From Spain to Norway - the long way round

Beautiful pics Judith - thank you !
Shall be using your notes when we plan our trip to Norway next Summer
 
Scout said:
fantastic pics once again, an absloutly buitifull are, I liked the standing balanced rocks, are bilberries the same as blue berries
Click to expand...

Don't know, we've always called them bilberries so I suspect they're the same.
 
After some discussion we decided to come back to the aire at the marina. (Going to pick the brains of the young lad who collects the money for places to visit heading north.) But I digress. We've got another training map to use here in the morning and then we can leave!!!

Cooked lunch. A mix between paella (the rice used) and kedgeree, but with beans, mackerel and hard boiled eggs.

The meal cooking.
IMG_20170719_142139168.jpg

Had to show some food, sometime!

Our lunch was rudely interrupted by the arrival of a "tallship" or at least a big boat with sails.

Even though, not being a boat person, it's strange how the sight of something like this gives a tug in the upper body!!!

IMG_20170719_144316227_HDR.jpg



Definitely have to move tomorrow, we're booked on the Orienteering campsite from Friday.
 
jumartoo said:
So we're right cos were in Europe. Bilberries they are @Scout.
Click to expand...

Ive just put soem in the oven covered in red wine, the oven was on anyway slow cooking some rindless bellypork, sessioned with black & red pepper and a dash of seasalt, I cover the pork with boiling water (which will reduce) and cucked in some frozen ( but fresh grown) apple mint. When is cooked (3hrs) I'll take out the pork make a gravy with the juices then put the pork back in ( but not covered ) the top of the pork will crispen and I serve it with butterd new pottatoes and cabage twice cooked (boiled then fried with onione and garlic. Ice cream with berries and sauce.
 
Scout said:
Ive just put soem in the oven covered in red wine, the oven was on anyway slow cooking some rindless bellypork, sessioned with black & red pepper and a dash of seasalt, I cover the pork with boiling water (which will reduce) and cucked in some frozen ( but fresh grown) apple mint. When is cooked (3hrs) I'll take out the pork make a gravy with the juices then put the pork back in ( but not covered ) the top of the pork will crispen and I serve it with butterd new pottatoes and cabage twice cooked (boiled then fried with onione and garlic. Ice cream with berries and sauce.
Click to expand...

Can you cook something like that for us when we eventually meet up? We'll bring the apple sauce!

Sounds absolutely delicious.

PS did you pick the bilberries yourself?
 
jumartoo said:
Can you cook something like that for us when we eventually meet up? We'll bring the apple sauce!

Sounds absolutely delicious.

PS did you pick the bilberries yourself?
Click to expand...

will do, Im chef de la cuisine, your dish is my command,

re the bilberries Andrea is now home from work ( AND SHE ENJOYED OUR TEA)

she says bilberries are bigger than blueberries, almost sometimes the size of grapes, on the farm she lived on there was a bilberrey bush and she she used to pick them when she was a young girl (before my time).

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
These bilberries aren't big. It takes a long time ( and patience) to pick a reasonable amount. I also got about 8 wild raspberries!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
Scout said:
will do, Im chef de la cuisine, your dish is my command,

re the bilberries Andrea is now home from work ( AND SHE ENJOYED OUR TEA)

she says bilberries are bigger than blueberries, almost sometimes the size of grapes, on the farm she lived on there was a bilberrey bush and she she used to pick them when she was a young girl (before my time).
Click to expand...
I think the passage of time has made those bilberries grow. :) The native bilberry you get on moors here has tiny fruit, something between the size of a peppercorn and a caper. I must see if I can find some on Dartmoor this week. :)
 
jumartoo said:
These bilberries aren't big. It takes a long time ( and patience) to pick a reasonable amount. I also got about 8 wild raspberries!
Click to expand...

If Id been plucked from my home Id be wild too:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

we just had the blueberries with icecream, they were very nice ,but would have been better tomorrow when the juice had thickend and served with new york cheescake...mmm:love:, I'll have the leftovers ( 1 serving only:D2 ) with weetabix for breakfast, Andrea can have toast:sneaky::ROFLMAO:
asyou are in a colder climate and the beries are wild they would be smaller, than in uk, never had wild raspberries, were they good?
 
The raspberries (all 8 of them) were nice, like ... raspberries actually :D. We found some strawberries also but Martin tried one and it was awful so we didn't collect any.
 
cant compare with ours as they as dans le hatch
 
A little bit about Swedish prices.

A litre of diesel +/- SEK 1.30 about £1.20
Five bread rolls SEK15 about £1.40
Litre of milk about the same

We work it out at SEK 10 to the pound and know it's a little less.

We've just shopped in Lidl and found that the prices are quite good but they don't sell wine there! Not found anywhere to buy (look at) wine yet so don't know the price. Not as expensive as Norway tho'.

Overall shopping is probably a bit more expensive than the UK but places to stay with the motorhome are cheaper.

We're now on the edge of a lake at Arvika, the venue for our forthcoming Orienteering event. We check onto the official campsite tomorrow, although it's free here!

IMG_20170720_170557600.jpg
IMG_20170720_170622383.jpg
 
For booze in Sweden you need to find a Systembolaget which are state owned and the only places allowed to sell anything over 3.5% strength.
 
DBK said:
For booze in Sweden you need to find a Systembolaget which are state owned and the only places allowed to sell anything over 3.5% strength.
Click to expand...

A liquor store like in Norway but I suspect the prices, although high to us, will be cheaper than there!
 
jumartoo said:
A liquor store like in Norway but I suspect the prices, although high to us, will be cheaper than there!
Click to expand...

How about having an alcohol free trip?

Just think how much money you'll save.
And your liver with thank you too.

On second thoughts, that's a stupid idea.

Where's the nearest grog shop?

Maybe we could play Guess The Price?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Robert Clark said:
How about having an alcohol free trip?

Just think how much money you'll save.
And your liver with thank you too.

On second thoughts, that's a stupid idea.

Where's the nearest grog shop?

Maybe we could play Guess The Price?
Click to expand...

We've got two five litre boxes of our local wine. Not to be touched until we're in Norway. Those and a few bottles of beer is about the allowance. So it looks like some alcohol free days at least during the two months we're possibly in Norway.
Will do us some good, I think.
 
Forgot to mention the gin decanted into a plastic water bottle and kept under the sink with the washing up liquid and other assorted bottles of various liquids :LOL: Only one GnT a week there tho'
 
jumartoo said:
We've got two five litre boxes of our local wine. Not to be touched until we're in Norway. Those and a few bottles of beer is about the allowance. So it looks like some alcohol free days at least during the two months we're possibly in Norway.
Will do us some good, I think.
Click to expand...

thinking we might do the same, save money, maybe help with the weight (mine not MH :)) although technically both (y)

also very mindful of the very low alcohol limit for driving in Norway, as we will be driving most days, might just restrict our few drinks for the 2 night stop overs we hope to do every 4 days or so :)

just been reading the link you gave me on another thread (y)(y) I haven't sorted out a toll registration yet, which one have you gone for please?

link for others thinking about Norway http://ourtour.co.uk/home/touring-norway-in-a-motorhome/
 
jumartoo said:
Forgot to mention the gin decanted into a plastic water bottle and kept under the sink with the washing up liquid and other assorted bottles of various liquids :LOL: Only one GnT a week there tho'
Click to expand...

Be careful. The Police sniffer dogs have very sensitive noses, which can detect illicit gin at a thousand paces. They can also inflict nasty wounds if the cops set them on you:

IMG_0833.JPG
 
We've registered with EPC plc (Euro Parking Collection).

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
I've heard that also. Our Swiss friend is stopped every time he returns from Spain in his motorhome in spring. We've never been stopped there.

There's always a first time though!
 
DavidG58 said:
thinking we might do the same, save money, maybe help with the weight (mine not MH :)) although technically both (y)

also very mindful of the very low alcohol limit for driving in Norway, as we will be driving most days, might just restrict our few drinks for the 2 night stop overs we hope to do every 4 days or so :)

just been reading the link you gave me on another thread (y)(y) I haven't sorted out a toll registration yet, which one have you gone for please?

link for others thinking about Norway http://ourtour.co.uk/home/touring-norway-in-a-motorhome/
Click to expand...

We used the epcplc.com for tolls and it worked well. We've just received the invoice by email for June payable 12 August by debit card.

All transactions verified by photo.
 
just registered with EPC myself, trying to find a way to preload the account, concerned bills might arrive before we get back, even though they will be emailed to me, found you cant preload and also read a similar comment that invoices can and often do take up to 2 months

I can't even find a way to register a card for payment, until you get a bill you don't seem to be able to do anything

presumably there are no toll booths at these chargeable locations, just cameras?

almost seems too simple, but kind of worrying to register with a firm that seem to be parking debt collectors, I presume they must get a fee from Norway for handling the payment


edit - just been back to EPC account (and looked properly o_Oo_O, now registered my card (y))
 
Last edited:
DavidG58 said:
just registered with EPC myself, trying to find a way to preload the account, concerned bills might arrive before we get back, even though they will be emailed to me, found you cant preload and also read a similar comment that invoices can and often do take up to 2 months

I can't even find a way to register a card for payment, until you get a bill you don't seem to be able to do anything

presumably there are no toll booths at these chargeable locations, just cameras?

almost seems too simple, but kind of worrying to register with a firm that seem to be parking debt collectors, I presume they must get a fee from Norway for handling the payment
Click to expand...

No toll booths, no prepayment.. As you enter a tolled section, there is a large sign with prices followed by a gantry with cameras... No need to slow down.. No need to worry about privacy the photos only show your number plate. You can check your account anytime via the internet..

We did 6000 kilometres in Norway and spent 50€ on tolls , ferries we spent perhaps 300€+, those you pay by card or cash when you use it. Never give your actual length, if you are 7.5 metres say 7 when asked... It is never queried. Sometimes you pay at a kiosk as you arrive, sometimes as you are waiting in the queue, sometimes when you are parked on the ferry. In the north sometimes you pay when you've left your van and are on the upper decks and sometimes you have to go to a ticket desk on board... It never seems to be the same on consecutive ferries..

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
moulin 87 said:
No toll booths, no prepayment.. As you enter a tolled section, there is a large sign with prices followed by a gantry with cameras... No need to slow down.. No need to worry about privacy the photos only show your number plate. You can check your account anytime via the internet..

We did 6000 kilometres in Norway and spent 50€ on tolls , ferries we spent perhaps 300€+, those you pay by card or cash when you use it. Never give your actual length, if you are 7.5 metres say 7 when asked... It is never queried. Sometimes you pay at a kiosk as you arrive, sometimes as you are waiting in the queue, sometimes when you are parked on the ferry. In the north sometimes you pay when you've left your van and are on the upper decks and sometimes you have to go to a ticket desk on board... It never seems to be the same on consecutive ferries..
Click to expand...

Great info, thanks. But does it make much difference on ferries once your vehicle is over 6m? Ours is 6.7m. but looks small against other vans :LOL:.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top