Baltic tour July-Aug 2009; how much time to allot?

[Platinum Pig]

Hello Everyone,

I'm only just renewing my membership in UKGSer (good to be back!) so I'm sorry I haven't joined this thread earlier.

I too am looking to do a Baltic Trip this summer, in July-August of 2009. Starting with the ferry crossing from Hull to Rotterdam, I'll hope to work my way up the Baltic Countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland), maybe even to Nordcapp or close to the Arctic Circle before returning via Sweden/Norway to Hthe UK. Also hoping to see St.Petersburg, but will probably opt to leave the bike parked in Tallinin, as it sounds like riding into Russia is a big hassle. My bloodline is part Lithuanian, so I'll hope to drag my heels once there and spend a bit of extra time seeing (for the first time) this "homeland."

Anyway, I'd love to join a tour if there's already one in progress to the Baltics. Or you are welcome to join me. Right now, I'm just trying to get a handle on logistics. How long will this trip take? How much ground can I expect to cover each day on the roads of the Baltic countries? I'm not a "hammerhead"; my style is not a blistering pace or rushing through a trip. If a place feels interesting, it's often worth an extra day's visit.

Presently, my main concern is how much time to allot for a trip like this? Six weeks? Seven weeks? Less time? More?

I know there are lots of posts already on traveling through the Baltic countries (I'm reading them all). But personal advice from riders who have already done this trip would be highly appreciated. If you can e-mail me directly ([email protected]) with your contact details, I'd love to ring you to chat directly on this subject if you don't mind. Or you can just offer ideas in this thread. Either way, your advice would be very much appreciated.

I no longer own a GS (I'm a US expat who will be returning home to the States in the fall), so I will be hiring one for the duration (expensive, I know, ...but what are my other choices?). Any good recommendations (or precautions) on UK companies who hire GSers?

I hope I'll hear from you all on this subject, the sooner the better. And the more info the better!

Thanks!!!!

Platinum Pig
(Frank Gresham)

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Frank,

We did a trip two years ago. North Shields to Norway - The Arctic Circle - Nordkapp - Finland - Rovaniemi (Santa claus) - Raahe (great bike club who put us up in their club house) - St Michel - Russia - Vyborg - St. Petersburg (fantastic 3 days) - Estonia - Talinn - Latvia - Lithunia - Poland (a favourite) - Germany - Holland - Ijmuiden - North Shields.

We spent a month doing it at a leisurely pace stopping for a few days here and there.

Our only problem was one scam as we were leaving Russia which cost us 20 euros.

Enjoy it.

 

[Platinum Pig]

Thanks for your reply!!!

Thanks for sharing this account. This is the kind of time frame I'm hoping for.

I'd be curious to hear what the scam was where they took you for 20 euros?

--Frank

 

[Slowdown]

I've just done a load of business in the Baltic states and they were really nice places. And really cheap too.

There's a few quite recent write-ups of similar trips over on ADVRider.com - I'm looking forward to yours now

Also, Harry Enfield did a recent(ish) trip out to St Petersberg as a fairly entertaining TV program - that's worth looking out for.

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Entrance to Ivangorod a stop sign, slowed down. Nobody there carried on through town. At the other side of town a ticket was demanded.

What ticket?

You must have a ticket.

Where do we get a ticket?

Other side of town.

Back we go to our stop sign. Policeman hops out.

You've committed traffic violation.

What violation.

You've committed traffic violation repeated ad nauseum.

Fined

Started back again looking for ticket office.

Off the main drag to a filling station.

Raffle ticket sold for 50p!!!!

Back to other side of town to hand our raffle ticket in!!!

Moral of the story always stop dead at stop signs but there are many other scams and from people who have travelled through just expect them and try to pay as little as possible.

 

[nipcurrent]

baltic trip

hi had a trip around the baltics last year spent 2 weeks with about 4 days in estonia. would spend a bit more time travelling if i got the oportunaty, tryed to do about 300 miles a day.

watch the roads in estonia. can change from smooth tar to gravel mid corner with no warning, and road works can be intresting with tar removed and dirt road left before tar replaced.
if on the estonian / latvia boarder try the following


any one looking for good clean welcoming accommodation on the Estonia/Latvia Boarder (just outside a town called Voru) try this. highly recommended

Plaani Lodge

http://www.activeestonia.ee/

run by an english / estonian couple and a real home from home. safe parking and also secure garage parking if required.

if interested tell them that Nick sent you. Enjoy.


have a fantastic time

 

[strimstrum]

Frank
Did this trip in 2006 and had a great time. Took the ferry Harwich to Ejsberg in Denmark and rode to Copenhagen. Took the sea bridge across into Sweden and then took the south coast road around to Stockholm where we took the Tallink ferry to Estonia (Tallin). We decided not to stay in Tallin and rode south east to the 2nd city of Estonia - Tartu, a lovely university city full of gorgeous girls. We then travelled south through Latvia, Lithuania and then into Poland where we travelled south to visit Krakow and Auschwitz. From there we went North West into the Czech Republic and out into Germany and on to Berlin. From there we travelled across Germany, through the Black Forest and then west across France and then back to the UK. We did all this in 4 weeks - about 5000 miles - and this wasn't all rushed either. Didn't do it on a GS as I didn't have one then - I was on a VTec VFR and my mate was on his Triumph Sprint.

 

[strimstrum]

watch the roads in estonia. can change from smooth tar to gravel mid corner with no warning, and road works can be intresting with tar removed and dirt road left before tar replaced.
if on the estonian / latvia boarder try the following

Wot, like this...... (Note the sign - 40kms of roadworks)

 

[Richard P]

We are setting off on Thursday from Hull to tour the Baltic

Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany,Holland

Time allotted - 9 days travelling

 

[Platinum Pig]

We are setting off on Thursday from Hull to tour the Baltic

Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany,Holland

Time allotted - 9 days travelling

Thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread so far. This info is of great help. Amazing how many people have done this tour already, judging from all the past postings on other Baltic trips. Can't wait to add my name to the list! Keep the info coming, if you have anything more to add.

Additional questions: Any need to have a "green card" with you on a Baltic Countries trip such as this (but not in this order): Holland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary? Also, does BMW breakdown coverage do a good job of reaching into all countries mentioned above? Just thinking of the basic contingencies...

Any other critical things I might be missing? Any big cautions for the solo rider on a journey such as this, ...other local scams, ...bike theft, ...etc.?

Thanks again!

Platinum Pig
Frank Gresham

 

[strimstrum]

No need for a greencard as all the countries you list are in the EU and cover is automatically extended - but (as always) just double check with your insurers. As for bike theft... on the Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Tallin we were told by several different (german) bikers to avoid stopping in Poland as our bikes would be stripped or stolen. in the event we ignored them and had a great time - just do the ususal stuff of locking your bike and try to get accommodation with secure parking. Having said that we went a few years back now and with more and more bikers doing the route it may have got worse ?? but I haven't heard of any particularly bad tales. It's like everything else, there are always scaremongers out there who tut and say Wouldn't do that if I were you.. just ignore them and have a good time. As for breaking down, you won't be far away from a pair of skilled hands and it won't take long to courier parts if things get really desperate - just relax treat it all as part of the journey.