Northern Norway Trip: Weather Considerations etc (1 Viewer)

Sledgehammer

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Hello

I am interested in making a trip to northern Norway to see the Aurora Borealis and the local landscape, and I would like to find out what things I need to take into consideration when making the trip.

Once into Norway the route I would like to take is the E6 from Oslo, up to the Tromsø, Alta and Treriksröset areas, with a possible trip further north.

The period would be some time between September and mid-April, so I have some choice when it comes to avoiding poor road conditions.

When travelling in a motorhome in Norway, is it okay to make overnight stops in lay-bys and service station car parks, or is that not the done thing over there? Also, are there tolls to pay on the E6? I have seen that there is a ferry from Bognes to Skarberget, but the rest of the route looks reasonably straight forward.

Apart from the obvious considerations with vehicle heating, are there any other necessities when preparing for a trip that far north during the above-mentioned period? Will I need special tyres or any other modifications for cold weather (diesel-engined front-wheel drive camper)?

Thanks very much

Mike

:)
 

tink

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Hello

I am interested in making a trip to northern Norway to see the Aurora Borealis and the local landscape, and I would like to find out what things I need to take into consideration when making the trip.

Once into Norway the route I would like to take is the E6 from Oslo, up to the Tromsø, Alta and Treriksröset areas, with a possible trip further north.

The period would be some time between September and mid-April, so I have some choice when it comes to avoiding poor road conditions.

When travelling in a motorhome in Norway, is it okay to make overnight stops in lay-bys and service station car parks, or is that not the done thing over there? Also, are there tolls to pay on the E6? I have seen that there is a ferry from Bognes to Skarberget, but the rest of the route looks reasonably straight forward.

Apart from the obvious considerations with vehicle heating, are there any other necessities when preparing for a trip that far north during the above-mentioned period? Will I need special tyres or any other modifications for cold weather (diesel-engined front-wheel drive camper)?

Thanks very much

Mike

:)

Link RemovedHi Mike we went to Tromso in June 2000 via Shetland to Bergen on 2 motorbike & sidecars (I don't think the ferry from Lerwick to Bergen runs anymore)We had no problem with the tent just pitched it anywhere out of the way biggest problem north of the arctic circle was getting the pegs into the permafrost:Eeek:the only toll roads we saw in 2000 was on the bypasses round Trondheim,north of Trondheim the E6 was in pretty bad shape at that time,reduced to gravel tracks in places,(watch out for the timber trucks up there they don't take prisoners:whatthe:)please do not be put off going it will be a journey to remember for the rest of your life.do your homework stock up with food it is very expensive in Norway & make sure your tyres are in good shape last but not least DO NOT BREAK THE SPEED LIMITS it is seriously expensive & you will be impounded till you pay.
 
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Sledgehammer

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Thanks Tink :thumb:

It looks great in the photographs. Just the kind of thing I like!

You were brave doing that trip on a bike in that weather. At least you had the Moto Guzzi soundtrack to listen to though! ::bigsmile:

Mike

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Onderweg

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Maybe Link Removed will give you some additional information.

There is also a meet in The Netherlands end of march and the topic of the meet is Norway. (Al)most everbody in The Netherlands speaks English so if you want to join that meet .........

Go to -- This WebSite -- using Google translate (haha, the original thread i refer to is in Dutch of course) and have a quick look.

Let me know if you want to join this meet and I will try to help you

anyway whatever you do.... Have a nice trip

Paul and Ineke
 

Theonlysue

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Northern trip

Maybe Link Removed will give you some additional information.

There is also a meet in The Netherlands end of march and the topic of the meet is Norway. (Al)most everbody in The Netherlands speaks English so if you want to join that meet .........

Go to -- This WebSite -- using Google translate (haha, the original thread i refer to is in Dutch of course) and have a quick look.

Let me know if you want to join this meet and I will try to help you

anyway whatever you do.... Have a nice trip

Paul and Ineke

Hi, how do I use google translate? where is rally being held?
Many thanks, Sue

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Douglas

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Hello

I am interested in making a trip to northern Norway to see the Aurora Borealis and the local landscape, and I would like to find out what things I need to take into consideration when making the trip.
:)

I would love to do the same thing, I have dreamt of it, but my hatred of the cold is greater than my desire to see the Northern Lights.

Doug...
 

The Wallace

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The aurora borealis most often occurs near the equinoxes; from September to October and from March to April.
From Wiki.

Looks like the time of year is a bit critical.

Anyone know what the road conditions are like in March?
I would want to be there before the spring hatch of mossies.
 

Bursted

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[ Hi,
we visited Norway in July this year, not a good time as it rained for 3 weeks, I can’t comment about the weather in March I am afraid.
It is an amazing place and well worth a visit. We travelled from the Hook of Holland. through Germany, Denmark and over the bridges (cost £60 & £80 respectively each way) and onto Sweden. At the Norway border they try to persuade you to pay the tolls in advance, £100 for a 3.5ton vehicle, which you pay online and then deduct the fee as you pass the tolls. Having paid this I queried the payment with a Dutch camper outside who explained it was a mistake as it is impossible to correct mistakes and you may not get the remaining money back. I am still owed £80. The alternative is that they use number plate recognition and bill you 3 months later via a clamping company in London. In Oslo we stayed on the Ekeberg campsite, which is expensive but convenient to view the city (best to walk down and purchase a 24 hour city pass, get the bus back!)
We took route 7 to Bergen then up the coast to Trondheim so I am unable to comment on route 6 or travelling up north. As far as free camping goes, you shouldn’t have a problem at that time of year, especially up north. In July we felt obliged to use the campsites. As far as I am aware, there are only tolls in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, avoid those places and you maybe toll free! (we avoided motorways)

The roads are generally good, but narrow and steep in places.
Enjoy your trip

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Sledgehammer

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Thanks for the replies. :thumb: I have been doing a bit of reading since yesterday, so some of my findings may be of use to others considering this trip.

I couldn't find much about the tolls on the various routes, but the route planner on the Michelin site only mentioned two or three tolls on the whole stretch of the E6, which only came to £6.96 (sounds too good to be true). The bridge crossings from Denmark to Sweden I looked up, but could only find a price amounting to £25.95 and £33.19 for each one. Maybe these prices are for cars though.

The price I found for the Bognes to Skarberget ferry on the E6 worked out as £15.75. I didn't see different rates for different-sized vehicles, so maybe that's just the car price.

If going from Calais, through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, up to Denmark, then over the bridges into Sweden, then across to Oslo in Denmark, the distance is 1128 miles. Then taking the E6 from Oslo to Tromsø works out as another 1023 miles, bringing the total to 2151 miles. For me it's 190 miles from home to Dover, so adding that on brings it to 2341 miles.

Fuel costs for me (worked out on 30mpg and diesel at £1.10 per litre) came to £389.68. Adding £50 for the ferry, then the road tolls and bridge tolls etc brought the grand total to £525.28. Obviously that's doubled if you plan on coming back again! ::bigsmile:

Alternatively, a plane ticket from Heathrow to Tromsø is around £450 return. Then there are the hotel costs and car hire etc, so it would add up quite quickly to something expensive too.

Mike
 
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Bursted

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Link RemovedHi again

You might concider the ferrys, Puttgarten-Rodby Helsinger-Helsingborg, they cost about the same as the bridges but cut out a lot of motoring whilst giving a welcome break.

Richard
 

AdgeRas

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You can also take the ferry from northern Denmark to Norway.

Stena Line sails from Frederikshavn to Oslo - Link Removed

Color Line sails from Hirtshals to Larvik and Kristianssand - Link Removed

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Sledgehammer

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Thanks, I'll have a look at those options.

On the subject of ferries, I was looking into the possibility of taking a ferry to Norway straight from the UK. There is a freight ferry that goes from Immingham to Brevik. They take private vehicles and passengers as well, so it was an option until I looked at the price.

Driving up to Immingham, then taking the ferry to Brevik, followed by the 32-mile drive to Oslo worked out as £225 more expensive than going to Dover, taking the ferry, then driving the 1128 miles to Oslo.

Mike

:Smile:
 

Onderweg

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Hi Theonlysue,
Link Removed You can find how to use Google Translate.

Time and date of this meet in Holland are not yet definitely set.
Organizer is working on 2nd half march 2010 and hopefully in the Middle of The Netherlands, so guess that will be in the surrounding of Utrecht

Hope it is useful

Paul and Ineke
 
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Milo

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Immingham - Brevik with DFDS, expensive and, perhaps for that reason, little known.

Is the Imingham ferry still running,I have used the Imingham to Goteborg in the past but was informed that all Scandinavian ferries had ceased from the UK.

As was I, but a chap on another forum has today arrived at a price of "£500 plus for me, the van and my two boys" in a VW T3, and I assume he can only have got that price by phoning DFDS for a quote.
 

Snowbird

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The old DFDS boats used to carry mainly unaccompanied freight trailers and there was only room for a few passengers. We ate with the crew and I always enjoyed that crossing. I suppose £500 at first seems expensive but what with the cost of fuel and tolls now it is possibly a cheaper option. Good luck with your trip and don't leave it to late in the year,roads up above the Arctic circle become in passable much earlier than in the rest of Europe. I always went mid June and the weather was perfect then.

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