Guest Tracker Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 We are on the point of booking Norfolk Lines or Chunnel around 23.04.08 to around 28.05.08 and driving up to the Nordkapp and back via France, Belgium, Holland, Germany. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and back in a circularish route via Baltic Finland and Sweden. It's something that we've both always wanted to do so sod the cost- let's just do it before we get taxed to oblivion! About 6000 or so miles in all I reckon. Does anyone have any words of wisdom or is anyone else likely to be in Scandinavia in the same time scale who would like to meet and maybe share ideas, experiences, a bottle of wine and route notes? No hard and fast route planned as we are likely to divert at any point as the mood takes us, except that we need to be over the Norwegian border in under seven days from leaving home due to the veterinary limitations of the dawg's required treatment to enter Norway and it seems easier to get it done here than abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Just been looking at ferry prices and when I got a Sea France quote it was for £100 return with, apparently, no surcharge for the dog? Norfolk Lines was £112 and Chunnel was £152 - all three with midnight sailing out and early hours back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Hi Folks, I have just noticed an error in one of my Forum postings. The Oslo marina aire is on the RIGHT coming from Bergen. It's obvious really that's the side the water is! Regards Cattwg :$ :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Has anyone been to Murmansk? I was just looking at Autoroute for the Norway trip, and I noticed that Murmansk would add a mere 400 or so miles to the trip. I've not yet looked at the logistics of entering Russia as a viable 'add on' to the trip but I must admit to being more than a little tempted by the thought! Seems daft to go so close and not visit - or am I completely barking mad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi Tracker, We got as far as Kirkenes and the Russian border and saw the signs for Murmansk. Must admit we were tempted but as I recall a visa is required and has to be purchased in advance. An interesting quote from the Rough Guide " if you have made it to Kirkenes and the border, you are further east than Istanbul and further north than central Greenland". We took their word for it and satisfied ourselves with that knowledge! Regads Cattwg :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Thanks John - having looked at the visa and pet requirements and the language issue plus stories about awful roads in Northern Russia I think that we too will give it a miss this year and satisfy ourselves with just the 7000 or so mile round trip! Maybe another time in convoy with a Russian speaking motor caravanner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Just discovered the rules on taking a dog to Norway and Sweden and it may interest anyone else taking a dog with them. You need, or rather the dog needs, a rabies blood test taken more than 120 and less than 365 days after the latest vaccination to be able to enter either country with a dog. That's a bu##er as Rosie's last rabies jab was in January and the vet said that was all we needed. Good job I checked with the Norwegian Veterinary Dept as I would have been really miffed to arrive at the border and not be let in in April! Never mind - these things are sent to try us - no point in getting irritated! Has anyone been to the Nordkapp in July please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shedbrewer Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 hi, yes i visited the Nordkap in Norway several times during the summer of 1997 whilst working as a musician on board The Saga Rose cruise liner. The weather was incredibly cold, with colleagues having to wear full winter clothing, Beautiful part of the world, tho........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Tracker - 2008-02-21 12:08 PM Just discovered the rules on taking a dog to Norway and Sweden and it may interest anyone else taking a dog with them. You need, or rather the dog needs, a rabies blood test taken more than 120 and less than 365 days after the latest vaccination to be able to enter either country with a dog. That's a bu##er as Rosie's last rabies jab was in January and the vet said that was all we needed. Good job I checked with the Norwegian Veterinary Dept as I would have been really miffed to arrive at the border and not be let in in April! Never mind - these things are sent to try us - no point in getting irritated! Has anyone been to the Nordkapp in July please? Not July Tracker, but it was o.k. end of May when we went. Cold winds but free of snow on the roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Hi, we took are two pugs into norway this feb, we had to show their EU passports but also the stamp to say they had been wormed by a vet within 10days of getting to norway, they also had to see a vet in norway to have a 2nd worming and again this was stamped in their passport, we went to norway vie danmark and they checked on the boarder that this had been done, mine you they did not check on the way out. please check this as not changed before leaving the UK, look on the norway site. terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 We are going to Norway again this year, but are becoming alarmed at the exchange rate; down from 12 Krone to the £ at the start of the year to under 10 today. Norway is not cheap (apart from Jam) and now it is getting very expensive indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Tracker We have been to Nordkapp three times, twice in May and once in June, but I am told that it is at its busiest in July due to the Norwegian / Swedish holidays. You stand a 1 in 11 chance of seeing the midnight sun (based on figures shown at Nordkapp in the Nordkapp Hall) and out of our three visits we have seen it once. Nordkapp is not the northernmost point, you have to walk to that (18Km round trip) at Knivskjellodden, but at least its an easy walk and you will not get caught out by its going dark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Many thanks for the info Michael, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 spospe - 2008-04-11 4:38 PM Tracker We have been to Nordkapp three times, twice in May and once in June, but I am told that it is at its busiest in July due to the Norwegian / Swedish holidays. You stand a 1 in 11 chance of seeing the midnight sun (based on figures shown at Nordkapp in the Nordkapp Hall) and out of our three visits we have seen it once. Nordkapp is not the northernmost point, you have to walk to that (18Km round trip) at Knivskjellodden, but at least its an easy walk and you will not get caught out by its going dark! Have only been to Nordkapp once and we were lucky. Although the weather changed considerably every ten minutes or so, the sun came out,after a 15 minute snow storm, at a couple of minutes to twelve, then disappeared with the next snowstorm at about 10 past twelve. We also had rain and fog plus sunny periods all night. Really must go back some time ! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 So there we are then! Ferry booked and we are off in early June for a six week tour of Norway to the Nordkapp with parts of Denmark Sweden and Finland en route. Apart from the well documented tourist hot spots (which we tend to avoid anyway!) are there any unforgettable places that others have found by chance or by word of mouth and would be happy to share with us please? I might even have the spare cash to get a new shirt if the price of diesel does not go up again in June! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Depending on your route I would suggest seeing the Tvinde Falls which is about 20 miles north of Voss. There is a campsite alongside, although the noise of the falls could disturb your slumbers. (I will see if I can remember how to attach a pic) !*??**!! Sorry, it was too big ! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Smaller file now - Tvinde Falls : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Thanks Malc - that's a definite must see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 To the north east of Voss - still on route E16, you could also experience the longest tunnel in the world - opened in year 2000- 24 kms long, between Aurland and Laerdal ( no tolls when we went through a couple of years ago). There are two or three 'laybys' with different coloured lighting which I found helped to stop me getting memerised by the 'sameness' for such a long stretch. Further north the route from Geiranger to Andalsnes ( route 63 ? ) was also quite spectacular with plenty of snow still around. In fact some roads in that area are not always open until mid-June -ish so it would be a good idea to check before you go that way, 'cos the diversions are a long way round. Best glacier we saw was Briksdal, but that is a bit of a diversion. Up north the Lofotens are well worth a visit ( we camped at Kabelvag ) but I'm not sure you would have time to go out there. Have a good trip anyway ! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 We should be in Norway in July. Pity it's going to be more expensive than 2003! However there is a free one hour show twice a day at Saltstraumen just 12km south of Bodo. Advertised as the biggest maelstrom in the world many millions gallons of water surge through a 1/4 mile wide channel at each change in tide. There is a convenient campsite at Saltstraumen, just a short walk from the show, which lasts about an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneR Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Hello everyone!!!! We are also going to Norway and we really want to travel with a Motorhome... I have been checking prices and it is much more expensive that we thought before starting to plan this trip. I have found two companies with good prices Motorhome Norway (www.motorhomenorway.com) and Solica (www.solica.eu). We are not sure yet which one we will choose, but the first one has better prices... We are planning a 3 weeks trip and just the Motorhome cost around 4.500€!!!! I would like to know ideas, where to go and what to do considering driving a Motorhome. Can you help me a little bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Hello Anne and welcome to the forum. There may not be many on here with experience of renting a motorhome but lots of us have been to Norway. Do bear in mind that distances are huge and whilst most main roads are good speed will be limited to 80 kph - or 90/100 on dual carriageway or motorway which makes a long haul both enjoyable and time consuming and a least you will not have to drive up and back to and from France / Holland / Denmark as most of us have done! Do you have experience of motorhome sized vehicles as driving a motorhome if you are not used to it can be a little intimidating at times as some roads are twisty and lorries seem to be exempt from speed limits and some of 'em are big! Tunnels of which there are many are another interesting feature of Norway as some of them are vast and many are rough hewn, unlit and with bends and meeting a huge lorry coming the other way is an experience even for seasoned travellers! Ferries of which there are also quite a few are not too expensive unless your van is over 6.0 metres when they do cost a lot more and most of them are either unavoidable or will involve a lot of miles to circumvent. The people are generally friendly and many speak good English but everything is expensive and, stating the obvious, the further North you go the colder and wetter it gets. That said it can be sunny too, but rarely hot! A lot depends where you collect your van from and how far you wish to or expect to travel. Do you have the Nordkapp in mind? Campsites are generally expensive but you do not have to use them and whilst 'aire' type overnighting is not as widespread as say France they do exist. You may have researched and found that the Scandinavians have a very relaxed view on 'wild' or 'non site' camping and as long as you apply common sense and don't do it where it will inconvenience anyone else there is a huge amount of freedom to just park up somewhere scenic for a day or so. Is it just Norway or is a round trip incorporating parts of Sweden and/or Finland envisaged. We found the best part of Sweden to be the Baltic coast North of Stockholm which is itself a lovely city. If you care to elaborate about what in particular you seek and how you see it working out I am sure more info will head your way, but Norway is for sure a wonderful country to explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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