Northern Lights Adventure (1 Viewer)

[Augusta08]

I'm hoping to tick a Bucket List item by seeing the Northern Lights. Am I right in thinking February, March, April would be the best time to go?

If so where? My MH is reasonably winter proof with Alde heating and inboard water tanks, but obvious precautions will apply.

I am a great fan of freeby stop-overs, but not adverse to putting my hand into the wife's purse if necessary.

So has anybody any advice on routes places etc? Anybody want to come along?

Augusta08

 

[johnnyknife]

We saw them when on Orkney about 7 years ago in October. Stunning. Lancaster University do an aurora watch alert by email or text. Easier to get to than northern Scandinavia and there's never a guarantee wherever you go.

 

[Zigisla]

Cannot comment on where to go, but I know quite a few have seen them in Scotland. My experience has only been on Ships so we are generally surrounded buy the dancing clouds. My wife has that on her bucket list, but when she talks about it I'm like "been there, done that" I will take her one day though.

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[Theonlysue]

Sounds like a plan. I understand skandinavia is hugely expensive.
Think @flatpackchicken and @Sundowners have been that way, so will have some useful info for you.

 

[jonandshell]

I would avoid Scandinavia during winter if I were you.
There is winterised and there is winterised when it comes to vans. Taking even the best winterised van to Scandinavia during winter will turn into a major drama.

No doubt @HappyBrewer will be able to advise based on his drilling experiences up there in winter.

 

[DavidG58]

As Jon says above, not possible in winter to get much further north than you could do by going to top of Scotland or maybe the northern isles, I posted on here sometime ago about going up to the northern towns in Norway during winter, then did some research, no chance

I have it firmly on my bucket list to see the Aurora and have spent quite a few nights in north Scotland when a solar flare is predicted, but you get so little warning

I think the next place I will try to get to when I get an alert is Lossiemouth, lovely little town, free MH parking on side of the Moray firth with excellent views north east

Have also tried Durness, but a lot further to go, but the site there although closed allows you on and you have a hook up for £8, useful this year -10C and 70mph winds, it was kin cold, no sighting though too cloudy

Enjoy your planning, I am however considering top of Norway for most of September next year, but must be heading south before end of month

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[Robert Clark]

We went to Norway at the end of May and the snow in palaces was 6m high, either side of the road.
We only went as far North as Alesund, and you'd need to go at least as far as Bodo or Trondheim to stand a real chance of seeing the lights. Which by road, in a MH would we quite an adventure to say the least.
How about watching out for the Northern Lights and then booking a last minute flight to Norway.
It would probably be cheaper to fly and stay in a hotel than it would to drive there

Regards
Robert

 

[hilldweller]

I'm hoping to tick a Bucket List item by seeing the Northern Lights.

YouTube - your only realistic viewing.

 

[Augusta08]

Thanks everyone, I'm already registered on aurora watch and get the SMS txt warnings. Quite like the advice DavidG gives, Lossiemouth sounds like a trouble free option. I'll be back in the UK in March so let's hope that will provide the opportunity.

Augusta08

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[Granjan]

On my bucket list too, missed it a couple of times when I should have been out of bed!

In Edinburgh and Northumberland at the time.

http://www.aurora-hunters.uk/data/dataindex.html

I like to look at info on this website. The predictions on this site seem pretty acurate but then you need the clear dark dark sky!

 

[phil1946]

Sue @dippingatoe over on RVOC did this last year and wrote a wonderful blog/account that can be found at

http://www.thebusphoebeandme.us

 

[Wildbill]

I would avoid Scandinavia during winter if I were you.
There is winterised and there is winterised when it comes to vans. Taking even the best winterised van to Scandinavia during winter will turn into a major drama.

No doubt @HappyBrewer will be able to advise based on his drilling experiences up there in winter.

just to ade to your comment john unless the individual is both mentally prepare with experience of extreme cold conditions ther is a good chance they could die if the heting went down the inside tepretuer in the van could drop to -35 or more in fifteen minute brakes can freeze in not time even a a well prepared vehicle as we had could have .
I have never motorhomed there but have seen a 3 ft of snow fall over night and drifts 15ft develop in 20 min completely stopping operations
when I worked in Siberia we lost power for two hrs it was two weeks to get going agene thaw the equipment out
my accommodation in two hrs was -40 inside we restored power to accommodation very fast or we would have had to sleep in out sub zeros
we lost a guy in Siberia we never fund him till the spring went walk abut in a white out
the bear's and wolfs left something for us to send home to his wife
bill

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[Big bus man]

It has always been one of my dreams to see the Northern Lights, I have the Aurora watch on my phone and it let's you know how intense it is going to be, they get this information from the solar flares recorded a couple of days before.
Rather than buy pointless Christmas presents my wife and I go away somewhere for the New Year, last year we went to Venice and saw the fireworks, Venice is a very special place I am sure most of you will agree. So what this year, well we are off to the Lapland area to see the Aurora and to see the famous Ice Hotel, jealous yet .

 

[Allan & Loren]

We saw them a couple of years ago whilst skiing in Levi, Finland. There were some Motorhomes parked up nearby but at -18 at the bottom and -38 at the top of the mountain, rather them than me. We were tucked up in our log chalet

Nephews and nieces have seen them a few times in northern Scotland and north east coast in March.

 

[jonandshell]

A few Funsters have seen -27 on one ski trip in the Alps.
We all survived to tell the tale!

It was t shirt weather inside the van!

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[Allan & Loren]

A few Funsters have seen -27 on one ski trip in the Alps.
We all survived to tell the tale!

It was t shirt weather inside the van!

That is good to hear, I am so desperate to take the rv for a skiing trip. Where did you stay in the Alps?

 

[jonandshell]

That is good to hear, I am so desperate to take the rv for a skiing trip. Where did you stay in the Alps?

We are creatures of habit, we keep returning to Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys.
We have spent time in La Plagne and Les Rousses, but with time so precious we head for altitude and the best snow.
We do see RVs there, but can't vouch for their suitability for the conditions. We have a Chausson.

If you search the forums, there is an entire section dedicated to Skiing.

 

[Allan & Loren]

We are creatures of habit, we keep returning to Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys.
We have spent time in La Plagne and Les Rousses, but with time so precious we head for altitude and the best snow.
We do see RVs there, but can't vouch for their suitability for the conditions. We have a Chausson.

If you search the forums, there is an entire section dedicated to Skiing.

Our RV is double thermal lined floor with all the tanks set between. We also have thermal lining in the roof. The furnace runs heating pipes through the floor and the lockers and a cargo heat is installed in the wet locker than auto switches on if the temp drops below 5degrees. So with all this we reckon we should be ok.

You're right about time being precious we only usually go for a week when we fly so we're hoping by driving we could do a fortnight. How long do you go for and what month? We haven't been to France for a while as been to Austria for the last few years and going to canazei in Italy in Feb 2016

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[jonandshell]

We only manage about a week and a half during Feb half term.
We feel quite smug knowing every other family is being fleeced for 3k plus for accommodation whilst we pay 120 euros!

 

[Allan & Loren]

We only manage about a week and a half during Feb half term.
We feel quite smug knowing every other family is being fleeced for 3k plus for accommodation whilst we pay 120 euros!

I knew it would be better value but amazed at the price. Defo doing this next year. What are the roads like? Our tyres are all weather but we have snow chains and socks.

 

[jonandshell]

I knew it would be better value but amazed at the price. Defo doing this next year. What are the roads like? Our tyres are all weather but we have snow chains and socks.

Roads are always well cleared but the authorities can get caught out.
So long as you have chains you'll be fine.

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[Allan & Loren]

Roads are always well cleared but the authorities can get caught out.
So long as you have chains you'll be fine.

Thanks for the info, hopefully see you there soon

 

[Zains Pops]

I went to North Cape Norway in April and although it was snowy on the ground it was much too late for the Northern Lights, the daylight went on until 9.30 at night.
Best place to see the lights is from a cruise ship as they can place themselves in the best likely position or take a flight and long weekend to Iceland, now there is another interesting place!