Norway Novice (1 Viewer)

[A S R]

Righty ho, I’ve been all over Southern Europe on my BMW GS but never been north. The main difference is that I’ll be going in my motorhome (with a KTM ) in the back and don’t have a clue what I need to organise first. By that I mean a way of paying tolls (automatically?) and other things like a Camping Key / ACSI card? Ferries are sorted ( joined Fjord Lines club ) and Stena Line ferry done. I’m going middle of April for 5 weeks so hopefully the weather will be ok.
Am I missing anything? What do I need to sort before I go? I’ve tried to figure it out by doing lots of reading on here but I’m easily confused!
I’ll be going via Harwich-Hook and then up to Hirtshals to get the ferry to Langesund. After that, not a clue. I’m working on 4 weeks in Norway/Sweden. Hoping to get up to the Lofoten Islands and spending a while around there and then back down the coast. Not too fussed about the Nordkapp.
What are the places to see? Anywhere off the beaten track to go? Am I going to have enough time etc.......
I’m going in my Burstner Elegance 821 so will I get around the roads ok? Are there plenty of fuel stations around?
Sorry for a lot of questions! I like to be prepared.

 

[Bailey58]

Bit late tonight but I'll give you some links to read tomorrow unless anyone else does so first. My first thought is four weeks is maybe a bit ambitious. We planned Lofoten this summer but given the dog didn't travel well, after crossing into Norway at Charlotttenberg we headed across to Kristiansund and on to Smola where my wife has relatives before heading south on the Atlantic Road and down through the fjords to Stavanger, Kristiansand, Hirtshals and home via the Tunnel. I tell a lie, we went out via the tunnel and across the Oresundbron, the bridge to Malmo, after stopping off at yet more relatives in Denmark. Coming home we took the ferry from Dunkirk. The roads in southern Norway can be narrow and oh so slow at times so you don't do the mileage you may think you will. Wonderful country though. Google the Bropass, a gadget that the tolls can read and costs you a fiver or so. Takes the payment automatically from a registered card. We did 4100 miles I think in just over five weeks.

Just one link for you, and it's a lot to read. A diary which I picked up when they crossed into Norway but you can read further back if necessary. I copied and edited the journal from the time they reached Lofoten onwards, full of info on free stopovers, diesel, dumps and LPG.


https://ourtour.co.uk/home/70-degrees-north-into-arctic-norway/

 

[Southdowners]

We toured Scandinavia this year and found it to be a magical place. The scenery in Norway is breathtaking! Our trip lasted four months and we covered 8500 miles. We spent most of that time in Norway

Personally I wouldn’t want to go right up to the Lofotens if I only had five weeks. It’s a very long way on extremely slow roads with tunnels and ferries all the way up. You’ll need to factor in the cost of using the ferries in your budgeting as there’s no choice other than to use them. You’ll have no problems with your MH regarding it’s size. LPG isn’t widely available so you’ll need to plan to refill.

You mention acsi card, etc. I wouldn’t bother. You can park anywhere in Scandinavia - for us, it was a major attraction. We only used sites on half a dozen nights when we absolutely had to due to injuries. You can get water and dump waste at garages.

What I would advise is that you take as much food as you can carry. Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world - which i knew and accepted. What I didn’t know was that the food in the shops is absolutely dreadful - I was like a kid in a sweatshop when we went into Finland and found a Lidl

As for off the beaten track places... the population of Norway is so sparse just about everywhere is off the beaten track!

We loved it and may well go back next year. Hope your trip goes well.

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[pandas]

We went looking for the Northern lights and meet Norwegian couple who said the norm is for Norwegians to usually travel up through Sweden to get to Northern Norway.
How about a two part trip - pick up the Hurtigruten from Tromso and go around the top into Russia - Norway from the sea is fantastic although we still didn't see the Northern Lights!!

 

[pandas]

I might add travelling to Northern Sweden gets a tad boring once you have counted 4 million trees as not many vistas.

 

[Bailey58]

As @pandas said, we were pleased to head west for Kristiansund and we weren't that far into the trees.

Lots of links to the threads I read Here (towards the bottom of the page). A couple of the links no longer work but give you an idea where to look.

Unfortunately my edited version of Our Tour from Lofoten and south is too large to upload but I may be able to do it in smaller sections but that will be later.

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[Lenny HB]

I might add travelling to Northern Sweden gets a tad boring once you have counted 4 million trees as not many vistas.

Been there done that in a car many years ago, afterwards you think I wouldn't mind if I never saw another conifer tree again. The dirt roads through the forests are fun in a car.

 

[Lot lover]

Just think how much better it will be with Norway Plus.

 

[Southdowners]

We went looking for the Northern lights and meet Norwegian couple who said the norm is for Norwegians to usually travel up through Sweden to get to Northern Norway.
How about a two part trip - pick up the Hurtigruten from Tromso and go around the top into Russia - Norway from the sea is fantastic although we still didn't see the Northern Lights!!

When speaking to Norwegians we found the same... they all travel up using the Swedish roads - which pretty much sums up their own road system!

When we return to Norway we'll travel up through Sweden and cross when level with, say, Mo i Rana. Sweden may be a bit boring but is so much quicker.

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[TerryL]

Agree go northbound through Sweden, superb empty roads with no (well maybe the occasional) toll. Yes there are lots of trees but also some stunning lakes. We have ACSI but I don't think we actually used it in Norway/Sweden but definitely get the Camping Key card, every site we stayed on wanted it. You can buy it at the first site you use but it'll only be a temporary card - order on-line before you go. Don't forget to proffer it at ferries etc., often get a discount.

Nordkapp is a very long way up and IMO would be a waste if you've only got four weeks. We went but were disappointed when the weather went sour. Lofoten Islands and the Atlantic Road will take up all of that.

 

[Bailey58]

Camping Key Card, huh! We bought one from the C&MC before we went. We used sites for about six nights in all, first one Geiranger Camping. "Where's the card", I said, frantically looking everywhere. Nowhere to be seen but we were never asked for it nor asked to pay for one at any site, Stavanger, then one near Kristiansand before heading for Hirtshals. Putting the new National Trust cards away in our memberships wallet two days ago I felt a card behind the picture of the dog in the clear window. Camping Key Card. I think it's valid for another 4 months.

 

[A S R]

Wow, ok. Thanks. I thought 4 weeks would be plenty of time to get up to Lofoten. It would appear not. I may have to reassess my plans.
I don’t mind doing big daily mileage on the way up cos I’ll be on my own.
Thanks.

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[ivorantony]

[QUOTE="TerryL, post: 3117504, member: 105
Nordkapp is a very long way up and IMO would be a waste if you've only got four weeks. We went but were disappointed when the weather went sour. Lofoten Islands and the Atlantic Road will take up all of that.[/QUOTE]

I agree it’s a long way to Nordkapp and not a lot to see,
These are a couple of photos taken at midnight from my aircraft on my trip a couple of years back,

 

[TerryL]

Hate you! .
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Not really!

 

[ivorantony]

A trifle harsh I feel

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[TerryL]

A trifle harsh I feel

Tongue in cheek. See bottom smiley & edit!

 

[DavidG58]

We did virtually what you are proposing late summer last year, agree with all the warnings about distance in your time scale, we also only had 5 weeks and did make the Lofotens and had a week there, but if you do try it, might I suggest you do as we did, return home through Sweden for relative speed rather than go up through, I think you might run out of days to get home, although the ferry to Denmark might save day or 2

We went over the Orendsund crossing both up and down, but when getting ready to return programmed Tom Tom for home address from Narvik, it was over 3000 miles, albeit back to Derbyshire and via the chunnel, but that meant 300 miles a day for 10 days running just to get home

One of my greatest holidays though, we got awesome northern light sightings and great scenery, just nearly ruined the trip by the distance and rush home

 

[Chockswahay]

I might add travelling to Northern Sweden gets a tad boring once you have counted 4 million trees as not many vistas.

Haha, that made ME laugh!

https://wolfydoesscandawegia.blogspot.com/2014/06/13-june-e61-trees-and-long-road.html

https://wolfydoesscandawegia.blogspot.com/2014/06/13-june-e62-endless-roads.html

Takes me back .............. but we LOVE Norway!

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[busby]

Haha, that made ME laugh!

https://wolfydoesscandawegia.blogspot.com/2014/06/13-june-e61-trees-and-long-road.html

https://wolfydoesscandawegia.blogspot.com/2014/06/13-june-e62-endless-roads.html

Takes me back .............. but we LOVE Norway!

That is how i remember SWEDEN,,boring,, . and so bloody expensive. And that was back in 1980.BUSBY.

 

[Wully]

Provisioning if heading to Norway...

Buy beer in Germany. (Check how heavily beer laden Danish cars are on the Rodby ferry...)
Buy wine and whisky in Denmark.
Buy food in Sweden.

Only buy what you absolutely have to in Norway.

 

[jumartoo]

Provisioning if heading to Norway...

Buy beer in Germany. (Check how heavily beer laden Danish cars are on the Rodby ferry...)
Buy wine and whisky in Denmark.
Buy food in Sweden.

Only buy what you absolutely have to in Norway.

And for what you have to buy try the Co-op!

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[paddymcc]

Agree with above posts re length of time. Most roads are limited to 80kph which is fine for viewing the scenery. Much of Norway is fabulous so no need to go so far north. April will still be very snowy I suspect. You can buy a Norway Pass for the tolls on line. You load it up in advance and then get a refund. (Norwegian efficiency no problem). Gas not widely available so bear that in mind. We took lots of non perishables (even in our little campervan).
Have a great trip
Paddy

 

[mid4did]

We went last may for what was going to be 2 months or so.Just before we left after arranging the tunnel etc the OH got her appointement for a scan which couldn't be missed that gave us in effect 5 weeks.We decided to carry on and see what happens.All in all 5 weeks was adequate leaving out Lofoton which was on the intended"route" but keeping in a couple other stopovers.sanata claus village in finland nordkaap and Briksdal glacier.Our 6'5 metre hymer passed for a 6m without the bike racks so saved on the numerous drive on drive off ferries,but not the Oresund bridge !
I'd leave out denmark next time and go direct germany to sweden,Rostock-Trelleborg.my own personal opinion we came back that route for £58 approx .
Not worth bothering with acsi as said before scandinavia is wildcamping friendly.We stopped at one campsite only to get close to the briksdal glacier and to catchup with washing clothes etc.

This was the only time I needed cash for the washing machines.A quick bit of bartering for the low alcohol beer bought in finland sorted that out .
Lpg is available in sweden and norway but not Finland,using the appropriate adapter.
I didn't worry about toll routes in norway as they send you out a letter with a breakdown of the roads you,ve used and the charges.My total after round trip of 6500 miles around £60.
I never exceeded any speed limits,stopped many times to admire the fantastic scenery on offer and are planning part 2 this year around the same time or earlier weather permitting.Scandinavia is a very friendly place to see,english is spoken everywhere you go so just go for it.
We were lucky to have clear skies at Nordkaap as others have said they were dissappointed with clouds or fog so couldn't appreciate the midnight sun at that time of year.
Useful to have would be the camperstops app but by driving to the speed limit 50 mph there are plenty of places to be found
My trip is on polarsteps;
https://www.polarsteps.com/mid4did/632376-scandinavia
Also some videos on youtube ( too much time on my hands)

 

[jollyrodger]

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[LesW]

Lovely videos to watch @Leftlegger, did you find all your stops with the Camper Contact app?

 

[mid4did]

,did you find all your stops with the Camper Contact app?

Some of them,but also found some by chance .I found a site which listed all the norway rest stops and downloaded a file which i converted for autoroute and the garmin.Google maps helps to find some likely stops as well.Searchforsites is quite helpful with a downloadable zip file which gives individual csv files for the satnav or convert them to autoroute.One other thing is you need dipped headlights on all the time.I also have a full set of good road maps to plot an off the main roads route.