Norway June 20-???

[tyclyd]

Accomadation

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...ais&mra=ls&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&t=m&z=5&dg=feature

Would anyone care to cast an eye on the RoundBalticRoute? The Nordcap doesn't interest me but preserving/reducing costs does, so I am thinking of (Camping's definitely out) hostels and/or cabins. I appreciate the extremely high costs of food and beer in Norway.

Huts are the way to go - they are everywhere and around £35 - £45 per night, generally have bunk beds, some basic heating facilities, power sockets for charging and some have fridges and cookers with shared welfare facilities. Hotels for me this year were around £50 - £100 per night, but I did learn that going into an empty hotel asking the price and then Saigon you don't have enough money (as you empty a carefully prepared wallet in the front desk) worked well, all but one place id did this let me stay for ~£50

 

[Paul Rochdale]

Thanks for the advice, both of you, I do like cabins. Tiny and civilised. After yet more sleepless nights at this year's HU Meeting at Donnington, I shall be selling off my tent and equipment. At 66, enough is enough. The last cabin I slept in was in 2006, in the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in North Carolina. Almost the best night's sleep I'd had in ages but there was a torrent of a river only a couple of yards away. The roaring of the water was, err, nice. Any point in joining the Youth Hotel Association, or similar? Or can you just turn up at a hotel mit sleeping bag and doss down?

 

[walrus]

10% off if you can produce a YHA card. I think I got my money back on the hostels I used in Sweden and Norway. If you are two up huts are as cheap as camping. I found them to be nearer £50 than £35 but that just depends on where you are I guess. Nothing is cheap in Norway or Sweden. Finland was a bit better. I took a lot of noodles and dried food. I also took brandy in a stainless bottle. Even tinned supermarket beer was dear enough to make me wince.

I used this site for hostels

http://www.hihostels.com/

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Some tips that I found useful for Norway.
Buy food in supermarket and cook your own. Eating out is foolish prices.
Take as much booze as you think you can get away with (they never search bikes).
Best value accom in Bergen is the hotel next to the hospital. It's primarily for visiting relatives but open to public if they have room.
For lunch- eat at a petrol station. They usually have reasonably priced hot dog & coffee deal, or similar.
Expect it to rain heavily at least on some days.
Don't buy a round.
Use Huts. Next time I'm not even bothering to take a tent.

 

[Paul Rochdale]

I've never stayed in hostels so what are the arrangements? Take your own sleeping bag? Obviously you don't have to be a 'youth' any more. Huts and hostels seem fine to me.

 

[walrus]

Most don't allow sleeping bags. You can hire sheets and pillow cases or take your own with you. I hired. Hostels vary. Some provide the sheets as part of the price.

 

[Ali-bear]

When I was up there I met a dutch chap who was cycling round the Baltic - crazy dutch! He was heading towards Oslo for a flight to London and from there up to Jura. Apparently St Petersburg is the party capital!

I was camping but we did use a few huts up where it was raining which was pretty much everywhere north of the arctic circle

I want to go again now