Driving to the Arctic Circle - advice required from our Scandinavian friends!

[Andy BB]

Hi folks - am seriously considering a drive to the Arctic circle in early 2014 (as a trial run before doing it in 2015 on a motorcycle/sidecar outfit). Intention is to camp as often as possible, and I have pretty much all the necessary gear for this (I think!)

Initial plan is to drive via France etc to Gothenburg, and make my way up from there (either via Sweden or Norway).

Looking for interesting places to camp (will have pulk, so don't mind a few km hike from the car)

Anyone have any ideas, or other thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[Goatboy]

Oh you'll be needing the BMW bike we were talking about over on the Joan of Arc Day thread...

Pa I may have changed my mind about BMW Bikes!


ca. 1936

The "Schneekrad" prototype snow machine was built by BMW engineer Riemerschmidt, using a BMW R-12 engine in a "Gleitkettenkraftrad" or "slip-chain" motorcycle design and a Steib TR-500 sidecar. The diagram appears to be completely infeasible unless there are two separate tracks with the operator mounted between them: yet the photos appear to show a single track which runs beneath the rider and fuel tank. Most likely Riemerschmidt was simply experimenting with the design using whatever pieces were at hand rather than demonstrating a finished prototype.​

Last edited by Goatboy; Yesterday at 13:15.

Sorry I'm sure someone serious will be along in a minute, just love the look of that thing.

What time of year would you be thinking of attempting it? Do you have a fair bit of cold weather experience? Would also be worth talking to the Sub-Zero crew on here too.

Look forward to your planning and any help I can offer.

ATB,
GB.​

 

[ammo]

Definitely a case of the journey being more than the destination. That will be some adventure.

 

[Andy BB]

Yes, I've done bike rallies in the past that got down to -20C (Elefantentreffen etc), and camped in the Norwegian forest in early January this year, with gear than would have dealt quite comfortably with much lower temps. Probably looking to go early February or late January, as there'll be a bit more light then.

 

[Skaukraft]

As you are probably aware of, the main roads and most of the smaller roads in Norway are salted in absurdum. As long as the temperatures are between 0 an -15'C you have to expect to drive in salt slurry. They use salt in Sweden to, but not the absurde amounts as in Norway (300000 tonnes last winter, and it is developing into one of the largest government supported environmental disasters ever).
I would recommend to drive through Sweden until you get to Östersund, and head west/north west to Norway from there, at least when on a motorcycle.
There are literary thousands of nice places to see/visit. To recommend only a few is difficult.

 

[Andy BB]

Thanks for that. Are there any decent maps for Sweden and Norway showing parking places with access to camping spaces, particularly in winter? Or shall I do what I normally do - wing it!

 

[Martti]

Things that I really recommend having with you:

- Proper winter tires (Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 was the winner of this year's Finnish tests).
- Snow shovel for clearing the vehicle after a night of snowing or after driving into a ditch.
- Jumper cables in case the battery goes dead overnight. However, you might want to check if the particular manufacturer of the vehicle recommends using them at all.

 

[Wayne]

I have done it at few times. It's a long long way. Allow yourself 2-3 days for the Sweden leg. You will need winter tyres I have never needed chains and I have gone seriously off the beaten track on blizzards. Beware the road trains the think they own the road and generally they do.

Another option would be to put your car on the train so you have more time to explore the arctic. My favourite destination.

 

[Twodogs]

This is worth a read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Norways-Arc...38932&sr=1-1&keywords=norway's+arctic+highway

 

[Andy BB]

This is worth a read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Norways-Arc...38932&sr=1-1&keywords=norway's+arctic+highway

Looks great (apart from the price - £45 for a paperback!) However, it says it assumes that you'll be driving in Summer, as surely no-one would want to go in the depths of winter

 

[johnboe522]

Hi folks - am seriously considering a drive to the Arctic circle in early 2014 (as a trial run before doing it in 2015 on a motorcycle/sidecar outfit). Intention is to camp as often as possible, and I have pretty much all the necessary gear for this (I think!)

Initial plan is to drive via France etc to Gothenburg, and make my way up from there (either via Sweden or Norway).

Looking for interesting places to camp (will have pulk, so don't mind a few km hike from the car)

Anyone have any ideas, or other thoughts?

Thanks.

My uncle has just finished the same trip on a bike pm me if you would like me to put you in touch with him he would be happy to help or advise you.

 

[Andy BB]

Things that I really recommend having with you:

- Proper winter tires (Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 was the winner of this year's Finnish tests).
- Snow shovel for clearing the vehicle after a night of snowing or after driving into a ditch.
- Jumper cables in case the battery goes dead overnight. However, you might want to check if the particular manufacturer of the vehicle recommends using them at all.

Thanks Martti.

I have a 4x4 with new(ish) M&S tyres. True, not specialist winter tyres, but they seem to have good reports about their performance in snow. I'll probably take chains with me just in case.
Snow-shovel - check! (and I'll probably pack a couple of pieces of carpet to help in those especially-difficult moments....)
Jumper cables - check. Will probably also take a back-up battery/starter just in case....

 

[Andy BB]

My uncle has just finished the same trip on a bike pm me if you would like me to put you in touch with him he would be happy to help or advise you.

Cheers John - sounds interesting! Although this first trip will be on four wheels, allowing me to take a totally excessive amount of kit and supplies (as usual) and figure out what is surplus to requirements an what is totally essential when I do it again on a sidecar outfit! Will also give me a chance to test out various bits of gear in really low temps. I also want to try out things like sleeping in the snow using just my Jervens bag (and probably a sleeping bag inside that) to see if it really works in those circumstances, with the option of having a nice tent with woodburning stove (or even the car) to fall back on in case it doesn't do the job.

 

[Andy BB]

I have done it at few times. It's a long long way. Allow yourself 2-3 days for the Sweden leg. You will need winter tyres I have never needed chains and I have gone seriously off the beaten track on blizzards. Beware the road trains the think they own the road and generally they do.

Another option would be to put your car on the train so you have more time to explore the arctic. My favourite destination.

Yup - looks like its about 1500 miles from Calais to Ostersund, with probably another 500 miles up to the top of Norway (although I may not necessarily go that far - just need to get inside the Arctic Circle this trip!) Car-train is worth a thought though, although I think I'd prefer to drive, particularly bearing in mind the probable cost of putting the car on a train!

 

[Skaukraft]

New(ish) M+S tires are good for driving back and forth to the grocery store.
But they are close to useless on ice and hard packed snow, and they don't steer well in 15 cm of new snow either. I used to have M+S tires on my Pajero. Good enough for gravel and dirt, but not good winter tires at all. I think some proper tires will prove to be a good investment.
Also be aware that the minimum allowed pattern depth on tires are 3,5 mm in the winter months (at least in Norway, but I belive it is close to the same in Sweden).

 

[Andy BB]

When I say new-ish, I mean two have 2,000 miles on them, and 2 have 200 miles on them. Minimum tread won't be a problem!

I take your point about "genuine" winter tyres - possibly even studded (which I will probably get for my motorcycle/sidecar trip) - but maybe I'll get a chance to try them out in some now here in the UK before the trip - and from all the reports I have found on them, they seem to have a good reputation in the snow and ice anyway, particularly in Switzerland (which admittedly isn't in the Arctic Circle, but lots of hills an plenty of snow there!). To be honest, its one expense I'm hoping to avoid, and added to the availability of high and low ratio 4x4 and chains, will hopefully do the job. However, common sense might step in and see me spending a fortune on proper winter tyres anyway!

 

[Mesquite]

Yup - looks like its about 1500 miles from Calais to Ostersund, with probably another 500 miles up to the top of Norway (although I may not necessarily go that far - just need to get inside the Arctic Circle this trip!) Car-train is worth a thought though, although I think I'd prefer to drive, particularly bearing in mind the probable cost of putting the car on a train!

If you hang on until April you could take the new ferry to Norway Andy

 

[Andy BB]

If you hang on until April you could take the new ferry to Norway Andy

Thats really good news, but will probably come too late for this first trip - but definitely a plus for the next trip on the sidecar outfit.

However, just checked their accounts - with a capital value of £12, and the company only incorporated for a year, I think I'll believe this when I see it in action!

 

[d.s.k.]

First of all, we wish you welcome to Norway!
Traveling in some of this areas may wary a lot from year to year depending of the weather. Even the main roads may sometimes be closed for far weeks if the weather becomes to bad. In the mountains the the snow may make walls of several meters high, and parking will just be impossible. The road authorities keeps you informed at internet: http://www.vegvesen.no/en/Home
Most toll roads are free for MC driving.
It is special requirements for winter tires in Norway, a limited number of steel dubs are allowed within some other limits. (I guess these are equal to Swedish rules)
Regurlary winter closed roads (Info from 1912)

Road	From-to	closes month	opens month
E69	Skarsvåg–Nordkapp	10	04
Fv. 13	Gaularfjellet	12	05
Fv. 51	Valdresflye	12	04
Fv. 55	Sognefjellet	11	05
Fv. 63	Geiranger–Langvatn	11	05
Fv. 63	Trollstigen	10	05
Fv.252	Tyin–Eidsbugarden	10	06
Fv.258	Gamle Strynefjellsveg	10	06
Fv. 520	Hellandsbygd–Røldal	11	06
Fv. 886	Jarfjordfjellet (Vintervollen–Grense Jacobselv)	11	05
Fv. 243	Aurland–Erdal (Lærdal, Sogn og Fjordane)	11	06
Fv. 337	Brokke–Suleskard (Aust-Agder/Vest-Agder)	11	05
Fv. 341	Smelror–Hamningsberg (Finnmark)	11	05
Fv. 355	Melfjellet (Norland)	11	05

dsk

 

[baggins]

Have been trying to plan a similar trip for a few months now as well, but for next year. Good find Mesquite, the lack of a ferry form here to Norway has been a real pain when you only have limited time for a holiday.
Thanks d.s.k. what a really useful chart on general road closures.

A great thread and Andy, you must keep us up to date on how you get on. Lots of piccys please.