Arctic to UK and back again
Discussion
Due to needing some work on my car, the crazy costs of doing it here and a friend's wedding then decided on a bit of a roadtrip. Will be a trip from the top(ish) of Norway down to near Southampton, then up to Aberdeen before heading back again. Had planned to join some friends from Aberdeen to Monza afterwards, but due to work will not be able to do that. Rough route is this:
As long as the roads are not closed for snow then I'll be doing a few mountain passes like this (Trollstigen):
Looking forward to it, although there are a few days with a lot of driving. Some roads in poor condition, but many fantastic ones, great scenery and very little traffic for the most part,
Car will be my MX-5.
As long as the roads are not closed for snow then I'll be doing a few mountain passes like this (Trollstigen):
Looking forward to it, although there are a few days with a lot of driving. Some roads in poor condition, but many fantastic ones, great scenery and very little traffic for the most part,
Car will be my MX-5.Roo said:
Hat off to you but that's a hell of a way to go to save money on having some work done on an MX-5.
Proper road trip though. Should make interesting reading.
Everything costs so much more here - to get 4 valves sorted in the engine will be around £1200, which is why I started thinking about this. In addition it would be better to get a specialist to do the work, rather than someone working on it for the first time (for some reason there are not many here?!) Proper road trip though. Should make interesting reading.
To be honest though, it's also a good excuse for a trip!
In regards to the time and distance, it will be around 2 weeks. It's not as bad as the map, as I'll get a ferry from Bergen (place I on the map) to Denmark, and then go from Denmark to UK on another ferry. I would have loved to do more driving, but since I'll probably be on my own for most of the trip was thinking it's good to have some rest days. Longest day is Copenhagen to Bergen which is around 1000km (although will take a bit longer than somewhere like the UK due to the lower speed limits here). I'm hoping to be able to pick up some friends around the place to act as co-drivers. There won't be too much time for stopping in places, but the last 3 days are more relaxed and some of the best roads I will have on the trip.
GentleFellow said:
NRS,
Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
You are seriously going to drive that? Hats off to you, but that's bloody mental. Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
stuart-b said:
GentleFellow said:
NRS,
Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
You are seriously going to drive that? Hats off to you, but that's bloody mental. Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
Worth dropping by a place called Lofoten up here if your plans change a bit. However in Norway you certainly won't be able to keep those average speeds that high!GentleFellow said:
NRS,
Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
Are welsh beef and gwagen coming with you? Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
96mph average for 18 hrs a day, for 14 days? That's about 25000 miles then?
Btw, interesting profile statement!! Wtf?
t replies.s p a c e m a n said:
You're mental, why no ferry from Bergen or something?
This. Bergen to Newcastle then up the the A696 & A68.
Edited again. I've just noticed you can actually go from Bergen to Lerwick on the Shetland Isles & straight on to Aberdeen. Might work out cheaper.
Edit. Also I must admit I didn't have my glasses on so looked at the thread title & assumed it was about illegal immigration or similar.
Edited by mygoldfishbowl on Monday 9th September 05:36
I did a trip to Norway with some friends last year and in doing the planning found that there are no longer any direct ferries from England to Norway. Hence we went from Harwich to Esbjerg and then Hirtshals to Kristiansand. On the return we chose Oslo to Frederikhavn and then drove to the Eurotunnel.
Good luck NRS with your trip: I remember Trollstigen (it was raining ) and like many roads badly infected with camper vans. Some mad, mad tunnels though!!
Next year proposal is to drive to Nordkapp via a ferry from Rostock (Germany) to Helsinki, a short diversion to St Petersburg, then North through Finland, visit Nordkapp and then drive back South through Norway.
Good luck NRS with your trip: I remember Trollstigen (it was raining
) and like many roads badly infected with camper vans. Some mad, mad tunnels though!!Next year proposal is to drive to Nordkapp via a ferry from Rostock (Germany) to Helsinki, a short diversion to St Petersburg, then North through Finland, visit Nordkapp and then drive back South through Norway.
GentleFellow said:
NRS,
Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
Wow, I drove to Ghana last may from london. That took 14 days and flew back and we were on the major coastal west rd. Not sure you are going to make africa and back in 2 weeks let alone drive to russia afterwards. We drove at 70mph all day where we could on the major road til Mauritania, from sunrise (6-7am) til sunset (7-10pm depending on the day and destination) if you try and drive at those speeds once it is dark you will have a major accident, Africa is mental.Good luck funny you should mention this because i've just taken 2 weeks off work (self employed) and am taking vogue on this road journey as its my 2 year anniversary of my stag and me and the boys (56 of us in total) are taking our runabouts on pooddle from london to vladivostok (where stag was) (yes wife accepts she is p.s: 23 year old vladivostokovian (dont ask how met (oil) and no no photos!!). we're hoping to try our toys out in arctic too after trying out a few 'soviet toys' in Central african republic on a bazooka experience me mates booked grinning smiley. if/should avergae 96mph and, put, in 18 hour-days behind la wheel so expecting to make it there in shy of 14 days.
96mph average will be interesting as we got done 3 times for speeding in the sahara 100kms from anything! Check points and boarder crossings will blow you average well out of the water let alone the donkeys and carts on the road. Expect to wait anything from 2-8 hrs to cross a boarder depending on the mood of the staff on them, don't forget you have to do it twice, outgoing and then incoming each boarder, also research what times to arrive at boarders. You can arrive at one side in time but find the other side has shut by the time you get through. We generally tried to arrive within 100 miles of the boarder the day before and set off at first light.
We got pulled up to the mali crossing to find a 15 mile queue of trucks, some of the truckers near the front had waiting 5 days. Do you have visas inplace already? if not I would seriously consider adjusting how long you think it is going to take or you might find yourself either dumping the car in africa and shipping it back or turning round during.
Either way would love to see a write up on the trip at the end though, we decided against a central route for speed and safety, would love to have seen what it was like though.
Edited to add: scratch that, impossible, just shown some of the guys who I did the trip with, ended up just laughing at the ideal. I doubt you will make it to central africa let alone turn around in 2 weeks. Russia as well, got to be a wind up.
Edited by Tampon on Monday 9th September 09:16
Edited by Tampon on Monday 9th September 09:21
The Crack Fox said:
There is a direct ferry, from Immingham to Larvik or Brevik (I forget which), I think it is DFDS Tor lines, cost about £350 one way. The return leg (Norway to UK) goes via Gothenburg.
How do I know this ? Google "f*ck Ryanair, get yourself a Jag"
Sorry, forgot that one. We did look at it (DFDS to Brevik) but it's mainly for freight traffic: they do accept cars but on a limited basis and some of the booking conditions did not suit. How do I know this ? Google "f*ck Ryanair, get yourself a Jag"
I've done something similar last year and I'd also advise you to avoid the Denmark, Germany, Holland bit as it's incredibly boring.
Speedlimits in Norway weren't too bad if you stay off the main roads and traffic cameras are announced well in advance anyway.
Oslo, Lillehammer and Copenhagen are worth a visit, Bergen not so much. Can't comment on the Trollstigen pass as it was closed in December (and we failed to unlock the gate
)
Speedlimits in Norway weren't too bad if you stay off the main roads and traffic cameras are announced well in advance anyway.
Oslo, Lillehammer and Copenhagen are worth a visit, Bergen not so much. Can't comment on the Trollstigen pass as it was closed in December (and we failed to unlock the gate
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