Introducing Jutland

The Jutland (Jylland) Peninsula is where mainland Europe meets Scandinavia although with little drama; the area where the borders meet is a rather monotonous procession of moor and marsh.

Further north things improve as you hit the pretty, forested Lake District and further north still the windswept western and northern coasts (a windsurfer’s dream) lined with vast sandy beaches.

The region was settled originally by the Jutes, a Germanic tribe whose forays included invading England in the 5th century. Not surprisingly Jutland’s southern boundary has been a fluid one, last drawn in 1920 when Germany relinquished its holdings in Sønderjylland.

Most of the main cities, including Århus and Aalborg, are along the more sheltered east coast.