After a peaceful dog walk on Monday morning to the river outside the campsite and the Giftesteinen https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/the-marriage-stone-virgin-stone/3573/ the tour buses arrived – by 09:00 I had counted 11, so glad I was up early enough to appreciate it. Albi wasn’t too impressed when I put him in the river though – it was a very hot morning, and unlike most dogs, he doesn’t like getting wet!
We set off, continuing to follow the route Ditsy Daisy Sat Nav had led us on the previous day and found ourselves at the Cruise Ferry Terminal to Geiranger, in Hellesylt. We duly paid the fare as it would have cost about the same to retreat and follow the road. This ferry trip was like none we’ve ever been on before. It was an actual cruise down the Fjord to Geiranger. The sun was shining and Geirangerfjorden looked stunning. We had been on a tour of the fjord when we were here last time but the weather was cold and damp, and there was a lot of mist and drizzle.
When we disembarked at Geiranger, we chose not to stay there as it was heaving – all the campsites were full and there were two cruise liners docked. We heeded up the Eagles Road – there is video footage on our facebook page. Then we started to follow Ditsy Daisy to the Trollsteigen Pass – but she wanted us to go on a different route to the map, so she was turned off and the map won. We still don’t know what the issue was – we’ve checked the settings and we’ve inputted our details correctly, but….! The route we did take was also used by tour buses, local buses and lorries – all of which are bigger than us! The route down from Trollsteigen is amazing and we have video footage on our Facebook page.
We stopped the night in a pretty village on Isfjord at Romsdalseggen Camping outside Åndalsnes. The next day we started to think about going north and using our old itinerary, headed for Trondheim. We wanted to revisit the Arctic Circle Centre and take photos as we had with our previous campervan.
We stayed just outside Trondheim, on a lovely campsite in Levanger, called Gullberget Camping. We read a lovely review about our first month posted by Etrusco UK and a post by MMM about the motorhome we’ve been given – you can read it here if you want! https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/motorhome-review-etrusco-t-7400-qbc-motorhome/997643
We then went further north to Mosjøen and stayed at the same campsite we had before – if you are intending to travel up to the Arctic Circle Centre and back, we would definitely recommend staying here – they even have Hytte to rent there. Last time we stayed there and travelled up and back, but this time our adventure is taking us North so we packed up and set off towards the Polarsirkelen – Arctic Circle Centre.
En-route we wanted to top up our LPG for the Gaslow system and checking the app it said there was a garage locally – but no, so off we set to Mo I Rana, where there was one, but not where the app said – its actually at the Bilxtra Shop and not the Esso garage. Once there we got out the European connector but NO. It needs a Norweigan connection, luckily they will loan you one in the shop – so all ok and we set off on our trip. A few miles later we were stuck in a traffic jam for road works, what we’ll never know but they are building a new tunnel and bridges on the E6 north as well as upgrading the road so it could have been anything.
Eventually, we arrived at the Arctic Circle Centre and thinking it was going to be really busy, braced ourselves as we entered the car park, but there were no crowds, a few cars and tourists. We took the photos, went inside the centre and then continued North. We had intended to return to Mo I Rana and take the quieter and scenic route but with the roadworks decided to cut across further up the E6. The road we took was really pretty and we stopped for the night in Saltstraumen.
Neither of us had heard of Saltstraumen before, but when you arrive there is a lot of information about the Maelstrom. There is a tidal phenomenon where a large volume of water is pushed through a narrow opening into the Fjord or the river depending on the tide. We had missed it for the day, but it could be seen at 08:10 the next morning – dog walk sorted!
It was amazing. When we drove over it two hours later, there was nothing – it was as flat and calm as you’d expect. We do have a video on our Facebook page.
After Saltstraumen, we headed off with Ditsy Daisy giving us instructions – the wrong way. So we checked the map, again and turned around heading our way. We’re still looking how we can convince her that the fastest route is not our best way!
We stopped again further north on the edge of a fjord, in Ballangen. We discovered this was the third campsite in the same chain – Plus Camp. If you stay at these sites they have a loyalty scheme, they don’t seem to freely offer it to the English but ask. If you stay 7 nights you get a free one! The campsite has been modernised and is very nice – one of the best free showers yet.
We headed up the scenic coastal roads to Tromsø, the weather had turned decidedly colder here, despite it being sunny. On the way up into Tromsø, we met a small herd of (3) reindeer walking down the main road! We found that there was an Indian Restaurant in the town and even better you can order on line and they deliver to your pitch! It was amazingly good too!
Next, we headed even further north, we were now becoming obsessed with the sunset times as it seemed to be ridiculously short time between sunset and sunrise! Thank heavens, for blackout blinds and curtains.
We followed the General Fleischer Vei for a while and stopped at one of the monuments to the Battle of Narvik – one of the first defeats by the Germans in WWII.
We stayed the night at Storslett, at Fosselv Camping, right on the edge of the Fjord. As its sea, Ric was able to do some fishing, but the fish were elusive. He had been inspired in Saltstraumen, when we saw a man fishing off a high bridge into the river and another man walking down the bridge with a cod in his hand!
The journey north continues – Storslett is almost at the top of the map when you look at Norway – way above the UK.
It is definitely getting colder and warmer clothes are being considered. The key destination next week is the Nordkapp, the most northerly point in mainland Europe. We’ll let you know more about our progress soon.
As always, thank you for reading – have a great week Sx
Absolutely breathtaking views. And you got to the Arctic Circle! How cool.
What a great blog, a lot more interesting facts and information, very well written, looking forward to seeing and reading about your next adventure
Thank you Wendy.