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Hi folks,
First time poster (but long-time lurker) so please be gentle. 😉
I've got the opportunity this year of taking a few weeks over the summer and cycling to Nordkapp (via ferry to the Hook of Holland). I know Nordkapp isn't the most prepossessing place, but cycling through Scandinavia to the "John O'Groats of Europe" is something I'd like to tick off the list (and I'd like to experience summer in the arctic circle). Doing the Full Monty to Tarifa isn't really on the cards this year though. I'll be on a touring bike (well, Spa Cycles Adventure bike) with panniers, tent etc.
One problem, I haven't solved yet, is getting home. Whilst I've wrangled a touring bike and panniers on and off trains in the past, it's not my definition of relaxing so, ideally, I'd like to courier/freight the bike and camping gear back to the UK (having cycled to somewhere like Kiruna where there's a station and where I should, hopefully, be able to find a bike box), buy a cheap daypack for the essentials and travel back on the train unencumbered -- maybe stopping for a day or two in Copenhagen or Hamburg.
Has anyone shipped a bike and kit this way and, if so, do they have any advice? I've had a couple of firms suggested to me (Sendmybag and Sendbike) but the comments on here about them aren't entirely encouraging. Should I be looking at someone like Pickfords? I'm not bothered how long delivery takes (in fact, slower would be a plus as I'd be more likely to be home to take receipt).
How hard was it to get a firm to collect from somewhere that's not your home (e.g. a bike shop, drop-off point or hotel/AirBnB)? Any firms to recommend? Did you hit any customs/import/paperwork issues (I realise that a lot will have changed this year)?
Any advice from people who've ridden to Nordkapp on how they got home would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Pesto
If you can box it, can't you just use a regular courier company (UPS or DHL, for instance)? Can't imagine it would be cheap though...
I looked into this and it was horrendously expensive to courier. I think you will also find trains in mainland europe much more accommodating.
Any advice from people who’ve ridden to Nordkapp on how they got home would be appreciated.
We rode - via Greece 😉
cycle to Alta and fly home
No idea on how you'll get back, but the trip sounds amazing. Let's have some more details 🙂
There is a bike/bus shipping thing that locals do. They deliver and collect bikes (boxed) and people from the nearest bus station.
Try asking on something like happyride.se as the last time i looked into this was 10+ years ago planning an end to end of sweden/norway.
Can you chuck it on the Hurtigruten? They might do onward shipping from Bergen too.
Linked page shows number to call for unaccompanied freight (Google automatically translated from Norwegian). I did a day long stint on the boat to get back to Bergen when I was a student. That boat carries everything and anything.
https://www.hurtigruten.no/sider/lokaltransport/
My wife took the Hertigruten back to Tromso, and flew back to the UK from there with Wideroe - they don't require you to box your bike.
Thanks everyone! Some food for thought here. I hadn't heard of the Hurtigruten (or thought of a ship for that matter) and will have to look into that. I wonder if I can find a cruise ship that returns to the UK. 😉 Will also have a look at Wideroe. A lot of what I've read on european/scandinavian trains is paradoxical: on the one hand they're all fantastic bicycle cultures with amazing cycle facilities but on the other you read about your bike travelling on a different train to you etc. More research needed!
@stanley: I got the idea from looking at the EuroVelo site where the Atlantic Way starts in Scotland and tracks up the coast of Norway. My idea is to get the ferry across to the Hook of Holland and cycle towards Hamburg then up through Denmark.
I wanted to cycle across the Copenhagen to Malmo bridge ("The Bridge") but like a lot of these mega-structures there's no facility made for cyclists so I'd have to use the train (the Afsluitdijk is closed to cycles at the moment as well 🙁 ) so will head up to Frederikshavn and get the ferry across to Gothenburg.
From there it's a looong wend up through Sweden -- probably heading for Umea (using the route plotter from cycle.travel -- along what I think is the EV7 Sun Route). Hopefully I'll be somewhere interesting for Midsummer's Day (insert your own stuffed bear joke here). Sweden, Norway and Finland all allow wild camping pretty much anywhere and there is abundant water sources so, as long as I have food, I can nip up a forest road and won't need to worry about reaching a town every day. From the top of Sweden, cross into Finland and then Norway heading for Nordkapp. Hopefully the motor home drivers won't be too bad (put me off trying the NCN500). Not looking forward to the tunnel to get onto the island of Mageroya (I hate cycling through tunnels). I'm estimating six weeks plus to get to Nordkapp from the H of H.
Currently splurging on a new pair of dynamo wheels from Spa and I need to get a quilt sorted from somewhere (seem to be hard-ish to get in the UK). I'm debating getting a camping chair to take but am trying to avoid the overloaded euro-tourist look. I think I will also need to buy a Trangia to avoid being arrested for using another brand of stove in Sweden.
Get the helinox chair zero. Its a complete game changer, really wished we had them on our previous long tour. We even take them on day rides on the tandem now! Weigh very little, take up little space and so much nicer than sitting on the floor in the evening to eat.
We are currently planning nordkapp 2024 for the tandem, so following with interest! Our current plan is to start in Oslo and fly back to there from Alta.
That trip sounds great.
Helinox Chair Zero... I've just been looking at those. Torn between the standard one and the High Back version. High Back is a little heavier and longer pack length, but felt sturdier and a bit more comfortable; I could just about lounge in it. Or go for the standard for minimal weight, pack size and cost? Hmmmm.
Definitely a good idea though 👍
I work regularly in Finnish Lapland and also parts of northern Sweden. Without wanting to put you off, from mid-June to late August the mozzies are absolutely brutal. Maybe the wind will keep them away along the Norwegian coast but inland they are a persistent annoyance. Having said that, I’m very jealous of you.
Second the Finnish mozzie warning, they're like sparrows and will eat you alive. They managed to bite through socks, tracky bottoms etc and a decent headnet is a must. We camped on sites wherever possible for showers mainly. They had mokkis for hire - little self contained sheds with bunks, cooking hotplate etc and keep you away from the mozzies. IIRC, they cost about the same as 2 peoples campsite fees. Might be an option though obviously more £'s than wild camping. We wild camped in Finland for 1 night and got eaten alive.
The mosquitos aren't that bad. Use repellent, sensible clothing, do not camp in bushes and keep tent doors closed and they are only a minor issue. 🙂
There are a few other flying annoyances as well, horse flys and black flys (takes bites) and small black fly which burns but they come usually later in July.
Not experienced the mozzies, but non biting black fly are a total menace when I’ve been out walking in the summer - some of my photos look like they’ve been irradiated there’s that much visual noise generated.
If yer in a tent, take face masks as the 24/7 daylight does odd things to your brain otherwise.
As above, Hurtigruten to tromsø (18hrs?) then fly to Oslo with widerø, SAS or Norwegian. You can go TOS-Bergen but the onward options are much more limited.