UK to Norway (advice needed)
 

Planning a trip from London to Nordkapp in Spring 2003. I'll be getting the ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, and then the fun begins! I calculated that it's about 4566km round trip from Bergen to Nordkapp and back to Bergen again. This works out at approx 270km/day or 155 miles/day over 17 days. Although it's not a huge distance per day, it's a lot of riding if you decide to stay more than 1 day somewhere and then have to make up the distance on another day.
1) Can you transport bikes on trains there?
2) How much is it?
3) How regular are they and do they run from most places? I reckon we could make a lot of distance on the return journey with a few nights on a train, then going up to Nordkapp doesn't feel so rushed.

There is another thread entitled 'UK to the very top of Norway' where someone mentions the 'Hurtigruten' which I am assuming is a train. So more details on that would be great!
Another question...
4) The only ferries company I know that goes UK to Norway is Fjordline. Does anyone know of any others?

Hello

First of all: Do not go to early in the spring, it’s bloody cold in Norway in the spring; 20. may this year I drove my bike up in the mountain and vent skiing! On higher elevation snow usually melt the two first week in June, although the roads is free from snow earlier. Watch out for the freezy mornings.
We do not have the European Autuzug , and I have never heard of any taking they’re bikes on the train. An quick browse on the www.nsb.no did not reveal an option for taking a motorcycle on the train. Up north there is only two trains a day., and they only go along one track. Oslo-Trondheim-Bodø.

Hurtigruten is actually a ferry going along the coast. Where you can take along your bike. www.hurtigruten.no, quite nice a heard.

Your distance of 4500km seems a little bit to long. I think Norway from far south to far north is approximately 2400km.I may be mistaken

Have a nice trip!

Hurtigruten, the coastal passenger liner of Norway, runs all the way north along the coast. You can jump onboard in the evening somewhere and get off next morning rested and with quite som distance done during the night. It has plenty of stops. We got onboard during high season without any advance booking.

You also have the option to go the fast way through Sweden either north bound or back again. These roads go through boring forest but are a lot faster.

My advice with such a short time on your hands, is to either take Hurtigruten parts of the way, or take the Swedish route, then take your time and enjoy the fantastic coastal roads on your way south. This way you won't be as fed up trying to catch up towards the end of the trip.

Enjoy...

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Dag
http://RocinantesTravels.com

Thanks for your very useful info frnas and dagjen. That ferry (Hurtigruten) sounds awesome, but the website does not seem to give an idea of prices. Now I need to decide whether to go the fast Swedish way or on the boat - I think I will go for the cheapeast option (not sure which that is yet).
frnas, my distance was for there and back, which kind of matches up with your estimate...I hope!

Hurtigrtuen is expensive, very expensive. If you want several days on it during high season you need a cabin (we stayed one night and slept in an empty bar) which will cost you plenty. I didn't find any prices on the website either, and that alone should be a warning. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

So I'm pretty sure the Swedish alternative will be cheaper, although more boring, because a sea journey along the coast can be fantastic if the weather is nice.

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Dag
http://RocinantesTravels.com

The roads in both Sweden and Norway are excellent. So you can make good time. But be careful of the speed traps. They can be as expensive as the ferry. By all means take the Swedish route at least one way. Swedish petrol costs about half of that in Norway. Other prices: Toll through the Nordkapp Tunnel is US$10 one way. Parking at Nordkapp is US$25. So bring money, lots of it, and enjoy. It's a fantastic ride. I did the distance London-Nordkapp in 10 days one way. Easily.

thanks for all the info. I will have more questions soon!

PaulJ - Regarding photos, I have a few which I think you'll like the look of. I'm hoping to upload them onto my (first, new) website. I'll report back here as sson as I've managed it - Hopefully maybe even later today. I've already done some of my Morocco photos, and am planning to stick a couple more trips there soon.

PaulJ - Photos now uploaded. Glad you asked, as I've been meaning to do this for months!

http://ichapp.users.btopenworld.com/

fireboomer - Ref your questions from Sahara forum(!):

* Do you have any info on places to go / not to go?

All was pretty good. Thoroughly recommend Lapland etc. though. That was the highlight of my trip.

* where to sleep? How do we find those little cabins?

You'll find them all over the place, as campsites. I don't think they all have cabins, maybe 50% or a bit less. I think the ones that do had a sign which looks like a hut!

* What are the roads like and is it possible to take back roads, we would like to take as much dirt roads as possible.

I don't know about dirt roads. The tarmac roads are extemely windy (twisty, not blowy!) in Norway near the fjords down the west coast. I think you can do all sorts of long-winded island hopping and get nowhere if you want, or attempt to cover some distance and get slightly further! Have a look at my route: http://ichapp.users.btopenworld.com/...main_route.htm.
The road up the east of Sweden is totally the opposite. I think there's an inland Swedish one as well which is also straight, but I haven't been there.

* Can you easely find fuel around?

No problem.

* Will it be too cold in September? I have checked the avarage temperatures and they seem doable.

I went in August and it was warmer than England. I would have though September would be fine, although chilly up north? Only guessing though.

[This message has been edited by IanC (edited 24 December 2002).]

Ian,

Thanks for all the info. The website looks really nice. Will have to redo mine some day I think...

Timingwise we will be aiming for the last 3 weeks of September and the first week of October. Up North it will be chilly, but doable. That's exactly how we see it too.

I am going to start with making a list of places that are worth to pass or stop. Then line these up and try to make up a good route.


Wich maps did you use?

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

fireboomer - I just used Philip's Europe 2001 Atlas. North of Gavle (Sweden) and Bergen (Norway) are only covered at a very small 1:3,200,000, but to be honest that seemed good enough for taking the main roads. There ain't much there!

PaulJ - you could use DFDS Seaways, which is the one I used:
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/
Although I don't think they go any further north than Kristiansaand.

Ok I'll check it out. I'll keep you posted.

Fireboomer

Hi Guys, What a good thread. I,m planning a trip from Paris, through Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Murmansk, Finland and back. Middle of summer but no firm dates yet.
Some of the photos are fantastic.
If anyone has good tips or infomation it would be good to read them.
I,m also doing it on dirt roads where available so if anyone finds good ones please post them up.

Nice one Ian, some good info. Good photo's, some of those Morocco ones look a lot like mine (especially that Todra piste - saw my arse big time there ;-)
I need to collate all this info and start making firm plans now. I'll post more info/questions as I get them.

Hey Blackjack!
Seems that we have exactly the same plans only the timing is slightly different.
Most likely we will go in September. June is also a small option.
We were also planning to take Murmansk sort as the turning point. Head North Through Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland to Russia Murmansk. Then head South through Russia via St. Petersburg and then West over Letland, Estland, Litovia, Poland and Germany. We hope to do it in about a month.

I'll post any info I find on the HUBB. But feel free to mail me directly.

One question: who know the pro and cons about going in June or September? Is there a chanche to get a glimpse of Polar Light in September? Are the bugs in September as bad as in June? How cold will it be, what do we need for clothing? Will a electric undervest do it?

Any info more then welcome.


Fireboomer.
Pieter Maes.

PS: Ian, funny to see how we have been standing on the same spots in Marocco to take pictures! Dadas, Todra, Merzouga, Tizi N Test...
Good website. Gonna have to redo mine.

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

[This message has been edited by fireboomer (edited 30 December 2002).]

Thanks PaulJ.

Fireboomer - I was going to stick the info I had on the Midnight Sun here, but I've now stuck it at:
http://ichapp.users.btopenworld.com/...and_lights.htm
in case anyone would like it in the future. Then I re-read your post, and wasn't sure if you were maybe asking about the Northern Lights! Anyway...

BTW, despite reading about mosquitoes (I think in northern Sweden?), I didn't come across any.

I did mean the Northern Lights. But mayby I am way to optimistic about it. Just a kids dream.
Would it be possible to catch a glimpse of this phenomenom in September?

Oeps, just found the info on the link.
Thanks guys!

[This message has been edited by fireboomer (edited 31 December 2002).]

Here's a route suggestion for Bergen to Nordkapp and back. It may seem complicated but it's actually among the shortest (but NOT fastest) routes:

From Bergen go E16 east to Voss, then #13 to Vagnsnes, ferry across the mighty Sognefjord to Hella, then #55 over the mountains to Lom (from Boverdal 15 km before Lom there is a small toll road going up near the top of the mountain Galdhöpiggen, there is also summer skiing and a hotel/"mountain station" at the end of the road).
From Lom go #15 west, then #63 to Geiranger (to see this beautiful fjord, go on the ferry to Hellesylt and back).
Continue on #63 to Eidsdal, ferry to Linge, continue on #63 to Andalsnes.
From Andalsnes continue on a little less spectacular roads, go east on E136 to Dombas, then go north past Trondheim (a few road tolls there) to Steinkjer. If you have time and money (all the ferries cost money), go on #17 along the coast all the way to Bodo, or reconnect with E6 earlier (from Bronnoysund or at Mo i Rana). At Straumen near Bodo, the tidewater flushes in and out of the fjord through a narrow canal.
From Bodo/Fauske continue north on E6 to Ulsvag, the go west on #81 to Skutvik. Ferry from Skutvik to Svolvaer (Lofoten Islands). Then E10 north to Fiskeboll, ferry to Melbu, then E10 through Lofoten to E& at Bjerkvik.
Continue north on E6 and E69 all the way to Nordkap.
Going back from Nordkap, go back on E6 to Alta, then #93 south to the Finnish border, then #958 and #21 to Kolari.
Cross the Swedish border (bridge) over to Pajala, then go on #392 and E10 to Morjarv, the #356 to Alvsbyn. Near Alvsbyn are the falls/rapids of Storforsen. From Alvsbyn go on #94 to Arvidsjaur, then some 1000 km south on #45 to Mora.
Go northwest on #295 to Oxberg, then there is a small unnumbered (tarmac) road to Salen (this road roughly follows the route of the big 90 km ski-race Vasaloppet). From Salen a small road goes to Rorbacksnas at the Norwegian border. Cross the border onto #25 and follow it to Hamar. Go northwest on E6 for 25 km or so, then go south on #4 to Gjovik.
From Gjovik go on #33 and E16 to Leira, then #51 south to Gol and finally #7 back to Bergen.

In the unlikely event that you want more details, feel free to contact me.

I suppose all these roads are paved and there are no gravel roads or something between?

Yes, all these roads are paved.
Fireboomer, I saw you asked about dirt/gravel roads in Scandi on another post.
There are huge amounts of small gravel roads all over Sweden (mainly built to access for timber vehicles etc). Almost all of them are open for everybody so it's perfectly legal to use them and to camp in the forests too of course.
It's hard to describe any route without knowing between which points you want to go.
Here's a great source for detailed on-line topographic maps of Sweden: http://www2.lantmateriet.se/ksos/index.html It's in Swedish though, this service doesn't seem to be availible if you choose English.
Hopefully you can figure it out anyway.
This is not the case in Norway, these types of roads all seem to be private and locked.
I guess Finland is similar to Sweden, but I don't know for sure.

There are lots of open gravel roads in Norway, but different from many other countries many are pay roads (often private). Get a good map. They have the detailed information and includes signs explaining if the gates are payable and passable or if they are closed for traffic completely.


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Dag
http://RocinantesTravels.com

Tagemi,

Thanks for the info!!! I'll start looking to it as soon as I have a bit more time. If I know between wich points we will be riding I might get back to you.

Dagjen,
Same goes for you: thanks for the info. but some questions. WICH maps are talking about. What woudl YOU ise (besides a topographical map) to get the info you mention. I don't live in Scandinavia so it's quite hard to know wich maps are the good ones. But I do have a connection in the biggest map distributor of Europe. So if I know wich maps I need, I most surely will get my hands on them.

Thanks for all the advice. Looks like the trip is comming together!


Pieter
'Fireboomer'

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

Pieter

I use the map series from Cappelen, which is split up in:
Sør-Norge Sør (Southern Norway South)
Sør-Norge Nord (Southern Norway North)
..
and so on. You'll find it in many gas stations in Norway, but I don't know about getting it in advance outside the country. You don't really have too though, just get a decent road map and plan from that, then get the more detailed Cappelen map once in Norway.

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Dag
http://RocinantesTravels.com

Tagemi, that's some really useful and detailed routes you've described there. I don't have a detailed enough map of Scandinavia yet to follow your route properly on a map (only Lonely Planet), but I will be getting a proper map soon and then as I trace the route you described I will probably have some questions for you. I won't do it in the order you described though. I have booked ferry tickets from UK to Gothernburg in Sweden, we ride up Sweden and then down Norway to the ferry in Bergen. What would be useful is if you can give me the reasons for all the different routes you suggested i.e. is it a nice road to ride on, is there good scenery etc etc. This will help me decide which routes to take!
Fireboomer, I got an email from someone called Antek who red this thread and they suggested using Freitag&Berndt maps which they got off UK Amazon (four maps cover the whole area of Norway - scale 1:400 000). Apparently these give a lot of detail for those small roads WE LIKE and they also said that the Michelin maps are not very good and have mistakes.

Dag,
I'll see if I can get the capellen maps here. Think I saw them on the list. Is it possible they are around 1/200.000?

Paul,

I've seen the Freitag&Berndt maps. It's true there are a lot more indications on there then on the ING maps I bought. Haven't seen a Michelin map of Scandinavia yet. Didn't bother because the scale was to big anyway. But what Alek says only double's up my opinion. I had simular experiences with Michelin in Marocco.

FOr the moment I am in touch with several folks in Scandinavia who are organising or riding off road trips over there. I simply started surfing on the net comming across several sites with the kind off stuff we liked. I then simply dropped a mail to them. I got response from:
Tom Cevro from OTC (see http://www.otc-mc.org/english/)
Sue Sculrock from the Action Factory
Pekka Heikinnen from the Allroad Tour Team (http://www.finnbike.com/allroadtour/index_en.html)

Pekka also gave me the email from Ari Peltola. He is supposed to know a lot about ring in Russia.


All these folks told me they would sent me info on routes and so. The more I get my route together, the easier it gets for them to give me the correct info. So it's a working progress.

I have good hopes this might become a great long distance gravel and dirt track trip!

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

The Cappelen series is in scale 1:330 000, and is the map I've been most happy with in Norway - and I try to seek out those hidden gravel road treasures (there are lots of maps with errors in them). you can see a list of available maps here:
http://www.kartbutikken.no/europa/norge/regioner/ (in Norwegian though)

Fireboomer:
I saw Tom C's forwarded message from you on the OTC mailing list. I'm a member of OTC as well, and knowing that the knowledge of Norwegian back roads in that group is formidable, I'm sure there'll be loads of information for you to digest (am at work offshore Angola without my maps, so it's a bit hard to go into detailed route suggestions).


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Dag
http://RocinantesTravels.com

If you want detail try the maps from Statens Kartverk. I found them on the internet they are at scale 1:50000 and there are 700 maps to cover Norway! haha I think maybe that's a bit too detailed http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

I found another one on this sight http://showcase.netins.net/web/travelgenie/norway.htm called Veiatlas Norge from Statens Kartverk and it has scale 1:300 000 ($38 and it is in book form).

First of all:
Gotta tell you, those folks over in Norway, Finland and Sweden, seem to be extremely friendly! They are helping me out in a great way! I am getting quite response and have good hopes to put together a real long dirt track and gravel road route.
Thanks a lot guys, if the countries are gonna be as pretty and nice as you all are it's gonna the best trip ever!


Dag and Paul,
Thanks for the advice on maps. I am putting the buying of maps on hold for a short while.
I am awaiting info from Elving Solli that is mailed to me by snailmail. Then I should really have a good idea wich maps I need.

Dag,
I hope it is true what you say and that I will get loads of info. I am willing to invest a lot of time in putting this route together. Would be great if the result is a long distance gravel and dirt road route to the Nordkapp.

Something that has been pointed out to me quite a few times already and wich I want to recognize to all those concerned:
In now way I am considering real off road. The Leave No Trace principales are well know to me. Respecting the environment is important.

I'll keep you posted on the trip planning.

Safe travels,

Pieter
(who is really getting hungry for some long distance travel...)

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

PaulJ,
Why these roads? Well, the general idea was to suggest smaller scenic roads instead of the major roads where possible, without adding too much to the travel distance. There are a lot of beautiful areas between south Scandi and Nordkapp that you shouldn't miss to see.
Norway: Bergen-Andalsnes is a very beautiful area, Jotunheimen (Scandi's highest mountains), Geiranger fjord (very touristy though), Trolltindene with the serpentine road Trollstigsvei.
North of Trondheim the coastal road #17 is more beautiful than the inland E6, but E6 is quite OK too. Lofoten Islands are also very beautiful.
Sweden: There are basically two choices going north, the coastal E4 or the inland #45. Although E4 is beautiful between Harnosand and Ornskoldsvik, I think that #45 generally is more interestering and much more typical of Sweden in my opinion.
Dagjen, thanks for the info on gravel roads in Norway, it seems that there are a lot more possibilities than I thought.

Hello PaulJ & fireboomer!

Just "called back" to this thread to see what's going on. I've just got to agree with you on your comments about the friendliness of the Norwegians/Swedish/Finnish - they're _really_ nice people. Personally I always seem to get on best of all with people in the remoter areas, i.e. further north in Scandinavia, they always seem more down-to-earth. And even better (with my language skills) they all spoke impeccable English!

I'm sure you've spent enough time studying maps to realise, but some of the distances up in the north are plenty big enough without deviating onto _too many_ dirt tracks, unless you have a lot of time and really want to. The main roads up there are not straight/plain/boring (except perhaps the coast road in Sweden, but certainly not the E6 "Arctic Highway",) as we might find further south in our continent.

Good luck anyway! Me, I'm busy planning my ride to SE Algeria for March/April, providing the political situation isn't too suspect.

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ichapp.users.btopenworld.com

Hey Ian,
Funny that you leave a note today, because I was on your website today. I wanted to show someone some pictures of Norway (the silly buggers didn't understand why I wanted to go!) and I remember your website had some great pics!
Yep, these scandinavians sure are friendly and helpful!
I;ve been studying maps and planning what I want to see, but my trip is still months away http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/frown.gif
Your's is getting pretty close now, hope the politics doesn't cock it up for you...keep us updated on your plans

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Visit my website

Hey Paul and Ian,

Paul just went to have a look at your website. Nice one, it's fun how somebody gets the impression he is following a proces instead of just watching pictures.

How is preparing for my trip going... Well, I started to work very detailed on the route.
I will be buying maps via Genimaps in Helsinki. But they just have to tell me how much shipment will cost.
Planning on ordering map of Finland, 1:800.000 with indications of paved and unpaved roads.
And more detailed (I think 1/400.000) of the North part of Finland.
For Norway I am considering 2 Capellen maps. Don't know wich sections by hard.
Don't know yet wich maps for Sweden.

Tomorrow I am receiving the software to hook the GPS up to the labtop. The I can really start making the route.

I decided I wonna take my labtop with me: love to write stuff (and I can type quicker then write), helps me to keep track of my route (upload and download routes), storage for digital pictures,...
But this also means I gonna redo the extra electrical wiring. (thermometer, GPS, 12V socket for charging lab top,...)

Lots of work to do still. Lucky I have still a couple of months.
If you guys are interested I can mail you the roadbook I am working on when it is a bit more done.

Paul, when are you going? If you want I'll let you know how I find the maps. And if you want, why don't you use them? I'll mail them down to you and you simply mail them back after the trip. Let me know what you think.

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

Had a quick look at your site, PaulJ, going to have a proper look later after work - looks good though!

fireboomer - I've tried a few GPS/computer mapping options, and I've got to say I think I've now found the ultimate! It's at www.memory-map.co.uk or www.memory-map.com (US), and the beauty of it is it uses raster maps rather than vector maps, i.e. _real_ maps! In fact I bought the whole of south of UK in true Ordanace Survey (UK govt. mapping agency) 1:50,000, identical to the paper versions, for GBP 160 (a bargain in itself!) with the software, and they chucked in a 1:1,000,000 Europe atlas with it!

You can also scan and geo-reference your own paper maps (if you've got plenty of patience!), in fact I've done so with my Michelin 953 (only joking, Michelin!), as I couldn't find any digital Africa maps. It's uncanny how accurate it is - you view your location according to the programme at grid intersections and there's only a very small error. This enables you to then plot waypoints, routes, and as simply as right-clicking upload them to your GPS (or download). Your maps at different scales are loaded at the same time as a background, so you plot things and instantly view them on different maps, including even satellite photos (available for UK at GBP 60 for 1/12 of country). You can also track your progress in real-time.

I might sound a Memory-Map salesman, but it really is impressive! I've used Garmin's programme and Autoroute, but they're basic in comparison. I think they might do a trial version for download. The only thing it won't do is routing (i.e. shortest, quickest, etc.).

Hi Ian,

Looks good, but there is no Mac version. So wont buy your salemans-talk ;-))))

Ah yeah, mayby the info above should go in the 'navigation'-forum. Moderator?

Pieter.



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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

fireboomer - I've copied the above there onto the thread asking whether Fugawi is any good.

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ichapp.users.btopenworld.com

fireboomer, thanks for the offer of the maps, yes please let me know what your maps were like. I have bought one for Norway, it's a map book at scale 1:300 000 called Veiatlas Norge and looks pretty good, but I will need maps for Sweden and Finland. I can't comment on all the GPS stuff you chaps have been discussing...far too high tech for me!

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Visit my website

Paul,

What's your plan with the roadbook? Take it apart and only take the parts you need?
I have considered the same thing for Sweden and Finland. Downside is you can't laminate every page I guess. Also switching pages all the time...
Pricewise I think it might be cheaper. Not sure though.
I'll keep you informed on the maps. Extremely busy at work. Can't think about planning for a couple days.

[This message has been edited by fireboomer (edited 12 February 2003).]

I guess I will be turning pages alot, but it fits nicely into my mapcase on my tank so no need to take it apart. I chose it for two reasons, 1 the scale and 2 it was highly recommended to me.
I have booked my ferry tickets now, so it's just plan and wait for me now. Still need to buy some kit though, e.g. sleeping bags, bigger cooking set (mine from my Morocco trip is only big enough for 1 person), bike to bike radios and I'm also thinking about getting one of those chala lamps from Touratech, they look really useful but are pretty expensive! From the information we've been getting you can camp just about anywhere in Norway so one of those lamps will prove very useful!
I also want to get a couple of jerry cans and attach them to my passenger footpegs like you said. I don't think they will be really necessary in Scandanavia but if I take them with me (empty) I can experiment with how to attach them, then when I do THE BIG TRIP I should have a good idea of how to pack things. Did you use 10L or 5L cans?

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Visit my website

Think I mentioned 10l cans in an other post. But that was a mistake. I used 2 5l cans.
I simply attached them with two straps each. One for vertical movement and one for horizontal movement. Worked fine, didn't manage to throw them of.
You should pay attention for the fact that they do pose a little more danger to your lower legs though. If for some reason you set you foot on the ground while still moving then there is a change you legs gets hurt when it meets the jerrycan.

For the rest looking forward to read about your trip. Can't wait to see pictures and match them with your route and then start puzzling some more on my route again.

Just caught this thread, and thought I'd mention that I'm off to the Nordkapp next month as well. Going with a mate (from Guildford wouldn't you know!) on two Africa Twins. Doing the Fjordline ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, a couple of days in the fjords, then up the coast. We're leaving the weekend before mid-summers day, with the intention of being in Hammerfest for the weekend of the 21/22nd June.

In terms of planning we're doing the minimal thing; got the ferry booked, bought a map, and that's about it.

For accomodation we'll be looking for those log cabins at campsites, with a tent as backup. We'll probably stick to the E6 on the way north, but after the mid-summer weekend we'll decide wether to head south through Sweden, or take in a few places we didn't see on the way north.

Does anyone know what the cost of unleaded petrol is in Norway and Sweden at the moment?

Iain

ps Looks like most European bikers do the same trips. Here's my Morocco photos: http://www.geocities.com/is_woolley/Maroc2001

Hi, unleaded costs 9.17 SEK (0.98 EUR) per liter in Sweden, 9.01 (1.11 EUR) in Norway, so fill up gas (and groceries and anything else you'll need) before entering Norway.

Hi Iain,

Could you tell me where you bought the windshield on your XT? I've been looking for a simialar one for my girfriends xt 350

Cheers, Aubrey.

Hmmm, it would appear that fuel is pretty much the same cost in the UK as in Scandinavia. Currently we're paying about 0.75GBP for unleaded, which is about 1.05EUR.

The windscreen on my old XT6E came from Dave Lambeth in the UK. It was a generic screen made of thermoset plastic, which I cut to fit the XT headlamp and then sprayed green to match the bike. It was a right pain to fit to the bike though. But it did keep the wind off me during the long motorway blast across Spain. Since then I've seen a few different screens on rally prepared XR650s, and these look to be much tougher items.

Iain

Hey Iain,
You're right...we all seem to be doing the same trips haha! Liked your Morocco pics, nice bikes too. So you're doing this one on a AT, yep Honda is the way to go!
I am leaving end of July now, got ferry tickets booked and thats it. Hoping to plan some dirt track routes before we go, nothing too difficult thought as it's the girlfriends first big trip on her Transalp.
Good question about the cost of petrol, I was expecting it to be more.

Does anyone know the cost of petrol in Sweden and Finland?

Let me know how your trip goes, any tips and photos when you get back ok. So your mates in Guildford as well...not seen a AT around here, but I'll keep my eyes open.

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My website

Do go to the Bukkeritet ?
aug.14-17
http://www.otc-mc.org/english/bukkerittet.html

I'll be there

Freek

no not going to be on the Bukkeritet. I think I will be in the far North then. Would be interested in the route they take though especially if there are some off road tracks you can recommend.

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My website

some of the routes can be downloaded here;
http://usr.cc click on 'motorrijden' and go to Jotunheimen.

Freek

Well the day has come, and I'm off this afternoon to Newcastle and the ferry. Overloaded the bike this morning, felt a bit light at front on the way to work, not dangerous though! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

Back in a couple of weeks... Iain

Hi

We are also planning a trip to the Nordkapp this summer, leaving from Malta on the 26 Jul and returning on 16 Aug. That gives us 23 days but we have to go up from almost the lowest part of Europe to the highest point and it's a long haul. We shall be two-up on a Triumph Tiger and will be staying in campsites most of the way.

From the very useful information found on this thread we plan to go up through Sweden via the E45, then come down the 'slow' way through Norway, mostly on the E6. That way we can make some good time initially so we'll have some extra days on the way back. The trip is estimated to be about 7000 miles, half of that unfortunately on motorways enroute to Scandinavia.

Like most people, we'll be trying not to spend a lot of money, which seems to be a challenge in Scandinavia. Setting up a tent is not expensive, judging from the camping websites I've seen, the cheaper cabins are reasonable and would be really nice to sleep in when it's raining. Obviously, I expect everybody will want to sleep in them when it's raining, so it may be a problem finding one. Should we try to phone campsites beforehand, say in the morning, and would they accept a booking like that over the phone?

Another question - what are the options where eating is concerned? I know that food is very expensive, but would the food in campsites be reasonably priced? If it's not, I think we'll mostly buy from supermarkets and prepare quick dinners and packed lunches. Three weeks like that won't kill us I suppose.

Looking forward for our biggest trip yet in 5 weeks time...

Dancall, I´m very interested in your trip since I´m heading for Nordkapp during the third or forth week of August, from Portugal, any details will be very usefull. Unfortunately it seems that i will make this trip by car.

Good luck Iain, let me know when you are back so we can have a chat about what's good/bad etc etc! My trip starts on 1 August...can't wait.
Duncall, from what I can gather there does not seem to be a big problem getting a place in a lodge. As for food...I believe supermarkets will be the cheaper option so why not get some cooking equipment and cook your own! that's one of the things I enjoy most about travelling, except if it's raining of course.

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We will be taking the fast catamaran from Valletta to Catania, Sicily, early on the 26th July, arriving at about 9:00am. We should be crossing from Denmark to Sweden sometime on the 4th day after lots and lots of boring motorways. Our bike is a black Tiger 955i, and we’ll be two-up with Givi side-cases and an 80-litre drybag slung on the back. That will make us only slightly smaller than a heavy truck http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif We usually cruise at about 80 mph om motorways which is perfectly comfortable on the Tiger - anything more is a strain for hours on end, especially on my wife at the back. Fuel consumption takes a nose-dive as well.

Once in Scandinavia we’ll be sticking to the main routes, as the distances are huge and I don’t think we should deviate a lot from the direct route to the Nordkapp. The E45 seems a fine route to take and if we make good time going up we can afford to spend a few extra days in the fjord region on our way back. Hopefully the weather will be reasonable, though we are well prepared with Goretex gear and plastic oversuits on top. We’re not much used to a lot of rain in Malta! ( 33 C 2 days ago)

I would like to place another question. Though I hope that I will not have any problems with the bike, and it’s never happened yet, it is good to have info on what to do in case of a breakdown, especially in Norway and Sweden. I imagine the distances involved are great, will it cost a fortune if the worst comes to the worst? What do you do in a case like this?

So I don’t think I will meet with you, Pedro, if you’re leaving on the 3rd week of August, but may cross paths with Paul. Looking forward to meet fellow travelers on the road …

Daniel

And we're back!

First, what a fantastic place! There is only one criticism you can level at Norway, but we'll come to that in a second. Luckily we've had two weeks of literally unbroken sunshine. A few days spent meandering through the fjords, then the run up the E6 to the Nordkapp, midnight sun on the summer solstice, and back via the Lofotens. The scenery is stunning, turquoise fjords, snow capped mountains, endless forests, spectacular waterfalls, quaint fishing vilages, it just goes on and on. Everyone spoke English, was very helpfull and genuinely pleased to see us.

Now for the stats;

* We covered 5600km (3500mi) over 12 days, from Bergen to the Nordkapp and back.

* Speed limits are low, especially in the countryside. Our longest day clocked up 720km (450mi), but it was hard work. Work on covering 500km (300mi) a day and you'll have some time to stop and stare.

* Everything was expensive, period.

* We were staying in log cabins at campsites, and generally paid NOK 300 per night. They are plentiful, but you can phone in advance and book. We carried the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet, which had more than enough campsite suggestions. We didn't book any accomodation in advance.

* Fuel cost anywhere between NOK 8 and NOK 10 per litre of unleaded. Budget on NOK 9.25 and you won't go far wrong.

* Your fuel economy will improve drastically! I am used to getting 290km (180mi) to reserve on my Africa Twin. In Norway we were getting to 400km (250mi) on a regular basis. On one day we got over 480km (300mi) from one tank of fuel.

* Generally there are no tolls on roads, except in a few places. The subsea tunnel to the Nordkapp is one of them, expect to pay NOK 68 each way. (Then feel sorry for the campervans who pay NOK 480 each way!)

* Entry to the Nordkapphalen is NOK 185, and your ticket is nominally valid for 2 days, although if the weather is crap they'll let you back in up to 4 days later.

* There were only 2 days when we didn't take a ferry, although you could plan your route to avoid them. However the ferries run frequently and you don't book in advance. Costs varied between NOK 30 and NOK 50 for a 20 to 45 minute crossing.

* The ferry from the Lofotens to Bodo cost NOK 205 for bike and rider.

* Getting into Bergen on a weekday costs NOK 10 per bike.

* A loaf of bread in a supermarket will cost at least NOK 10, and usually closer to NOK 20.

* A 1.5 litre bottle of CocaCola, 7Up, Fanta, etc. costs about NOK 16.

* Beer cans and plastic bottles are recyclable. Take them back to the supermarket and get NOK 2.5 for the plastic and NOK 1 for the tins. Every little helps!

* A half litre of beer in a bar costs about NOK 50. The cheapest we paid was NOK 39, which was a student deal.

* Eating pizza in a restaurant will cost from NOK 75 upwards. You won't struggle to find a simple meal costing NOK 200 each. Your basic meal in McD*****lds costs NOK 65.

* Don't speed! Your bank manager will hate you forever. Using a hypothetical example, cough, if you're caught doing 91kph (56mph) in a 80kph (50mph) zone, then you've the choice of a NOK 1700 fine or 5 days in jail. The speed traps are purely for revenue generation, not safety. Unless you've got X-ray vision you will not spot them.

* Bike shops and mechanics generally don't work on the weekend. However they will come out for fee. We picked up a puncture rolling off of the boat on a Saturday. Someone came out, took the wheel away and replaced the tube for a cost of NOK 1000.

* There are plenty of tunnels, many of which are over 1km in length. The tunnels are very cold, and in some it is possible for fog to develop. Most tunnels are lit, so wearing sunglasses isn't too much of a problem.

* Generally road surfaces are fantastic. There's very little overbanding, no manhole covers, no cats eyes, and no potholes. However bends frequently tighten in radius, so take care when keeled over.

* Make sure your tyres and brake pads are in good condition. If you're going for more than a week, take spare brake pads. It's a land of hairpin bends and steep mountain passes.

Okay that's all I can remember at the moment. I'll be putting some photos on the website soon, along with some route and cost information. I'll post back here when that's done so people can check exact costs for ferries and cabins and things.

If you're going to Norway, I wish you the best of luck with the weather. If it's not already on your list of places to do, add it now! Even with the enormous cost of a trip, there is nothing else to fault about the place. Enjoy.

Iain

Nice one Iain! Some excellent tips.Pleased you had such a good time. Look forward to seeing your additional information and photos. One question springs imediately to mind though...why did your fuel consumption improve?
Also, what was the temps like in the far north? Will we need thermals and heated grips while riding?

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Quick answers to quick questions...

* Fuel consumption improves because speeds are so low. If I remember correctly drag increases with speed squared, so sticking to the 50mph speed limit reduces wind resistance considerably. Whereas in the UK I'll sit on the motorway with the engine at 6'000rpm, I barely got above 4'000rpm the whole time we were in Norway.

* Temperatures were high for us. We spent many an evening inside the Artic Circle sat outside in shorts and t-shirt. And we're both soft southern jessies as well! Matt rode all the way up there in his summer gloves, and I never had occaision to switch on the heated grips.

* The exception to this was the Nordkapp itself. The weather station was reporting a temperature of roughly 5 degC, but the wind was blowing. With the windchill it was below zero. Of course the hallen is heated and warm, but it's a circus in there, complete with tour-bus clowns!

* Take your thermals and winter gloves. They don't take up much room in the panniers, but if the weather is shite you *will* need them.

Hope this helps.

Iain

Iain Glad to hear you enjoyed Norway, I am planning a similar trip or more to the point turning up and riding to the North Cape We (me, pan european and niki on her Hornet) leave Newcastle on the 26thJuly for Kristiansand and then the adventure begins (2 weeks). I hope to cross the border into Russia at some point, not for a prolonged stay, but maybee to get a little taster for another tour. Did you consider crossing the border/is there any advice from anyone else that has? Another post about the route you took would be interesting and any accomodation reccomendations would be appreciated

We did consider heading to the Russian border ... for about 5 seconds! It's a bloody long way up to the Nordkapp, and when you get north of Alta, the road splits; left to the Nordkapp, right to Russia. But it's still many hundreds of kilometers from there to the border, and the scenery that far north is nowhere near as interesting as in the fjords. In two weeks you're going to be putting in many many miles, and for us the extra just wasn't worth the bragging rights to say that we'd been to the border. Crossing was never an option either, as you'll need carnets, etc. to get across.

In brief the route was ferry to Bergen; mooching around the fjords (Geiranger, Trollstigveien, etc.); Trondheim to Tromso to Alta along E6; the Nordkapp; back down E6 to the Lofotens; ferry to Bodo; E6 to the fjords; more mooching; then home. Currently I'm working on a detailed route for my website, which'll include photos, costs, route, and maybe even some video. I will post here when it's done, which is likely to be later this week.

On the accomodation front, we used cabins at campsites almost exclusively. NOK 300 a night for two people is about as cheap as accomodation will get in Norway. We tried a hotel in Hammerfest, to be told that a single room was going to set us back about NOK 800. So we headed back to the campsite.

Enjoy your trip Gary and Niki.

Iain

Just got back from Norway... take lots of money - damn it's expensive.

I did a round trip from Larvik west over Aurlandsdalen to Lom then back east over Lillehammer. Amazing scenery!! If you can ride the mountain pass from Aurlandsvangen to Lærdalsøyri, that one-day was pretty much the whole tours highlight. Count on camping and use Norway’s allemandsret (right of use on public land). It would be nice to join up with others, as it’s too expensive (was for me at least) to go out to bars and restaurants. Hope you enjoy, Norway is a beautiful country! much like Canada and New Zealand.

http://www.rtw.dk/Norway/Norway%20wi...2003%20149.jpg

http://www.rtw.dk/Norway/Norway%20wi...2003%20038.jpg

[This message has been edited by AFrear (edited 08 July 2003).]

Geez, you're tiny! How do you reach the controls? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

Iain

tja, it's a bit of a problem when I drop the bike but thems the breaks

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

Following my recent 2 week trip to the land of expensive beer, there's some detailed info on the website. Surf to:

http://iain.woolley.net/Trips/Norge2003

for the low down. Have fun all you others headed there over the next couple of months.

Iain

Nice photos AFrear and Iain.
Leaving in 2 weeks! can't f*cking wait!!
Good route discription on your site Iain, I will study it more carefully this weekend.

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Paul,
I think you are leaving on your trip today, good luck! Was good to meet you both at HU2003 and look forward to catching up with you upon your return & hearing your stories.
Have a blast

Cheers
Simon & Mel

Well we did it, a most enjoyable holiday from Kristiansand to Northcape. We mainly followed the E6
The first part of the ride to Lillehammer (YHA 200nok/pp) was a right pain, connect wheels into tracks on road and be prepared to get gassed following the nose to tail cars in front of you, speed cameras are as common as lamp posts. Not really as much of a problem as soon as soon as you find out speed taken from the front.
Our next stop was at Grong, camping 110nok/tent and breakfast from supermarket. Leaving Grong was very overcast and it was not long before it started raining,we passed the POLAR CIRCLE visitors centre with no thoughts on stopping and by this time the road looked as if there were fish swimming in the small ponds. Oh and did I mention the wind almost putting a 45 degree angle on the Pan European? Can you tell this was the worst day? When we reached Narvik, the Frank Thomas over suit had let in water,the Hein Gericke all season paddock was leaking and leather trousers were starting to soak up water ment for the fjord,just as well skin is waterproof.
The next morning saw brilliant sunshine for our run to Alta, a quick look at a map and a look at the latest new toy, garmin gps, sugested it was not far, in fact there was probably another 500km to do leaving only a short hop to the North Cape. Watch out if there is a cruise ship in port at Mageroya as there is a fleet of yellow busses taking passengers to the North cape
We arrived at North cape and looked at the ticket booths and thought why pay £17 each to look over a cliff, hope it does not catch on at Land's End or John O'Groats, and turned around and headed for a campsite near Skarsvag after being asked to move the bikes from the side of the 6 lane width road as there was buses coming in.
The midnight sun did nothing for Niki's sleeping pattern, more of an early to bed early to rise person but she apparently enjoyed the 5am walk and skinny dip in the lake.
The return journey was at a more sedate pace with overnight stops at Mo i Rana (American tourist asks at tourist info, "how many people live here"? Answer - "25000". "how many pubs"? Answer - "1". We camped just south of Mo I Rana and went on to Trondheim turning onto hwy 3 to Elverum (good road with less traffic than E6) ---Kongsberg (hwy 41 is probably a better road for going North from Kristiansand, a good introduction to riding in Norway with a lot less traffic and more the type of road to expect up North)
A few nights before the ferry at Kristiansand gave us a better chance to look around. Niki's bike needed a new rear tyre, the three bike shops we found quoted about £400 for a pair Got one today in Newcastle for £100
Generally riding through Norway gave the feeling of riding thru the USA with single street towns and log cabins and a strong American car fraternity. Not much in the way of a British holiday destination but a worthy challenge to do by bike. Speed limits are strict but a lot more relaxed the further North you go--90km.
I did take Iains advice and took a spare set of brake pads and did have to change the rears
In all we covered 3400 miles


Gary & Niki

we're back!! and what a great time we had!!
I can't really add much more than what everyone else has already added to this thread. I will be updating my website when the photos are developed and add some hints tips and opiniions about my trip then!

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Haven't written something a long time. Been incredibly busy with a lot of things beside prepping for my trip in next September.

Plans have changed a bit. We are not going to ride all the way to North Cap and won't come back down through Russia. Mainly because of limitations in time.

Plan is to take the ferry from Kiel to Frederikshaven. Then ride up through Norway. Turn Eastwards a little above the Polar Circle and ride into Finland. Head South through Finland and take the ferry from Helsinki to Talinn. Then head back to Belgium through the Baltic States and Poland.

Pieter Maes.


PS: can't remember the name of the person that mailed me the maps of Karelia. But I found them back when I pulled out the box with all the documentation I gathered. I'll wire the money to you asap. Sorry for the delay.

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I have finally put my photos on my website so feel free to go and have a look.
Taking into consideration all the other brilliant advice and tips already mentioned in this thread, my tips would be: -
- if you rush up to the north like we did, then really try to appreciate the vast wilderness while you’re there. I feel I only really grasped how special it was once I was further south again and it got more mountainous and populated.
- We intended to camp the whole time but riding in the rain followed by camping in the rain can get a bit soul destroying so be prepared to stay in the cabins every now and again (that’s not to say it rains all the time!)
- Try to go off the main routes and do some exploring of your own – that’s when we had some of our best rides.
- There are lots of beautiful picnic spots that are sign posted. These can sometimes feel a bit busy but as often as not you have it all to yourself. Make sure you’ve got the facilities to make a cup of tea/coffee – there is nothing more satisfying than stopping for a break by a beautiful lake/fjord/glacier/mountain pass and cooking up a nice hot cup of coffee!!!
- Keep reminding yourself where you are and what you are doing and the thrill never goes away!


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I live in the north east of england and I to am planning a trip to Nordkapp with my wife on our St.1100,if anyone wants to email me with routes, tips,what not to take etc please email me