I am looking to travel up to Finland around May/June 2010 and need advice on cheap accomodation for two, we plan travel over from London via Sweden and then head up towards the Artic circle and hopefullY make Nordkapp. We will mostly camp but plan to use some sort of hostel or B&b/hotel every couple of days for showers etc.

Any advice/tips/routes/info greatly appreciated. ST

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http://stevetongue.co.uk

Hi,
Have you any idea about routing.
I should have some place or at least free camping with sauna.

Here you can find most of the things GPS-Waypoints - GPS POI sharing community

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...You know it's a bit windy when you get passed by your own dust...

No routes as yet, planning still in early stages plus I wanted to see what people on here would recommend .

Thanks for the POI website, could be very usefull. Lets see what other peole come up with !!

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http://stevetongue.co.uk

Hi,
I rode up to North Cape in June 1999. From Bergen up the coast of Norway. Then from North Cape south into Finnish Lapland and down to Helsinki by a straightforward route close to the Russian border. That was about 5 weeks in all I think.
I stayed in Youth Hostals (all in the YHA handbook if I remember) which were absolutely wonderful, and empty, being out of season. And nearly all are in the grounds of an adjacent hotel and you get to use all the hotel facilities for free.
I didn't camp.
I just read the ordinary guide books for the routes and places to see and it was all very good.
In particular, North Cape itself is a disappointment, and expensive. I stayed in the nearby YHA Hostel which was just outside the entrance I think, not too expensive.
But the big recommendation is to walk to Knivskjellodden, a wild headland to the west of N.Cape and actually a few yards further north. It really is a 'must do' visit. There's a carpark at the start of the path, a few miles before you reach North Cape. I set off from there at about 8:00pm on 20th June with good weather that looked like it would hold. I arrived at Knivskjellodden about 00:30am 21st June, and it was truely magical! And dramatic! Completely alone, with the huge orange sun hanging up in the sky to the north and the Arctic Ocean alive with sea birds.
The guide books will advise you about doing this walk, you have to be reasonably equipped. The path is alternately rocky and marshy so its route is not obvious, and is only marked by red paint on boulders every few hundred metres. A hand-held GPS would be good for safety. I just walked in motorbike gear, some water and food, and trusted the good weather would continue.
Another point is that June is mosquito season and you will be innundated with large swarms of them away from the coast. Most people wear proper mosquito hats and head nets. I found lots of deet was OK but a net is better. They say it's dangerous not to protect yourself from them.
All accommodation has special doors, windows and ventilation to stop them getting inside. Close to the coast it's not a problem.
Lastly there's the long tunnel that connects the mainland with the island. It holds some world record for the length of a road tunnel I think. If the weather is fine and sunny when you approach it (as it was for me), stop before the entrance and put on all your winter cold-weather gear. Once you enter, it becomes colder and colder and colder as it dives under the sea. By the time I was almost halfway through I was seriously cold. So I ignored the speed limit to get out quickly, but that's not straightforward as it's very dark inside, and wet, and the walls are just rough blasted rock and not easy to follow once you're going fast.
Have a good trip.

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TTR250 - London to Cape Town

hi norma
there is a handout you can get from the finnish tourist office in london on independant hostels around finland.but to be honest the standard youth hostels are a good choice to bear in mind. again you can obtain a small guide book from the tourist office. when you have an idea of your route let capo
sakke have a look as local knowledge is always a great help.regards and enjoy your trip

Hi,

Just let me know if you need anything that I can arrange?

Here is the link for truck ferry from Sweden to Finland take 8h.

Passenger - Home | Passenger travel, Finnlines

Price is ok could get even discount for bikers?

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...You know it's a bit windy when you get passed by your own dust...

Thanks for that Capo Sakke, I may try that next time. 45 Euro looks good value IIRC it was 38 Euro for the puttgarden ferry.

Anyone travelling this route in need of a decent campsite near Malmo should try this site in Hoor.

Dansk - English - Grottbyn Vandrarhem och Camping Höör

It's open all year

Cheers for that Capo, some very good prices on there plus it cuts out a good days riding & hassle.

Do you think that 17 days is enough to get up to Nordkap and back down again?

What would you say is a reasonable spend per day for two people including food & fuel etc ?

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http://stevetongue.co.uk

Do you mean round trip from London?
What bikes you are using road, all round what?
How long days you normally do?
What's your day average km?
In Finland you can easily do over 700 to 1200km/day. Traffic dens is low and roads good. If you ride 10-12h/day sun is shining almost 24h at least north. I even do over 500-700km/day on trails and dirt.
From Turku where ferry arrives there is 450km to my cottage and you are welcome to stay. To my place to (Map Source) Nordkapp via eastern Finland near Russian border through some good dirt roads and trails (35-40%) is 1700km. I can find camping places to you on advance. That means some 3 days. Last 600km to Nordkapp is fast tarmac 80-100km/h speed limits. Can do much faster but fines when they catch you for over speeding are deathly in Finland and Norway.
Expense on journey: Fuel should be some 1,3-1,4€/l don't know exactly have been aboard 2 months and will be back week 23.
Food you can do 20+€/day depends what's your standard? You can eat huge lunch on cafes or gas station restaurants (eat so much what you want) + coffee as a desert for 7-8€. And if you camp and prepare your own dinners and brekies it'll be less than 10€. So rough estimate 60€ fuel 25€ for food (add some s), hut on camping 20€/per/night = 100€/day/person.
You can PM to me or do it email through Joroinen community for details. I can also send way points if you need it?
BTW there is Rally for dirt bikes called URAA (the ruts in the road) in Lapland 25-28 June.

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...You know it's a bit windy when you get passed by your own dust...

Thanks again Capo, Im off to Italy today on business, back next week, will PM you then for more info

Steve

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http://stevetongue.co.uk