through the years have been fishing and farming. Today only two fishing boats are left, and farming stopped around 1950 because it was no longer profitable. The catching of seals has also stopped, since they are now protected. The main occupation now is tourism. In the last 80 years more than 300 weekend cottages have been built. Many pleasure-boats come to the port. Besides the camping side it is possible to stay at an inn.

Several battles have taken place on Anholt and in the surrounding area. In the 17th to the 18th centuries it was the Swedes, who came to Anholt to rob and kill the men. Because of the island's strategic position, the English occupied Anholt during a war from 1809 to 1814. From 1940 to 1945 Anholt was occupied by the Germans, who built a radar-system.

Many ships have been stranded close to Anholt, so the king ordered a lighthouse to be built, it was ready in 1572. The lighthouse, as it is today - 42 meters high - was rebuilt in 1881 and in 1965 made fully automatic.

05 Monday

At 12.45 we will sail to Anholt from Grenaa harbour. Bring only the most important luggage to the harbour, you can leave the rest in Grenaa (further information follows).

The sailing time is almost 3 hours. During that time you can have your lunch (remember to bring it from Roende Youth Hostel).

When we arrive, we will walk to the camping site and pitch the tents. Remember to bring a sleeping bag and mat, swimming costume, towel and toilet articles.

Your tour leaders will be: Birgit and Torben Bech from Rosenholm R.C.

06 Tuesday

- The survival day! - we will walk to the lighthouse and return through the desert.

07 Wednesday

We will get up very early in the morning to pack the tents and catch the ferry at 8.00.