Nordkapp and Lofotens July 2017

Hi All.

Thought I would put up a little RR on my recent visit to Nordkapp and the Lofoten Islands.

Back in 1984 at the tender age of 22 I rode my trusty CX500 to the Artic Circle with high hopes of making it to Nordkapp but ran out of time, money and the risk of being made AWOL by the RAF (I was serving at the time).

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This year however (and after a gap of 33 years) I was determined to complete my journey with two weeks to do it!

I wanted to make some time heading north so decided on a route through Sweden up to the Kapp and return home via Lofotens and the E6 down to Oslo.

Jumped on the overnight boat from Harwich to the Hook. The Hook the next morning.

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Straight off the boat and through Holland and Germany heading for the Puttgarden to Rodbey Ferry.

Somewhere south of Hamburg.

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Made it to Puttgarden early evening. The guys on the bikes at the front where Dutch and also heading for Nordkapp but via Finland.

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Found a little Guest House just off the Ferry and the owner welcomed me with a cold beer.

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You've not been to the North Cape have you. I'de have never guessed.

Great run though, but I bet the beer was expensive.

Been looking forward to this as a preamble to my own trip to the Kapp in a few weeks time.... I'm in.

Next morning it was up with the Lark and off "Up North".

I was lucky with the weather in these early days but that was soon to change.

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Ferry to Helsingborg Sweden.

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Found another small Hotel North of Stockholm and the following morning continued my journey north.

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Next stop the Artic Circle.

Not on a CX500 this time?

The long empty Forest Roads in Sweden gave me too much time to think about wild bears entering my tent at night so I decided to book another Hotel this time at Jokkmokk (which was just over the Artic Circle). How very adventurous.

The condition of the roads (and weather) was deteriorating quickly but my spirits where high. After 33 years I was back!

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This one was stuffed thank god.

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The next morning was cold and dreary with constant rain.

I told myself to man up and prepared for the day ahead.

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Finland.

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Saw a few of these crossing the roads at time to time (lots of warning signs). These one's where in a pen or something for breeding.

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Just south of Kautokeino I stopped and rented a Hut for the night... Mozzies everywhere by now. The bastards!

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Lovely inside my little penthouse for the night.

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Mozzie graveyard.

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The locals up here think WiFi is evil...

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Found a nice spot by the lake for the evening.

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The next day added vicious side winds to the constant rain but I battled on regardless.

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North of Alta it gets pretty bleak with the Artic tundra surrounding you.

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Nearly there!

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Garmin think this is Nordkapp...

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These made me snigger a little.

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Stopped at the Hostel at Honningsvag. The next day would bring my assault on the Kapp.

I dreamt during the night that Nordkapp would be like this.

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Nothern Lights only in winter however.

Got up early to avoid the coach parties etc

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More mist with almost fog like conditions as I got higher.

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Coupled with more nasty side winds I wondered were the hell it was. Eventually the little kiosk appeared and the young lad on the desk apologised for the weather.

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Model of the Scharnhorst sunk by the Duke of York during the Battle of the North Cape in December 1943.

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Lots of nice old pictures the look at.

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Now heading south.

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Found another little Palace to sleep in south of Alta.

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The next day it was still grey and cold with more Ferry's to cross.

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I reached Narvik that evening and was praying for some decent weather as I was so looking forward to seeing the Lofoten Islands. Then suddenly late evening in Narvik (it doesn't get dark up here in Summer) the clouds departed. Ya...

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And if by magic a rose even appeared on my pillow.

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I got up to blue sky's and warm sunshine.

Part of the new bridge being built at Narvik.

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Bring it on please.

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What a stunning part of the world.

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A bit like the West Coast of Scotland. Agreed.

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Heading to Svolvaer.

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Found a nice Campsite just outside the town.

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Beer O Clock!

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I wish.

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Had a good look around the Town the next morning.

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Eventually it was time to leave so boarded the Ferry to Skutvik.

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I love Norway.

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Down the E6 now and the twisting road to the south and eventually home.

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The same spot where my photo from 1984 was taken.

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I had two great weeks but wish it could have been longer.

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Thanks for looking.

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Brilliant, thanks

Great to see you eventually got to make it to Nordkapp, congratulations
Super pictures, it looks an amazing place when under blue skies.

Looks like a great trip Tricky. I am amazed you managed it in just two weeks though, I guess going up via Sweden made it a lot quicker. We were up there about a week before you (our paths probably crossed in Germany somewhere. It took us over two weeks just to get back from Nordkapp (it took us four weeks to get there via Eastern Europe though), although we did spend a couple of days on the Lofoten Islands and at a couple of other places on the way south.

How did your tyres fare? My rear was all but worn out after about 3,500 miles when it developed a load of tiny punctures too. I got a new one fitted at Narvik for the heady sum of 2,300NoK (about £230). A few other bikers I met also had badly worn rear tyres (shoulders gone).

My Nordkapp pic (next stop Arctic sea ice) and a Lofoten pic.....

Hi Austin

I suppose going on my own helped with fairly long days riding but with nothing or nobody else to bother about actually made if quite comfortable. Plus loads of daylight and even saw some guys riding around at midnight.

I had fairly new (1k old) Anakee 3s on when I left and they are pretty much finished now. The multiple roadwork sections in some areas with long stretches of loose tar/gravel also took there toll.

Good one Tricky