demosuzki
Guest
Great weather, good company, perfect roads, and absolutely jaw dropping scenery.
The weekend getaway was organised by the Swedish BMW MC club Norrbotten district (D1). Thanks to Christer & Hans.
The weekend appeared to be all about getting to the Lofoten islands and touring there, but the journey to & from threw up a few surprises.
8 bikes, 9 guys&girls. 8 Swedes and an Irishman
on 2LTs, 3 R1200GSs, 1 R1200GSA , 1 650CS and a K1200GT.
planned route. google maps
(Luleå, Sweden to Bodo, Norway. Ferry to Lofoten, Ride to Riksgränsen, Sweden, Then back to Luleå via Kiruna. About 1500km. 4 days.)
Day 1. Sweden is pretty !
560 km from Luleå, Sweden to Bodo, Norway.
Our starting point, Luleå, is on the Swedish Baltic coast about 100km south of the Arctic circle.
We head inland, for about 400km in Sweden on the 'silver road' up into the mountains and the border with Norway. Originally built to service silver mines.
The roads have very little traffic with towns spaced about 50km apart at the beginning then just the odd house here and there.
All good quality surfaces except for a surprise 10 meter stretch of gravel on the road where I had a decent wobble at speed, staying upright more by sheer luck than riding skill.
There are numerous lakes and rivers and all land is open and available to camp or picnic.
Passing the Arctic circle in the mountains with lots of wild reindeer, moose, and deer about. Reindeer are a bit like sheep where they will stop a stare and then at the last minute bolt in any direction. Rider beware.
Slowly rise to about 600m on the road with the surrounding peaks reaching 1000m+
It is breath taking scenery in snow all around and passing frozen lakes.
Remember this is still early June. +20C degrees and snow is spectacular.
Pass into Norway and then the ride down was steep, a few 7% gradients on small roads. The landscape reminded me strongly of northern California or Yosemite in the Sierra Nevadas.
600 meter snow capped mountains with waterfalls dropping 100s of meters to pine forests or meadows.
Passing lots of fast flowing ice water rivers.
We took a scenic route south of the Skjerstad fjord into Bodo. The fjord has 'the worlds strongest maelstrom'
Crazy currents you can see from the bridges you pass over.
Bodo is a city of about 40,000 people. Good choice of restaurants, hotels etc. But there is no escaping the fact that Norway is expensive.
We stay in 'stugas' (sw) or 'hittas' (nor). Small 4 bunk cabins on a camp site beside a runway and next to a freshly manured field. lovely. still it hides the odour of worn-all-day bike boots.
Day 2
Ferry and 100km touring.
9am ferry. Calm seas make for a flat 2.5 hours to Lofoten.
where are the roads ?
Quick ride south to the beginning of the E10 ... The southern-most tip of the road in a place simply called 'Å'
Point the bikes north and off we go.
Spent the rest of the day doing a leisurely 100km wandering up and down the southern half of the islands.
The islands are connected together by a main artery (the E10) over series of high bridges. with little getaways stretching to the coast down the side of a fjord or around a mountain.
The roads are twisty but flat. You seem to wander around the mountains at sea level. Behind every mountain is yet another breath taking mountain cliff or quaint fishing harbour. All picture post card stuff. I soon got tired of stopping to take photos as the next corner was guaranteed to be even more spectacular !
Lots of other bikers and a large amount of German&Dutch camper vans.
It seems to be a motorcycle Mecca.
We stayed an interesting historic site in Nusfjord.
10km off the main road, down the side of a fjord is a full historic fishing village run as a hotel were you stay in converted fisherman cottages and feast in the fish restaurant with freshly caught cod.
It is early season so we had the place to ourselves. A small slice of heaven and the highlight of the trip.
http://www.nusfjord.no/
We are well above the Arctic circle now so its bright all night... ideal for taking in the views but a little strange to sleep in.
Day 3
350km. Lofoten to the Swedish ski resort of Riksgränsen.
About 300km on the islands. nice and slow.
We split up by accident more than design. I missed the turn !.
Half the team took a 30 minute ferry to Melbu and the 'old' E10 while the rest of us took a new (2007) road through a national park. This was special. 60km of brand new asphalt and a few tunnels. Little or no buildings of any sort. One of the tunnels is 7km long. Absolutely freezing inside to the point that I needed to switch on my hand warmers half way through. A good part of the road is inside a narrow glen with 600 meter cliffs rising on either side.
The popularity of the islands can be gauged by the fact that two very large cruise ships were in the harbour near Stamsund.
These offload a few buses which clogged up the roads for a spell.
A visit to the viking museum at Borg was cancelled as it was just too busy.
The vista remains spectacular and near the end of the island chain it becomes more like the mainland with pine forests and lakes. The higher snowcapped mountains on the mainland around Narvik dominate the view.
We turn for Sweden on the E10 just before Narvik and head up the mountains on wide twisty roads for about 50km.
Just over the border is our hostel in Riksgränsen.
There is still skiing up to midsummer but the hostel is empty except for us.
After some frustrating attempts to tune in the TV for Euro 2008
We settle for a refreshing sauna then a big feed of smoked salmon & pasta and on to comparing Scottish and Irish whiskey.
The Bushmills 12 clearly the favourite.
A couple of local (Narvik) BMW MC club members come up to visit and swap tales.
One (Ole) is a history teacher and gives me an fascinating history of the region particularly the strategy surrounding the famous sea battles in WWII.
Day 4.
470km run home to Luleå, Sweden.
The trip starts in very cold winds and as we are above the treeline, in bleak rocky landscape with high gravel lined mountains with huge lakes holding the snowmelt. Very little traffic and fast empty roads.
Everyone swaps to winter gloves and an extra under layer except the Irishman who has come ill equipped for cold in June.
150km to the mining town of Kiruna where one of the group hosts a warming Swedish 'fika' :- strong coffee, cinnamon cakes, and sandwiches. thank you Bjorn!.
It turns out we picked the best 4 days as 3 cm of snow fell in Kiruna the day after we left. The weather can turn quickly this far north.
We opt for a scenic route home, turning east just south of Kiruna towards the Finish border, then wandering through endless forests and rivers, stopping on the Kallix river (Jockfall) where a huge waterfall provides for an excellent salmon fishing. We enjoy the catch of the day on open sandwiches.
Last refuel, everyone says their goodbyes and head for home on the last stretch along the Baltic coast.
All done. No rain, no bike troubles. Fantastic weekend I won't forget in a while. Omega 3 intake for the year complete !
The weekend getaway was organised by the Swedish BMW MC club Norrbotten district (D1). Thanks to Christer & Hans.
The weekend appeared to be all about getting to the Lofoten islands and touring there, but the journey to & from threw up a few surprises.
8 bikes, 9 guys&girls. 8 Swedes and an Irishman
on 2LTs, 3 R1200GSs, 1 R1200GSA , 1 650CS and a K1200GT.planned route. google maps
(Luleå, Sweden to Bodo, Norway. Ferry to Lofoten, Ride to Riksgränsen, Sweden, Then back to Luleå via Kiruna. About 1500km. 4 days.)
Day 1. Sweden is pretty !
560 km from Luleå, Sweden to Bodo, Norway.
Our starting point, Luleå, is on the Swedish Baltic coast about 100km south of the Arctic circle.
We head inland, for about 400km in Sweden on the 'silver road' up into the mountains and the border with Norway. Originally built to service silver mines.
The roads have very little traffic with towns spaced about 50km apart at the beginning then just the odd house here and there.
All good quality surfaces except for a surprise 10 meter stretch of gravel on the road where I had a decent wobble at speed, staying upright more by sheer luck than riding skill.
There are numerous lakes and rivers and all land is open and available to camp or picnic.
Passing the Arctic circle in the mountains with lots of wild reindeer, moose, and deer about. Reindeer are a bit like sheep where they will stop a stare and then at the last minute bolt in any direction. Rider beware.
Slowly rise to about 600m on the road with the surrounding peaks reaching 1000m+
It is breath taking scenery in snow all around and passing frozen lakes.
Remember this is still early June. +20C degrees and snow is spectacular.
Pass into Norway and then the ride down was steep, a few 7% gradients on small roads. The landscape reminded me strongly of northern California or Yosemite in the Sierra Nevadas.
600 meter snow capped mountains with waterfalls dropping 100s of meters to pine forests or meadows.
Passing lots of fast flowing ice water rivers.
We took a scenic route south of the Skjerstad fjord into Bodo. The fjord has 'the worlds strongest maelstrom'
Crazy currents you can see from the bridges you pass over.
Bodo is a city of about 40,000 people. Good choice of restaurants, hotels etc. But there is no escaping the fact that Norway is expensive.
We stay in 'stugas' (sw) or 'hittas' (nor). Small 4 bunk cabins on a camp site beside a runway and next to a freshly manured field. lovely. still it hides the odour of worn-all-day bike boots.
Day 2
Ferry and 100km touring.
9am ferry. Calm seas make for a flat 2.5 hours to Lofoten.
where are the roads ?
Quick ride south to the beginning of the E10 ... The southern-most tip of the road in a place simply called 'Å'
Point the bikes north and off we go.
Spent the rest of the day doing a leisurely 100km wandering up and down the southern half of the islands.
The islands are connected together by a main artery (the E10) over series of high bridges. with little getaways stretching to the coast down the side of a fjord or around a mountain.
The roads are twisty but flat. You seem to wander around the mountains at sea level. Behind every mountain is yet another breath taking mountain cliff or quaint fishing harbour. All picture post card stuff. I soon got tired of stopping to take photos as the next corner was guaranteed to be even more spectacular !
Lots of other bikers and a large amount of German&Dutch camper vans.
It seems to be a motorcycle Mecca.
We stayed an interesting historic site in Nusfjord.
10km off the main road, down the side of a fjord is a full historic fishing village run as a hotel were you stay in converted fisherman cottages and feast in the fish restaurant with freshly caught cod.
It is early season so we had the place to ourselves. A small slice of heaven and the highlight of the trip.
http://www.nusfjord.no/
We are well above the Arctic circle now so its bright all night... ideal for taking in the views but a little strange to sleep in.
Day 3
350km. Lofoten to the Swedish ski resort of Riksgränsen.
About 300km on the islands. nice and slow.
We split up by accident more than design. I missed the turn !.
Half the team took a 30 minute ferry to Melbu and the 'old' E10 while the rest of us took a new (2007) road through a national park. This was special. 60km of brand new asphalt and a few tunnels. Little or no buildings of any sort. One of the tunnels is 7km long. Absolutely freezing inside to the point that I needed to switch on my hand warmers half way through. A good part of the road is inside a narrow glen with 600 meter cliffs rising on either side.
The popularity of the islands can be gauged by the fact that two very large cruise ships were in the harbour near Stamsund.
These offload a few buses which clogged up the roads for a spell.
A visit to the viking museum at Borg was cancelled as it was just too busy.
The vista remains spectacular and near the end of the island chain it becomes more like the mainland with pine forests and lakes. The higher snowcapped mountains on the mainland around Narvik dominate the view.
We turn for Sweden on the E10 just before Narvik and head up the mountains on wide twisty roads for about 50km.
Just over the border is our hostel in Riksgränsen.
There is still skiing up to midsummer but the hostel is empty except for us.
After some frustrating attempts to tune in the TV for Euro 2008
We settle for a refreshing sauna then a big feed of smoked salmon & pasta and on to comparing Scottish and Irish whiskey.
The Bushmills 12 clearly the favourite.
A couple of local (Narvik) BMW MC club members come up to visit and swap tales.
One (Ole) is a history teacher and gives me an fascinating history of the region particularly the strategy surrounding the famous sea battles in WWII.
Day 4.
470km run home to Luleå, Sweden.
The trip starts in very cold winds and as we are above the treeline, in bleak rocky landscape with high gravel lined mountains with huge lakes holding the snowmelt. Very little traffic and fast empty roads.
Everyone swaps to winter gloves and an extra under layer except the Irishman who has come ill equipped for cold in June.
150km to the mining town of Kiruna where one of the group hosts a warming Swedish 'fika' :- strong coffee, cinnamon cakes, and sandwiches. thank you Bjorn!.
It turns out we picked the best 4 days as 3 cm of snow fell in Kiruna the day after we left. The weather can turn quickly this far north.
We opt for a scenic route home, turning east just south of Kiruna towards the Finish border, then wandering through endless forests and rivers, stopping on the Kallix river (Jockfall) where a huge waterfall provides for an excellent salmon fishing. We enjoy the catch of the day on open sandwiches.
Last refuel, everyone says their goodbyes and head for home on the last stretch along the Baltic coast.
All done. No rain, no bike troubles. Fantastic weekend I won't forget in a while. Omega 3 intake for the year complete !
Last edited:
One day maybe
