Bandholm

Marina near Bandholm (Snap-ind)

Last edited 21.09.2022 at 13:01 by NV Charts Team

Latitude

54° 50’ 18.1” N

Longitude

11° 29’ 29.1” E

Description

This abandoned-looking trading port was and still is the loading point for agricultural products from the island of Lolland and the city of Maribo.

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach to the fired harbour is unproblematic during the day. The mighty silo at the harbour serves as a landmark visible from afar. A 5.6 m deep dredging channel leads to the harbour. Incoming ships have right of way here. Only the ferry makes an exception with its superior right of way.

Berths

Guests are best moored in the western part of the commercial harbour in 4m of water, as the marina and various small boat bridges are occupied by local yachts and the ferry dock is closed to pleasure craft anyway.

Surroundings

There are ample supplies (including fuel at the gas station) and many interesting places to visit, including the open zoo right by the harbor.

NV Land Guide

The port of Bandholm is certainly not comfortable, but it is an ideal starting point for worthwhile excursions. From the largest safari park in Northern Europe to a train ride on the museum train from Bandholm to Maribo, the visitor is offered such a wealth of interesting excursions that the uncomfortable harbour can be put up with.

The real "troublemaker" for the sailing holidaymaker is the huge granary, which can be seen many nautical miles before approaching the harbour. The old packing houses in the harbour are an example that functional buildings do not necessarily have to look as ugly as this silo. While it may be possible to ignore the monstrosity during the first summer months, the attempt to ignore the activity around the concrete building during harvest time will fail. During this time only one thing helps: flee or make a bow around Bandholm. Already because of the good anchorages in the surrounding waters the evasion should not cause any problems. The ferry service between Askø and Bandholm causes enough trouble anyway. The size of the obviously underused harbour alone makes for a dreary atmosphere. The pleasure boats and grain ships get lost in it. The only bright spot near the jetties and ferry ramp is the sailing club's house, a former smokehouse.

The biggest attraction immediately, southeast of Bandholm is, of course, the 700-acre Knuthenborg Safari Park. A network of paths over 20 kilometres long, much of which can be travelled by car or bicycle, makes it clear that this zoo is beyond the usual dimensions. It is easy to imagine the drudgery involved in building a wall more than seven kilometres long and two metres high around the huge area around 1870. The stones for it were supposed to come from the Småland fairway. And who now says, on such a "crazy" idea can come, nevertheless, actually only an Englishman, is right. The Briton Eggert Christoffer Knuth laid out the park, which was gigantic for its time and still has little to fear from competitors. This also applies to the number and variety of animals from all parts of the world. Here, antelopes graze next to ostriches lying lazily in the sun and giraffes stretching for the leaves of the treetops. Rhinos, zebras, buffalos, baboons, wildebeests, Siberian tigers, llamas, elephants, camels and many other animals can be seen. And what is especially interesting: on bicycles rented in the park, one can move freely in the areas of harmless animal species, settle down for sunbathing or picnics as one pleases. But as said before: Only in the areas of harmless animal species! Thereby, one also has time to look at the many plants of the park. For example, at the beginning of June the rhododendron hedges are in full bloom. Throughout the summer, the park is the external setting for concerts and other events.

In the middle of the area stands Knuthenborg Castle.

Much fun should be had by the youngsters in the park's playland. A special feature of this zone created for children is the "Mini World". As the name suggests, everything here, whether cars, houses or the railway, has been trimmed down to children's size. There are also ponies for hire here for the little ones.

Children are no less likely to enjoy another spectacle of the little place, a ride on the vintage train. When the stoker gives the boiler a good "tinder", the steam locomotive running between Bandholm and Maribo reaches the dizzying speed of 30 kilometres per hour. The crashing and rattling of the wagons, the hard stamp strokes of the puffing locomotive and its long-drawn-out whistling sound make for railway romance. "Every day is steam day" is the motto of the railwaymen, who are supported by the Danish Railway Club. However, this does not mean that the chimney of the old locomotive smokes every day in the summer. Only during three weeks in July does the museum railway run at least on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. During the rest of the year, from the beginning of June to the end of August, the museum train runs every Sunday from Bandholm to Maribo. The journey takes twenty minutes in the old carriages, the oldest of which date from around 1870. In total, six steam locomotives and thirty wagons are in operation.

The town of Maribo, eight kilometres south of Bandholm, offers several attractions, including the open-air museum in Meinkesvej. Ten buildings here give a glimpse into earlier times. The village smithy from Majbølle on Guldborgsund has been rebuilt here, an old farm from the island of Falster has been reconstructed with sun-dried clay bricks and the former school building from Christiansminde has been moved to the museum. The former mill on the island of Fejø also stands here today. The mill wings and the exterior have been renovated, the interior is original. In a shed are agricultural machines and implements that were mainly used for growing sugar beet.

The jewel of the collection is a so-called locomobile, a kind of forerunner of today's tractor. The iron behemoth dates from the pioneering days of steam ploughs and had 14 horsepower weighing 10 tonnes.

Everyday life on Lolland and Falster in the Ice Age is one of the themes of the Collegiate and District Museum at Jernbadepladsen in Maribo. The Viking Age, the Middle Ages and the 20th century are also examined from this perspective. Many finds from megalithic graves are on display, including a number of grave finds from the Frejlev forest (see Nysted). A special exhibition is dedicated to Polish farm workers.

Also at Jernbanepladsen is the Art Museum for Lolland and Falster. It displays paintings from 1754 to the present day and also has a large graphic collection.

Maribo Cathedral is considered one of the finest buildings of the late Middle Ages. The former monastery church in Klostergade was built between 1616 and 1670. A tombstone embedded in the floor is the final resting place of the king's daughter Leonora Christina, who died in 1698. Art historians consider the altarpiece by the carver Henrik Werner, created in 1640, to be a particularly successful work. To the north of the cathedral are the ruins of a noble maiden convent, which housed the daughters of the rich until 1621. Here they had to spend the rest of their lives if they did not manage to find a suitable husband.

Also worth seeing is the old part of Maribo near the market, which is praised as an example of successful urban renewal without destroying old buildings. The market is also home to the town hall, built in 1857, and a statue of the poet and priest Kaj Munk. He was killed during World War II for speaking out against the occupying forces as a pastor.

If you have plenty of time, you should hike the area around the lakes of Maribo. Unfortunately, the view of the lakes from the trails is blocked in many places by dense vegetation. A kilometre south of the open-air museum, a "nature school" has been set up in a car park to provide information about the animal and plant life around the lakes. Lake Søndersee is also accessible from here.

Marina Information

Max Depth 4.4 m

Contact

Phone + 45 5495 8066
Email Please enable Javascript to read
Website https://www.bandholmhavn.dk

Surroundings

Electricity

Water

Toilet

Shower

Crane

Fuel

Grocery

Ramp

Public Transport

Bikerental

Garbage

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