Finland for xmas?

[CooksView]

Hi all,
First post after just signing up and reading all the great tips, advice and general conversation.
So anyone drove up to Lapland region in December? Looks like 3-4 full days travelling from Calais?
Thank you, Lisa

 

[activecampers]

Thats 3000km quickest route, in possibly naff winter weather at reduced speeds, seems quite a long way to go just to go to lapland. (which, meh, at least in June!)

 

[TerryL]

And the rest! We've only done it in summer so plan for at least a week, roads are generally good but not motorways, and remember you can expect A LOT of snow and ice. You need to carry proper equipment including chains, shovels etc. Obtaining fresh water may be a problem too, won't be many campsites open, which are few and far between anyway.

But don't let me put you off if you're up for a challenge or two. Please let us know how you get on.

Oh yes, and

 

[meanders]

I also suggest you need a fully winterised van. It's flipping cold up there in December. We flew up a few years back on a day trip. Absolutely brilliant and unforgettable . All the vehicles we saw had studded winter tyres.

 

[Brains]

Hi all,
First post after just signing up and reading all the great tips, advice and general conversation.
So anyone drove up to Lapland region in December? Looks like 3-4 full days travelling from Calais?
Thank you, Lisa

5+ very long driving days minimum to Helsinki, Lapland is a long way further north!
Each way.

You will need a winterised motorhome if you are going to sleep in it.
As well as winter & studded tyres, chains, etc you will need need heated tanks etc. as well as internal vehicle batteries

You also need a diesel heater or similar (with the right sort of diesel!)

Also most Finnish cars are fitted with an engine block heater and an internal electric fan heater, most parking spaces have a EHU socket to power the heaters.

You can not simply leave a vehicle parked outside overnight in a Finnish Winter,
(and doubt the RAC would offer repatriation for any vehicle left overnight in Finland in the Winter!)

I think a conversation with a Finn is required, it's not an impossible adventure, but you need to go in with your eyes wide open and have enough time & cash behind you for it to work.

 

[Brains]

You will need two new sets of tyres. (Assuming you have normal UK 'summer' tyres)

Summer tyres are of no use from Germany onwards.
Winter tyres for Germany and Poland (Studded tyres are banned except in deep snow)
Studded tyres for Finland (Winter tyres are banned except for some urban areas)

 

[Speve]

You are looking at 2000 miles of driving in possibly extreme conditions I think you are a bit optimistic about your travel time we did a trip up to Karesuando admittedly in May and we were in no hurry I certainly would not go in December there was still ice and snow in May/June
Good luck if you try

 

[Nugget]

Tune into “Those Happy Days” on YouTube and watch the trip they did last winter…will give you some idea of what you may be up against.

 

[CV20Bobby]

Went skiing to Finland , Levi ski area and visited Lapland Santa Claus in Rovaniemi village,one thing to add , it gets dark very early and stays dark for a large part of the day, ski slopes had floodlights.

 

[PDrill]

You need to carry proper equipment including chains, shovels etc.

Okay. Well proper equipment is always relevant but chains, maybe depends what one is planning to do. If the plan is to stay on the main roads (which I really recommend, with or without chains in the winter) you won't need chains. And if there's plenty of snow, it will be plowed you just wait. A "non-extrimist" will most likely get stuck on a camping site which isn't maintained that well, but it's way easier and safer to ask them to give a small tow than put on the chains and maybe break something

In the winter time I really recommend asking the planned camping sites etc directly if they will be open, the information on different internet sites isn't very accurate in many cases. And you don't want to find out a site being closed and drive hundred kilometers to the next site. I think the best result in the winter will be planning stops to some Ski resorts, they are most likely open. Some "one star sites in the middle of nowhere" probably aren't, and even if they are, they will most likely be not that well maintained.

All the "servicing" of the motor home (water, waste etc) isn't very easy up north even in the summer, so in the winter you really need to go to campsites.

There's the "Finland infopack" somewhere on this forum which I have written, although I just realize there's nothing much about winter.

And here are 3 pages with info about winter weather up north:

Rovaniemi December Weather, Average Temperature (Finland) - Weather Spark

Discover the freezing and dark December weather in Rovaniemi, with detailed charts for temperature, rainfall, cloud cover, humidity, daylight, and wind.

weatherspark.com

That's for Rovaniemi. Not that north nor Lapland, but the biggest "city" in the north. A huge tourist trap novadays.

Sodankylä December Weather, Average Temperature (Finland) - Weather Spark

Discover the freezing and dark December weather in Sodankylä, with detailed charts for temperature, rainfall, cloud cover, humidity, daylight, and wind.

weatherspark.com

Sodankylä, a bit more to the north.

Inari December Weather, Average Temperature (Finland) - Weather Spark

Discover the dark and freezing December weather in Inari, with detailed charts for temperature, rainfall, cloud cover, humidity, daylight, and wind.

weatherspark.com

Inari. That's quite north now. I don't know if there's anything there but just for reference.

I'm planning a trip to north (I live in the south coast of Finland) between 12th and 21th of December to see the polar night. Planning to go up to the Norwegian coastline if the the weather permits (if the forecast drops below -15c I might change plans). Going alone so will be fine without "external services" for up to 5-6 days so haven't made any exact plans.

And below we have a picture from 13th of December 2017 in Kittilä o a camping site not that well maintained Used "speed" to get to my spot and in the morning the site was plowed so no problem

 

[Nanniemate]

Last time I went it took a few hours flying
Great fun but I wouldn't fancy driving it in winter (well not in my van or with time constraints)
But one heck of an adventure ..go for it , if I was younger ....

 

[CooksView]

Fab replies from you all amd appreciate its bit of a task! Will do more research or go for easy option and fly for few days if can get dogs looked after.

 

[Roby2008]

I used to visit a friend in Helsinki, Minus 28 Celsius during the day and colder at night during dec/Jan....

 

[Jez1966]

I'm thinking you've not done any sort of research, other than general distance, before posting this, I would strongly suggest you do some serious, detailed, in depth DIY research & planning for such a trip.
On top of previous comments: You can't refill gas in Finland, exchange only.
We used 2x11kg gas in 3 days @ -12c in USA (Yes we shipped our van) and Rovaniemi will likely be a lot lower over night

 

[EuroTrotters]

We got a ferry in December 2003 in our VW T5 to kristiansand in Norway.

We hired a house on the shore of Tyrifjorden, in Norway. Christmas and new year, just me, Mrs et and our daughters .

We were house based but did a few snowy tour days.

We took our Euro Mobil Motorhome a couple of times after that. Renting a big lodge in Ovre Ramse for 8 people, again Christmas and new year.

Then the just using the motorhome for 3 of us before the ferries stopped.

I am not sure about Finland. But I would definitely go back to Norway. In-fact, I am in charge of booking a family trip for 13 and counting for Christmas and new year 2027/28

 

[PDrill]

I used to visit a friend in Helsinki, Minus 28 Celsius during the day and colder at night during dec/Jan....

Oh well, maybe that can happen but it's very rare in south Finland.

 

[Roby2008]

Oh well, maybe that can happen but it's very rare in south Finland.

View attachment 1138780

Well it was nearly 20 years ago, so with climate change etc it is probably a lot warmer now ...... and of course I am a lot older so the memories have probably been corrupted ... Fab country though, I always liked visiting .....

 

[Mick and Ruth]

We travelled through Finland during summer, crossing from Happaranda up to Utsjokl on route to Northern Norway. The weather was good and we stopped at the normal places to see etc, wouldn't fancy it in winter if honest.

 

[DesmoDog]

I've not driven to Finland, or visited for Xmas, so can't advise directly, but have been lots of times for work, both in Winter and Summer. My time on each visit was split 50/50 between Helsinki and Tampere further North.

Of the many places in different parts of the world I've worked or visited for work Helsinki is probably one of only two cities in the world I'd live in, the other being Toronto.
Although I'd probably actually want to live well outside the city.
I enjoyed my visits far more than many other places around the world.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Not sure if going to Finland for Christmas is such a good idea. Santa was at our local garden centre last Christmas but I know for a fact that he's not going to be here this year so you may be lucky

 

[Jez1966]

Oh well, maybe that can happen but it's very rare in south Finland.

View attachment 1138780

They are not planning to going to South Finland!!

 

[golly]

Have a look at these guys, may give you some ideas

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[PDrill]

They are not planning to going to South Finland!!

Roby2008 said he/she was in Helsinki in dec/jan and had -28c. Helsinki is in the southern coast and I just mentioned that in the southern Finland -28c is very rare, barely a handful of days so cold during the whole winter.

 

[Jez1966]

Roby2008 said he/she was in Helsinki in dec/jan and had -28c. Helsinki is in the southern coast and I just mentioned that in the southern Finland -28c is very rare, barely a handful of days so cold during the whole winter.

Due to a gearbox issue we spent 2 week in Rovaniemi mid July it averaged 25c!!
Who know what this winter will be, personally I'll go with F***ing COLD.
Basic like, winter/snow driving skills and without double floor, heated tanks, Sandic construction and so many other things
the op have not considered, your looking at frozen fresh water & grey water tanks, along with damaged fresh water pump
& pipes.

Fune in Scandics

Polarsteps

Polarsteps is the personal travel log in your pocket.

www.polarsteps.com

 

[PDrill]

Just finished a ~3000km/1900miles trip to the north of Finland, did also a little tour to Norway.

Temperatures in the north were between -15c and -24c. Trumatic did a great job (and noise!) and the PVC was easily at t-shirt temperatures. The water system (even the gray water electric valve) worked almost perfectly, only a ~30cm/10in part of the fresh water hose freezes on long journeys below -10c (but that's easily fixed with a small electric blower properly aimed, even on the go to prevent). One day there was a terrible snow storm for at least 250km/150miles and the road wasn't that nice but fully driveable at 70kmh/35mph. 9 night, only one 2 night stop at a camp site, others where ever. The only little annoying thing traveling up there in the winter is that most of the rest areas/"widening for a short stop" alongside the roads have not been plowed so when you are looking for a place for a quick stop, it's not at all certain that the P-marked place really is available.

Didn't need RWD or 4WD, didn't need chains, didn't need shovel. So I'd say if your pvc/motorhome is "winter proof" from factory, all you really need is proper winter tires. Even the studded ones aren't mandatory, mostly you'll be just fine with "3PMSF tires" - still preferably something that has really been made for winter and not middle Europe.

So, even in winter norther Finland is nothing that couldn't be handled with basic stuff and skill.

But how the 2024 Ducato managed, that's slightly a different story :-D When tempereatures went below -17c I remembered those Air crash investigation episodes where the "pilots were faced with a myriad of fault messages" :-D

 

[DT]

Watch the guys on 'Eurosully' on YT they are just ending a trip to Finland in their Elddis MH, Great little channel.

 

[WESTY66]

Or you could watch Jared and Nina who are up north of Lofoten at the moment, but they do live in Stavanger

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[Riverbankannie]

Fab replies from you all amd appreciate its bit of a task! Will do more research or go for easy option and fly for few days if can get dogs looked after.

What did you decide? If you are going, I hope your dogs are Huskies

 

[Peavy]

how the 2024 Ducato managed, that's slightly a different story

Did you have any critical problem? I'm curious, those are heavy conditions.

 

[CooksView]

What did you decide? If you are going, I hope your dogs are Huskies

we are just sorting right now, Norway or FInland, partner has fully proofed van and wants an adventure!