# Norway Top to Bottom



## Crankarm (11 Apr 2009)

Hi All,
I'm thinking of touring Norway up or down the coast this summer taking a couple of weeks. I have been inspired by this travelogue. Norway looks absolutely stunning and a great place to tour on a bike.

http://www.eftel.com.au/~wheelbuddies/norway/

I'm not sure whether to cycle from Kristiansand up to the Nordkapp or in reverse ie travel up there first and ride back? Is the direction of the prevailing wind a major consideration? What's the best way to get up there first or return? Train, bus or plane? Also the best month on which to tackle the route. I would like to follow the coast and islands as closely as possible. I read also that some tunnels are designated no cycling. Is it the case that an alternative route nearby is available or are you stuck?
Also how cheap/expensive are the camp sites? Is two weeks sufficient to do the route or am I setting myself up to fail so planning to tour part of the coast would be wiser given time constraints. What's the best month to do it?

I would appreciate very much any advice, comments or tips however small, don't feel shy, from anyone who has toured Norway plus getting there from UK and return. Boat I guess from Newcastle would be the best?

Thanks in anticipation.
Crankarm


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## stewie griffin (11 Apr 2009)

I've gone up to Bodo by motorcycle, I believe you can get there by ferry from the UK.
As far as time of year, I think August is about it for cycling/camping in the north, though I stand to be corrected.
Keep in mind your looking at close to 3000kms (I'm told if you pivot Norway 180 by its most southerly point, Nordkapp would hit Morocco!),might be pushing it considering the demanding terrain.
Norway is expensive!


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## rualexander (11 Apr 2009)

stewie griffin said:


> I'm told if you pivot Norway 180 by its most southerly point, Nordkapp would hit Morocco!



This sounded a bit unlikely so I just measured it on Google Earth, Norway top to bottom straight line is 1724km, bottom of Norway to top of Morocco is 2600km, 1700km gets as far as the Pyrenees. 
No doubt by road Norway tip to tip would indeed be in excess of 3000km though.
I cycled from Bergen to Andalsnes for my first ever foreign tour back in 1989 and it was great but food expensive and weather damp (August).


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## psmiffy (11 Apr 2009)

I have cycled Bodo to Stavanger (3 weeks) and from Swedish border to Stavanger – got to Bodo using ferry to Bergen from Newcastle (no more) and trains (masochistic but interesting). I am moment planning to cycle to Bodo via Finland and Sweden onto Northkapp returning via Finland.
Mainly toured there in late August to September – rained a lot – speaking to people a bit earlier would have been better
Tunnels can be a problem but can be avoided using islands and the short ferries along coast – but you need to know your ferry timetables and where the tunnels are – cyclotourer - has a web page showing where most of the banned tunnels are – good idea to have some decent lights particularly at the rear
The high bridges can be a bit tricky when the wind blows hard 
Shops open late and shut early where they exist – in the north its best to buy things when you see them as a lot of the small shops do not have a lot of stock (south of Bergen much better)
Campsites are reasonably spaced and well equipped and wild camping is allowed 
Its a long way for 2 weeks


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## stewie griffin (11 Apr 2009)

rualexander said:


> This sounded a bit unlikely so I just measured it on Google Earth, Norway top to bottom straight line is 1724km, bottom of Norway to top of Morocco is 2600km, 1700km gets as far as the Pyrenees.



Yep, totally wrong, guess I should have checked before repeating something that sounded a bit extream.
Is it too late to chance Morocco to Rome?


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## Crankarm (11 Apr 2009)

Thanks for the comments so far. Maybe I can stretch to 3 weeks.

psmiffy - So ferries from Newcastle to anywhere on Norwegian coast are no more or just Bodo? How about to Stavanger? Suppose I should do a more thorough search on the net. Why is train travel masochistic? Are bikes not welcome on Norwegian trains? It would seem there is only a small window for fine stable weather around the Northkapp. Maybe I should start in the south and work north seeing how far I get in the time I have. I thought of travelling by train/bus up north from say Kristiansand as I thought major place will have the train route/bus links. When you say expensive, how much more expensive than the UK? I will be camping so intend to be more or less self sufficient. Will do a mix of wild and camp grounds.


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## psmiffy (11 Apr 2009)

Crankarm

I think the DFDS to Bergen and Stavanger from/to Newcastle was discontinued last year - I was lucky to get one of the last coming back 

Trains - 8hrs Bergen to Oslo (one of world greatest rail trips rising to 1500m?) 10hrs Oslo to Trondheim - wait 8hrs - 13hrs Trondheim to Bodo Masochistic yes - otherwise not a problem


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## stewie griffin (11 Apr 2009)

Crankarm said:


> I thought of travelling by train/bus up north from say Kristiansand as I thought major place will have the train route/bus links.



Road traffic going north usually travels up through Sweden as the roads are much faster. I'm guessing if there is a bus that travels the length of Norway it's going to take quite a long time.


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## Crankarm (12 Apr 2009)

*Norway*

I've been doing a little searching and the only boat option available is via Denmark. Another boat then goes on to Egersund and Stavanger and up the coast. Psmiffy you were right to get a tour in of Norway before the DFDS ferries finished. It's a real pity they finished. Getting there would be so much easier. I guess they weren't making that much money plus the ferry disaster. Now the only practical alternative is flying . I found a return flight to Alesund with SAS for £241 in July. But that price doesn't take into account taking a bike. I'm really reluctant to have to take apart my bike package it up and entrust it to an airline. So I think I will just have to be satisfied reading of others tours in this beautiful country. Maybe I can just do the train journey you mentioned and have a less energetic holiday. Thanks for your help.
Crankarm.


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## psmiffy (12 Apr 2009)

The demise of the Newcastle to Stavanger ferry is a real shame - not least because a lot of Norwegians come across to tour in northern England and Scotland because its warmer and drier!


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## Dayvo (12 Apr 2009)

I don't know if it's still operational, but I found this:

http://www.directferries.co.uk/routes.htm

Looks OK for ferries to Norway from Newcastle.


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## psmiffy (12 Apr 2009)

No - it would seem to be a defunct link -this indicates they have finished
http://www.directferries.co.uk/newcastle_stavanger_ferry.htm


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## Dayvo (12 Apr 2009)

I stand corrected. Thanks psmiffy!

Without going into too much detail, it's a very ambitious project to plan cycling along the coast roads. They are very steep and high and would take considerable time and effort.

I'd recommend starting at Nordkapp, cycle down into Finland, Sweden, and cut across to Trondheim, then follow Gudbrandsdalen to Oslo, then take the coast road down to Kristiansand. 

There'll be a mixture of mountain, forest, countryside, valley and coast.


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## psmiffy (12 Apr 2009)

and too many trees


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## Dayvo (12 Apr 2009)

And not to mention the mosquitoes!


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## psmiffy (12 Apr 2009)

Strange ive been to norway twice, sweden twice and Finland equipped with gallons of repellent and a stupid net thing for my head and I have never been bothered by them


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## Dayvo (12 Apr 2009)

I was bitten by one last week! 

Snow and ice on the wane and only +8, but the buggers are out there!


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## Danny (12 Apr 2009)

psmiffy said:


> ...a lot of Norwegians come across to tour in northern England and Scotland because its warmer and drier!


Jeez!

I had been thinking of touring in Norway but this thread is beginning to put me off, what with the bad weather, killer mosquitoes, and endless expanses of trees.


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## Dayvo (12 Apr 2009)

Dannyg said:


> Jeez!
> 
> I had been thinking of touring in Norway but this thread is beginning to put me off, what with the bad weather, killer mosquitoes, and endless expanses of trees.



And stunning scenery:  

http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=norway+scenery&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=

http://images.google.co.uk/images?g...+norwegian+women&aq=0&oq=beautiful+norwegian+


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## psmiffy (12 Apr 2009)

Do not be put off - its brilliant - the scenery can only be described as grand - well worth the effort

I was talking to a small Norwegian boy in Bergen and I asked "does it always rain here?" - he replied "I don't know I am only 14 years old"


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## Crankarm (13 Apr 2009)

*Norway*

The scenery is indeed truly stunning. The midges don't sound too good. When would you think is the best time to go avoiding the midges and having the best weather? The midges aren't year round are they? Years ago I was in Western Isles at Sanna Sands and the midges were the size of blackbirds billions of the sods. We were eaten alive. Are the Nowegian midges only in forest areas so near the coast one would hopefully see fewer or none? The thing that is most putting me off touring Norway is the difficulty getting there with a bike from the UK without resorting to flying now the direct ferry services have been axed.


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## Dayvo (13 Apr 2009)

There should be ample info here: 

http://www.visitnorway.com/en/home/travel-to-norway/

http://www.bike-norway.com/engelsk.asp

http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/norway.shtml

http://www.toroddfuglesteg.com/cyclingnorway.html

http://cycling.skedaddle.co.uk/holi..._Lofoten_Islands_Cycling_Holiday/9/view.rails


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## Danny (13 Apr 2009)

I didn't know Norway had midges as well as mosquitos - sounds worse than Scotland


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## stewie griffin (13 Apr 2009)

In Aug 06 I travelled up Sweden & down Norway (motorcycle), a Sweedish friend warned me of the "fog of midges", "dark skys" etc, especially in the north.
I took enough anti insect chemicals with me to treat an army, I don't recall seeing anything other than the odd midge, in two weeks I don't think I was bitten once. Must have been the wrong time of year.


Or my chemicals worked REALLY well !!


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## Dayvo (13 Apr 2009)

Mossies either love you or will leave you alone!

I'm one of the former! 

Some hints:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A588189


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## elduderino (13 Apr 2009)

Here's a sample of what 3 week's in Norway with mosquitoes did to me http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/elduderino12/100_0232.jpg

As for getting there, I took a relatively pain free flight from Liverpool to Oslo Torp with Ryanair, bike survived fine and had minimal packaging, just a CTC clear bag.


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## Crankarm (13 Apr 2009)

OMG that's looks awful. Did you wear just cycling shorts? Was that one mozzie or several? They like me too so I'll have to take the equivalent of DDT to protect myself.
Ryannair you say. Might try them although haven't flown with them since 2002/3 when they offered a luxry service and you genuinely only paid £1 incl. taxes.

Dayvo thanks for the links - very useful. Have checked out Ryanair who fly Stanstead to Oslow Torp for £0 about £44 incl taxes, but what at first seems to be a very cheap return flight will actually cost alot more once you've added all the necessities back in which used to be built into Ryanair's prices such as check-in and baggage allowance. Taking a bike would seem to come under sports equipment £30 each way. No weight appears to be specified as priced per item so could feasibly put a couple of the panniers inside the bike box to keep costs down. So the tour might yet be on.


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## elduderino (13 Apr 2009)

That was several mozzies over the course of the tour (the further North I got the worse they were) and I've alway's been a sucker for them. I started out in cycling short's but pretty quickly resorted to 3/4 length trousers and football sock's pulled up all the way (Thierry Henry style).

My leg's were covered up for the majority from then on, but they seemed to just bite through the socks. Infact I can still make out some of the scar's from the scratching.

Don't let it put you off though, Norway is by far the most beautiful country I've cycled in and I wouldn't hesitate to go back.


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