Nordic travel plans August / September 2017

[moulin 87]

We seem to be back on track, so I have rather optimistically created a new target route, we should have at least 5 weeks, so doable, but we will not spend all our time driving

If we can get 35 nights, 5000 would be an average of 142 which is very respectable but when I start to work it more closely, we hope to get to Denmark (Hirtshals) in four days and same back from there, (2000 miles return) then leaves us 27 nights to cover the remaining 3000 miles, 111 / day, or much more likely, 200 miles some days then a 2 night stop every few nights if my maths work out anywhere near, 15 days travelling with 6 x 2 night stops in the Norway / Sweden bit

Most likely it will not work out anywhere near that plan

For those of you thinking we are racing through some lovely bits of Europe getting to Norway, we know we are, but can also return to those much more easily in the future


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I know it is only a rough plan but there is a lot of the better bits of Norway which you seem to be missing out on while driving a thousand or two kilos in Sweden, which compared to Norway is BLAND...

 

[DavidG58]

I know it is only a rough plan but there is a lot of the better bits of Norway which you seem to be missing out on while driving a thousand or two kilos in Sweden, which compared to Norway is BLAND...

My thought is drive slowly up through Norway, if we have enough time return via different route through Norway maybe Lillehammer / Oslo, but if as I expect we are running short on days we will use the Sweden route as an escape route

No offence to Sweden, but we have heard it is a lot of the same, but we can always come back if we like what we see

 

[jumartoo]

We may meet up then. We're doing the Swedish/Norway route the opposite way to you but not going as far as Tromso.

 

[moulin 87]

My thought is drive slowly up through Norway, if we have enough time return via different route through Norway maybe Lillehammer / Oslo, but if as I expect we are running short on days we will use the Sweden route as an escape route

No offence to Sweden, but we have heard it is a lot of the same, but we can always come back if we like what we see

We went virtually to Tromso, with some meandering which you'll need to do to see what is on offer you'll need to budget for 4250 miles in the Norway/Sweden part of the trip... When are you now planning to make this trip?

 

[DavidG58]

We went virtually to Tromso, with some meandering which you'll need to do to see what is on offer you'll need to budget for 4250 miles in the Norway/Sweden part of the trip... When are you now planning to make this trip?

leaving home around 20th August, returning by 28th September to repossess Mum

I have so far trusted Google maps for the mileage, based on your comment they would seem to be a looooong way out

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[moulin 87]

leaving home around 20th August, returning by 28th September to repossess Mum

I have so far trusted Google maps for the mileage, based on your comment they would seem to be a looooong way out

Not so much a long way out but when you are there you'll talk to people you'll say 'Have you been to X, No, its wonderful' etc and it'll be 100-200 mile detour etc..

We had one 100 km detour for road works...

It is not easy to read the map in detail but it doesn't seem to include the Lofoten Islands, could be an extra 300-400 mls, Senja 150 miles, Route 17 150 miles, Telemark, Central Norway where there was some real wilderness. etc.

60kmph ( less than 40mph) will be your best average speed, times when that'll be halved..especially if you want to be off the main roads having a break from following the trucks..

We did it in a similar timescale to yourselves but often we were parking up at 9pm, light in June, in September in the North it will be dark by 7 ish..

 

[Bailey58]

Just a thought, it won't bother you too much in the motorhome when you can choose your time and route but Hamburg is the roadworks capital of the world and those of us who travel by car to Scandinavia and beyond do our best to avoid it. Much discussion on the Facebook Reopen the Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry Group. A couple of ferries cross the Elbe north of Hamburg, Cuxhaven to Brunsbuttel which re-opened in May and Wischafen to Gluckstadt. We've used both in the past year.

 

[DavidG58]

thanks @Bailey58 Lola is our determining factor in ferry travel, reckon the 3 hours fro Hirtshal or the Orendsun bridge make best options, will look for ways to skirt round Hamburg

 

[moulin 87]

Just a thought, it won't bother you too much in the motorhome when you can choose your time and route but Hamburg is the roadworks capital of the world and those of us who travel by car to Scandinavia and beyond do our best to avoid it.

Never seen a truer sentence on this website... Wasn't so bad going towards Hirstals but coming from Puttgarden we seem to lose half a day on the Hamburg ringroad...

 

[DavidG58]

found this earlier, Bev has also found that the Norwegians are well into geo caching, looks like things are working out

http://inspiringtravellers.com/supermarket-norway/

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[Jenben]

I saw this display in one small supermarket, I found it odd that such a small space would have a whole area devoted to fishing tackle.

 

[DavidG58]

Fishing tackle isn't going to sell the trip to Bev

need more of craft stuff please

 

[jumartoo]

We'll have done the Sweden bit before you leave. I'll be posting on my thread so you'll be able to alter your route if you don't fancy it after all.

I'll look out for crafty things for you.

 

[DavidG58]

The planning continues in earnest

This was never going to be a budget trip but can see us spending a fortune before we even leave

Looking at best / quickest ways into Sweden / Norway, have now more or less decided to leave the southern part of Norway for another trip, I am determined to get above the arctic circle and the option for northern light views are improved by being further north

so getting into Norway directly or via Sweden

Plan A for us was the Orendsun crossing, found a very good price package thanks to funster input by a frequent travel option and even a MH our size travels at car rate, so instead of €100 EW we would pay €44 EW, but even getting to the Copenhagen side involves a ferry based on google preferred options, or drive quite a bit further round. So plan A stands drive round use bridge both ways

Plan B then developed, use the ferry option that google suggests which then links to another ferry higher up as a combined package

or Plan C

drive to top of Denmark then ferry Hirtshal to Kristiansand, but this has been more or less ruled out for three reasons, €200 each way , not doing south Norway now so no point, there is a potential issue with Lola, dogs going into Norway are treated like we do coming back into the UK, need a vet check and worming pill. Could possibly do it as we leave bizarrely as it just fits into the travel window, get it done by our own vet in UK before setting off, but apparently vehicles crossing border by road 'never' get checked, hope that is not a regret we have later as it would involve finding a vet in Sweden way up the country and a days delay after

I am thinking Orendsun crossing it is, I promise to spell it right by then , just choose whether to drive right round or ferry and bridge

ferry and bridge 50km further than 2 ferries

but surprisingly only 80km further going right round by road and bridge which I reckon has just made my decision for me

for anybody still with me after that lot, very many thanks

 

[Jenben]

On our way out we did the Puttsgarden ferry to Rodby, I think it's only about 45 minutes and we booked at the port. If you drive up Denmark and cross onto Zeeland just be aware there is another bridge to pay for to get across.

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[DavidG58]

On our way out we did the Puttsgarden ferry to Rodby, I think it's only about 45 minutes and we booked at the port. If you drive up Denmark and cross onto Zeeland just be aware there is another bridge to pay for to get across.

was going to ask if you knew how much, but couldn't resist looking

note bottom line, they can check V5 for weight, which now adds another €200 return to the Oresund part now need to find if the discounts for frequent use apply to both crossings @TheCaller ?

 

[Jenben]

I think our ferry cost us about 90euros booked at the port paying with a card which is clearly the most expensive way to buy a ticket !

 

[moulin 87]

When we arrived in Norway by ferry we weren't checked at all and our pet passport wasn't checked..

When we were on Lofoten we met a French guy who had driven from Denmark into Sweden over the 'bridge', and their pet passport was thoroughly checked from the initial entry to the final entry. Similarly again from Sweden into Norway. Went we went from Norway into Sweden and Sweden into Denmark there were no checks or people to do checks...

 

[DavidG58]

@moulin 87 that is interesting, I had read it was only Norway that checked pet passports, travel between the other countries I thought is the same as the rest of Europe

 

[moulin 87]

@moulin 87 that is interesting, I had read it was only Norway that checked pet passports, travel between the other countries I thought is the same as the rest of Europe

The guy was surprised at the thoroughness of the inspection and for one moment thought it had failed and it took awhile to convince them everything was in order.. That 's why he asked us if we had had the same problem.

So we decided then that popping into Sweden and back into Norway on our journey wasn't the best approach.

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[Jenben]

Denmark to Sweden we were checked for passports/pets. Nowhere else though.

We looked at most of the options to get to Sweden/Norway via Denmark including all the routes you've looked at. Even using the frequent traveller programme on the Oresund bridge to save costs we found that they all came to £170-£200ish. I suspect the prices are slightly fixed The best thing to do is to pick the route that fits you best in terms of time/distance driving/things you want to see/ease of travelling with pets and forget about the cost. We went out via the Oresund bridge as we wanted to see the Viking Museum and Copenhagen, and came back via Kristiansand/Hirtshals as we wanted to see the top part of Denmark.

 

[DavidG58]

Denmark to Sweden we were checked for passports/pets. Nowhere else though.

Thanks for that, although the pet passport was checked you hadn't had it stamped prior to crossing? as you would when returning to UK?

 

[DavidG58]

@Jenben I also agree with regards to pricing, coincidental or what

 

[Jenben]

No we haven't got pets, but we got stopped and asked if we had any animals with us as we crossed the bridge. We prefer to replace the weight of a pet with boxes of wine

 

[moulin 87]

Thanks for that, although the pet passport was checked you hadn't had it stamped prior to crossing? as you would when returning to UK?

We had to have our vet do the same procedure before we set off as we would do if we were going to the UK... Because of the 120 hr limit we had to have the first appointment on Monday morning before we left straight from the vets to the ferry in Denmark.. 1800 kms and 3 days later we caught the ferry.

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[Speve]

We came back from Sweden over the Oresund bridge with two dogs no checks at all that was a month ago now.

 

[DavidG58]

We came back from Sweden over the Oresund bridge with two dogs no checks at all that was a month ago now.

It seems to be going in that the checks are made, we have decided to get Lola done by own vets on the day we leave, we cross into Sweden inside the 5 day window, but not into Norway hoping that crossing in a more rural point, probably without border control will mean no checks are made on the passport, but even if they are we then to find a Swedish vet and wait 24 hours, better than being sent back and paying for an extra crossing

How did you enter Norway?

 

[Sundowners]

We didn't know about the pet passport for entering Norway/Sweden!!!!!!!! no-one asked us for it, is it a new thing??????
We went from north Germany to Gothenburg on one trip as it was the cheapest we could find to get to Sweden, we crossed into Norway several times going north and were never asked about a pet passport!!!
On the last trip, we went from north Denmark to Sweden, again no-one asked us about pet passport.
We have been to south Norway in a previous life so weren't interested in that area, ( also the heavy road tolls and coastal ferry crossings cost put us off a bit!!!!)
I worked in Copenhagen for a while so had no desire to revisit there!!!!, More important places for us to visit!!!!!--------------------you will be hard pushed to find nicer people than the Norwegian/Swedish in our honest opinion!!!!!!----------Sweden was cheaper in general (not LPG) that is why we kept crossing from Norway to Sweden on top-up/shopping trips!!!!!-----------lpg is not really available in North Sweden, but easy to get in most of Norway.
Have a great trip, we would love to go again sometime!!!

 

[Speve]

It seems to be going in that the checks are made, we have decided to get Lola done by own vets on the day we leave, we cross into Sweden inside the 5 day window, but not into Norway hoping that crossing in a more rural point, probably without border control will mean no checks are made on the passport, but even if they are we then to find a Swedish vet and wait 24 hours, better than being sent back and paying for an extra crossing

How did you enter Norway?

Didn't go to Norway as to much hassle so will do in a separate trip we are still finishing this one at present but entered Denmark from Germany and then Sweden via Gothenburg May 10th no checks at either then.

 

[DavidG58]

https://www.visitnorway.com/places-...hwest/activities-and-attractions/trollstigen/

this is a more fun aspect of planning

and its free

provided we don't break the Hymer trying

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