Rally Chat Circumnavigation of the Baltic summer 2018 (1 Viewer)

[Stewart]

Because I am a solo traveller, I have also posted this in that section as well.
Is anybody interested in travelling right round the Baltic next summer?
I have talked to several people who have done this, and it is apparently not a problem. There are a few ways to do it, including Russia ( St Petersburg) and a ferry to Tallinn. My first thoughts are to go clockwise and visit the North Cape in Norway. June and July seem the most favourable months.
Other than looking at a map and talking to the above people, I have no other details, and I am quite flexible with the dates. Any input concerning this would be much appreciated.

 

[CWH]

I don't know whether or not I'd be up to the trip Stewart, but it does sound exciting.
Any wild approximations re travelling costs & length (time)?

 

[Stewart]

Absolutely no idea! I am effectively a full timer running on a pension, and therefore have a limited budget. Despite this, I want to do it, and I am sure it can be done without too much cost. As to the timing, as the world and their aunty head south in the summer, and with regard to the weather up north, June, July and or August seem the most realistic. In my case, time is not of essence, I can fit in with others.
I have discovered the downside to travelling around and talking to other travellers - my bucket list is getting longer instead of shorter!

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[CWH]

I've yet to start 'proper' travelling and I need to see how I take to it...

 

[Speve]

Sweden will probably have lots of mossies that time of year take plenty of repellant and enjoy

 

[Gellyneck]

Sweden will probably have lots of missies that time of year take plenty of repellant and enjoy

at first reading I thought you were referring to unmarried women so why the he** would you be taking plenty of repellent?????
Second read put me right though!

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[42208]

I am always planning future trips and found this site useful for information about the Russian end of the Baltic trip ie St Petersburg to Murmansk

http://www.kolatravel.com/ktct01.htm

I went to Nordkapp end May/June in order to avoid the mozzies, believe they can be quite bad end June to September, however, as I did not encounter even 1 cannot confirm whether it is a deal breaker or not

Whatever, sounds really exciting, I hope you manage to slot it in

 

[tacr2man]

Quite a ride if you cross at Calais and then stick close to Baltic coast , apart from Nordkapp and then complete circle to Calais about 5,000 miles !

 

[Stewart]

Well, there's the first part of the budget, £1200 for fuel! I might have to eat less. Hey ho, I could do with losing weight.

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[Stewart]

I have been reliably informed that I can sleep in my camper anywhere in Sweden and Norway.

 

[Stewart]

Referring to the earlier post, if Sweden is full of missies, I might stay in Sweden instead of driving through.

 

[Riverbankannie]

There are toll and ferry costs to consider as well, but I think it's a brilliant idea.
Do read @DavidG58 's and @jumartoo 's threads about their trips to Norway this year, or is that they have already given you the bug to go?

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/from-spain-to-norway-the-long-way-round.152917/page-46

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...st-september-2017.152241/page-26#post-2494584

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[TerryL]

I would think 5000 miles is a very conservative estimate. We did 6000 just going up to Nordkap and back last year - okay a couple of deviations but not large. And you'll need at least 8 weeks if you're not going to be driving every day.

Always fancied Russia, mind...............

 

[Riverbankannie]

Thank you for giving me a diversion whilst sat in my open back gown and sexy stocking waiting to be taken down for my operation. Why is it always "take you down". Sounds like a sentence!

Anyway did a bit of Michelin mapping

Sorry advert popped up on first screen shot. This is leaving out Norway.
Would be a fantastic trip I think especially as you seem to have the time to do it well.

 

[Stewart]

If my maths is correct, that 's about 7000 kms. If I allow 8000 kms (5000 miles) that won't be a million miles out (pun intended) Easy peasy

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[Stewart]

I got the bug to go after chatting to a Norwegian at a campsite in Sitges. He was so enthusiastic about MY trip, I could not refuse.

 

[Speve]

at first reading I thought you were referring to unmarried women so why the he** would you be taking plenty of repellent?????
Second read put me right though!

Have now edited b****y predictive text

 

[Speve]

This year in April We did up as far as Karesuando via E45 (inlandvagen) then down finish Swedish border back into Sweden and all the way down Baltic coast back into Germany across France from Alsace region to Jocelyn and then home via Dunkirk.
6000 miles in all and thirteen weeks, what a great trip.

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[Gellyneck]

Have now edited b****y predictive text

Booooooooo! Half the auld yins have just changed their minds on going!

 

[Stewart]

O.K. perhaps I will make it 6000 miles. Between the two MOTs, I have just completed 21000 miles in a year, so what is another few miles between friends.

 

[Riverbankannie]

To be honest north coast of Sweden not all that much and the drive back o Helsinki endless forests so might b nicer to see something of Norway west cost and then get ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki.

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[Stewart]

Have you had your operation? Crikey, you recover quickly from the anesthetic

 

[Jenben]

We did a trip up to Scandinavia this year, my thread is somewhere and I did outline all our costs if you are interested @Stewart.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Have you had your operation? Crikey, you recover quickly from the anesthetic

Yes, I suppose wasn't under long. Noe got to type with left hand though!

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[Stewart]

@Jenben that would be great. How do I find it?

 

[Stewart]

I have driven the length and breadth of Sweden previously, and if you love forests, it's the place to be. My first ideas are to miss as much of this as I can.

 

[Jenben]

Back home now, the van is unpacked and we have had an opportunity to tot up the costs. I think it was @Langtoftlad and @Debs who wanted an idea of the finances?

A brief summary of our costs
Mileage 4000 miles done over 7 weeks. Fuel prices varied across countries and day of the week in Norway. We get about 27 mpg so nearly 150 gallons of fuel for this trip, it's fair to say this is the main part of the trip costs at c £700.

Ferry fjord costs - we caught just 3 fjord ferries there were on average £20 each, none of these trips were long but as we are over 6 metres it's double the price. Shorter vans will pay quite a bit less. £60

Toll costs - about £75 in total

Ferry cost to Denmark c£90 (Rodsby Puttsgarden), ferry back from Kristiansand to Hirtshall was £170. If you were super organised you could book further ahead and save money, we booked on our trip as we honestly weren't sure which way we would go (or return).

Bridge - purchasing the bropass meant the Oresund bridge was £80

Accommodation costs - a mix of camper stops, (mainly) free spots and campsites, costs overall were about £520, averaged at just over £10.60 per night.

Food and drinks - we didn't really eat out much on this trip and carried a bit more wine than we were allowed. It's pretty expensive to eat out in Norway and so we just didn't bother. We have the benefit of a good sized fridge and freezer, our cupboards were full. I honestly don't think we spent any more on food than being at home and so I have left this cost out. We bought fresh fruit,veg, milk and bread as we travelled, there are lots of supermarkets, our average cost per item was about £2 but again we weren't buying any meat/fish etc.

I haven't included a ferry to Calais as we used a Tesco voucher deal .

Adding all this up and we come just short of £1700 (excluding food and drink). Just under £35 per night.

@Jenben that would be great. How do I find it?

Stewart it's a thread within the Scandinavian section of travels on the forum, I have posted the cost info above.

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[Speve]

To be honest north coast of Sweden not all that much and the drive back o Helsinki endless forests so might b nicer to see something of Norway west cost and then get ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki.

Endless Forests ?not on E45 there’s loads to see just need to look around a little it’s a really beautiful route and not a lot of traffic

 

[Stewart]

@Jenben. Perfect. Thank you very much for the information. I am not alarmed by the costs, so it is still going to happen.

 

[Jenben]

@Stewart

Fyi - Here's a link to the full thread

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/hopefully-no-scandi-drama-for-us-tak-tack-takk.153212/

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