Bruce goes Viking (A McLaren in Norway)

[mikey k]

Each year we've done a euro hoon in our car, this year we fancied something a little different. We like scenery, we like good roads. A few people had recommended Norway, with a warning that is was expensive.

They weren't wrong!
Finding a route to get there was the first obstacle. No direct ferries so a 2 drive through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden was the only way. We used the tunnel and broke it up with a stop in Copenhagen.

We were warned about the speed limits and fines as well Speed limits are ~20% lower than ours and NONE of the locals get any where near it! There are loads of cameras in suburban areas, many averaging. Fines are on income.

A bit more research showed quality hotels along the route were a hard to find and bloody expensive (£300/night). We had also heard eating out was carzy money.

The distances between the stuff we wanted to do was enormous given the speed limits.

Weather is unpredictable especially in the Autumn.

Taking a McLaren 650S on a 5.5k mile trip round Norway looked like a bad idea.

After a bit more planning we decided to rent a holiday home and use it as a base.

We found a great little boat house right at the end of the longest Fjord in Norway, complete with its own boat.

Waking up to this sort of view just confirmed it

DSC01377 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

The one on the right

DSC01395 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

More details here!

http://www.fretheimhytter.com/default.asp

Flam is a strange place, only way to get there by road is one of two massive tunnels. One is 25km long with averaging cameras so all you can do it enjoy the light show.

DSC02024 (3) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

They do get a lot of cruise ships in which is a double edge sword. Noise and crowds vs excellent facilities.

One was the Fjord Safari on a high speed rib boat

We came up with a series of routes to do based on going in the opposite direction of the weather.

Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Route (200 miles)
Kvinnafossen Falls at Hella
Kjelfossen at Gudvangen
Anders - Gudvangen, Vinje, Vik, Vangnes, Hella, Leikanger, Sogndal, Lærdal
Aurlandsfjellet Snow Road over Aurland
Stegastein viewpoint
Laerdal Tunnel & Cavernslongest road tunnel in Europe)
Borgund Stave Church (& cafe) & historic route

Hardanger Tourist Route (302 miles)
Steinsdals fossen Falls (walk under falls)
Låtefossen Falls
Måbødalen valley & Vøringsfossen Falls

Ryfylke Tourist Route (470 miles - which was cut short due to delays)
Svandalsfossen Falls (20 mins plus walk up & down)
Honganvikfossen Falls
Songesand Mountain Road
Sandsfossen falls & Høsebrua Bridge with cafe


Gaularfjellet & Sognefjellet Tourist Route (397 miles - long day!)
Stalheimskleiva steepest road in N Europe lots of hairpins
Gaularfjellet TR
Utsikten Viewpoint
Likholefossen Falls & Bridge
Vallestadfossen Falls (15 mins)
Rørvikfjellet Viewpoint & Haukedalsvatnet lake
Sognefjellet TR
NEDRE OSCARSHAUG
MEFJELLET & view to Fanaråken glacier
Lom road
Tindevegen mountain road

Glacier Day (382 miles)
Nigardbreen visitor centre & walk to glacier after drving toll road
Bøyabreen glacier (v short walk to lake area)

2 Days - Trollstigen & Atlantic Road (581 miles over 2 days)
Fjellstua Viewpoint
Molde View with 22 Mountains
Sea front hotel in Molde
Askevågen Breakwater viewpoint
Atlantic Road Tourist Route
GEITØYA Island (15 mins)
MYRBÆRHOLMBRUA Bridge views from fishing bridges
Rom valley, mountain & cliffs
Troll Ladder & Stigfossen falls with cafe & view point
Gudbrandsjuvet Gorge

Geirangerfjord Area (362 miles another long day!)
Guard Stone TR (Gamle Strynefjellsvegen)
Hjelle (great views and little petrol station)
Øvstefoss Falls
Videfossen Falls
Old Strynefjell Road “Ash road”
Trollstigen TR
Dalsnibba Mountain Plateau
Knuten (the knot
Flydalsjuvet Gorge
Ørnevegen view point

Its easy to under estimate the distances especially with an average speed of 32 mph (in a McLaren!)
That's not as bad as it sounds. In the built up areas to join the queues with the locals. When you get in to the rural areas its game on and a lot of fun!

Edited by mikey k on Sunday 25th September 16:05

[mikey k]

Aurland is a fantastic area. High mountains, deep Fjords, long tunnels and weird roads

Loved this Stave Church both high technology in their time , just 800 years between them!

DSC01339 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Its like the Alps on steroids!

DSC01310 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Steepest "paved" road in Europe apparently

DSC01607 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC01616 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC01637 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Edited by mikey k on Sunday 25th September 16:06

[mikey k]

bobbo89 said:

Sure you weren't in Australia?

bd iphone duly removed

[mikey k]

The Norwegians really do know how to do engineering and architecture!

The trolls Ladder

Untitled by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

A public toilet in the middle of nowhere hanging off the edge of a water fall with a glass floor and wall

Untitled by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Again middle of nowhere a glass viewing platform looking out to the Atlantic

DSC01780 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

No quite complete but this ampitheatre hung off the top of a mountain!

DSC02078 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

A viewing device made from glass at the top of a mountain DSC02373 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

A roundabout in a tunnel! Never seen that before

DSC01530 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

[mikey k]

g3org3y said:

Thanks for taking the time to share. Some great photos.

Norway has been on my driving 'to do' list for a while. Given the speed limits and strict enforcement, as a 'driving experience/holiday', was it enjoyable (especially given your rather rapid choice of vehicle)?

Once you get out of the urban areas its a great drive. You do need to factor in the tunnels, ferries and road works that will delay you.
The speed limits are "tight" BUT we same 4 coppers in 5.5k miles and not one took a second glance at us.

It was fantastic once you accept the average speeds, the cost of food and the trek to get there. Fuel is about the same as here.

[mikey k]

They have the natural beauty as well

DSC01372 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC01414 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Apparently this little hamlet was used in "Frozen"

DSC01457 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

No shortage of waterfalls! Especially as it rained a bit

DSC01475 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC01547 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC02352 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

[mikey k]

The day we drove the Atlanic Road was superb, the weather was nice and not a cloud in the sky. It took an age to get up there but was worth it. We stopped in a sea front hotel looking over the "222 mountain view"

DSC01768 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

The Atlantic road is a series of bridges over small islands running up the West coast

DSC01800 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC01861 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

That's me coming over the tall boomerang shaped one

DSC01809 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Edited by mikey k on Sunday 25th September 17:17

[mikey k]

FN2TypeR said:

Lovely photos and a superb car too.

I thought some black metal band member burnt that church down in the 1990s.

Not that one but there aren't many left.

[mikey k]

The Glacier day was our fav!
Stopped off in a couple of car parks to marvel at them, the scale just doesn't come across in photos

DSC02118 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

We stopped at this one and got brave, decided to hike the the face!

DSC02176 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

Took us 3 hours there and back buy boy was it worth it!

Untitled by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

If you zoom in to this one you can just see the car in the car park and the little specs of people climbing up it

DSC02198 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC02221 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

DSC02216 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

The scale is just amazing from that glacier front down to the car park is a 1.5 hour trek!

Untitled by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

We spent the rest of the day finding glaciers to wonder at!

DSC02320 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

That's just a small selection of the photos from 2.5 weeks and 5.5k miles! I reckon it cost is ~£5k in digs, fuel, food and activities. Not too bad I reckon?

[mikey k]

NordicCrankShaft said:

I often drive Lærdal tunnel as my girlfriend has family in Odda and I have to say the first time is quite facsinating but after that it get's boring. There's a few speed traps hidden in there aswell.

Generally when there's no other traffic on the road and you know where the speed traps are driving outside the cities there are some of the best driving roads I've ever experienced. I once fried the 4 pot brakes on our Mini Cooper S coming over Hardangervegen.

Would love to know how much that trip cost you in fuel

Yep the Lærdal tunnel was a double edged sword. We used it a fair few times. Fascinating the first few times but a PITA when you have the cruise on set to 50 mph because of the averaging cameras in there. Though the alternative is a LONG way round!

Totally agree on the driving outside cities AND Hardangervegen!

[mikey k]

Cheers guys
I was a bit unsure whether it was a good idea, right up to the point we arrived in Flam
Really glad we did and I'd recommend it.
You could get the cost down by flying and hiring a car

[mikey k]

nekrum said:

Awesome - we did similar trip 4 years ago with the RS6.. that tunnel is endless, even with the disco stop areas.. Can't remember where it was but here was also a tunnel with a roundabout in it!..

Doh!..

What this one
Turn left and it suddenly comes out on to a bridge and then immediately disappears in to another tunnel the other end - nutters!

DSC01530 (2) by Mikey K 650S, on Flickr

[mikey k]

NordicCrankShaft said:

Yes turn onto the bridge and you're paying nearly £15 to cross it.....one way

Not seen the AutoPass bill yet

[mikey k]

Ken Figenus said:

Fabulous pics Mikey - you clearly have an absolutely cracking eye for framing and composition. Will gladly add to your armoury over a beer on our next hoon and twiddle some camera knobs with you! No RAW tweaks going are there?

I made it to Sweden in a TVR once - they absolutely loved the noisy car there! How was Norway with Bruce - or have they had all the joie de vivre knocked out of them (mind you I then I think of the fab Petter Solberg)

Epic journey mate

Cheers Dewi
I'm OKish with compostion, impatient with manual settings, RAW and post processing
There is a little bit of messing with brightness and contrast in jpg format on a few but that is it
Not clever enough to work it out any further!

The Norwegians were bowled over by the McLaren, it appeared on a fair few FB & instagram feeds. Mostly because its over £500k to buy over there! There is only one resident owner who lives in Oslo so they just don't see them. One guy in a VW MPV full of family nearly caused a massive pile up trying to getting front of me to take pictures

[mikey k]

Ken Figenus said:

No you are brilliant with composition - going to add some depth of field lessons and you will be making Athena posters soon mate - cant go wrong with Mclarens and Fjords after all!

I'm not going back just to retake the pics after the lessons!

[mikey k]

MajorMantra said:

Nice pics! And interesting to see somewhere I know very little about. It looks like Norway would be a good place to tour in a slow-but-fun car. (Dare I say it, MX-5?)

Yep perfect car to take in the scenery

[mikey k]

PenelopaPitstop said:

Whats the name of this location

Its called Stalheimskleiva just off the E16 near Oppheim.
Its one was from the summit so great for stopping and taking in the views!

[mikey k]

Can't believe this was exactly a year ago
Well over due another epic trip

[mikey k]

Works fine on my laptop and phone
They are embedded Flickr links
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