Shall I, Shan't I? Third time lucky? Trip to Norway from Spain (2 Viewers)

[jumartoo]

The Norway you have an affinity with, is I think, going to rapidly change, so personally I would go and see it now, before the roadworks & hordes arrive.....

I am really glad I was able to do route 17 twice on all those lovely scenic ferry journeys which apparently will be ended in the future ?

Don't fancy the floating tunnels but I don't think we'd feel them floating! It's just the name that sounds weird!

 

[MR. FUSION]

Don't fancy the floating tunnels but I don't think we'd feel them floating! It's just the name that sounds weird!

That's progress for you !

 

[jumartoo]

At 9.30 last night the music? from the other two motorhomes parked next to us was still blaring out (started at 3pm). All we were getting was the boom, boom! Norman spoke to the owners and they turned it off, for all of five minutes. Not knowing how late they'd play it, we left.

3km down the coast road was another parking area, with quiet motorhomers.

This morning on the beach.

But laundry day calls and we're now on a farm with the washing in machines. Had to call the lady for one machine cos it wouldn't start, nor would it release the door to retrieve MY washing. A few good bangs on the door by the lady got it working.

Our home for tonight and our carousel optimistically waiting!!!

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[jumartoo]

We've done three loads of washing, fettled the vans, had a lovely bike ride.

On the ride we passed a military area with some puzzling antenna arrays. Anyone know what they are for?

We climbed up, and down, hills, even though we're in Denmark.

And stopped to buy strawberries direct from the farm. We took photos of the flowers planted in front of the cornfields.

And especially for Anthea M (today of all days).

 

[Anthea M]

We've done three loads of washing, fettled the vans, had a lovely bike ride.

On the ride we passed a military area with some puzzling antenna arrays. Anyone know what they are for?

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We climbed up, and down, hills, even though we're in Denmark.



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And stopped to buy strawberries direct from the farm. We took photos of the flowers planted in front of the cornfields.

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And especially for Anthea M (today of all days).

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Wow how beautiful and is that a purple poppy?
I’m so pleased you have had lovely weather mostly!
Strawberries sound good any m and s cream?!?

 

[jumartoo]

Wow how beautiful and is that a purple poppy?
I’m so pleased you have had lovely weather mostly!
Strawberries sound good any m and s cream?!?

No cream, but we did have mascarpone.

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[Anthea M]

No cream, but we did have mascarpone.

Did they taste different from the uk strawbs!

 

[Langtoftlad]

Hmmm.
It's cooler in the shade the van makes, rather than in the shade of the Quest popup.

 

[jumartoo]

Did they taste different from the uk strawbs!

We had the choice of two varieties. Sweet, which we bought, and pretty, which were nice, but not as sweet. They were delicious. Much better than the Spanish ones, don't know about UK ones

The lady selling them was lovely, as are most of the locals, and let us try them.

She was also.selling fresh peas which were very sweet also. Unfortunately we couldn't carry them in our backpacks.

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[jumartoo]

Had a walk for a change today in a small natural park, Åsted Ådal just west of Frederikshavn. We're staying here overnight.

Haha, the angle makes our van look tiny.

I've just been raspberry foraging so they're going to be teamed with mascarpone today.

 

[jumartoo]

I'm just putting a few thoughts on here for posterity. If anyone told me that Denmark was a lovely country to visit, I'd have poo-pood them (our Danish friends also had told us it was a boring country!!!)

Andrea big map did tell us, two years ago, that it was a nice place, but we still didn't "get it".

If the weather is good it's a cyclist's heaven (unless they want Col climbs). But for us it's got many kilometers of quiet roads and tracks.

The people are super friendly, and we've never felt we shouldn't be parked where we were. (Except for other visitors being antisocial!).

We will definitely consider an extended return here on a future trip.

The jury is still out whether we go to Sweden and then Norway. Sweden and then back to Germany. Or neither ...

The weather is set fair for the next week, so we're going to do Scagen all together, and then make the decision of what we all do after that.

Loving the trip!!!

 

[jumartoo]

Today we did a bike ride I'd found days ago and really wanted to do. We were keeping our fingers crossed for good weather at the right time and we timed it right.

We spoke to a Danish guy cutting grass near a museum, who told us the history behind the area. Apparently, there is a farm where a family live and farm the same way as more than 150 years ago. We didn't see the farm because our route turned us left instead of right at a junction.

However we did see some burial mounds and a burial barrow.

We then drove to this overnight stop.

Where, it was our turn to cook and we did a pasta Bolognese.

Norman, resisting even touching red wine.

And our pasta bol.

'Twas yummy!!!

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[Robert Clark]

Whats for pud?

 

[jumartoo]

Whats for pud?

Ros and I had Brie cheese and compared it to a Danish equivalent.

Martin and Norman had caramel ice cream.

We've then had a tea and some(two) had fruit cake.

 

[jumartoo]

Tomorrow we're heading for the far north. It seems that we have three or four good days before the weather breaks again.

We want to see the sand dunes and the sea breaking at the extreme edge of the land. It then looks like the parting of the ways for us. We're looking at taking a ferry from Frederikshaven to Gotenburg and Ros and Norman will probably do the Danish west coast and ....... eventually ........ get back to Ilkley and their new kitchen!!!

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[jumartoo]

We're at a huge parking area halfway between Hirtshals and Skagen. Easy day today. Walked down to the beach and visited a renovated mill.

Miles and miles of empty beaches

 

[jumartoo]

Poor internet over the last few days so couldn't post any piccies.

On Saturday morning Martin and I rode the single track mountainbike route that started right next to where we were parked.

We all then had a 40km ride together along the coast and through the dunes.

The route we cycled was on Cycle Route 1, a long distance cycle route and it has camping places along it. Shelters, a pointy toilet, water, picnic tables and a barbeque pit.

We never found such luxury when we cycle camped!

For (my turn to cook last meal together) dinner I did spicy prawn "paella".

Then Martin tried to teach Ros how to balance a pole on the end of her finger!

Maybe might have been better before wine!

 

[jumartoo]

Yesterday was forecast rain but we hoped we'd have time to drive towards Skagen, park the vans and cycle to the end to see where the Baltic and the North Sea meets. Unfortunately the rain came early so instead we drove to the massive parking area and donned waterproofs and walked along the sand.

We could have taken an easy option and taken the tractor pulled carriage. Many did, hence the big numbers of people right at the point.

From there we tried to park amongst the dunes just south of Skagen but there wasn't sufficient space for the Frankia so we took Plan B and parked near the Sunken Church.

We stayed there overnight last night in a horrendous thunder storm and survived an invasion of flying ants that managed to creep in through the fly screens.

This morning we've parted from Ros and Norman. We're taking the ferry to Gothenburg at 6pm today.

At the moment Martin's fishing at Skagen marina and I've got fast internet to catch up before I'm off for a wander around

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[jumar]

And what fun I had......landing 3 fairly large Garfish.....put them back....more fishing in Sweden.....now waking after a night at the parking for the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg....had a cool 25°c throughout the night...

 

[DBK]

Thanks for posting about Denmark. We had a couple of holidays there in the eighties in a caravan. Friendly people - yes, flat - yes, great place when sunny - yes. What I do remember too was the Danish Blue cheese was very mild. Not at all like the powerful, enamel corroding stuff we get here.

 

[jumartoo]

Thanks for posting about Denmark. We had a couple of holidays there in the eighties in a caravan. Friendly people - yes, flat - yes, great place when sunny - yes. What I do remember too was the Danish Blue cheese was very mild. Not at all like the powerful, enamel corroding stuff we get here.

Do you know (you do now!) we didn't even try any Danish Blue in Denmark!!

The strawberries were wonderful though. Much better taste than ANY I've had for years.

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[paddymcc]

Do you know (you do now!) we didn't even try any Danish Blue in Denmark!!

The strawberries were wonderful though. Much better taste than ANY I've had for years.

The wild strawberries in Norway are wonderful -very perfumed, intense flavour. Mind you that's just as well as they are generally 1cm across - max!

 

[jumartoo]

The wild strawberries in Norway are wonderful -very perfumed, intense flavour. Mind you that's just as well as they are generally 1cm across - max!

I'm hoping to get out foraging again this year. Last year we got blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. We eventually found, but didn't like, the much sought after cloudberries.

 

[jumartoo]

Talking about foraging we've seen these. Thousands of them both ... and we're too worried about whether it's OK to try them.

The otters aren't so bothered, looking at all the shells and spraint on the banks.

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[jumartoo]

Last night's stop was as Trollhattan where we parked near the locks. This morning we were lucky enough to go for a walk just as two boats came into the system so we stopped to watch. There were two heading in the opposite direction and it was interesting to watch some go down as the others came up.

It took 10 minutes!

 

[jumartoo]

After a stop to fill our gas we looked at a few places to park. Although they had nice views there wasn't much for us to do.

We've eventually stopped at Rörbäck where we read a sign in Swedish that mentioned Husbils! Martin called the number and it's agreed we can stay for SK50.

We only have a SK100 note so it's either that or €5. If we have a good night we'll decide then!

Before this, we saw the mussels and oysters when Martin went out fishing.

 

[Robert Clark]

Talking about foraging we've seen these. Thousands of them both ... and we're too worried about whether it's OK to try them.

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The otters aren't so bothered, looking at all the shells and spraint on the banks.

They look like wild oysters to me
I wouldn’t eat them unless I was totally sure of the water quality.
Maybe you council try them (raw) and we could play Guess The Squits ?

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[jumartoo]

They look like wild oysters to me
I wouldn’t eat them unless I was totally sure of the water quality.
Maybe you council try them (raw) and we could play Guess The Squits ?

We thought they were wild oysters and mussels. Lots of them. But we won't risk eating them.

I'll stick to berry picking.

 

[DBK]

You should be OK with the mussels, providing, as Robert says the water is clean but I wouldn't take the risk unless you see the locals collecting them. Some toxins are not destroyed by cooking.

 

[jumartoo]

You should be OK with the mussels, providing, as Robert says the water is clean but I wouldn't take the risk unless you see the locals collecting them. Some toxins are not destroyed by cooking.

The fact that there are so many makes me think the locals don't collect them ... for some reason!

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