Northern Lights or Bust!

[ceejayt]

Started by request from my S*d it I'm off thread - got so stir crazy I had to get away and decided to tick off one of my bucket list items by going to see the Northern Lights

The rough route attached - set off from York today to find my electric step was playing up - seems to be okay now. Eurotunnel to Calais - have used the tunnel several times as I prefer it but TWO firsts today...
1 - I was the only person ion the Eurotunnel line up when I arrived - thought perhaps it was a walking dead moment!
2 - Had to drive the full length of the train (because I was the first and only one) and made it to the end without knocking either of my wing mirrors in - I always seem to catch Ione but not today.

Safely ensconced at Gravelines Arie for the night and heading off to Dusseldorf tomorrow - will meet up with a friend looking at a Morelo then straight up North

 

[Bonkers the Dog]

Dude, you can see them in Scotland! That's a hell of a trip...

There's even a song...all together now, "The northern lights of Old Aberdeen".

On second thoughts, let us not go there for it is a silly place.

 

[bobnick]

Good luck mate, so wish i was following you.

 

[CazPaul]

Nice one, how many weeks are you planning for it and roughly how many miles in total and driving hours each day?

 

[DavidG58]

Dude, you can see them in Scotland! That's a hell of a trip...

There's even a song...all together now, "The northern lights of Old Aberdeen".

On second thoughts, let us not go there for it is a silly place.

aadly you really can’t but quite a few take long exposure photos and claim to have seen them

a green haze would be lucky here , three years ago this time of year we saw all colours right through to red and full on dancing curtains

not to be confused with U.K. claims

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[ceejayt]

Nice one, how many weeks are you planning for it and roughly how many miles in total and driving hours each day?

Daily mileage varies a lot. Total route close to 6000 miles currently. It’s 5 weeks plus minimum. Plan on doing some long driving days in order to have time to stop and see places along the way. Today was York to Gravelines. To Dusseldorf will be a much shorter day.

 

[Rachelc]

Have a great trip, watching with interest!! And jealousy!

 

[AnnB]

I'm so envious. Good luck!

 

[Bonkers the Dog]

Nonsense. Why would they write a song about em? I used to stay in Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde and I remember seeing them there in the early '90's.

Granted you may not actually see them in Aberdeen these days due light pollution and smog but the real leveller is the bloody weather! Heyho, I saw them in Finland as well when I lived up there, fairly common in the dark woods where we used to live; very very impressive wherever you see them though. Puts you in your place so to speak.

 

[Northernraider]

Dude, you can see them in Scotland! That's a hell of a trip...

There's even a song...all together now, "The northern lights of Old Aberdeen".

On second thoughts, let us not go there for it is a silly place.

I've never seen them and i live in scotland ...must be bad luck or cause its always cloudy and raining

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[Zains Pops]

went up to North Cape On a banger rally a few years back. I see your avoiding Norway until far North. Don’t leave it too late as the scenery in the far north is stunning especially if your lucky with the weather. Consider going to North Cape, nowt there but a nice tick on the been there done that list. The route back is as we took, Finland, ideal for tree and lake fanatics. Explore Helsinki and Tallin and hope you enjoy the trip and avoid the COVID lurgy.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Dude, you can see them in Scotland! That's a hell of a trip...

There's even a song...all together now, "The northern lights of Old Aberdeen".

On second thoughts, let us not go there for it is a silly place.

Didn’t think the Scottish wanted visitors

 

[billym]

Daily mileage varies a lot. Total route close to 6000 miles currently. It’s 5 weeks plus minimum. Plan on doing some long driving days in order to have time to stop and see places along the way. Today was York to Gravelines. To Dusseldorf will be a much shorter day.

What are the current regs for UK nationals( assuming you are) for entering Finland for tourism?

 

[ceejayt]

What are the current regs for UK nationals( assuming you are) for entering Finland for tourism?

As far as I know no problem currently. We shall just have to wait and see

 

[DavidG58]

As far as I know no problem currently. We shall just have to wait and see

Did your wife have a change of heart

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[Bikevanhappy]

Looks amazing. Have a fantastic trip. Please could you post loads of photos? I'd love to see them.

 

[ceejayt]

Did your wife have a change of heart ❤

Nope. Dog and garden sitting.

 

[Peter and Julie]

Super ambitious trip! I wouldn't put a time or distance scale on travel per day. I've driven in Finland , Norway etc commercially, (wagon) and been sideways many a time. Think ice road truckers! Go to sleep on ice, car park and wake up to 3 foot of snow. Take a spade you may need it. The people are super friendly if you need any help. Good luck and have a great trip. Watch for MOOSE! Peter. Also never miss a place to fill up the gas or fuel...

 

[billym]

As far as I know no problem currently. We shall just have to wait and see

I looked at this and the UK gov site and couldn't quite work it out

<Broken link removed>

 

[Spriddler]

Dude, you can see them in Scotland! That's a hell of a trip...

I stood freezing in snow up a mountain for 3 nights and saw nothing. At breakfast before getting the shuttle bus to Reykjavik airport the waiter took great pleasure in telling us they'd been seen last night in Essex.

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[ceejayt]

I looked at this and the UK gov site and couldn't quite work it out

<Broken link removed>

As I read it currently restricted entering from Norway except for work or residential . Will see what we shall see

 

[Sundowners]

We found the mosquitos in Finland to be the worst. Took refuge by the sea, they don’t seem to like it there. Had to tape up all entry points like air inlets into the cab etc. Still love Scandinavia though. Had thought about buying a house either in Sweden or Portugal, the mozzies were the deciding factor. So Portugal it was and is.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Happy & Sade travels wish we were doing the same.

Did you remember your skis or is it walking frame adapted for snow !?

 

[Beltie]

We have been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in northern Norway, based in Tromso.
In my experience, however, and that of our guide, you often need a long camera exposure to capture the full effect.

 

[Riverbankannie]

We found the mosquitos in Finland to be the worst. Took refuge by the sea, they don’t seem to like it there. Had to tape up all entry points like air inlets into the cab etc. Still love Scandinavia though. Had thought about buying a house either in Sweden or Portugal, the mozzies were the deciding factor. So Portugal it was and is.

You made the right decision, my sister in Stockholm would love to come back, the long winters are really getting her down now but her children and grandchildren all there.

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[Bonkers the Dog]

Yup, second that emotion, the winters SUCK! They are brutal, that's why there are so many alcoholics and manic depressives in Scandinavia and winter babies - there is sweet FA else to do for six months!

I remember we had triple glazing and underfloor heating throughout the house, we had to plug the car sump heater in at night, in the garage, as it regularly hit -20 or so. I had to get dressed like Nanook of the North just to take the rubbish out and help dig out the end of the drive every morning to get to work as the snowplough had blocked it the night before - barstewards!

 

[Mousy]

Will watch your trip with interest we were due to spend 3 months this year doing the same. Good luck.

 

[ceejayt]

Thought I would have to call the whole thing off this lunchtime....

Bean to cup coffee machine wouldn’t switch on!

managed to get it going so carrying on. Now in Dusseldorf.

 

[bobnick]

Sod the coffee just make sure the beer is no more than 5c

 

[bobandjanie]

Good luck with the trip, somewhere we want to visit, was planning to go to Sweden this year with our good friends, but with one thing and another it never happened, well done for making the decision, just don't get drawn into dusseldorf show you wouldn't have any money to continue. Safe journey. Bob.

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