Countdown 2 - Begins. Scandinavia 2017

[Walrus]

Just researched it. The 243 is still closed from Laerdal southwards. The viewing point is open if you approach from the south, but no further. We'll see how things pan out. Thanks @ArcticMatt

That's a shame. It was mid June when I did it on the bike. Your pictures just make me want to go back.

 

[briwy]

Good chippy in Kristiansand. Worth a call.

 

[WelshGas]

Day 13. So after yesterday's miserable weather woke today to brilliant sunshine, that continued all day. No wind absolutely brilliant. Now pitched up on a lovely site 10 feet from the fiords edge on the outskirts of a small town. Lots of Motorhomes, all white of course, and 3 T5's all in a row. My, dirty grey California, a silver German Multivan and another California SE, greenish metallic. The couple know of the Forum but aren't members. First time in Norway and enjoying it. Only complaint is they can't find anywhere to buy any wine yet.
Anyway, today I drove through the Atlantic Tunnel at Kristiansund, paid my toll, it is the last remaining manual Toll in Norway, and followed Route 64 the Atlantic Highway. The scenery and bridges are stunning. Pity it wasn't longer.

 

[WelshGas]

Well tomorrow it's the Laerdal Tunnel and hopefully the Viewing Platform at Stegastein, then head towards the Swedish Border.

 

[WelshGas]

Day 14. Well a very interesting day. Had to take a short ferry ride, so driving through this long tunnel and Sally SatNav said R turn in 1/4 mile and sure as eggs there was a turning straight out onto the ferry port. This was my route, so 1st stop the Laerdal Tunnel. Magnificent achievement. 3 stopping places, 2 roundabouts in case you decide to turn around, so just had to stop. The tunnel gently curves L and R so you never have more than 1km of forward vision.











Then onto the Stegastein. A very narrow, switchback road upto -



With amazing views over the Fijord.

 

[Hotel California]

We spend the night down there in your last picture and drove up for the view in the morning ...but we could not go further ...road closed due snow .
Back down , indeed very narrow road .
Then we took the tunnel.


Here we spent the night at the ferry stop.
It is the parking at the right side of the bridge at the lands end.

 

[Amarillo]

followed Route 64 the Atlantic Highway. The scenery and bridges are stunning. Pity it wasn't longer.

It looks like you had incredible weather for it - I'm drooling in anticipation. I expect it's equally but differently spectacular in a storm. Mist or drizzle would be less interesting.

 

[WelshGas]

After making the descent, and passing a tourist coach, on its way up, fortunately at the bottom I continued on Route 50 to my campsite. A lovely road to drive, excellent surface, by Norwegian standards with about 14 tunnels of 2-7 Kms length. 4 at least were spiral tunnels where you went in the bottom and just turned R and kept turning and climbing for at least 4/5 revolutions and came out above where you went in. 4 tunnels had no main lights working, just the lights on the emergency boxes. Fortunately very little traffic. Ended up in the highlands with plenty of snow and frozen lakes, waterfalls and one almost empty lake that was filling with all the snow melt, surrounded by obviously holiday second homes.

Now on my campsite which wouldn't be out of place in the Alps.

 

[WelshGas]

We spend the night down there in your last picture and drove up for the view in the morning ...but we could not go further ...road closed due snow .
Back down , indeed very narrow road .
Then we took the tunnel.
View attachment 22130

Here we spent the night at the ferry stop.
It is the parking at the right side of the bridge at the lands end.


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Yes, the road beyond was closed, not due to open until 1st week of June.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Anyway, today I drove through the Atlantic Tunnel at Kristiansund, paid my toll, it is the last remaining manual Toll in Norway, and followed Route 64 the Atlantic Highway. The scenery and bridges are stunning. Pity it wasn't longer.

We always do the Atlantic road in 2 directions, turning back when it ends.
Not paying boring tunnel toll this way and enjoying the Atlantic road longer

 

[Hotel California]

That spiral tunnel we did also , forgot all about it ...very wierd to drive in.

 

[WelshGas]

We always do the Atlantic road in 2 directions, turning back when it ends.
Not paying boring tunnel toll this way and enjoying the Atlantic road longer

Each to his own. I find some of the tunnels quite fascinating, but then that's me

https://www.tunneltalk.com/Norway-Dec09-Atlantic-subsea-tunnel-opens.php

 

[bvddobb]

Each to his own. I find some of the tunnels quite fascinating, but then that's me

indeed... We, on the contrary, always try to evade tunnels and look for the old pass roads or the old roads along the fjords instead, see if they can still be driven. Especially in Norway that is often the case and makes for terrific drives. Quite often they are still the old gravel roads, and not always maintained well anymore. Sometimes they are closed because of their deterioration. But many are still open, well hidden gems.

But the Auerlandsfjellet, over the Laerdalstunnelen, was probably not yet open this time of year. Many of the old mountain roads will still be closed now. Open only towards the end of June.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Norway is the land of the tunnel. It's like a nation of moles if in doubt, tunnel through it!


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[briwy]

The road down to the end of Lysefjiord has a tunnel that goes back under itself. This road makes the Trollstiggen pass look childs play.



Not very clear but the downwards loop is the tunnel.

 

[ArcticMatt]

The road down to the end of Lysefjiord has a tunnel that goes back under itself. This road makes the Trollstiggen pass look childs play.

View attachment 22157

Not very clear but the downwards loop is the tunnel.

View attachment 22156

I struggled to get up that one in my T4.


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[Amarillo]

if in doubt, tunnel through it!

That reminds me of the children's book, 'We're going on a bear hunt'
We can't go over it,
We can't go under it,
We got to tunnel through it...

 

[sidepod]

WOW!

 

[Yorkie]

Norway is the land of the tunnel. It's like a nation of moles if in doubt, tunnel through it!


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Does that mean Norwegian people are short and stocky like in Lord of the Rings?

 

[Yorkie]

After making the descent, and passing a tourist coach, on its way up, fortunately at the bottom I continued on Route 50 to my campsite. A lovely road to drive, excellent surface, by Norwegian standards with about 14 tunnels of 2-7 Kms length. 4 at least were spiral tunnels where you went in the bottom and just turned R and kept turning and climbing for at least 4/5 revolutions and came out above where you went in. 4 tunnels had no main lights working, just the lights on the emergency boxes. Fortunately very little traffic. Ended up in the highlands with plenty of snow and frozen lakes, waterfalls and one almost empty lake that was filling with all the snow melt, surrounded by obviously holiday second homes.

Now on my campsite which wouldn't be out of place in the Alps.

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Keep the info coming. I am enjoying reading your travels without even getting out of bed.

 

[Amarillo]

Keep the info coming. I am enjoying reading your travels without even getting out of bed.

Have you tried clicking your way through some of the tunnels on Google streetview while hiding under your duvet to enhance the feeling of enclosure? It's a wonderful thing and makes me slobber like a Bernese mountain dog in anticipation of my trip.

 

[jts46]

Genoa Italy to French border 261 tunnels varying from 10 metres to 3000 metres

 

[WelshGas]

Day 15. Interesting day. Drove along Route 50,7 & 40. Excellent roads obviously like by bikers on tour. Passed a lot of groups heading up country. Drove up into the highlands where a lot of skiing takes place. Virtually all the snow has gone. But the landscape looked like the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. Miles of blackened, twisted, stunted Aspen trees that looked as if they were dead, but were in fact in bud. Dotted all over the landscape were lodges, some small and simple some palatial. Obviously used for skiing, as not too far from Oslo, and probably during the summer as well as there were a few large lakes as well. Lots of rivers in full flood and hydroelectric plants. Further south proper farmland and the temperature rose. Now 24c in the shade. Took the ferry to Moss, the largest ferry I've seen so far, and onto the campsite. Sweden tomorrow.



















I would love to know why they have " Fore " & " Aft " painted on the ferry. Is to remind themselves which is the Front End?

 

[WelshGas]

Well, that's Norway in words and pictures. I think in 2019 I'll explore the lower 1/3 of Sweden and Norway, and Denmark in a little more detail.
So from Norway, on my way home, happy but tired, until next time.



Hope you enjoyed reading this, and the pictures.
Cheers.

 

[Hotel California]

Have a safe trip back home Paul , nice to read your review!