Towing to and in Norway
Does anyone have experience of towing a caravan from UK to Norway and then going up the coast to explore the fjords. I've read plenty about it touring with a motor home but there's little about towing. Our caravan is a Lunar Clubman SI about 7m long and the car is a Volvo XC60
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We have indeed had a caravan to Norway several times…… 6 trips If I am remembering correctly…..1977 and 1980 in our first caravan……1999 and 2007 in our previous van……. and 2010 and 2014 in our current van, a twin axle Sterling. So as Peedee said, it is a while, but we were there this year for a month, but flying this time. I much preferred it when we took the caravan, but my home place is quite far north and it would have taken too long now we have grandparent duties.
Like most other countries, things have moved on, roads are better, campsites are better, but far more road tolls than 10 years back.
Would be good if the previous discussion(s) could be found.
I would say your route will depend on how long you have available for the trip. There are no direct ferries so first you have to get to mainland Europe then decide whether to go …….
Denmark and ferry to Norway.
Denmark and bridge to Sweden
Germany and ferry to the Danish islands and mainland then as above
Germany and ferry to southern Sweden
Good plan is to go one way and return a different way, we have used all but the first one above.
Which way you go will probably depend on where in Norway you want to go. If no further north than Trondheim then the ferry to Denmark will then give easy access to driving up the coast to Stavanger, Bergen and the most well known fjords. As we were going much further north we usually went via Sweden as the roads are better, hardly any road tolls, and campsites, fuel and food less expensive.
In 2007, when I retired we went all the way to Nordkapp via Sweden and Finland, then all the way south down the Norwegian coastal routes, visiting all the relatives en route. Distances are long, progress can be slow if using local ferries, so allow plenty of time to get between sites.
All the main roads and secondary roads are paved these days, so towing a caravan is much like towing here in Scotland, some roads are steep, some twisty, some narrow, but nothing our outfit at the time could not handle. Our tow car on the last 3 trips was a Volvo XC90, caravan in 2007 was a single axle about the same size as your Lunar.
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Presume you would be looking to hire a car? Check out the costs of that before deciding, it is quite pricey, as is fuel.
If flying, look at Norwegian, some good prices if you book well ahead
Air B&B is popular. Eating out is very expensive.
Another option would be to take your car and some basic stuff such as sleeping bags, cool box and maybe some means of cooking and eating, then on most campsites you can hire a “hytte”. These range from basic to luxurious, as does the level of equipment provided. Very popular in Norway and Sweden.
However, If you have nothing to rush home for, it sounds like you would have plenty of time to make this a memorable caravan tour, explore Denmark and Sweden as well, a couple of months or so would give you plenty of time.
The Norwegian krone has dropped a lot in value in the past couple of years, so your money will go a lot further than previously.
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@Graham1981 If you don't take the caravan have you considered a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. We did this about 8 years ago and it was wonderful. All the Ports we stopped at had easy access, mainly walking, direct from the quayside. If you wanted to be a bit more adventurous than standard UK cruises you could fly to Bergen and take one of the Hurtigruten ships all up the coast of Norway. Just a thought.
David
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Thanks to all for the replies and especially @KjellNN for such detail. It's nearly 20 years since i last towed abroad so I'm trying to decide whether to fly and airbnb or take the caravan. As we're both retired we could be away for several weeks. It has been helpful to know what the possible routes.are. I'm tempted to take the caravan but suspect flying would be the easier option.
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Thanks @DavidKlyne . We have considered a cruise and discussed it with others who have done it but think that at least for the time being it's not for us. Having had the independence of caravanning for most of our lives it would be a big adjustment to have to follow an itinerary set by someone else!
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I wouldn't dismiss cruising too hastely. On most ships the only itinerary that is controlled is where it docks on the cruise and for how long. You are free to do as you like on board (within reason), eat when you like and where, participate in activities or just chill out, and when you go ashore you do not have to join a tour, you are free to go do as you like and go where you wish. All you have to do is make sure you are back onboard before the ship sails for the next port or fjord.
peedee
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@Graham1981 The nearest we got to Scandinavia with our caravan was the Baltic Coast of Germany. I don't know how much time you intend to take for this trip but I would certainly think that you would need two months to do justice? Especially if you wanted to include Demark and Sweden in the tour. Be interesting to know what Kj and Peedee think of that time frame. If the purpose of the trip was just to see the Fjords I am not sure you will see the majesty of the scenery from the shore. Hence the suggestion of a cruise. As Peedee points out you have a lot of freedom on what you do when on a cruise and you get the advantage stopping right in the Ports.
David
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With respect to time frames, if driving from Calais and back I think the minimum would be two months. Its a long way to go for anything less. We drove there from Calais but came back on the Bergen- Newcastle ferry which unfortunately is no longer running. Our furtherest point travelled north was Narvik from where we headed to the Lofoten Islands. We had no interest in going as far as Nord Kap having cruised there a few years before. If you want to read more detail see my blog >here< On the same web site you can also read about our cruises to Norway >here<
peedee
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I would agree with Peedee, at least 2 months would be needed for an extended tour, in the past we have used 3 months and 4 months, but that includes periods spent with relatives. When Caravanning abroad since retiring, we worked on the basis that as it was a long way to go, and a significant spend, we should make the journey part of the holiday and not just rush straight to our destination, or rush home again.
Other than having booked the ferries, we had no fixed itinerary, or route. One time, 1999 I think, we ended up visiting Berlin on our way home from Norway.
We have crossed to Calais, that was a very long drive! We have also used Harwich to Holland, a good price, and Hull to Rotterdam, least driving for us but quite pricey.
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Having toured ten countries with a caravan and ten others without I am wondering which of those two ways I would use to tour Norway.
The sheer time, trouble, cost, distance and effort of getting there with a caravan would be my own deciding factor. I know I could fly from London to Oslo in May for a mere £50 return (yes return) and it would only take two hours each way. Decision done.
Then from Oslo it would be our usual mix and match of trains and buses., and even though the full cruise ride up the entire coast would frustrate me, travelling from A to B by ship, stopping for a couple of days and then repeating would be an absolute must as well.
Accommodation? No idea, but will buy a copy of Lonely Planet tomorrow.
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Via the Red Cross.
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