Nordic travel plans August / September 2017 (2 Viewers)

[andy63]

hopefully meet you at Falkirk to discuss further

I'm not down for Falkirk David. .. had intended to be in Norway around the end June myself but as they say crap happen. ..
But I'll look forward to see where you end up..
Andy.

 

[Speve]

We are currently 18 days into our Scaninavian tour we are currently on a site at Kil in Sweden the scenery is stunning we came via Belgium,Holland took in the tulip fields and Menin Gate then on int Germany stayed at lovely site in Jade and again at Wingst. Then on into Denmark stopping at Tønder then Silkeborg and last stop was Sindal very good site to visit the Top of Denmark Hirtshals and the Skagen really worth a visit we then crossed to Sweden via Fredrikshavn to Gothenburg ferry and are now wending our way up to Jokkmokk via several stopping points including Dorotea we are loving it although it is still a little on the chilly side we had snow overnight all gone by dawn temperature around 3° at present diesel around 14SEK per ltr and LPG around 7SEK per ltr.
The people are great and can't do enough to help we even had a send of party from last site in Denmark.

 

[jumartoo]

David I'm sorry for you that your plans are having to change again. I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you decide to do. The Lofoten Islands will still be there to be visited in the future.

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[Augusta08]

I have been watching this thread for some time, originally planning for May 2018. However after watching the temperature in Norway last week I'm now thinking of going this September/October travelling up thru Germany & Denmark across the bridge and across to the Norwegian coast. Hopefully to the arctic circle. This will be all new for us, let's hope the weather will play along.

 

[DavidG58]

I have been watching this thread for some time, originally planning for May 2018. However after watching the temperature in Norway last week I'm now thinking of going this September/October travelling up thru Germany & Denmark across the bridge and across to the Norwegian coast. Hopefully to the arctic circle. This will be all new for us, let's hope the weather will play along.

Brilliant, that was more or less our initial plan, unfortunately I was about to post that we have had to make drastic changes to our travel plans due to accommodation issues for my mother

Please add to this or start your own new thread with your own travels, I will try not to get too green looking in

We were advised that we really should be well south of the arctic circle by mid October, possibly being over cautious, but based on how much snow was still around on a photo someone posted the other week as they crossed going north, I can see what they might be getting at

I really hope you do get away, one of our objectives was to see the northern lights, again September / October give plenty of darkness and still driveable weather wise

 

[Augusta08]

How are your plans going David?

We are planning on similar route, starting 12th September Hull-Rotterdam, we are scheduling 5-6 weeks, open ended return date, but October sometime.

Gerry & Anne

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[DavidG58]

How are your plans going David?

We are planning on similar route, starting 12th September Hull-Rotterdam, we are scheduling 5-6 weeks, open ended return date, but October sometime.

Gerry & Anne

Brilliant news, probably what we will do next year to catch the lights, should give least weather issues as well

Seeing photos from travellers posts on here even in May / June there was a lot of snow still around even as low as the arctic circle

Our plans have had to be completely changed for this year, we just couldn't get acceptable accommodation for long enough, your plans to stat I Rotterdam will help, but the round trip is an awful lot of miles to get north of the Arctic circle, to do it in under 3 weeks would mean driving too many miles each day to enjoy it

There have been some good Norway threads recently, certainly kept my interest going for next year

Do write up your journey, it really is good to read about other peoples trips

 

[Speve]

We have just come out of Sweden following the Baltic coast down and across Oresund bridge we went up to Karesuando via mainly the E45 a really nice route and in MHO the nicer way as it's less populated and lots of wildlife and scenery,there was still a lot of snow hanging around north of Arvidsjaur and a lot of frozen lakes.we arrived in Sweden on 10th May and arrived in Karesuando 7th June. We did have snow at Arvisjaur about 25mm but it was gone next day all the roads were clear as you may have seen in my photos on photo of the day loads of snow about but we were told by locals it was a very late spring this year,better for us as we managed to get away without being attacked by the dreaded mossies, it's been a really great experience and we were sorry to leave Sweden but we still have five more weeks for Germany,Holland and France.

 

[jumartoo]

How are your plans going David?

We are planning on similar route, starting 12th September Hull-Rotterdam, we are scheduling 5-6 weeks, open ended return date, but October sometime.

Gerry & Anne

We're currently in Poland and will head to Sweden in two weeks time and then into northern Norway at the beginning of August and heading south slowly.

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[Augusta08]

We are in the UK ATM for son's wedding next weekend, but we're back in France the following week. We will come back to the UK on the 5th September, over to Autogas 2000 in Yorkshire for new gas tanks on 12th Sept, then P&O Hull/Rotterdam that night. So we will be ships that pass in the night, I think that's the expression?

So I will be taking 25kgs of gas with ability to top up as we go, I'm hoping to get up to Bodo which in late September should be ok for the Aurora borealis, fingers crossed.

 

[Speve]

We are in the UK ATM for son's wedding next weekend, but we're back in France the following week. We will come back to the UK on the 5th September, over to Autogas 2000 in Yorkshire for new gas tanks on 12th Sept, then P&O Hull/Rotterdam that night. So we will be ships that pass in the night, I think that's the expression?

So I will be taking 25kgs of gas with ability to top up as we go, I'm hoping to get up to Bodo which in late September should be ok for the Aurora borealis, fingers crossed.

Didn't find any LPG fill points in northern Sweden although we had two 11 kg bottles luckily weather wasn't to cold so did not need to refill.

 

[Sundowners]

So I will be taking 25kgs of gas with ability to top up as we go, I'm hoping to get up to Bodo which in late September should be ok for the Aurora borealis, fingers crossed.

Hi
From memory Bodo was the last LPG point going North-------up till then there are a lot in Norway, there is a chain of self service points, so fill whatever you want!!!
There are very few LPG points in Sweden , we didn't see any much north of Gothenburg.
I have spent many winter months in Norway------and not yet seen the Northern Lights--------there is no guarantee!!!!!
Good luck with your trip-------we love Norway and Sweden.
Nigel & Pamala

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[Sundowners]

Didn't find any LPG fill points in northern Sweden although we had two 11 kg bottles luckily weather wasn't to cold so did not need to refill.

We used to nip accross to Norway when we needed to fill with gas.
Nigel & Pamala

 

[Augusta08]

I was thinking of asking Autogas Thirsk to fit an under-slung Merlot tank while they are at it. Useful for 5 weeks in Norway

 

[DavidG58]

All change, the lady following in to the room mum has in August has now cancelled due to poor health, so we have added another 3 weeks at least to our travels

So we can now leave after Shrewsbury for the tunnel on 18th August and don't pick mum up until at least the 27th September, giving us around 36 days travel, although I am sure we will fill it easily and could fill twice as many, we now have enough time to comfortably reach the arctic circle / Lofoten islands

Based on our weather experiences in Scotland in September we are hoping the travel and weather conditions could still be good and with less people doing similar should make a decent trip

September is also recorded as a better month for viewing northern lights, not too sure what science that is based on, but beats trying it in winter

Can I please reinstate the earlier requests / offers of maps / books that were stood down when we ran of days

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[jumartoo]

All change, the lady following in to the room mum has in August has now cancelled due to poor health, so we have added another 3 weeks at least to our travels

So we can now leave after Shrewsbury for the tunnel on 18th August and don't pick mum up until at least the 27th September, giving us around 36 days travel, although I am sure we will fill it easily and could fill twice as many, we now have enough time to comfortably reach the arctic circle / Lofoten islands

Based on our weather experiences in Scotland in September we are hoping the travel and weather conditions could still be good and with less people doing similar should make a decent trip

September is also recorded as a better month for viewing northern lights, not too sure what science that is based on, but beats trying it in winter

Can I please reinstate the earlier requests / offers of maps / books that were stood down when we ran of days

Might see you there then

 

[Robert Clark]

Maps?
Books?

Google Maps and Campercontact are the only tools I used when we went to Norway.

Rather than fill you van with books, you'd be better off filling it with beer!

 

[lorger]

My offer of the Nordic camper book is still open David just let me know if you want it and I'll post it to you. If you already have a version i can let you know where we stayed.

Not sure if you read my post regarding the Campercontact promo code, if not have a look and you'll get the full version free.

The following link is also handy although not much up north http://camperpark.pl/main.php?lang=en&country=12&type=1

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[DavidG58]

@lorger thanks Gerry, got the book sorted via @Jenben, seeing them in Shrewsbury by fortunate coincidence just before we go, so can also pick their brains

we already have the campercontact app but always on the look out for tips for stop overs

one of my great unknowns are bridge and tunnel tolls, how to pay, cheapest way etc

we will be getting the pass for the Oresund crossing which saves us a good few bob, which I understand is also valid in other places

I plan to investigate far more than normal on this trip before setting off as it maybe a true one off for us, but then again it might just become our new Scotland

 

[Robert Clark]

Here's a link to register for the toll roads just in case you use them

http://www.autopass.no/en/visitors-payment

If you open an account and don't use it, then you get a refund shortly afterwards.

 

[Robert Clark]

Here's a link to info on boats and ferries

https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/getting-around/by-boat/

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[moulin 87]

@lorger thanks Gerry, got the book sorted via @Jenben, seeing them in Shrewsbury by fortunate coincidence just before we go, so can also pick their brains

we already have the campercontact app but always on the look out for tips for stop overs

one of my great unknowns are bridge and tunnel tolls, how to pay, cheapest way etc

we will be getting the pass for the Oresund crossing which saves us a good few bob, which I understand is also valid in other places

I plan to investigate far more than normal on this trip before setting off as it maybe a true one off for us, but then again it might just become our new Scotland

For the tolls we registered with eplplc.com, no upfront payments for Norway tolls, still to receive any notifications to pay even though we arrived in Norway 5 weeks ago...

Other ways for saving a few bob on the Oresund bridge is that there are saver prices, say if you use the bridge and say the Rodby ferry from Germany.. Though to be fair it's a bridge and it didn't feel any different to any other bridge and I wouldn't bother going out of my way to cross it again!! The bridge at Dartford is more interesting, you have something to look at..

 

[DavidG58]

the Oresund bridge

to be fair it's a bridge and it didn't feel any different to any other bridge and I wouldn't bother going out of my way to cross it again!! The bridge at Dartford is more interesting, you have something to look at..

that's interesting, for us travelling with our dog a long ferry crossing isn't really an option, or at least I didn't think it was, maybe I should reconsider and cross to or back from Norway to Denmark

I think I need to do the Oresund for myself as I have been wanting to for years, hope I am not as disappointed as you, but will definitely now be looking at ferry options for one way

 

[lorger]

that's interesting, for us travelling with our dog a long ferry crossing isn't really an option, or at least I didn't think it was, maybe I should reconsider and cross to or back from Norway to Denmark

I think I need to do the Oresund for myself as I have been wanting to for years, hope I am not as disappointed as you, but will definitely now be looking at ferry options for one way

David we used the ferry then got the train over from Malmo to Copenhagen for the day out, certainly worked out a lot cheaper for us and still managed to cross the bridge all be it by train. I would check the services offered on ferry regarding dogs as they might be better equipped as I found the whole ferry experience far superior there than we're used to.

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[moulin 87]

that's interesting, for us travelling with our dog a long ferry crossing isn't really an option, or at least I didn't think it was, maybe I should reconsider and cross to or back from Norway to Denmark

I think I need to do the Oresund for myself as I have been wanting to for years, hope I am not as disappointed as you, but will definitely now be looking at ferry options for one way

On the Rodby ferry from Germany to Denmark is only 45 minutes dogs were allowed to be taken with you into the seating areas..

On our way out we went from Hirtshals in Denmark to Langesund in Norway, 4hrs+, they have a kennel on the top deck, fully enclosed, you are able to leave your dog there while you use the boat's facilities and sit with it on the outer deck for parts of the crossing.. Our dog stayed in the MH, she would be more stressed by the experience than she would be by sleeping below decks...

Remember the Oresund bridge is from a large island, it is quite costly getting to or from that island in a MH before you consider the cost of that bridge...

On the internal ferry crossings in Norway which there are many, dogs stay in the MH, on the shorter crossings you are able to stay in the MH, on the longer ones you have to go to the saloon or on the upper deck..

 

[moulin 87]

David we used the ferry then got the train over from Malmo to Copenhagen for the day out, certainly worked out a lot cheaper for us and still managed to cross the bridge all be it by train. I would check the services offered on ferry regarding dogs as they might be better equipped as I found the whole ferry experience far superior there than we're used to.

On the Rodby ferry from Denmark to Germany the local train came on the ferry with us, as we drove off the train was directly beside us.. if I knew how to put dashcam footage on here I'd post it..

 

[DavidG58]

Looking now at Hirtshals to Kristiansand 3 1/4 hours £180 single, dogs stay in MH or cages on car deck on that one on their own, could work Lola is good on her own normally, not sure how she would be if its rough

will look at the Langesund options next , like the idea of being with her, or her with us I should say

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[Robert Clark]

Don't forget the check out the Troll Penis

Just found this on BBC news

Norway 'troll penis' restored to its former upstanding glory
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40540561

 

[Sundowners]

Our second trip we had our dog, so travelling on the Travemund to Malmo 9 hour crossing was not an option for us as we did on our first trip. So next trip we took a return crossing over on the Frederikshaven to Gothenburg ferry. You can take your dog on board, but you have to stay in the lounge area dedicated for pets.

 

[DavidG58]

We seem to be back on track, so I have rather optimistically created a new target route, we should have at least 5 weeks, so doable, but we will not spend all our time driving

If we can get 35 nights, 5000 would be an average of 142 which is very respectable but when I start to work it more closely, we hope to get to Denmark (Hirtshals) in four days and same back from there, (2000 miles return) then leaves us 27 nights to cover the remaining 3000 miles, 111 / day, or much more likely, 200 miles some days then a 2 night stop every few nights if my maths work out anywhere near, 15 days travelling with 6 x 2 night stops in the Norway / Sweden bit

Most likely it will not work out anywhere near that plan

For those of you thinking we are racing through some lovely bits of Europe getting to Norway, we know we are, but can also return to those much more easily in the future

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