Hanklit is a cliff on the island of Mors, in the Limfjord, the broad, shallow fjord that cuts across northern Denmark and turns Jutland into an island. The cliff is made of moler, a grey-white clay full of diatoms, the tiny silica shells of ancient algae, laid down on the seabed some fifty-five million years ago, and the layers are interleaved with bands of black volcanic ash from eruptions in what is now the North Sea region. The folding of the strata, which were pushed and twisted by glaciers during the Ice Age, makes the cliff look like a layered cake that has been dragged sideways. Fossils of fish, insects, plants and birds are found in the moler, and it is quarried for insulating bricks and cat litter.
The Danish rides listed here are built around Fyrkat, the Viking ring fortress near Hobro, but Hanklit gives a different view of the north. The cliff rises abruptly from the shore of the fjord, with a path that climbs to a heath at the top, where heather, juniper and bird's-foot trefoil grow, and views over the water and the low green hills of Thy and Salling. Skylarks sing over the heath in spring. Seals sometimes rest on the shoals, and the wind is constant.
The riding on Mors and the surrounding Limfjord country is gentle and open, with small roads that go from farm to farm, past windmills and little churches. The land is flat or gently rolling, the surfaces are smooth, and the traffic is light. The sea breeze can be strong and cold, even in July, and showers come and go quickly, so a windproof jacket is wise. Danish speed rules are strict and controlled with cameras, and local drivers tend to follow them. Early summer, with its long evenings, is the best time, and in late June the light lingers until close to midnight.
Thisted, seven kilometres off across the fjord, is a town of thirteen thousand with fuel, supermarkets, a brewery and a handful of restaurants, and it is also a surfing hub, since the North Sea coast at Klitmøller attracts windsurfers and wave riders. On Mors, the village of Nykøbing has more services. Try a plate of smoked fish, a Danish hot dog from a kiosk, or a pastry in a bakery, and the local Thy beer. The path up Hanklit can be wet and slippery after rain, so wear shoes with grip, and keep clear of the unstable edge of the cliff.