Norway

[Californiaman]

I've wanted to go for ages but failed or not gone for one reason or another. Half the problem is, I want it all... I want to see all the scenery and see the Northern Lights... and figuring out when to go etc has been confusing for me. Constant daylight, constant night... a huge drive, loads of time off work.. all that..

I think I need to pull my finger out, accept that I can't have everything and GO so, I am interested to hear from those of you that have been. What can I reasonably do with a two week trip, what would be a recommended itinerary given that I'll finish work on a Friday night and need to back at work on a Monday two weeks later - what time of year is best to go? What other tips are there?

I'm happy to drive all the way or spend on the ferry. I've priced the ferries up in the past for both cars and motorbikes and the ferry coupled with accomodation worked out expensive! (the boat trip worked out to be fantastic value in comparison) I've also looked at flying in and renting a car - that worked out expensive too. Now we have the Cali, that has to be the way to do it...!!

Help!?

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

We did two and half weeks a couple of years ago, but before we had the van. I desperately want to go back with the van...

We went at Easter time, it was around the time of the Kate and William wedding. Good mix of weather, but we were too late for the northern lights.

It's going to be expensive however you look at it. Beer was around £10 a pint and not very good!

We flew to Oslo, spent a few days there. Then took the train north, stopping in various picturesque places and eventually reaching the Lofoten islands. We then took the Hurtigruten south to Bergen. Then ferries and train back to Oslo.

If I was doing it again without the van, I wouldn't bother with the Hurtigruten. The interesting Fjord views are from the smaller boats. The trains are great though.

Loved Lofeten, scenic harbour towns, sea eagles, hill walks. Oslo is good, the naked statue park and the maritime/viking museums were the highlights for me. Bergen is lovely. From Bergen we took a small ferry through the fjords to Flam (or Fram? One is a ship, one is a place...) Stunning. Also, there is a micro brewery there, was the only place I got a decent pint. From there, we took the railway which is the steepest 'normal' railway track there is to Oslo. A great trip and if I was there with the van I would do this again as a return trip from either Oslo or Bergen.

Lots of pretty towns along the way, brightly painted houses. It was certainly a great overview of Norway.

Sorry can't help with the camping aspects of a trip.
dan

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Forgot to mention, we also managed to make our trip at the time when they dry the cod.

It's is quite a sight, thousands of fish hung up to dry.

It is also...quite a smell.

dan

 

[caligraphy]

I just wiped out my long version so I will give you the short one.

Our first trip. We bought a T4 Cali in Belgium and drove to Germany where we took a ferry from near (gorgeous) Lubeck (home of Marzipan). Stopped in Copenhagen with good camping by the beach. Drove through Sweden then past Oslo to Bergen. From Bergen we made our way up the fjords (think west of Scotland on steroids), over passes and on little ferries to just north of Hell (a real town) where we cut across to Sweden, back down a bit, ferry to Aland Isles and island hopped to Finland then ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm through the stunning Stockholm archipelago.

The trip was not at all expensive. Here's how...

1. Buy booze and favourites in Lubeck. All of Scandinavia is expensive for booze and imported goods
2. Drive until you run out of superlatives for the scenery then free camp on private property in Norway (legally) or stay in little farmer run camp sites which are always spotless.
3. Eat local food (salmon cheap, blueberries free and everywhere). Buy it in a supermarket and cook it yourself.
4. Fuel is not expensive and would normally be the biggest cost
5. Prepare your own snacks and lunch in the queue while waiting for the little ferries. You can always see the ferry coming a mile off

We've californicated (correct verb ?) over most of western/eastern europe, north africa and med islands but always agree Norway was the easiest and certainly one of the most scenic places we've been to. Just don't expect sunshine every day.

Buy cheap sheets of mozzie netting to put around your awning if you're going to camp near the Baltic in summer.

Camping GAZ is very hard to get in Scandinavia. Take a spare or at least a spare cheap outdoor stove (chinese kind which takes canisters).

People are very friendly and always speak good English.

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

My assessment based on (limited) experience is that if you are going a long way north in the Cali you can only realistically do it in the summer months. We visited Finland inside the arctic circle in February and it was minus 25 - 35. Beautiful but terminal for any vehicle without an engine heater and proper ice tyres. And no chance of any of the habitation equipment working. So that makes it two trips really - summer with the Cali and winter using public transport.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I live here now so i'm happy to help

We drove over from the UK last year in my other T4 and it worked out about 4000 miles there and back. We went over on the Newcastle ferry to Amsterdam and then up through Germany and Denmark in a couple of days to get the ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand. There is a fright ferry from Immingham to Breivik near Drammen but its not cheap.

We stayed at random campsites along the way but aimed for the NAF ones which were the better (you can order the NAF book of sites off their website). We travelled in August / September but leave it later and you run the risk of hitting winter and it can come without any warning up here. We left in late September and a massive storm struck just after we left. The middle of October is when you need to switch to winter studded tyres in the North. The summer come around June / July and the weather can get very warm with the help of the Gulfstream. If you go to Bergen though, it WILL rain. Check out the Norwegian Nation Tourist Route website with all the marked routes that take in the best bits of Norway. I planned my route around them and it was amazing. They've spent a lot of money on some great rest stops on those marked routes.

The exchange rate from GBP to NOK is good at the moment so beer only works out about 7 to 8 quid but stock up. We got a load of booze at the border shops near Flensberg.

Our best bits were:
Lysebotn (too much rain for Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen but were going back next year)
Odda and Trolltunga (stayed a few days to make sure we got the right weather)
Kystriksveien (Underrated but amazing and odd shaped scenery)
Saltstraumen (I live near there now so i'm biased but the largest tidal current in the world never fails to amaze me )
Stegastein
Trollstigen
Sognefjellet

If you get a chance to get as far as Lofoten, don't forget the forgotten brother of Vesterålen which is equally as beautiful and a lot less motorhome. One thing I've noticed with Lofoten is the vast amount of motorhomes vying for every last space on some of the more popular spots.

Get it booked and worry about it later

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=400647

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[WelshGas]

I drove to Knordkapp via Euroshuttle, France - Netherlands - Germany - Denmark - Sweden - Finland and finally Norway Mid May to 1st week of June. 3 weeks in Total.
The weather was mainly dry some showers. Temperatures 3 - 12c. Never freezing. Roads excellent and very empty. Campsites open but virtually empty so didn't have to book. Fuel and food were no more expensive than that found in London or the South East at home. Alcohol - Central London prices ++.
5,350 Miles return from South Wales. 7 days driving to Knordkapp but that was travelling 300-400 miles / day using Sweden to get North and the roads in Sweden are much faster than in Norway due to the terrain.

See Here.http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/countdown-begins.10091/