North Norway / Finland Proposed meet up September 2021

[Tarquers]

Just stuck it in google maps. Poland - Lithuania - Latvia - Estonia - Finland - Norway sounds very exciting. 2,700 km. A great adventure.

 

[Niborn]

I’m not sure I could get time off at those dates, but would love to join such a trip. Out of curiosity, would it be safe to drive those roads with a 2WD cali? Also, I presume it’s possible to sleep in the Cali (temperatures not extreme at that time)

CaliVentures

Adventures in a VW California camper van

caliventures364847572.wordpress.com

Totally safe with good tyres . No problem sleeping , wind likely to be more of an occasional issue then cold for sleeping upstairs

 

[Erbster]

Totally safe with good tyres . No problem sleeping , wind likely to be more of an occasional issue then cold for sleeping upstairs

Thanks Niborn

CaliVentures

Adventures in a VW California camper van

caliventures364847572.wordpress.com

 

[SailSki]

Sounds like a great trip! Would love to join but pesky thing called work (unless in between jobs again...). Will follow with interest!

 

[Wildcamper]

Would like to kept informed re this trip. Not sure yet if it is a possibility for me but very interested. What might the typical night temperatures be?

 

[Niborn]

Just stuck it in google maps. Poland - Lithuania - Latvia - Estonia - Finland - Norway sounds very exciting. 2,700 km. A great adventure.

Would like to kept informed re this trip. Not sure yet if it is a possibility for me but very interested. What might the typical night temperatures be?

On the west coast of Norway around end of September above freezing and probably 5 to 10 c at night, inland Norway and Finland around freezing to 5c or a bit below, occasionally 10 below, little ice, gone by 10am...
mid October inland temperature starts to fall rapidly

 

[Elmyp]

Definitely interested! Great plan. We have tried many times to see the lights - never been successful!

 

[Niborn]

Definitely interested! Great plan. We have tried many times to see the lights - never been successful!

Oh good, yes a lot of people say that..although I aways see them, almost every night, true some nights are better than others, even in North Scotland, so I must be very lucky

 

[AlisonF]

Oh good, yes a lot of people say that..although I aways see them, almost every night, true some nights are better than others, even in North Scotland, so I must be very lucky

Lived in Stavanger 10 years and Aberdeen the same - still never seen the northern lights... maybe I should have gone to specsavers...

 

[Niborn]

Lived in Stavanger 10 years and Aberdeen the same - still never seen the northern lights... maybe I should have gone to specsavers...

I think you should. I went to Skye for a week with my Dog Hugo in February 2017 and we saw them 4 nights out of 7. Although its true living in Bergen as a youth and often in Stavanger too I never saw them, although I was not really looking then and to be honest its a bit far South.

 

[AlisonF]

I think you should. I went to Skye for a week with my Dog Hugo in February 2017 and we saw them 4 nights out of 7. Although its true living in Bergen as a youth and often in Stavanger too I never saw them, although I was not really looking then and to be honest its a bit far South.

To be honest I haven’t really been out looking. But would love to see them.

 

[Niborn]

To be honest I haven’t really been out looking. But would love to see them.

That's it then, to see them its really only required, if one is at around 68 degrees latitude, to wait for some hours, probably when you would rather not and if there isnt cloud and it is dark, ideally away from the city lights and pollution, then you will see them. They appear most nights at that position, normally overhead. Further South you will only see them sometimes on the horizon depending on how strong the display is. Exceptionally they will be seen at 57 degrees overhead too.
The picture below is from the Isle of Skye, around 2am.

 

[Ferring-about]

Sounds like fun, please keep us in the loop, we have friends in Finland and at the Norway/Finland border area too!

 

[bvddobb]

My trip will be something like this, TBC 6 to 8 weeks long in total probably.

OK, we plan the other way around: ferry from D to Helsinki, up north through FI, down through NO to Bergen, ferry to DK, then home through DK and D.

We plan to visit family in the Alta region, so we might meet up once plans firm up.


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[John Iddles]

The NLs can be seen from late September through to late March, given the right conditions; moonless nights were usually the best. We haven't been back for a couple of years so would be happy to meet-up especially around Tranøy and/or The Lofotens where we tend to end-up.
Recent trips back there from Denmark and/or the UK have involved using EuroTunnel and the Hirtshals to Larvik ferry as we still continue to wait for the long-promised S. Shileds to Bergen ferry; any one know of a better option on the horizon?

 

[AlisonF]

The NLs can be seen from late September through to late March, given the right conditions; moonless nights were usually the best. We haven't been back for a couple of years so would be happy to meet-up especially around Tranøy and/or The Lofotens where we tend to end-up.
Recent trips back there from Denmark and/or the UK have involved using EuroTunnel and the Hirtshals to Larvik ferry as we still continue to wait for the long-promised S. Shileds to Bergen ferry; any one know of a better option on the horizon?

I did Ijmuiden to Newcastle and then Newcastle to Kristiansand in 2000.
Have done Newcastle to Ijmuiden (return) several times since.
Also done Kristiansand to Aalberg (? i may have that wrong). Both ways, no problem.

 

[Mark Masters]

Please keep me posted on this one. We live in NZ but our van is stored in the Netherlands close to Amsterdam at My California in Naarden.

 

[Ting Tong]

Thanks Robin. Might be up for that and I guess you don’t really need to know until nearer the time if there are rendezvous. Might get the Hurtigruten back from Kirkenes to Bergen. Cheers Huw

 

[Tarquers]

@Niborn do you have a date in mind to arrive? I know comments of being in the arctic circle before 22 Sept, but would be great to have a window planned so we can work on the trip either side. How long would you recommend being around the area, is there much else around? Will have a then 4 year old in tow to entertain.

 

[WendyWoo]

Sounds amazing and am definitely interested. Would be great to meet some like minded folk too and I love Norway and Finland!

 

[Niborn]

@Niborn do you have a date in mind to arrive? I know comments of being in the arctic circle before 22 Sept, but would be great to have a window planned so we can work on the trip either side. How long would you recommend being around the area, is there much else around? Will have a then 4 year old in tow to entertain.

Hiya Tarquers,
I guess we will get to Alta in the last week of September.. Hard to say exactly at this point. Hopefully can fix a date soon. Alta is a fairly large modern Northern city, with an easy central area to shop and park and most things can be found. However it is not so large, no place is in the North. It is a place to enjoy the coast and countryside nature, walks and the lights. If the camping im thinking of is going to be open then at least it is really big and flat and there will be the option of hiring a cabin, maybe with a 4 year old some games inside plus a bit of nature outside is the answer?

 

[Tarquers]

Hiya Tarquers,
I guess we will get to Alta in the last week of September.. Hard to say exactly at this point. Hopefully can fix a date soon. Alta is a fairly large modern Northern city, with an easy central area to shop and park and most things can be found. However it is not so large, no place is in the North. It is a place to enjoy the coast and countryside nature, walks and the lights. If the camping im thinking of is going to be open then at least it is really big and flat and there will be the option of hiring a cabin, maybe with a 4 year old some games inside plus a bit of nature outside is the answer?

Thanks. Will have a look. Gives me enough to book the away for now.

 

[Jay gas]

If I could get time off work I would be up for that trip as long I can bring my fishing rods.

 

[briwy]

Thanks Robin. Might be up for that and I guess you don’t really need to know until nearer the time if there are rendezvous. Might get the Hurtigruten back from Kirkenes to Bergen. Cheers Huw

We went on the 12 day round trip on Hurtigruten in Novembet a few years ago. Absolutely fsbulous and the looked at putting the Cali on one way. Horrendous price so drove instead.

 

[Ting Tong]

We went on the 12 day round trip on Hurtigruten in Novembet a few years ago. Absolutely fsbulous and the looked at putting the Cali on one way. Horrendous price so drove instead.

We looked at doing it this year and 2 people in an Arctic superior cabin and Cali from Kirkenes to Bergen in late Oct 2020 was £2,500 5 nights whereas the other way was £2,900. The Cali only adds 10% to the basic price and essentially goes free compared with the basic cruise price in the UK (where you don't get the option to add the Cali). The UK price was all inclusive. You have to book on the Norwegian site and keep quiet it’s a camper because they don’t allow them.