Scandinavia etc

[austin]

Bloody hell, has 10 days gone by already. It's a crap ride report this but it's the only one I have got.

So, now just in the north of Norway. Weather is good, it's warmed up a bit and not raining for now.

Since the last post from the coast of Lithuania we had 4 nights in Latvia. It was a nice country, fairly cheap, but well enough organised and some decent quiet roads through thick forest. Very flat though.

Estonia was a real surprise. Modern, up to date, very Western Europe in look and feel with prices about the same as UK. But seemed busy compared to Latvia. We had two nights in Tallin, one camping, one in a Spa hotel for spot of pampering in the wellness centre and Spa. Nice .

The boat to Helsinki was a revelation. Honestly our x-channel ferries are like out dated tubs from the 60s compared to the boat we went on. Bright, airy, a huge semi-open conservatory thing at the back for viewing, several bars, cafes and restaurants and two floors of duty free shopping all done in cool Scandi style. The Finns seem to come over in droves on a booze run to Latvia.

We took 5 days/4 nights to travel Finland north to south. Finland makes Germany look shabby and inefficient. It's great. The weather started with thunderstorms which cleared to a cold arctic blast with snow forecast and temperatures staying around 7-8c all day and "night". (There is no night now, and I mean no night, not a hint of dusk or anything). We have avoided the snow but not the cold. Once away from Helsinki the south of Finland is agricultural. Tidy red painted farms and the neatest fields of crops you will ever see. Traffic is mostly light but speed cameras at EVERY change of limit, and that's a lot as they often slow you for just a junction. Still it made for a relaxed run at an indicated60mph most of the way.

The Finns seemed to give up completely on Scandi style and coolness at the Arctic Circke village. It was vile with all the worst aspects of a motorway service station and a theme park combined. We stopped for about 2minutes and moved on. Once above the Arctic circle though things got even better. The forest took on that arctic look and the trees got progressively smaller and the forest thinner. We saw a couple of moose - big dangerous and unpredictable and lots of reindeer - not so big or dangerous but even more unpredictable and the biggest cause of accidents up here apparently. We could have had another night in Finland but decided to press onto Norway as we got an hour back and the temperature had risen to 12c.

And here we are.

Pics.....sorry still economical with the camera as I just can't be arssed to get it out of my pocket most of the time. Also, though it says a lot about the countryside we have passed through. It is nice enough, the houses look good, etc etc but no "wow that's amazing scenery" to stop us in our tracks. I think that will change in Norway.

A few from my phone...
Campsite by the sea in Latvia. It got busy and noisy later.

A sight we haven't seen for a week - sunset.

M/V MEGAStar

Campsite, well cabin we took on account of the thunderstorm as we checked in and the prospect of more to come. €25 to camp or €35 for a heated cabin. No brainer.

You might think this was a roast beef sandwich. I don't know what it was but a cow had not been near it.

Lunch in the woods

Some other photos on the camera which I haven't uploaded yet.

 

[austin]

Nearly at Nordkapp . Cold (+7c all day) ride in non stop heavy rain of around 150miles and once we passed the junction for roads from the south and the west and saw the number of bikers and cyclists heading north we phoned ahead for a cabin and got the last one. 650NoK (£65). As most of our stuff is still wet from last night and packing it up this morning it feels like one of the best £65 I have spent. If it stops raining we may complete the last 24km this evening.

Some photos from the campsite

Our cosy cabin

 

[Flyfifer]

I enjoyed reading this latest episode with its tell it like it is commentary.
Looking fwd to the Nordkapp episode.

 

[austin]

The sun has been shining, the wind eased off and the temperature crept into double figures so perfect for the short ride up to Nordkapp. A couple of snaps from the phone camera.

Once again the good stuff is on the camera and I need to upload via the computer which for some reason is refusing to log onto this campsites wifi. Anyway....

The daily budget has been blown by over 100% today as it costs £27 each to get into the headland itself but it was worth every penny. And then we had a coffee and piece of cake too, and we are in an expensive hut tonight. Make that blown by about 300%

However the sense of achievement after arriving at Nordkapp after the wild weather yesterday and then the dramatic last few miles made it feel like we had achieved something very. special. You can't go any further north on made roads or on mainland. From the reactions of some of the other bikers and especially the cyclists I think a lot of us felt that way. Quite emotional actually. The North Pole is only 2,000km away.

We have done 3,900 miles so far with at least another 3,000 to go to get home. We will have to get a proper wiggle on at some point so some good bits of Norway are going to have to wait for another visit. So far Norway comes highly recommended from me, even if it is very expensive here. .

 

[Steve T]

Oh to be retired and on a pension like yours

As always an excellent mix of pictures & words, that give us, the green people back in Blighty, even more reasons to be green with envy

Take care (on the road and with your wallet ) and save a story or two for round the camp fire

Steve T

 

[austin]

Our first Reindeer in Finland. They are all over the place up here now.

First glimpse of Norway

Any excuse for a shot of the bike fully loaded

Various Photos from near the campground and Nordkapp. They don't do the scenery justice.

wifi success

 

[Lowflyer]

Brilliant Austin

Thanks so much for taking the time
Looks a bit like the west coast.

But maybe colder ? maybe not
And those reindeer have fluffier antlers

Looks like you and Anne are having a great adventure , nice one

 

[nick949]

It's not like anyone here is jealous or anything.

Nick

 

[Flyfifer]

The pics, with the blue sky, look several degrees warmer than those with the white stuff in them !
Enjoy the rest of the trip and post wee stories when you can.
regards

 

[Hamster]

Great report and photos austin. Funny the one comment EVERY one says about Norway
" it's bloody expensive ".
Safe journey back.

 

[austin]

John, a very lot like the west coast but bigger. We have done about 500 miles since leaving Nordkapp and the scenery has got better if anything although a bit softer. The fjords in particular are stunning when you get a good view up or down them from a bit of height. The roads are amazing here to - engineering wise. Loads of tunnels and spectacular suspension bridges go under or over fjords and straight through mountains. There loads of them. Longest tunnel has been 8km so far. Longest bridge something like 1.5km. Pics later as Internet is slow here.

Next stop Lofoton islands for a night or two then ferry back to mainland.

And, the budget, that was already busted got even more busted today when several small punctures and very uneven wear on the rear tyre meant I had to but another: £230!!!!!! The guy was apologetic as he knew how expensive it seemed to us and gave 10% discount and reduced fitting fee. Still, £230 for a tyre. Jeez.

 

[Paul-S]

Some more great memories for you both

Cheers

 

[austin]

Currently at Å at the western end of The Lofoten islands which are fantastic. The scenery is the best ever. We thought Alaska was good but this blows it into a cocked hat. Imagine the best of the west coast of Scotland combined with best of Skye and the Hebrides, add in the best of the Cairngorms then pump it up so it's bigger, sharper, edgier, wilder and feels endless add in a big dose of "cool" and it's getting close. Pics to follow if I can fit the views into the camera. The weather had even put on a smile for us.

In the meantime a couple of snaps from the campsite.

 

[Raymo]

the Roads are great but I found them aggressive on tyres too, got mine changed at Fauske, nice pub there too ( only time we has a beer as we weren't riding the next day )

take your time coming down, if the budget allow views are awesome, Bergen is very pretty but take sandwiches !!!

Great pic

 

[soho]

That's a proper touring holiday going on there , Great ! I suspect too that the best is yet to come (Mid' to South West Norway ?) I'm really quite envious.

 

[austin]

That's a proper touring holiday going on there , Great ! I suspect too that the best is yet to come (Mid' to South West Norway ?) I'm really quite envious.

Yup, we are in what I suppose is mid-Norway now and it's just stunning. Rode along the Atlantic road which is ok and then onto Trollstigen pass (like Stelvio) and more twisty mountain roads to Gerainger Fjord. My first proper fjord and might mighty impressive. And I mean mighty impressive. 3 cruise ships thought so too and the place was thronging with moronic tourists from the boats so we didn't stop. Now at Gol where the sun has been shining - first time in a few days and it's warmed up a bit.

Driving on Norwegian roads though is painful. The speed limits seem very low with 70 kph being the normal limit on small open roads dropping to 60 frequently for corners, junctions etc and 50 or 40 in towns and villages. Even on the mainer roads the default is 80kph ocassionally rising to 90 on improved stretches. As fines start at over £500 and bans (they take your uk licence off you) and instant prison sentences are common for just 25kph over I am not taking many chances. Plenty of fixed and mobile cameras which are mostly forward facing do ok on the bike and I know I have triggered a few, but patrol cars and plain clothes cars are (apparently) common too. All that plus the torturous routes around fjords, thousands of camper vans and caravans, and that Norwegian drivers stick very much to the speed limit means progress has been painfully slow. Today was particularly slow - just over 150 miles in 8 hours with just two stops. It's agony sometimes as I soooo want to go for a blast - well as much of a blast as I can two up and about 100kg of stuff strapped to the bike.

 

[OhJ]

Austin. You need to tell Sharrie how good Nordkap is. One day


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[austin]

Austin. You need to tell Sharrie how good Nordkap is. One day


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It's great but it's an effing long way is Nordkapp J. And even more effing expensive.

We think we are going to cut and run on the ferry over to Denmark ASAP. We are fed up of the prices here - a basic campsite wanted 300NoK ((£30) to put a tent up earlier today. Plus £1 each for showers in basic rather smelly toilets. We still ended up paying £25 though but it's a very smart site. Entry to view a meteorite crater was £12 each - we didn't. Two coffees and a small pastry is around £18-£19. It kinda spoils it when you can't really afford anything nice. We were warned by several people, including some Norwegians we met that the south of the country is stupidly expensive. Oh, and I am gagging for a beer - Germany it will have to be after a night in Denmark.

Edit to get coffee prices about right.

 

[soho]

Sailing to Hirtshals I'm guessing ? Down to Viborg then hug the western coast all the way down to Vejers Strand. Google it if you can. It's a mahoosively long beach you are aloud to ride on, and just half a mile inland and running parallel is the largest military off roading area in Europe .Open to the public some weekends. Or if not have a blast just watching the Tanks doing 40mph in the mud ! Blavand is the furthest western point and has a great bakery, a pizza house that does a spaghetti filled pizzas plus plenty of camping. Then your only a short spin from Deutschy.Much better than plodding down the E45 !

 

[austin]

Thanks Soho, sounds like a plan but I will give the off roading a miss - the GS weighs over 550kg with us both on.