Potential Nordkapp Trip - Advice Needed
 

Hi there,
I'm thinking about riding to Nordkapp next year, around July (so I'm not too cold camping). I've plotted out a rough route which will take around 2 weeks from England. I've had a quick look at various campsites but if anyone has done this route before and could offer any recommendations it'd be much appreciated. I am planning to do the trip alone, however if any one is planning a similar trip around the same time and would like some company please get in touch as I may be up for riding with a group instead.

This is what I've got so far:

Nordkapp Trip
Day 1 – Campingplatz Münster - Laerer Werseufer 7, 48157 Münster (736km)
Day 2 – Stensager Strand Camping - Oluf Ravnsvej 16, Binderup Strand, 6091 Bjert (510km)
Day 3 – Charlottenlund Fort Camping – Strandvejen 144B, 2920, Charlottenlund (251km)
Day 4 – Farstanas Havsbad – Farsta 1, 153 91 Jarna, Sweden (566km)
Day 5 – Solbacken, Ornskoldsvik 300, 891 78 Bonassund, Sweden (583km)
Day 6 – Pajala Camping – Tannaniemi 65, 984, 31, Pajala, Sweden (579km)
Day 7 – Arctic Motell & Kautokeino Camping – Suomaluodda 16, 9520 Kautokeino, Norge (259km)
Day 8 – Nordkapp Camping – Postbox 361, N-9751 Honningsvag, Norway (341km)
Day 9 – Pajala Camping – Tannaniemi 65, 984, 31, Pajala, Sweden (579km) VIA E6, E75, 955
Day 10 – Kylpylasaari Camping, Nivalantie 61, 86600 Haapavesi, Suomi, Kartta (432km)
Day 11 – Naantali Camping – Kopenkatu 20, 21100 Naantali (563km)
Day 12 – Farstanas Havsbad – Farsta 1, 153 91 Jarna, Sweden (375km) 10h 2 ferries
Day 13 – Charlottenlund Fort Camping – Strandvejen 144B, 2920, Charlottenlund (566km)
Day 14 – Campingplatz Münster - Laerer Werseufer 7, 48157 Münster (616km)
Day 15 – Home (736km)

Thanks :)

We did wild camping in Norway, Sweden and Finnland were ever we wanted. This was even legal but every human has to sleep so it cant be illegal anyway: Reise durch Skandinavien: Norwegen, Schweden, Finnland und das Baltikum: Estland, Lettland, Litauen und Polen

I am planning a camping Nordkapp end of July beginning of August via Hull-Rotterdam, Hamburg then ferry from Hirtshals Denmark. If you don't mind me saying your daily mileages seem high for the complexity of the road systems in Scandanavia. Regardless of the time of year as you go further north you may run into rain and fog and if you are camping I would suggest you back up your plans with a membership of the International Hostelling Association so you can have a dry night now and again. Membership of the UK YHA will give you access to over 50 hosteals across Norway alone and many more if you travel via Sweden Finland Denmark, Germany etc. https://www.hihostels.com/search/hostels?q=Norway&d=no

Good luck
 

Hi Kayne if you only have 2 weeks that's what it will have to be.I left 13/8 on Newcastle Amsterdam ferry for nordkapp the route unplanned but had thought a couple of weeks would be enough ,there is so much to see it is easy to be distracted, after UK distances are deceptive also speed limits much lower but have a great time.p.s I am not back, in Kaunos now but any questions will help if possible.

I thought that myself. :thumbup1:

For Scandinavia, Norway especially, those daily mileages are way above what one can comfortably do.
It took me 6 hours to get from 30km north of Oslo, up to Mysusaeter.
It was only 300km, but the roads are very slow going.
I lived there for a few years.

Thanks. I am definitely up for wild camping but always like to make sure there is a campsite with facilities nearby, just in case I want a shower/food e.t.c.

I didn't realise the roads were bad in Norway. I'm fairly used to riding big mileage, I rode to Morocco (Zagora) and back in just over a week last year, and I've ridden back from Poland in one day. Its not ideal but with work commitments I can only get 2 weeks off, so eating up big mileage to get to destinations is fairly normal for me. But I may have to re think my trip if Nordkapp will be too treacherous on the roads.

Thanks, what places would you recommend I visit? Happy to detour or change my trip so I see the best parts :)

Kayne
Much better to have a lower mileage trip and enjoy it instead of a big miler where you really don't see anything at all and too busy reaching the target to enjoy the pleasures around you.

Chris, I did Nordkapp in July this year. There are campsites everywhere. I didn't plan like you did. When I wanted to stop, I looked for nearest campsite and checked in. No wild camping though, I need a shower every day. 2 weeks is quite short from uk. You will kill yourself with the km you are planning. There are not many roads to choose and they either have lots of ferries (which add time) or are full of old people driving camper vans very slowly. You can't bomb along, speed limits are low.
I would camp alta, leave tent and gear and do nordkapp in a day round trip..leave early to get there before all of the coaches...and remember it's about 25£ to get in!!. Once I left Norway, I carried on and did An 84 day, 26 country tour.
Top tip, take some meals with you and a cheap bottle of brandy to toast the midnight sun!!
You need to do lofoten islands as well.

Sorry, I meant kanje.
Why are you going up through Sweden? The roads are so boring as they are in Finland. Ride up the west coast of Norway.

You can't beat the west coast of Norway.
Absolutely stunning
But don't ever imagine you will do Noordkaap in such a short timescale.
From UK, give yourself minimum of 3 weeks

Thanks Michael. I've had a quick look at pictures on the internet and you're right, it does appear the West coast of Norway is beautiful, and the Lofoten Islands, wow! How much and how long does the ferry take to get there? I don't suppose you could plot out your route roughly on google maps for me? My trip has already changed, think I will spend more time just exploring Norway and skip Sweden and Finland. I will see if I can stretch my holiday to cover an extra few days so I can enjoy the scenery more with out blasting past it all. Oooo I'm so excited!

Here's my old ride review.

Remember that Nordkapp itself is just the excuse. It's a great pin to put in a map, but there's nothing intrinsically amazing about the Nordkapp compound. Sure, you need to take your picture next to the wireframe globe, we all understand that. :) But the point of your trip is to enjoy the beautiful Norwegian coastline.

Wild camping is legal everywhere beyond Denmark, and Norway's touristy bits are full of hytter (camping huts). They cost money, but comparable to commercial camping sites, and you get a roof, a bed, and maybe even a kitchenette. Basically, don't worry about hitting a particular campsite, you're never actually going to have trouble finding a place to sleep.

I would suggest figuring back from when you *definitely* need to be back in the UK. From Nordkapp, it's two days' ride on the boring but very efficient Finnish roads down to Helsinki or Turku, from where you can get an overnight ferry to Stockholm; then it's another day's ride to Trelleborg and a ferry to Germany. So figure out what is the latest that you need to leave Nordkapp and budget as much time as possible for the trip up via the Norwegian fjords.

You can even save time by riding from Nordkapp to Kolari and getting on an overnight car train to Helsinki (actually about the same cost as fuel and a hotel would be). But if you ride down, one place I would recommend is Harriniva in Muonio - nice compound with affordable huts, and for a few extra euros you get to go pet a husky!

Now, on the coastline, I would suggest to definitely visit the Lofoten islands (you can catch a fast ferry up from Bodo). You'll be tempted to visit the Atlantic Road, but it ends in an overpriced tunnel to a boring city. Mainly, stay off the E6 as much as you can, and try to keep to Rv6X roads.

Thanks AnTrx. Some great information in there, very helpful. I hate how Im always on a time restriction, wish I had the bottle to quit work sometimes and go on one long adventure! I had noticed that Nordkapp itself does look pretty plain, but I'd really like to go there just because of what it is, however I can now see myself getting distracted with the beauty of surrounding areas and not making it in the time I have. That wouldn't be a bad thing of course! Back to the drawing board for me I think :)

Also, what are your thoughts on the Copenhagan pass/bridge? Is it worth riding to Copenhagan, or would you cut that out and get a ferry from the top of Denmark? If the ferry, then which port would you go to? Kristiansand/Oslo?

Kayne, there are always ways around these things.
God forbid if you were to take ill on your last couple of days while you were away, or your bike was to take ill instead of you. It can be awfully difficult to get certain parts when you're in another country and sometimes it could take a week or ten days for them to arrive! :rofl:

PS......I'm not joking!

Well, to be fair, the last 20km of road to the compound is lovely. ;)

Copenhagen as a city is excellent. Worth a long weekend. The tunnel - unless you want the satisfaction of having done it, I wouldn't bother. It's more expensive than the nearby ferry from Helsingborg (with the wonderful Kronborg Castle) to Sweden and might even be more expensive than the ferry from the top of Jutland over to Gothenburg.

Going over to Zeeland might not be a worthwhile detour, but from the base of Denmark the E45 shoots right up through Jutland - fast, straight, not congested. Stop in Aarhus for lunch.

Not sure which port on the Norwegian side is preferable - from where I start, I never make it that far south. ;) Check whichever timetable is better. Also check if maybe you can save time with an overnight ferry from Kiel to Oslo.

Oh yes: get a Louis.de loyal customer card. Stena Line and DFDS both have useful discounts with it IIRC. Tallink will actually carry your bike for free if you quote it when booking by phone or email! My overnight ferry from Tallinn to Stockholm this summer was 29 euros all in. ;)

Norway is an amazing place to ride - you will constantly be wanting to stop and admire the views or take photos - and that really slows you down !

I did UK to Northcape a few years ago and took three weeks. Yes I 'ticked' Northcape off my 'must do' list but I missed the Lofoten Islands and felt I rushed through the south west corner of Norway and the fjords. So I went back to the south west last year and am heading back north to Lofoten Islands (and back to North Cape) next year. If you are short on time, why not break the trip down and go twice over a few years rather than trying to squeeze everything into just one trip ?

Agreed with a few of the above mentioned tips: Ride up Sweden and down Norway, and do take your time. It's worth it! You may find more useful info at my Norway FAQ page www.ridenorway.com. Welcome!

Thanks all :)

I have done Norway a couple of times and can highly recommend it. Done the bridge from Copenhagen, its wicked expensive even on a bike but fun. The other way to go is to take the Ferry from Estonia to Finland. Speeds are higher in Finland so you can get their quicker.

Watch the weather when you go up to Nordcapp, if they say caravans are being blown over believe them. We didn't and we met bikers who had been blown off the road. You can't camp in that so found a hotel who gave us shelter.

2 days later Nordcapp was stunning and well worth the wait. Then we came down through Norway as others have said. I think you will need more times as the speed limits are low and the little ferries great fun but time consuming.

Second time we came back thru Sweden where we were each fined 200euros for speeding. We were not speeding, but he told us he had a quote so 2 British bikes were a very easy target. Oh and they can transfer the fine to the UK if you don't pay, have seen that done to other people.

I don't think you have enough time and the first time we only went as far as the Arctic Circle and enjoyed the best that Norway had to offer. Second time we went to Nordcapp but its a long way to go, just to say you have been there, but that is the fun of travelling

Hope this helps

Your trip will have one advantage: you will be able to travel quite light with just your camping stuff and riding gear. That is because with day trips of up to almost 600km you will be on the bike for 10 to 12 hours every day to cover that distance! You will also not have any time for any sightseeing, hardly and photo stop, no longer resting/warmup breaks and for sure not a little hike to that fantastic sightseeing spot! If getting to the North Cape is the only purpose of this trip, then this is perfectly ok. If you want to see the country you better have a camera running all time, then you can at least at home watch the footage. Sorry about this little sarcastic comment, but Scadinvavia and especially Norway has so much to offer that I really don't get why people are just passing through to get to the totally overrated North Cape.

Sadly enough I don't have my own ride report from my Norway trip this summer online on my webpage, maybe I am starting it today since I am home with a bad cold anyway. Then you will understand what I am saying.

www.nordicbiker.se

Also consider the strict speed limits and the VERY stiff fines in Norway and Sweden. Many roads in Norway are limited to 80km/h or at some few sections 100. If you care caught doing 100...110 on an a 80 road you are going to loose 6500NOK, which is currently over 700 Euros! And since you will be traveling on larger roads anyway: Yes, there are speed checks! In Sweden speeding is little bit cheaper, but still will make you consider your traveling distances!

Also doing 500km in 5 degrees and rain is not the way I would like to spend my vacation - but it is very much likely that you will have some summer days like this in the far north! Maybe you are the getting to the north cape in this weather - with zero visibility from the cliff. Then you would need another spare day to wait for that nice weather being predicted for tomorrow - a day you don't have!

So my advice: if you really want to see the country focus on the south only, there is more than enough riding there for two weeks!

For all those who understand German or just want to get a visual stimulation for a Norway trip (and why I recumbent to spend time in central Norway instead of riding all the way to the North Cape): my travel report of the "Lost Vikings 2016 Tour" is online:

The Lost Vikings Tour – Norwegen 2016 – Teil 1 – nordicbiker.se

Hello Mate,

I'm in Norway for the next 2 years, based in Stavanger, anything you need give me a holler!

I've ridden round some gorgeous parts of Rogaland and Telemark.

Have you checked out the lads from Wildbad Touring on YouTube. Also the Uneasy Rider. They both do Norway.

meddy.