North Norway / Finland Proposed meet up September 2021

[Tony O]

Add me to the list

 

[Tracy Paine]

Yes we would be very interested to make this trip

 

[Andrew1954]

Definitely interested.

 

[PeterB]

Hi all. We were on the trip with Robin in 2018. It was a really memorable trip and i would recommend it as once in a lifetime trip. The northern lights were fantastic, scenery wonderful, driving interesting, tunnels for ever! The weather got colder as we moved north. Snow on the arctic circle (26 September). -7 in Alta but with the cozey and heater we were more than warm enough. We always slept upstairs except for once when a blizzard was forecast but never came!
The far north of Norway is less isolated than you may think with ample supermarkets and other shops - Alta and Hammerfest are large towns. You will need proper arctic clothing for watching the lights and for any northern excursions. Be aware that camping gaz is difficult to get ( butane freezes) Norwegians use propane and unique bottles and regulators. We eventually bought a Norwegian set but there were a few places where you could get your CG 907 bottle filled but they were few and far apart .

If you go, you will have a great trip.
Cheers. Peter, Norma and Rubin

 

[Niborn]

Hi all. We were on the trip with Robin in 2018. It was a really memorable trip and i would recommend it as once in a lifetime trip. The northern lights were fantastic, scenery wonderful, driving interesting, tunnels for ever! The weather got colder as we moved north. Snow on the arctic circle (26 September). -7 in Alta but with the cozey and heater we were more than warm enough. We always slept upstairs except for once when a blizzard was forecast but never came!
The far north of Norway is less isolated than you may think with ample supermarkets and other shops - Alta and Hammerfest are large towns. You will need proper arctic clothing for watching the lights and for any northern excursions. Be aware that camping gaz is difficult to get ( butane freezes) Norwegians use propane and unique bottles and regulators. We eventually bought a Norwegian set but there were a few places where you could get your CG 907 bottle filled but they were few and far apart .

If you go, you will have a great trip.
Cheers. Peter, Norma and Rubin View attachment 65785View attachment 65787

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Thanks Peter , Norma and Rubin , Good tips indeed ...especially the gas ..I brought an extra bottle with me and an small outdoor stove, suggest people start off with two completely full bottles . Great place for doggies , nice pics ...both Hugo and Rubin would recommend I think ...

 

[Dottie]

Please count me in. I’m retiring on 9 March with Norway in mind with no plans of how long I’ll be...but would delay that and join you in September if I could. Sounds fab.

I’d then do the NC 500 in March instead and hopefully miss the crowds. I’m currently on the far west coast of Scotland..I’ve never seen so many VWs...and had so many cheery waves! I thought waving was a thing of the past but after finding myself waving back a few times, I joined the club and challenged others to wave at me! I had a sore hand by the time I’d arrived!
I’m thinking Norway might have the same influx too?

Back to the subject in hand....a trip meeting others to see Norway and the lights would be just the thing for my first year of retirement. I have seen them before...standing on a frozen lake, when overnighting in a bothy in Sweden...on a week‘s holiday of a lifetime dog sledding trip!

 

[Olle]

Hi, do not forget that you have a coffee presso maker in Umea.
We will make sure to meet so you get back your French presso coffee maker. For the time being, it is in safe custody among the wine bottles in the cellar.
Olle

 

[Niborn]

Hi, do not forget that you have a coffee presso maker in Umea.
We will make sure to meet so you get back your French presso coffee maker. For the time being, it is in safe custody among the wine bottles in the cellar.
Olle

Hello Olle, we won't forget, the coffee maker provides the happy excuse to detour to Umea. If it is taking some room in the cellar we will have to make sure then to add a few bottles of our local French wines to take its place.

 

[kp64zl]

Has anyone taken the ferry from Hamburg area to Helsinki & or the Finnish Motorail (Helsinki to the North) to cut out some of the driving to the north of Norway?

I am interested in this trip but constrained by my annual leave allowance!

 

[calibusje]

France
Holland Stop 2 or 3 days
Germany
Denmark Boat to Norway Stop 1 day at port .
South Norway stop on route as needed 2 or 3 days through to Stavanger and or Bergen Stop 2 or 3 days
West Coast of Norway to Lofoten Stopping on route 3 or 4 days Then in Lofoten Stop 3 days
To Tromso 2 days
To Alta on route 2 days
Alta plus around 3 or 4 days
To North Cape On route 2 days in North Cape 1 or 2 days
To Finland on route 2 days
Around Ivalo 5 or 7 days
North Sweden 2 to 4 days
South Sweden 3 days
Germany 1 day
Holland 2 days
Belgium
France 1 Day

Hellow
Souds great! unfortunately I can't come along at all in September.
I will follow your posts about your trip because we like a lot of your route, but then to do in the summer months.
I wonder: why no stops in Belgium but about 5 days in total in Holland? If you would stop in Belgium, I could meet you and say hellow, maybe bring some beer
Greetings

 

[Niborn]

Has anyone taken the ferry from Hamburg area to Helsinki & or the Finnish Motorail (Helsinki to the North) to cut out some of the driving to the north of Norway?

I am interested in this trip but constrained by my annual leave allowance!

This is a real option if one wants to get quickly to the North , it is far far easier to travel on the Finish roads North than the West coast Norwegian roads ..the night boat to Helsinki makes sense to eat up some miles whilst one sleeps. In addition if the Finish route is taken as the leg up to the North and the Norwegian west coast as the route down if there is snow / ice one is likely to miss it entirely in Finland , where it is colder then West Coast Norway ( particularly because of the Gulf Stream ) . It is extremely easy to go from Ivalo In Finland to Alta In Norway ,or the North Cape . I would also consider this route up , or up through Sweden and then to Ivalo , however I’d still want to come back Via the Norwegian west coast because it’s far far more scenic , although as mentioned much much slower and smothered with serious speed traps .

 

[Niborn]

Hellow
Souds great! unfortunately I can't come along at all in September.
I will follow your posts about your trip because we like a lot of your route, but then to do in the summer months.
I wonder: why no stops in Belgium but about 5 days in total in Holland? If you would stop in Belgium, I could meet you and say hellow, maybe bring some beer
Greetings

hiya , that’s just my own personal suggested route , everyone can do what suits them best I wouldn’t stop in Holland so long If I hadn’t family in Holland and Oma is getting old , so will take the opportunity....although Belgium beer is always a temptation

 

[calibusje]

hiya , that’s just my own personal suggested route , everyone can do what suits them best I wouldn’t stop in Holland so long If I hadn’t family in Holland and Oma is getting old , so will take the opportunity....although Belgium beer is always a temptation

hellow Niborn
family is one of the best reasons to have a stop ... and our beer If you stop in Bruges, let me know and I'll bring some nice beers; campsite Memling is 3 min away from where I live, Bruges town centre also.
Greetings

 

[HareBear Hutch]

The HareBear Hutch is seriously up for this trip. Very exciting .

Big question, needing definitive answer please-
Shall we buy the handmade Rainbow topper “tin foil” insulation and also Rainbow window/ screen covers.
Will this work for this trip?

I just want someone to boss me about and say buy this, you will be warm, less wind noise upstairs (obviously will not work on Captain Bear after a curry !), you will not be dripping in condensation.

You need a degree to follow the threads on this forum on this kit but,rainbow looked impressive. Please just tell me and I will buy it. Thank you.

 

[Dottie]

Has anyone taken the ferry from Hamburg area to Helsinki & or the Finnish Motorail (Helsinki to the North) to cut out some of the driving to the north of Norway?

I am interested in this trip but constrained by my annual leave allowance!

Monorail sounds interesting for one way....will be interested to hear more of this.

should I need to take portapotti, etc (as yet never used)....or will I likely be able to stay on sites for the duration?

 

[Dottie]

Can one hire artic clothing in Norway?

 

[Kingfisher]

Has anyone taken the ferry from Hamburg area to Helsinki & or the Finnish Motorail (Helsinki to the North) to cut out some of the driving to the north of Norway?

I am interested in this trip but constrained by my annual leave allowance!

I did this last year, returning along the coast of Norway in five weeks time. Finnlines ferry from Travemünde to Helsinki, a day of sightseeing in Helsinki, then the car train overnight to (in my case) Rovaniemi in Lapland.

A very relaxing day and two nights at sea on the ferry:


And the Cali on the train. For myself, the train had a comfortable cabin with ensuite shower.


All in all a very relaxing and quick way to travel. I certainly plan to take the same route when I visit northern Norway again.

 

[Cali4nia-Dream]

Definitely interested, so please add us to any group you create.
We had hoped to do a similar trip this summer but covid got in the way.
Mr C has always wanted to see the NLs, and Mrs C thinks this would be a great way to celebrate a significant birthday ( not certain the rest of the family would agree with this ! )

We are also hoping to do the NC500 early 2021

 

[Niborn]

Can one hire artic clothing in Norway?

That time of year you dont need it, just a warm sweater, waterproof jacket and maybe other layers. Certainly overkill snow jackets late autumn.

 

[Niborn]

Can one hire artic clothing in Norway?

That time of year you dont need it, just a warm sweater, waterproof jacket and maybe other layers. Certainly overkill snow jackets late autumn.

Monorail sounds interesting for one way....will be interested to hear more of this.

should I need to take portapotti, etc (as yet never used)....or will I likely be able to stay on sites for the duration?

Suggest you take it, but if course there are huge opportunities to visit nature, especially in the North

 

[kurienp]

Well for those planning and want some help, here are two resources. Please copy both and modify as you need.

• Map - a map of travel option that I am planning - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1PxVG6_twBpPfx1rCnKVEx4MLcRrnaHo_&usp=sharing

• Plan - a worksheet with a draft plan, that will evolve as we get near and also based on feedback from people who have been there. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Iy580K4vMHqFD1gk34Dx70b5JBeR3SXOi_i2vWMH4s/edit?usp=sharing

Anyone who has been there, appreciate any feedback. The other parts of Norway/Scandinavian countries will need to wait for another time/trip. This is a north / northern lights focused trip.

@Niborn , almost a year left ... but why not start to plan if there is time on hand

 

[Ebos]

Hello everyone,
In 2018 I made a trip, mostly with two other VW Calis, to Norway and Finland. My hobby is photograhing the Northern Lights it was my 8th trip and we saw some fabulous lights.
Im doing the same trip again next year at what is regarded to be the best time to see lights, thats the September equinox.
This time I won't be trying to organise accommodation for everyone but im very happy to meet up at a couple of preselected places where you can sort your own accommodation and we can if you like go to some good spots I know to take pictures. If you aren't sure about how to take pictures of the lights im happy to help with that too.
Later I will make a list of places and dates if anyone would like to join please feel free to indicate your interest andvwe can form a group I guess and possibly make one of the dates a formal VW meeting.
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Would definately be interested! With the amount of numbers here we could probably charter our own boat straight there from the UK!

 

[wilburthewombat]

Would definately be interested! With the amount of numbers here we could probably charter our own boat straight there from the UK!

One of the reasons I'm getting a campervan is to travel up to northern Scandinavia to see the northern lights. Not sure if I'll be ready for such a long trip in time, but it makes an excellent goal. Count me in.

 

[bvddobb]

We have dates for our trip now, that do not coincide with the plans here...

We travel from half Aug to half Sept. We plan to take the ferry from Travemünde to Helsinki, drive up North along the Finnish/Russian border (perhaps visit family there), tour Finnish/Swedish/Norwegian Lapponia, visit family in Northern Norway and then drive down to Bergen, to take the ferry back to Denmark from there.

If Covid allows, of course...

We have put/are putting together an inspiration map as wel:

 

[California4x4]

We have dates for our trip now, that do not coincide with the plans here...

We travel from half Aug to half Sept. We plan to take the ferry from Travemünde to Helsinki, drive up North along the Finnish/Russian border (perhaps visit family there), tour Finnish/Swedish/Norwegian Lapponia, visit family in Northern Norway and then drive down to Bergen, to take the ferry back to Denmark from there.

If Covid allows, of course...

We have put/are putting together an inspiration map as wel:

View attachment 67817

From your map, that looks like an amazing trip. Good luck.