📓 Journals Scandinavian Road Trip

[geoffbland]

Around 30 years ago I spent 6 weeks driving around Scandinavia and the Baltic States, the driving in Norway was fantastic, the curving routes around all the fjords and the roads for the most part were empty. I’ve always wanted to do it again. Also, I’ve never seen the Northern Lights, something on my bucket list. So we are combining the two and I’m taking the Emira on a road trip to the Arctic Circle all the way to Narvik.

Several months ago we took the Emira on a European road trip, down to Venice and back, through the Alps both ways and had a fantastic time. So we’re really looking forward to this next trip.

I would love to do the Norwegian Kystriksveien Coastal Route one day, it’s meant to be the most scenic route in Europe but that takes over 2 weeks to complete and we only have two weeks in total including the drive there and back, so that is one for the future. We may do a few sections of the Kystriksveien if we get time but we’re pushing it as it is, around 4,400 miles and 80 hours of driving in 18 days.

My eldest son is coming with me on the way up and flying out from Narvik and then my girlfriend is flying in to come back with me. She’s a teacher and so can’t get the full two weeks off.

I have the mandatory Winter 3PMSF tyres fitted to the Emira for Scandinavian driving but we will keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Any snow and we’ll swap to travelling on the coach, I’m OK driving in the snow but it’s stressful and not exactly fun over long distances so why risk it? Hopefully we have good weather - we’ll need clear skies to see the Northern Lights too, I estimate we have around a 30% chance to see them on this trip.

I will try to post updates when I can, when I get time. I like to write up a journal as I travel anyway to reread years later; I may as well post this too.

Packed and ready to fill the Emira. We set off tomorrow at 11am.

 

[Lego Man]

Enjoy your trip, its an amazing drive.
I hope to return in less than 30 years, look forward to reading your updates

 

[SX 10TUS]

Safe travels Geoff! Looking forward to the photos

 

[Orchardbike]

Around 30 years ago I spent 6 weeks driving around Scandinavia and the Baltic States, the driving in Norway was fantastic, the curving routes around all the fjords and the roads for the most part were empty. I’ve always wanted to do it again. Also, I’ve never seen the Northern Lights, something on my bucket list. So we are combining the two and I’m taking the Emira on a road trip to the Arctic Circle all the way to Narvik.

Several months ago we took the Emira on a European road trip, down to Venice and back, through the Alps both ways and had a fantastic time. So we’re really looking forward to this next trip.

I would love to do the Norwegian Kystriksveien Coastal Route one day, it’s meant to be the most scenic route in Europe but that takes over 2 weeks to complete and we only have two weeks in total including the drive there and back, so that is one for the future. We may do a few sections of the Kystriksveien if we get time but we’re pushing it as it is, around 4,400 miles and 80 hours of driving in 18 days.

My eldest son is coming with me on the way up and flying out from Narvik and then my girlfriend is flying in to come back with me. She’s a teacher and so can’t get the full two weeks off.

I have the mandatory Winter 3PMSF tyres fitted to the Emira for Scandinavian driving but we will keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Any snow and we’ll swap to travelling on the coach, I’m OK driving in the snow but it’s stressful and not exactly fun over long distances so why risk it? Hopefully we have good weather - we’ll need clear skies to see the Northern Lights too, I estimate we have around a 30% chance to see them on this trip.

I will try to post updates when I can, when I get time. I like to write up a journal as I travel anyway to reread years later; I may as well post this too.

Packed and ready to fill the Emira. We set off tomorrow at 11am.

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Sounds like a fantastic trip Geoff, enjoy! I’m totally jealous!

 

[Yachtie]

I'll be following with interest as that is on my bucket list I'm looking at going up to the North Cape

 

[NicolasB]

I am trying to imagine a situation where I would ever have 6 weeks to drive around Scandinavia, etc. Sounds like a fantasy to me. I hope this trip does not disappoint.

 

[Lego Man]

My son & I had an amazing time a couple of years ago, I'd highly recommend it, but you do need more time than you think.

 

[geoffbland]

Set off at 11am and we were at the Channel Tunnel by 12:30 but delays there meant we didn’t get to France until 3:30 (European Time, one hour ahead of the UK). We got through customs quickly and were just waiting on the other side for ages.

At the terminal parking, before customs we had 15 minutes in the passenger terminal, I parked next to a rather nice Porsche GT4.

Then whilst in the terminal build a guy approached me and asked if I was the owner of the “Yellow Emira” (easy to tell as I had my Lotus top on), I said I was and then he lifted his sweatshirt to show a Lotus T-Shirt underneath! I asked him which Lotus he had with him and he said he didn’t - he in fact worked for Lotus. So I met Ivan, the Lotus IT guy, we chatted for 15 minutes or so - did try to pry him for some “information” but he was very tight lipped*. But it was nice to meet him and chat; I certainly got the impression that despite everything going on at Lotus he was still proud to work there.

Back out at the cars, there’s a French dad taking a picture of his son in front on the two cars. I ask the boy which is the best one and he picks my Lotus immediately - that lad had good taste!

We stopped off in Bruges, a lovely city for a bite to eat in the old town square - we didn’t have time (nor probably the energy) to attempt the climb up the bell tower.

We then drove on to Eindhoven for our hotel for the night.

Belgium motorways are just very straight and boring.

*He would neither confirm nor deny the V8

 

[geoffbland]

I'll be following with interest as that is on my bucket list I'm looking at going up to the North Cape

I looked at going all the way to the North Cape but's decided it was just too far and we didn't have time. You think you are "north" in Narvik well into the Artic circle - but there's Tromso also another day's travel north - and it's twice as far again to the North Cape.
I'd love to do it too - so good luck with your bucket list!

 

[geoffbland]

Enjoy your trip, its an amazing drive.
I hope to return in less than 30 years, look forward to reading your updates

Thanks - and I should have thanked you for your advice from your first trip in my first post here. That was very helpful.

 

[geoffbland]

I am trying to imagine a situation where I would ever have 6 weeks to drive around Scandinavia, etc. Sounds like a fantasy to me. I hope this trip does not disappoint.

Seriously make some time. Life has a habit of getting away from you (yeah I know we all have commitments )

 

[jamesbxxx]

I’ll be curious on whether you see any snow on the roads. Isn’t it a month before you have to have winter tyres? I’m planning on a similar mid-winter trip, but not in the Emira…

 

[geoffbland]

Not much to report for our second day. We visited the Wings Of Liberation exhibition in Eindhoven, about the Netherlands in the Second World War, that was quite a well done and interesting exhibition. Then stopped in at the Universum in Bremen, a science museum, also fairly interesting. We are now in Hamburg for the night.

 

[geoffbland]

I’ll be curious on whether you see any snow on the roads. Isn’t it a month before you have to have winter tyres? I’m planning on a similar mid-winter trip, but not in the Emira…

Fingers crossed there's no snow, it's still a bit early in the year for that according to the forecasts. The rules for when you need Winter tyres seem to be quite vague, it depends what you read. I "think" I need them for Finland. But better safe that sorry and better at this time of year and this far North than the Sport Cup 2s

 

[jamesbxxx]

Fingers crossed there's no snow, it's still a bit early in the year for that according to the forecasts. The rules for when you need Winter tyres seem to be quite vague, it depends what you read. I "think" I need them for Finland. But better safe that sorry and better at this time of year and this far North than the Sport Cup 2s

Agreed. Definitely not Cup2 conditions!

 

[Foxy87]

Can I ask why you selected this time of the year to do the trip?