So here are some outline details regarding the trip. I won't go into
too much detail as I hope "Gerty's tail" is going to be told in articles in Classic Land rover in the coming months
I went solo, planning to sleep in Gerty as much as possible, and having four weeks to complete the trip before having to go into hospital for the TKR ops, concentrating on getting to Nordkapp and
doing Norway. Gerty is a 1965 109 (ex Kenyan Red Cross Ambulance) running a 2.25 petrol, Romadrive O/D and pretty much otherwise standard.
Gerty preparation consisted of a comprehensive service and check over by the team at Gumtree 4x4; storage box ordered from Mick and installed, installing some electrical outlets for phone / Sat Nav etc. and then a dry run, over to Belgium to Ypres; "down south" through the South Downs, Somerset (meeting up with the previous owners) and back to Warwickshire. Camping kit packed, clothing and Gerty spares packed; Boil in the Bag military rations collected, local shopping completed and we were ready for the off. I took loads of supplies with me to keep the expenses down as food shopping is pretty expensive in the Nordic countries - knowing that fuel was in the region of 1.60 GBP per Litre...... not to mention ten quid a pint of beer !!!
I managed to get booked on as a paying pax on a DFDS Freight Ferry from Immingham to Gothenberg - thus saving over 1800km driving through France, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. Booking was painless and the ferry trip, whilst basic, was comfortable and uneventful - if 30 hours or so.
Weather on arrival was nice so I hit the (empty) roads and headed north on the E45. (Don't be fooled by E roads - they are not all motorways!!)
Overnight stop at Orsa and first night wild camping.
At Orsa I then headed east on 296, 301, 50 (Bollnas, Soderhamn) to E4 and headed north again on the coast road towards Lulea. Weather was awful with heavy rain and thick fog thus I decided to
push on through Sweden as quickly as possible as I couldn't see anything!
At Kalix I then followed the E10 to Overkalix and turned off - cross country - on 393, 939, 955 and 971 towards Kirkenes (via Jockfall, Kolari, Kittilia, Pokka and Inari) This was a FANTASTIC route and set of roads - wild, open, basically ZERO traffic, hundreds of miles of nothing but emptiness, trees, lakes and stunning scenery.
Oh and the Arctic Circle, reindeer and Finland! Arctic Circle - BUST and first big tick on the list.
Into Norway at Neiden and over to the Norwegian / Russian border at Grense Jacobslev.
Again - a fantastic country road past Kirkenes and the setting at GJ was amazing.
Back to Kirkenes and the E6 / 98 to Tana Bru, onto Ifjord, Lakslev and turning "north" to Nordkapp on E69. Bleak and barren open lands following the coast but stunning roads, limited traffic, many tunnels and loads of reindeer and motorcycles (biker heaven). Nordkapp was wild and very windy - a bit touristy for my liking - but the second tick on the list! Very happy with the way Gerty is performing and she is pretty comfortable to sleep in.
Back down the E6 to Alta following this road all the way to Andselv before turning onto 86 to Gryllefjord (Torsken) to catch the ferry to Andenes on the Lofoten Islands. Five days down the Lofotens - absolutley fantastic roads and scenery and an absolute MUST. Great wild camping, stunning mountains, stunning beaches and really mixed weather! Gerty started to run a little rough towards the end of this week - not liking the damp weather.
At the end of the Lofotens is A (Moskenes) where the ferry heads back to the mainland and Bodo. In Bodo I had Gerty have a quick health check at a local garage - points and plug gaps adjusted and back to her fit and fruitful self and running well again.
From Bodo I headed south along the coast roads taking in many of the Norwegian National (Tourist) Routes - Helgelandskysten; Atlanterhavsvegen; Geiranger - Trollstigen; Gamel Strynefjellsvegen; Sognefjellet; many sights to take in with key highlights of WW2 memorials and museums, glaciers, fast flowing rivers, fantastic mountain vistas, Stave Churches, Viking sites, glaciers, fjords, hairpin passes - Trollsteigen being a real blast in the rain and mist!
I stopped for a couple of nights in Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger to do the
tourist thang I then headed back inland over to Telemark and the Hydro Plant at Rjukan (famous Heros of Telemark film and Heavy Water production)
before heading to Oslo for the final few days prior to catching an overnight Senna Line ferry to Frederikshaven in Denmark. It was then a homeward slog through Denmark, Germany (stopping at old military bases where I had been stationed in the 80's & 90's whilst serving in the Army) and the lowlands before finally hitting my own bed for the first time in four weeks.
A real blast. Super friendly people; fantastic roads, fantastic scenery with breathtaking views around pretty much every corner.
Over 1500 photos taken; over 9000 kms driven; average mpg of 20.1, average speed of 73 kmph; lots of coffee drunk and lots of money spent on fuel!!
Overall - a trip of a lifetime and priceless memories.
(I can furnish additional route information / details, points of interest etc as required.... and additional photos if you want to see them!).
Regards
Paul
More trip details and information plus photos to follow. Norway highly recommend and great for wild camping. TKR is not!!!
May I wish you a swift & sure recovery.
.