Booked ferry for july from harwich to esjberg for a trip to the artic circle in norway. Anyone been? Any advice appreciated. Like what to miss and what not to miss? Routes? Best way to keep accomodation costs down without camping. Etc etc
norway
- Thread starter bikewise
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If you want to experience the midnight sun above the arctic circle you should have gone earlier than in July. Or you have to make sure you get really far north. It's a great experience sitting on the veranda of a bar at 1am and still enjoying the daylight views.
I did the Esbjerg route to Norway a few years back. I really miss the Newcastle/Kristiansand ferry. Esbjerg is such a detour. It's OK for me as I stopped over with my mom and brothers on the way up.
If you are in a hurry to get to the midnight sun, the fastest way is through Sweden. Get the bridges all the way from Esbjerg to Malmö. Here is what Google suggests: http://goo.gl/maps/dDXxq .
If you want to enjoy motorcycling roads, stay away from Sweden. Just roam around anywhere in Norway. Go around the fjords or do the mountain roads. Both have spectacular views, good tarmac and wonderful serpentines.
I must recommend the coast road south of Stavanger. Not on the tourist trail as the road is too narrow for ordinary cars. Watch out in the bends for scared caravan drivers who didn't know better and local bikers who do know.
http://goo.gl/maps/Lh0kj
Another highlight is the back of the famous Trollstigen down to Geiranger and then taking a detour up to Dalsnibba where you have a fantastic view. The Trollstigen route is famous but very crowded with tourists and busses. Most of them turn around and go back the same way. On the other side of the gap you have a wonderful winding road with great views as you descend to the fjord. http://goo.gl/maps/kYgzt
Hope this helps your planning.
Just stay away from the North Cape. It's just a tourist trap. If you happen to get there one of the few days in the year where you can actually see something, then you see another cliff extending even further north than where you are.
Try to stop by one of the old wooden churches from the Viking age.
I did the Esbjerg route to Norway a few years back. I really miss the Newcastle/Kristiansand ferry. Esbjerg is such a detour. It's OK for me as I stopped over with my mom and brothers on the way up.
If you are in a hurry to get to the midnight sun, the fastest way is through Sweden. Get the bridges all the way from Esbjerg to Malmö. Here is what Google suggests: http://goo.gl/maps/dDXxq .
If you want to enjoy motorcycling roads, stay away from Sweden. Just roam around anywhere in Norway. Go around the fjords or do the mountain roads. Both have spectacular views, good tarmac and wonderful serpentines.
I must recommend the coast road south of Stavanger. Not on the tourist trail as the road is too narrow for ordinary cars. Watch out in the bends for scared caravan drivers who didn't know better and local bikers who do know.
http://goo.gl/maps/Lh0kj
Another highlight is the back of the famous Trollstigen down to Geiranger and then taking a detour up to Dalsnibba where you have a fantastic view. The Trollstigen route is famous but very crowded with tourists and busses. Most of them turn around and go back the same way. On the other side of the gap you have a wonderful winding road with great views as you descend to the fjord. http://goo.gl/maps/kYgzt
Hope this helps your planning.
Just stay away from the North Cape. It's just a tourist trap. If you happen to get there one of the few days in the year where you can actually see something, then you see another cliff extending even further north than where you are.
Try to stop by one of the old wooden churches from the Viking age.
Fjords and more
Only a Paddy would ask advice on Norway........... in the Ireland section.......
Have a search in the travel section - tons of info there.
A Scotsman won a toilet brush as the booby prize in a raffle. He had never won anything before, though, so he was delighted. A few weeks later a friend asked if he was getting much use from the toilet brush. "Well," came the reply, "I don't think much of it. I think I'll go back to using toilet paper."
Thanks SVEN-E for the info and advise, that is the type of comment I was hoping to evoke.
Only a Paddy would ask advice on Norway........... in the Ireland section.......
Have a search in the travel section - tons of info there.
A Scotsman won a toilet brush as the booby prize in a raffle. He had never won anything before, though, so he was delighted. A few weeks later a friend asked if he was getting much use from the toilet brush. "Well," came the reply, "I don't think much of it. I think I'll go back to using toilet paper."
Thanks SVEN-E for the info and advise, that is the type of comment I was hoping to evoke.
Farmer Palmer
Registered user
Crossed the 'Arctic Circle' in Norway about a dozen times...............Six times north and six times south!
I've been up to the Nordkapp twice aswell as Kirkenes/Grense Jacobselve at the Russian border(not that far from Murmansk) I must like driving and riding the E6 'Arctic Highway' but usually go up at the end of may which is very early in the season.
Check out 'Norway's Arctic Highway' by John Douglas it gives the history aswell as lots of interesting side trips on the 'Blood Road'!
FP.
I've been up to the Nordkapp twice aswell as Kirkenes/Grense Jacobselve at the Russian border(not that far from Murmansk) I must like driving and riding the E6 'Arctic Highway' but usually go up at the end of may which is very early in the season.
Check out 'Norway's Arctic Highway' by John Douglas it gives the history aswell as lots of interesting side trips on the 'Blood Road'!
FP.
Here's a link to our ride report
We went in May 2008. Fantastic trip
we were 2 up on a Dakar! Kev had bikes from he was 8 til he was 23, stopped riding for nearly 20 years and then decided to do this trip.
Contrary to what was said already here re Nordkapp, I thought it was amazing! Definitely worth going to
This trip was so amazing that we came home and within a year I'd passed my bike test and was riding my own gs
We would love to go back to Norway! It's on the list to return to
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177723&highlight=Nordkapp
We went in May 2008. Fantastic trip
we were 2 up on a Dakar! Kev had bikes from he was 8 til he was 23, stopped riding for nearly 20 years and then decided to do this trip.Contrary to what was said already here re Nordkapp, I thought it was amazing! Definitely worth going to
This trip was so amazing that we came home and within a year I'd passed my bike test and was riding my own gs
We would love to go back to Norway! It's on the list to return to
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177723&highlight=Nordkapp
Daisy Duke
Registered user
Would love to go to Norway, hopefully the ferry from Newcastle will be back on by then. Was looking through this yesterday, check out the videos, I think you'll want to take your sea-sickness tablets with you 
http://ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321792
Have a great trip So jealous 
http://ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321792
Have a great trip
So jealous Ropey
Registered user
Only a Paddy would ask advice on Norway........... in the Ireland section.......
Have a search in the travel section - tons of info there.
Al
Jaysus... That made me laugh!!! Ha Ha
GSPeter
Registered user
Touring Norway
The info collected by HansP is very usefull.
http://www.mc-addict.com/
To pace yourself on a long day you should reckon an average speed of 60 kph, we dont have more than a few km of motorways or safe fast roads. We have everything else though.
You can wild camp nearly anywhere, please leave no trace so this right is maintained and be very carefull with fires. In some areas there are restictions.
The next cheapest, and very practical, is ringing ahead and renting a "hytte", which is a small cabin on a farm or camping ground. Get a good guidebook, or the Norwegian Automobile Assoc. book.
The Hostels International, the Youth Hostels, have a lot of summer accomodation, as well as year round.
Hotels are expensive, but so is everything else, especially alcohol.
North Cape is a rip-off in more ways than one, but it is much more dramatic than the more northerly Knivskjellodden.
Motorbikes drive to the front of ferry queues, the crew direct you into the small spaces.
The weather can be a challenge even in July, wool underwear is not a joke. The roads will be open, but there can be ice where snow-melt has frozen at night. Unless there is a "give way" triangle the rule is that traffic from the right has priority - lot of visitors dont understand this. Animals, both wild and domesticated, can be on the road. It's your responsibility to watch out.
Speed limits are enforced, though the cameras only take the front view, and the fines harsh, German biker had to turn round before Røros, they cleaned him out, two heavy fines in one day. Slow learner.
This all sounds very negative, but you will have a fantastic trip I hope.
Safe travels
Peter, in Oslo
The info collected by HansP is very usefull.
http://www.mc-addict.com/
To pace yourself on a long day you should reckon an average speed of 60 kph, we dont have more than a few km of motorways or safe fast roads. We have everything else though.
You can wild camp nearly anywhere, please leave no trace so this right is maintained and be very carefull with fires. In some areas there are restictions.
The next cheapest, and very practical, is ringing ahead and renting a "hytte", which is a small cabin on a farm or camping ground. Get a good guidebook, or the Norwegian Automobile Assoc. book.
The Hostels International, the Youth Hostels, have a lot of summer accomodation, as well as year round.
Hotels are expensive, but so is everything else, especially alcohol.
North Cape is a rip-off in more ways than one, but it is much more dramatic than the more northerly Knivskjellodden.
Motorbikes drive to the front of ferry queues, the crew direct you into the small spaces.
The weather can be a challenge even in July, wool underwear is not a joke. The roads will be open, but there can be ice where snow-melt has frozen at night. Unless there is a "give way" triangle the rule is that traffic from the right has priority - lot of visitors dont understand this. Animals, both wild and domesticated, can be on the road. It's your responsibility to watch out.
Speed limits are enforced, though the cameras only take the front view, and the fines harsh, German biker had to turn round before Røros, they cleaned him out, two heavy fines in one day. Slow learner.
This all sounds very negative, but you will have a fantastic trip I hope.
Safe travels
Peter, in Oslo
Booked ferry for july from harwich to esjberg for a trip to the artic circle in norway. Anyone been? Any advice appreciated. Like what to miss and what not to miss? Routes? Best way to keep accomodation costs down without camping. Etc etc
Turn left at Esjberg and visit the Faroes and Iceland: much more interesting than most of Norway
keep em coming
Thanks for all the comments and trip reports, keep em coming, trying to decide to turn around at the artic circle or make the extra effort to go to the most northery point?
Thanks for all the comments and trip reports, keep em coming, trying to decide to turn around at the artic circle or make the extra effort to go to the most northery point?
What date are you going ?
Only a Paddy would ask advice on Norway........... in the Ireland section.......
Have a search in the travel section - tons of info there.
A Scotsman won a toilet brush as the booby prize in a raffle. He had never won anything before, though, so he was delighted. A few weeks later a friend asked if he was getting much use from the toilet brush. "Well," came the reply, "I don't think much of it. I think I'll go back to using toilet paper."
Thanks SVEN-E for the info and advise, that is the type of comment I was hoping to evoke.
And only a paddy would try and quote someone without knowing how to use the quote facility
Overlanders.ie will ship your bike out and back, saving a weeks holidays. Probably not much more expensive than riding it over there yourself.
http://www.overlanders.ie/calendar/
http://www.overlanders.ie/calendar/
smart arse
Worn out your toilet brush ronno
Worn out your toilet brush ronno
Rode from Northern Ireland to the Arctic Circle in September 2011, via Denmark and Sweden, and back via Germany Holland, Belgium, France, England,, Wales and Ireland. Four of us. Turned out to the ideal number, as the small huts at the camp sites slept 4, so it worked out good value. We did the trip in 12 days. So if you can get 3 others to join you it will work out cheaper.
Last edited:
Dellis
Registered user
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