Norway 2016/17

[AlisonF]

are those trail private or can anyone ride them? i wasn't going to take the bike but now you have me thinking?

do you know if there are any downhill trails with uplifts?

I'm not aware of the lifts in Rogaland (west), Geilo or Hemsedal operating in the summer. Not sure about Lillehammer or anywhere else...
Where I was living the cross country ski tracks were flood lit all year (6am - 11pm) and used for dog walking / cycling most of the year - no (ski) lifts required. So might be good to take the bike...

 

[SheffieldSteel]

I'm not aware of the lifts in Rogaland (west), Geilo or Hemsedal operating in the summer. Not sure about Lillehammer or anywhere else...
Where I was living the cross country ski tracks were flood lit all year (6am - 11pm) and used for dog walking / cycling most of the year - no (ski) lifts required. So might be good to take the bike...

thanks alot. I will chuck the enduro on the back. may come in handy if only nipping to the shops.

 

[AlisonF]

thanks alot. I will chuck the enduro on the back. may come in handy if only nipping to the shops.

Also, are you aware that most of the main and larger minor roads throughout the country have separate cycle lanes??? And I mean a separate tarmac track a good 2m from the road and 2m wide with a white line down the middle, for cyclists and pedestrians. Even in Sirdal (ski country away from populated areas).They are used by kids going to school all over the country. A brilliant plan to take your bike. I'd like to hear your feedback afterwards...

 

[RichardSweeney]

We are booked on the Brevik Ferry on the 24th July this year, it takes very few non commercial vehicles and we had to wait till last Monday to confirm we had a place. Saves a lot of driving, at a price. £540 (one way) for us plus the van, a cabin and all food over a 28 hour period.

HI Yes great idea and was going to book it last xmas but basically was tald they will not let you travel with animals which is a shane; so only choice for now i believe is the Hook of Holland unless you want to use the tunnel.

 

[briwy]

Left home yesterday about 15.30, arrived Hirtshals at half seven this evening. 846 miles. Brilliant trip on the boat to Holland. Nightmare through Germany. Constant roadworks and holdsups and I think it must be the start on German holidays everyone and his hund heading for Denmark.
Got diesel in Hamburg at 1.03/L so a result there.
Sipping the red on a very nice site and ferry to Kristiansand tomorrow. Oh and it's sunny.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Aye the Germans come over in their thousands and literally double the population of Norway in a few days!

 

[Hotel California]

I don't like drivng in Germany , to much switching between highways....in other countries main highways go N to S and E to W but in Germany it is a spiderweb...
Are you in Tornby campsite?

 

[kave]

are those trail private or can anyone ride them? i wasn't going to take the bike but now you have me thinking?

do you know if there are any downhill trails with uplifts?

If you are staying at the hotel they recommend and include guides but the trails are open to anyone.
No downhill at that area, but there are many places with proper downhill such as Drammen in norway. Bring your own or rent.

 

[briwy]

I don't like drivng in Germany , to much switching between highways....in other countries main highways go N to S and E to W but in Germany it is a spiderweb...
Are you in Tornby campsite?

Wim . No the site is called Kjul Camping about 2km east of the town centre. Arrived Kristiansand midnight. Parked up in industrial area next to the harbour.

 

[briwy]

Noticed water on the inside of the tailgate last night. Found the brake light cover has disappeared again. Taped over the hole but now have to waste a day trying to get that sorted. Bloody VW quality control.

 

[Deskman]

When I bought my Cali it was without a cover. Just replacing the glass, I presumed. But you have to exchange the complete brake-light unit. It has spring-loaded connections. Most garages put too much tension on the screws by fastening them all the way down, while the springs are a way to get the stress off the unit. Just a few turns is enough and it will stay in place forever (more or less).

 

[Sp0_0k]

Also, are you aware that most of the main and larger minor roads throughout the country have separate cycle lanes??? And I mean a separate tarmac track a good 2m from the road and 2m wide with a white line down the middle, for cyclists and pedestrians. Even in Sirdal (ski country away from populated areas).They are used by kids going to school all over the country. A brilliant plan to take your bike. I'd like to hear your feedback afterwards...

There are some but most definitely not almost everywhere. Seen them like on 10% roads.
Regarding fuel question it is even prohibited to carry the canisters of that volume.
The weather was bad so far 2 weeks. Just 1,5 sunny days and like 10 days raining. Two last years in july-august we had way better weather.
We are at Lofoten now and fishing is crap going north so far.
Saltstraumen was a great fun to fish at. You can get lots of fish there fast.
The most fish I got so far was from ferry peers. Got one like 6-7 kilos seith there.
We have done the ferries route 17 and cant say I am impressed. Some are good some places boring. Though an expensive route.
We definitely canceled the nordkapp. Got tons of info from locals and its not worth it in this weather. Might hit the Senja and turn back to western part I liked more.
We definitely not going Norway in July anymore. Occasional theoretical good weather is not worth it with hundreds of white shitty busses around.

 

[Hotel California]

Weather makes 50% of your trip good or bad.
We went three weeks to south Norway last year in june that was, and had very nice weather , about on 4 days we had some light rain(not the whole day) 1 day heavy rain ( the whole day) the rest sunny and dry up to 22 deg cel.

 

[Sp0_0k]

I kinda like bad weather but not in conjunction with hordes of tourists. Didn't even imagine North to be that crowded and harder to truely wild camp. Way easier to get lost in South and West.
Just 1-2 roads through North and majority of camps aroind them.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I kinda like bad weather but not in conjunction with hordes of tourists. Didn't even imagine North to be that crowded and harder to truely wild camp. Way easier to get lost in South and West.
Just 1-2 roads through North and majority of camps aroind them.

Glad you liked Saltstraumen. I love it there. It's the middle of the school holidays here plus the hoards of German Bobil are here so you have to deal with the tourist problem. Vesterålen is a bit quieter as its that close to Lofoten, nobody tends to go. Then you can go up through Andøya and catch the ferry to Senja.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Most Norwegians we met were very friendly. A serious plague are German bobil that is definitely true

 

[Deskman]

I was there in second half of May. The tourists where mainly elderly (hear hear) people in decent-sized mobile homes so no crowded parking lots and no traffic jams at Reine but on the other hand, more or less everything was closed. The village of Nusfjord was only inhabited by some tourist in the rental cabins but the restaurant, museum, boathouse - all closed.

It seems to be the other side of the tourist season in so many remote area's

Luckily I visited the Lofoten for some hiking, the impressive landscape, the wildlife and photography - I don't need to be entertained in a museum or with a guided tour.

 

[Sp0_0k]

And I bet you had same weather in may that we have now 8-12C lots of wind and rain.

 

[Deskman]

No, my win: it was extraordinary nice weather. In the beginning some snow and fresh nights but overall sunny and about 20C. All in all very nice weather. Only one day with continuing showers.

So it was hard to wave the islands goodbye on May 26 - leaving for Bodø:

 

[WelshGas]

Agree with the weather in late May. Had good weather, travelled through Sweden,Finland and Norway to Nordkapp. 20 days. Always dry when camping/stopped. Occasional showers/drizzle when driving but not for long. Often sunny in the pm. Breezy for a few days. Totally clear for 48hrs at Nordkapp. Temperatures between 3 - 16c. Roads Empty. Campsites Open but virtually empty. Often had my own heated toilet block to myself. Most big Motorhomes I saw were at Nordkapp, all 11 of them. No midges. No problem wild camping.

 

[ArcticMatt]

No, my win: it was extraordinary nice weather. In the beginning some snow and fresh nights but overall sunny and about 20C. All in all very nice weather. Only one day with continuing showers.

So it was hard to wave the islands goodbye on May 26 - leaving for Bodø:

It's an interesting ferry. Trying to get the good seats is fun...

 

[briwy]

Well we are eight days into our five week trip and so far not a single day without rain and fog. We got a couple of good half days when we walked up to Preikstolen (Pulpit Rock) and on the ferry trip down Lysefjord. Both amazing.
We have seen a lot of this beautiful country but it's all been the bottom half, by which I mean the half under about six hundred feet, the rest is in constant mist.
The long term forecast doesn't look good so as we have come to see the scenery (most of which we can't) we are considering heading south to our place in the Pyrenees where it's a sunny 30 degrees. Of course it may change but not looking good at present.
Great country, lovely friendly helpful people. Just a shame we can't see it.

 

[Sp0_0k]

We are 18 days here and so far 3-4 days of decent weather and like half a day sunny.
We had way better weather off season in the past. Constantly analyzing weather monitor and dodging the storms the best we can
At least I had nice fishing in last couple days getting some nice cod. Was fishinh from my canoe not far from saltstraumen when the tide was at the peak. Took me 3 hours to get back just 1 kilometer to the camping with motor the current was insane.

 

[SheffieldSteel]

Exciting reading the posts. Im just getting the stuff ready to load the van.

Does anyone have a summary list of what needs be brought into Norway, either because its expensive or hard to get? I wasnt just thinking of booze

 

[Hotel California]

Exciting reading the posts. Im just getting the stuff ready to load the van.

Does anyone have a summary list of what needs be brought into Norway, either because its expensive or hard to get? I wasnt just thinking of booze

If you go to supermarkets we found it not that much more expencife than say when we go to the UK or Austria ...never been to Swiss ...
Restaurants , tollroads/ferrycrossings , diesel was our biggest spent last year when we where three weeks in Norway . Not food or drinks.
You can get everything in the supermarket you find at home just diffrent brands.