A 120-Year-Old Denmark Lighthouse Rides Away From Coastal Erosion on Rollerblades

Beachgoers know all too well what happens when you plop down near the ocean during low tide—it creeps slowly closer until one enthusiastic wave soaks all your towels and escapes with your flip-flops. Luckily, you can to relocate your belongings farther inland, or simply check the tide tables before settling down to sunbathe.

For a 120-year-old Danish lighthouse, it’s not that simple. When Northern Denmark’s Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was built in 1899, there was more than 650 feet of land separating it from the coast. According to Condé Nast Traveler, that seemingly safe expanse of sand had eroded to fewer than 20 feet by the 2000s.

To rescue the 1000-ton landmark from imminent destruction, local mason Kjeld Pedersen approached the Danish government with an innovative proposition: Slide the lighthouse to safety on a pair of custom-sized rollerblades. Since a similar plan had succeeded in moving a gun repository in Skagen, a town about 45 miles from Rubjerg Knude, the government gave the green light (and 5 million kroner, or about $743,000) to Pedersen.

Last week, Pedersen and his team mounted Rubjerg Knude on a pair of roller blades attached to a track, and scooted the structure about 263 feet inland. It wasn’t exactly a rip-roaring ride—they moved it 0.001 mph. At that rate, the entire operation took almost 50 hours.

As one can imagine, Pedersen was a bit tired after such an epic undertaking.

“It’s been overwhelming for him,” Visit Denmark’s Nina Grandjean Gleerup told Condé Nast Traveler. “I think he’s told Denmark ‘Don’t use me anymore’ because of all the attention!”

Gleerup also explained that Pedersen’s humble diligence and creativity reflected the spirit of the neighboring fishing towns, Løken and Lønstrup, which are known for quaint coffee shops, galleries, and beautiful natural landscapes.

Starting to think a lighthouse would make the perfect beachfront getaway? While Rubjerg Knude itself isn’t open for overnight visitors, there are plenty of other lighthouses near the sea—book a stay in one here.