Allinge

Marina near Allinge-Sandvig

Last edited 17.04.2024 at 11:36 by NV Charts Team

Latitude

55° 16’ 42.6” N

Longitude

14° 48’ 9.6” E

Description

Idyllic small town harbour on the north-east coast of Bornholm.

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach to the harbour is only recommended for those unfamiliar with the area during the day. The port is approached at 209° on the bearing of the directional beacons; the green buoy remains on the starboard side. If the harbour is closed due to bad weather, signals are set on the signal mast: 3 red fixed lights at night, a black ball during the day.

Berths

Some berths for guest yachts are located in the outer harbour. However, the harbour, which is very popular with sailors, is often busy during the season. Approximately 4.7m water depth.

The moorings for ferries and pilot boats must be kept clear.

When the wind is onshore, the harbour is very choppy. The inner shelter harbour, which can be closed by a gate during storms, is kept free for pleasure boats during the summer months.

Surroundings

In the touristy interesting place there are good supply possibilities.

Ferry to Simrishamn and to Christiansø.

NV Land Guide

Kinky alleyways and beautiful half-timbered houses are the must-see attractions of this idyllic little town with its cosy harbour. Allinge has grown so closely together with the northern Sandvig that only the hyphen separates the twin towns of Allinge-Sandvig.

When Allinge and Sandvig were still two independent fishing villages, they played a major role during the great herring catches in the Middle Ages. It was here that the Lübeck Hanseatic League bought herring. The Allingers also made a name for themselves in the privateer war of 1807 to 1814, when they captured the first English ships.

Today the whole area is a nature reserve, but tourism has made its mark on the north coast with hotels and guesthouses. This is where the island's first summer visitors stayed at the beginning of the 20th century, including many Berliners.

The church in Allinge is one of the sights of the town of Allinge-Sandvig, which has 2000 inhabitants. Its oldest parts are a late Gothic nave and the Renaissance tower.

The rune stone next to the church bears the inscription: "Brune and his brothers had this stone built after their father Thorlak and their brother Esger". There are around 40 of these rune stones on Bornholm, most of which commemorate a significant deed or man of the Viking Age.

Cult or art? The meaning of the rock drawings (Helleristninger) at Madsebakke between Allinge and Sandvig is unknown. The age of these largest rock drawings on Bornholm is estimated at around 3000 years. Ships, footprints and bowls are carved into the rocks and lie at an angle of incidence to the sun, which makes for a particularly strong shadow effect.

It's well worth a trip to the northern rock massif, Hammerknoten (see also Hammerhavnen). It impresses with its rugged hills and valleys, as well as its crypts and rock lakes. The lakes are in most cases remains of former quarries. Today, hardly any granite is quarried. Sheep prevent the boulders from becoming overgrown.

About two kilometres west of Allinge, on Borrelyngvej, the road between Allinge and Hasle, lies an animal park in the bizarre rocky landscape. Kangaroos, llamas, ostriches and many other species of animals are housed on the former site of a granite factory. The park covers an area of 60,000 m². Allinge itself offers cafeterias, restaurants and supermarkets as well as arts and crafts in a warehouse by the harbour. In 1856 the inhabitants of Allinge built their first harbour, but it was already destroyed in the storm tide of 1872. Four years later the harbour was rebuilt.

Allinge is still the home port for several fishing boats. On weekdays there is a connection from the harbour to the island Christiansø as well as several times a day to Simnrishamn (Sweden). Fish shops are located at the south end of the harbour.