Norway Logistics and Advice

[roubaixtuesday]

Just a thought for now, but we're starting to contemplate adventures for 2023.

Is a tour in Norway with the tandem (so flying impossible) practical and a good idea?

There's a ferry from Eemshaven in Holland to Kristiansand at the southern tip of Norway, so the plan at a glance becomes:

1. Drive to Eemshaven, park car, take tandem as foot passengers to Kristiansand
2. Do a circuit to Stavanger, through the centre and return on the coast (Eurovelo 1) - see attached from cycle.travel ~650km

Ideally, I'd like to go further north into the Fjords, but I think logistics and distances prevent this; we'd have about 2 weeks actually in Norway. A ferry looks possible Stavanger to Bergen, but by the time you've got to Stavanger already, time is likely too long to make it worthwhile I think.

We'd stay in B&Bs or similar if possible but I suspect a camping option may be essential? Don't want to have to book up the whole thing in advance.

All advice and suggestions much appreciated.

[pal]

I'm not a tandemmer, but I've toured quite a lot in Norway and I would v. recommend it. (In fact, I've been sketching out a very similar loop to yours, thinking that I might also take advantage of the new NL-NOR ferry route...)

I haven't yet looked very closely at accommodation, but my sense is that it's pretty plentiful along the south coast (though might get booked up, I guess, depending on what time of year you're planning to travel?); the top (/north) of the loop is a bit sparser, but there are a couple of DNT huts up there which look like good options, and would save having to carry a tent (unless you actively want to camp, of course...).

My (obviously highly subjective!) opinion is that you have to cycle a couple of days north of Bergen to get to the really spectacular fjords -- which is to say that I'd also be inclined to save those for a separate trip (I guess one could keep going further north, up past Odda, and then west along the Hardangerfjord; then take a boat down to Stavanger and pick up your loop again -- but then you'd miss the Lysefjord... [I didn't love the road along the Hardangerfjord, I have to say -- but on the other hand it was absolutely chucking down with rain when I was there, so I'm sure I didn't experience it at its best!])

You've probably already found this, but in case not: the cycletourer tunnel map is a very useful resource for norwegian cycle trip planning: https://www.cycletourer.co.uk/maps/tunnelmap.shtml

[Vorpal]

Tandems are fine in Norway! There are few barriers on the cycle paths & cycle ways, and those that are there are tandem friendly.

Trains and ferries generally take tandems, and many buses can, as well. I recommend using public transport to extend your touring possibilities. Bikes generally go free on ferries. On buses and trains, they are usually 1/2 an adult fare. On local trains & buses, no booking is required & you take the bike into the bus/carriage with you. On regional buses and trains, they go into the luggage compartment or a bike carriage. Regional trains generally require advance bookings for bikes.

I would recommend from Kristiansand 1 of of the 2 options below:
1) north to Larvik, cycling, train, or a combination; then,
either Numendal cycle route or a mix of train & cycling (Hallingdal route) to Geilo (note that you do need to book bike spaces on the Oslo - Bergen train), then cycle to Haugestøl
2) alternatively cycle &/or train to Oslo, then take the train to Haugestøl (must be booked in advance)

After 1 or 2 above,
-Rallarvegen to Flåm (Kritsiansand to Flåm is about 365 miles, though there are a couple of days with lots of climbing in there)
-ferry to Bergen
-from there, there are several options by train, ferry or cycling... you can cycle/ferry the coast, take a train or ferry to Stavanger, and cycle the coast from there, or cycle/ferry to Lysefjorden, take the ferry to Lysebotn, & cycle from there back to Kristiansand. It's a hell of a climb up from Lysebotn, but there are some brilliant views on that route. There is also a bus, but I don't know if it can take tandems, so you'd have to check that. Personally, I would probably opt for a bit of tourism in Bergen & take the ferry to Lysebotn, then Lysebotn - Kristiansand is 138 miles. I'd stay at Suleskard after the climb, then leave a couple of days for the rest of the trip down to Kristiansand.

Campgrounds are often busy in the school holiday period (17 June - 15 August), but outside of those times, it is seldom necessary to book ahead. Even within that period, I think that most campgrounds would be capable of squeezing another tent in, but you can always call ahead the day before, or something. There are also some free camping places in parks and public outdoor areas (friluftområd). They normally put up a no camping sign, if it isn't allowed. You can legally wild camp in Norway. There is Freedom to Roam (allmannsretten) You just need to stay at least 150 metres from buildings, not disturb crops or livestock, and not light ground fires between April & September.

Many campgrounds, and some farms, plus Det Norsk Turistforening / the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT) have cabins, 'hytte' that are cheaper than B&B or hotels, but generally have beds and access to other amenities, though the extent of that varies somewhat. For as little as £20 per night (though most are more expensive) you can get a little cabin with a heater & bunk bed, plus showers and kitchen in a nearby building. When touring, I usually carry a tent, and and supplement camping with hytte stays.

There are some other posts on here about Norway
viewtopic.php?t=77116
viewtopic.php?t=127522
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=113176

Edit for clarification: tandems are technically not allowed on some trains, and some bus companies limit the length of a bicycle (i.e. max 2 metres), however, we do use public transport with a tandem & have never been challenged. I operate on the basis of not asking, figuring I can plead ignorance if challenged. I do avoid busy & times & routes. The Oslo - Bergen train does explicitly take tandems with advanced booking.

[roubaixtuesday]

Thank you very much both for the rapid and very helpful responses.

I see the recommendations for more spectacular further north, and am attracted, but I'm not overly keen on a lot of further travel within Norway, as we'll have already done a very long drive and very long ferry to get there. Hearing that you can take tandems on trains is interesting though. I've also found that you can get a ferry to Bergen from Denmark, which opens up the more Northern parts, albeit at a cost of an even more punishing drive to start and end the holiday.

My feeling is that 600-800km is long enough for a fortnight; averaging 50km/day overall which allows for some much longer days but some days doing non-cycling things. I wouldn't fancy many days beyond 100km.

We will be there high season, most likely first two weeks of July. It sounds as though having a tent is probably essential unless booking accommodation a long way ahead?

Big hills are not a problem for us, we've low gears and have done Alpine cols up to nearly 2000m before, though wouldn't want every day to include one.

[MrsHJ]

I can only say that the Bergen Oslo train route is one of the most amazing in the world. We’ve done it a couple of times in winter. I’d love to visit in the summer and had already thought it looked a good area for cycling but I suspect much of Norway is. Vorpal really is your person for this one and is the person I’d ask first for great cycle routes in Norway. Funnily enough I’d go inland rather than for the coast I think but that’s probably because I want to return to the areas we’ve skied in the highlands,

No idea why it’s wrong way up- it’s fine in my photos. PS it’s not Holland that you are referring to- that is a region in the west of the Netherlands.

[Vorpal]

Thank you very much both for the rapid and very helpful responses.

I see the recommendations for more spectacular further north, and am attracted, but I'm not overly keen on a lot of further travel within Norway, as we'll have already done a very long drive and very long ferry to get there. Hearing that you can take tandems on trains is interesting though. I've also found that you can get a ferry to Bergen from Denmark, which opens up the more Northern parts, albeit at a cost of an even more punishing drive to start and end the holiday.

My feeling is that 600-800km is long enough for a fortnight; averaging 50km/day overall which allows for some much longer days but some days doing non-cycling things. I wouldn't fancy many days beyond 100km.

I understand that! Given your criteria, the route you have selected is probably the best one.

If you decide you want to include the train, I would recommend the following
cycle from Kristiansand to Drammen or Hønefoss
train to Haugastøl (3,5 hours)
cycle Haugastøl - Flåm
ferry Flåm - Bergen (5,5 hours)
ferry Bergen - Stavanger (5,5 hours)
cycle Stavanger - Kristiansand (either direction on the route you've posted, though my preference would be to go via Lysebotn)

We will be there high season, most likely first two weeks of July. It sounds as though having a tent is probably essential unless booking accommodation a long way ahead?

As for whether a tent is needed... Most areas, I would think that you can find something a couple of days ahead, even in high season. It just takes more work. However, there are a few areas where your choice will be limited, and those are probably both the riskiest in terms of finding a place to say, and carrying on to the next town or village. For example, between Setesdal and Suleskard, there are only a few cabins and no hotels or B&Bs, so I would think you'd need to plan that as one day, if you weren't carrying a tent. That's 40 - 50 km already with around 1000 m climbing. Although Lysebotn is downhill from there, that's realistically the next possibility, which makes it an 80 - 85 km day, instead of a 45 or 50.

So a tent would greatly improve flexibility, but possibly isn't essential.

If you want to be able to be flexible and spontaneous, or not bother with planning ahead too much, a tent is essential. Even carrying a tent, I recommend looking ahead a bit via google streetview because there are a few areas where it will be difficult to find reasonable camping, let alone a B&B, and it would be good to know those in advance.