Southern Finland or Southern Norway?

[Rabbitson]

Maybe this is one for Boxer or Zwerver,

I am trying to arrange a holiday for my brother and I on our bikes (I have an 1100GS and he has a Blade), I originally thought about Eastern Europe but after seeing some recently posted photos of Norway and having heard that the weather there is actually quite good in June/July this now looks pretty attractive.

I thought Norway looked more spectacular than Finland, but a Finnish friend of mine suggested that I might enjoy Finland more, for the following reasons:

Norway is a lot more expensive than Finland and cost would certainly be a factor

Most of the spectacular Fjords in Norway are in the north and this might be a bit too far for a ten day jaunt . . . . . is it?

She's offered to show us a bit of Helsinki if we go when she's there (quite likely)

I will be travelling from Holland so one option (If I decide on Finland) might be to drive to Copenhagen and then take a ferry to Sweden, drive through a bit of Sweden, then get another ferry to Finland (Not sure how expensive these ferries are yet, so could skip Sweden if it's a lot)

Any thoughts?

David

 

[Invicta Moto]

I've not been to Norway, but I did do Sweden and Finland many moons ago for the FIM Rally in Kuopio. I went on a GSXR1100 and my ex on her GSX750.

Riding across Sweden from Gothenburg to Stockholm was okay and even the "motorway" was single lane each side with no divider. Excellent scenery, great lakes and not too many mozzies. Stockholm well worth the visit to see the Vassa (pre-Mary Rose recovered wreck) and the local area. It was very expensive.

The boat to Turku outward was with Silja Line and wasn't too expnsive, can't remember how long it took but it passes between thousands of islands some covered with seabirds. We were there in July so there was hardly any dark.

Finland was very similar in terrain but with the added curse of a wholly unpronouncalbe language to contend with. They are better now I expect but there were few Mika's that spoke any English after the port and Helsinki.

In Finland there were mozzies the size of two pence pieces and they had an appetite for foreign blood.

In the end two marvellous countries.... both expensive for the British and piis-poor low alcohol beer!

 

[fritz]

If you really like forests and lakes go for Finland, if you like hills, never mind mountains, don't ! Helsinki is cool, but no London.
A local guide makes it tempting, but personally speaking I wouln't return to Southern Finland or Sweden, too boring. Southern Norway (depending how south I guess) isn't.
I'd go back to Norway tomorrow.
Do a google search on images for a few places and see what you think.
Horses for courses

 

[Zwerver]

I am trying to arrange a holiday for my brother and I on our bikes (I have an 1100GS and he has a Blade), I originally thought about Eastern Europe but after seeing some recently posted photos of Norway and having heard that the weather there is actually quite good in June/July this now looks pretty attractive.

Having travelled once from Helsinki to Kirkenes, and many times through southern Norway, I think the roads in Norway are more fun if you have a road bike; Finland got most interesting when leaving the mostly straigh main roads, then you'll encounter lots of gravel and sand, so not the ideal terrain for a Blade...

I thought Norway looked more spectacular than Finland, but a Finnish friend of mine suggested that I might enjoy Finland more, for the following reasons:

Norway is more spectacular, and except a few places, its hard to find a boring landscape!
Finland is great, but I think my opinion about the country is a bit coloured by the fact that we had 10 warm and sunny days in Finland, so every forrest and lake was welcome.. otherwise I can imagine the endless forrests and lakes in the south can get boring... In the north, within the Polar circle it's beautifull!

Norway is a lot more expensive than Finland and cost would certainly be a factor

Norway is more expensive, but it depends on what you want to
do on your trip... On a 10 day camping trip, cooking your own dinners the cost won't be much higher; 10 day in hotels, eating in restaurants is more expensive in Norway!

Most of the spectacular Fjords in Norway are in the north and this might be a bit too far for a ten day jaunt . . . . . is it?

The most spectacular fjords and glaciers are in the south of Norway, see Geiranger, Sognefjord, LyseFjord, Briksdalsbreen,Kjendalsbreen ect...

She's offered to show us a bit of Helsinki if we go when she's there (quite likely)

Good reason to go to Finland; it's always nice to have a local guide who knows what to see and do...

I will be travelling from Holland so one option (If I decide on Finland) might be to drive to Copenhagen and then take a ferry to Sweden, drive through a bit of Sweden, then get another ferry to Finland (Not sure how expensive these ferries are yet, so could skip Sweden if it's a lot)

Easiest option to go to Norway is take the 3 to 6 hour ferry from Frederikshavn (or Hirtshals) in the north of Denmark to Kristiansand in southern Norway; from there you cam make a great roundtrip along most of the must-see places in southern Norway.
For Helsinki, you couls also consider on of the ferries from Rostock
in Germany to either Hanko or Helsinki. The fastest is 19h...


Hope this helps...

 

[boxer]

David.

Firstly, I've never been to Finland. Secondly, I've been to Norway once [19 nights] and didn't travel further north than Trondheim though I intend to this year.

Norway is a lot more expensive than Finland and cost would certainly be a factor

If your friend says this then I've no reason to doubt it.
However, after years of hearing how prohibitively expensive Norway is, now I've been, I don't think it it any were near as expensive as I was lead to believe. For sure it ain't cheap, but unless you want to finish the day binge drinking and eating in restaurants I really don't think you'll find it too bad.
Some B+B supply evening meals which were reasonable. In the cases were they didn't we eat during the day in cafes then made sandwiches for night.

Some prices:
Simple twin room with shower and breakfast = 600k
Cabin = 300k
To camp = free or may be half the price of a cabin on a site.

I thought Norway looked more spectacular than Finland

I can't imagine anywhere more spectacular than Norway.

Most of the spectacular Fjords in Norway are in the north and this might be a bit too far for a ten day jaunt . . . . . is it?

Yes it would. IMO, 10 racing north days would be a waste of the south.

As for most of the spectacular fjords being in the north - I have my doubts, but I'll let you know late August.
You will NOT by disappointed by southern Norway.....promise. 10 days would be a nice length of time for a tour of the fjords

She's offered to show us a bit of Helsinki if we go when she's there (quite likely)

Each to his own - but I think you'll find riding around Norway much more fun than riding in Helsinki.

As for Mossies - I saw one the entire trip [late july, early August].

 

[Mike Werner]

I'm actually planning similar trip this summer. But I for sure going to Finland. I'll be riding from Paris, via holland to northern germany and probably catch a ferry from there straight to Helsinki, or go the long way, depending on what my wife says !

She's half Finnish, hence the reason to go there and meet up with some friends.

I plan to afterwards put her on a plane back to Paris, and go onwards to Russia and then head south towards the Med and back to Paris..... anyway, those are the current plans, who knows ...

 

[Dave Hall]

I thought Norway looked more spectacular than Finland, but a Finnish friend of mine suggested that I might enjoy Finland more, for the following reasons:

Reply:I`ve been to both and Norway wins hands down

Norway is a lot more expensive than Finland and cost would certainly be a factor

Reply:If you eat in supermarket cafes and stay in log cabins then its not much dearer especially if you can forgo beer for your trip

Most of the spectacular Fjords in Norway are in the north and this might be a bit too far for a ten day jaunt . . . . . is it?

Reply:The opposite is the case, Hardanger fjord and Sognesfjord (the 2 prettiest IMO) are both in the south

I will be travelling from Holland so one option (If I decide on Finland) might be to drive to Copenhagen and then take a ferry to Sweden, drive through a bit of Sweden, then get another ferry to Finland (Not sure how expensive these ferries are yet, so could skip Sweden if it's a lot)

Reply: If you drive through Denmark to Hertshalls in the North, there is a ferry to Kristiansand and then you are in superb scenery from the start of your trip. Most of the bit of Sweden you would travel across is a bit flat so it would be like riding round Holland.

 

[Rabbitson]

Thanks for all the advice (especially for the names of places where all the nice scenary is!! )

Spoke to my brother today and he seems quite up for it, so it looks like Norway might be a goer.

I will probably start looking around for ferry prices and accommodation ASAP, I normally use Lonely Planet guides coupled with the internet, unless you have any especially good recommendations on that front?

Thanks again.

David

 

[Dave Hall]

I will probably start looking around for ferry prices and accommodation ASAP, I normally use Lonely Planet guides coupled with the internet, unless you have any especially good recommendations on that front?

I went with two others and we never pre booked any accomodation (we never do) and even though we went in the middle of July we only had a problem on one occasion when our chosen site was full and we had to ride an hour further to find a place for the night. We travelled from Kristiansand to Nordkapp then down through Finland and Sweden before catching a ferry at Goteborg.

I took the lonely planet guide to Scandinavia with me but I find those guides are of limited use for me as I`m not a student with his arse hanging out of his trousers and the ability to sleep on park benches.....or maybe I read it upside down or something.

Here`s some photos of some nice places we visited

 

[boxer]

David.

I will probably start looking around for ferry prices and accommodation ASAP, I normally use Lonely Planet guides coupled with the internet, unless you have any especially good recommendations on that front?

I can recommend from this site B+B Norway:
1. Brandseth Flellstove [146]
Good evening meal. And if this sorta thing floats your boat, the 25km long Laerdal road tunnel is near.

2. Loen Pensjonet [172]
3 Glaciers within 30 min ride. Geirangerfjord, Dalsnibba and Trollstrigheimen within reach.

I didn't use but would suggest you might - Stavanger B+B [118]. I stayed at Hotel Norkling [126] which was OK.
From either of these you can take the ferry along Lyesefjorden to Lysebotn and return on the 45. Also from here a trip to Prekestolen is possible.

You could make a great 10 day trip out of these locations.

As fo ferries, DFDS gets you to Kristiansand at 0900 leaving a days ride within the speed limits to Stavanger.

Russ.


Brandseth fjellstove...........

 

[LivNorway]

A blue CS.

Hi all Norwegian travellers!

If you see a blue BMW F 650 CS Scarver, please stop for a minute; it's probably me!
If you say ''UKGS'' I know it's one of you guys!

I hope I meet as many of you as I can!
I feel you are my friends, and when friends are coming to the country; we wanna say 'hello', won't we?

I live in Oslo, so that's where you hopefully find me! And every wednesday I'll be at the local MC-cafè; Tyrigrava. Tyrigrava is close to the camp site ''FjordCamp'' and the amusement park ''Tusenfryd'', a little south east of Oslo.

Liv.