Norway bike trip

[tazmanian_clogdancer]

Was reading Ravers excellent trip report of the NC500 and thought I'd throw in my own from a year or so back in case it's useful to anyone heading to Norway. It's price obsessed as Norway is soo expensive and it's on blogspot.

Norway the Hotdog diaries

Day 1 After months of staring at a computer screen obsessing over routes and penny pinching ideas it’s time to get going. The mut...

arthurmomoans.blogspot.com

jubel

 

[OneTenner]

I'm suprised you didn't get a 'camping pass' (was 20EUR in 2010 and got you 15% discount at campsites) and use a tent. There are also a lot of Gite type places to stay, usually advertised online and in the filling stations.

 

[tazmanian_clogdancer]

I'm suprised you didn't get a 'camping pass' (was 20EUR in 2010 and got you 15% discount at campsites) and use a tent. There are also a lot of Gite type places to stay, usually advertised online and in the filling stations.

I did consider it but didn't want the faff every night and weigh the bike down too much and found the hytte's just slightly more expensive than a camp spot. I filled the panniers up with food but bought one of those free refill cups for brews, It really was £10 for a hotdog at some places but it's a truly magical place and well worth the money.

 

[stacker1]

I did consider it but didn't want the faff every night and weigh the bike down too much and found the hytte's just slightly more expensive than a camp spot. I filled the panniers up with food but bought one of those free refill cups for brews, It really was £10 for a hotdog at some places but it's a truly magical place and well worth the money.

Wild camping is quite popular here, you can pitch up a tent of most uncultivated land. A lot of people do it for a few days then go to a proper camp site for a shower and charge their phone.

The blog seems to think that Nokia is the currency of Norway rather than a mobile phone make.

 

[tazmanian_clogdancer]

Wild camping is quite popular here, you can pitch up a tent of most uncultivated land. A lot of people do it for a few days then go to a proper camp site for a shower and charge their phone.

The blog seems to think that Nokia is the currency of Norway rather than a mobile phone make.

yeah it was a bit of a shit joke as by the end I had so much loose currency it was hard to keep up. I think on my next trip up to the Lofoten IslandsI will camp. Take it you live there now ?

 

[OneTenner]

I did consider it but didn't want the faff every night and weigh the bike down too much and found the hytte's just slightly more expensive than a camp spot. I filled the panniers up with food but bought one of those free refill cups for brews, It really was £10 for a hotdog at some places but it's a truly magical place and well worth the money.

The other benefit of camping is not having to buy hotdogs! Buy food you can make a meal of rather than the meal itself. Unless you're buying alcohol, I don't remember it being particularly expensive in the supermarkets, filling stations can gouge you a bit for fresh bread, milk etc. It is more expensive than UK but not too bad. I think the only commercial campsites we used were in Netherlands and Denmark. Sweden, Norway and Finland was all wild camping, just make sure you know the laws relating to it and you'll be fine.

 

[stacker1]

yeah it was a bit of a shit joke as by the end I had so much loose currency it was hard to keep up. I think on my next trip up to the Lofoten IslandsI will camp. Take it you live there now ?

Yeah, its got a great welfare and social system but **** me do they pay for it.
McDs pay 160 Nok an hour (Currently 13.65 in pounds), if the wages are high, then the customers have to pay for it.

Using cash is quite rare here now, everyone (including primary school kids) use cards or their phone apps. If you come over again get a Transferwise debit card, you can use it travelling through Europe and not only will you save a lot on exchange rates you wont be carrying around a load of coins.

 

[stacker1]

The other benefit of camping is not having to buy hotdogs! Buy food you can make a meal of rather than the meal itself. Unless you're buying alcohol, I don't remember it being particularly expensive in the supermarkets, filling stations can gouge you a bit for fresh bread, milk etc. It is more expensive than UK but not too bad. I think the only commercial campsites we used were in Netherlands and Denmark. Sweden, Norway and Finland was all wild camping, just make sure you know the laws relating to it and you'll be fine.

Only one shop in a town will sell alcohol over 4.7%, its called Vinmonopolet. Its opening hours are 10 to 6 on a weekday, 10 to 3 on a Saturday and you shit out on a Sunday and bank holidays. A litre of Smirnoff vodka is about 35 to 45 quid depending on the exchange rate.
Supermarkets flog weak beer at about 3 quid a tin. They stop selling it at 8pm on a week day and 6pm on a Saturday and you also shit out on a sunday.
The food in supermarkets is expensive compared to the UK.

You can generally camp on any uncultivated land in Norway (Even private) for two days per pitch so long as you aren't within 150 metres of a house. Although they do make some exceptions if the area is getting trashed or they are hunting reindeer.

You can fish freely in any salt water in Norway and forage from most mushrooms and berries on public land.

 

[OneTenner]

Only one shop in a town will sell alcohol over 4.7%, its called Vinmonopolet. Its opening hours are 10 to 6 on a weekday, 10 to 3 on a Saturday and you shit out on a Sunday and bank holidays. A litre of Smirnoff vodka is about 35 to 45 quid depending on the exchange rate.
Supermarkets flog weak beer at about 3 quid a tin. They stop selling it at 8pm on a week day and 6pm on a Saturday and you also shit out on a sunday.
The food in supermarkets is expensive compared to the UK.

You can generally camp on any uncultivated land in Norway (Even private) for two days per pitch so long as you aren't within 150 metres of a house. Although they do make some exceptions if the area is getting trashed or they are hunting reindeer.

You can fish freely in any salt water in Norway and forage from most mushrooms and berries on public land.

Pretty much as I remember it - isn't there something about not crossing into fenced areas? - also offroad driving is verboten except during winter months as I recall. I know it's not an option for residents but I always made sure my bags or the car was well stocked up with spirits before i went anywhere Scandi, some of it as gifts for hosts - which was always well received and ensured we were well looked after whilst there!
I did some work there a few years ago on some of the small sewage treatment plants they have in small communes, we stayed in some cabins which were owned by a roadside cafe, we did a deal with them by foregoing the breakfast the client had agreed to pay for along with the packed lunches (never liked brown cheese anyway!) and got two bottles of lager each at night, plus the bottles of Gin we brought over on the flight

 

[supermatelot]

Only one shop in a town will sell alcohol over 4.7%, its called Vinmonopolet. Its opening hours are 10 to 6 on a weekday, 10 to 3 on a Saturday and you shit out on a Sunday and bank holidays. A litre of Smirnoff vodka is about 35 to 45 quid depending on the exchange rate.
Supermarkets flog weak beer at about 3 quid a tin. They stop selling it at 8pm on a week day and 6pm on a Saturday and you also shit out on a sunday.
The food in supermarkets is expensive compared to the UK.

You can generally camp on any uncultivated land in Norway (Even private) for two days per pitch so long as you aren't within 150 metres of a house. Although they do make some exceptions if the area is getting trashed or they are hunting reindeer.

You can fish freely in any salt water in Norway and forage from most mushrooms and berries on public land.

How the feck did our resident contrarian come about to be 'our man on the ground' in Scandyhooligan land?

Norsk eh...? Feckin simple reading & writing but..aurally...you chose your dialect yet?...feck that

Gen question btw...what you doing there?

 

[stacker1]

Pretty much as I remember it - isn't there something about not crossing into fenced areas? - also offroad driving is verboten except during winter months as I recall. I know it's not an option for residents but I always made sure my bags or the car was well stocked up with spirits before i went anywhere Scandi, some of it as gifts for hosts - which was always well received and ensured we were well looked after whilst there!
I did some work there a few years ago on some of the small sewage treatment plants they have in small communes, we stayed in some cabins which were owned by a roadside cafe, we did a deal with them by foregoing the breakfast the client had agreed to pay for along with the packed lunches (never liked brown cheese anyway!) and got two bottles of lager each at night, plus the bottles of Gin we brought over on the flight

Yep you cant climb over fences, but almost none of it is fenced in unless its very dangerous, has animals or they want to give it a chance to regrow.
As far as I know they don't allow any off road driving without permission, they are happy that people walk where they want, not so much drive where they want. ( Even in towns and cities they have a road toll scheme that can cost up to 150-170 quid a month).
The plus side of the high costs is that you rather see chav scum ruining the place. They have to stick to Blackpool or Benidorm.

 

[SKJOLD]

For sheer scenic beauty, coupled with riding pleasure. Norway is a Bike packers paradise.
Ride sensibly and within your limits and I'm sure you'll have many great memories too tell. Overconfidence, lack of road awareness and you will be dead! The E16 between Bergen and Voss is not called "The Death Road" for nothing.
Yes, its is expensive too live here. The positives though, far outweigh the negatives.
£10 for a hot dog(Jeez holy t1tty fook!!! ) , next time buy a one time use grill, an eight pack of "grille pølse" (grilling sausages) and some hot dog bread. That'll be around a tenner, but enough to feed the biker group. Buy 2 small bottles of ketchup from, Meny, Rema 1000, Kiwi or Spar. That'll do you for your weeks trip.

Disclaimer: I do not have a motor bike licence or own a bike. In no way, shape or form claim to be a "Biker". But I've been here a while, so maybe I can offer some hints and tips from my experiences here.


SK

 

[stacker1]

How the feck did our resident contrarian come about to be 'our man on the ground' in Scandyhooligan land?

Norsk eh...? Feckin simple reading & writing but..aurally...you chose your dialect yet?...feck that

Gen question btw...what you doing there?

I'm working,
The advice from Bob the big time businessman and other ex officers was telling me how hard civvie street was and what a shock Id get when Im out, turned out to be utter bollocks, I live in one of the most expensive cities in the world, have loads of holidays (50 days this year) and get paid very well.

 

[supermatelot]

I'm working,
The advice from Bob the big time businessman and other ex officers was telling me how hard civvie street was and what a shock Id get when Im, out turned out to be utter bollocks, I live in one of the most expensive cities in the world, have loads of holidays (50 days this year) and get paid very well.

Big Buisness Bob knows his Bergens ya' know