Trip Archives: Northern Europe

Three months of cycling in the north of Europe in the summer of 2009. I zigzagged from southern Sweden through Sweden and Norway to the North Cape, then briefly went to Russia and ended the trip in northern Finland. Total distance cycled: pretty much exactly 7000km.

Sundsvall

Posted on July 13, 2009 by todd

Took a day off and enjoyed the sun and organic coffee in the city.

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Sundsvall – Docksta

Posted on July 14, 2009 by todd

Horrible ride along the E4 to the north towards Umeå. Most of the time there was no designated cycle path available, nor an alternative road. So I had to cycle on the highly frequented and sometimes frighteningly narrow E4.

At other times cycling on the E4 was not permitted and a marked alternative route was available. While that route went through picturesque countryside and over roads with very little traffic, it was quite hilly and about 30% longer than the direct route over the E4. Stopped exhausted and annoyed in Docksta after 150km.

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Docksta – Umeå

Posted on July 15, 2009 by todd

Conditions were slightly better than yesterday. Still I rode about 173km until I finally found Umeå’s campsite.

Met another Swiss couple there who had more or less just started their one-year cycling journey. They were about to head north towards Luleå.

One of the tent poles cracked a second time. I was out of repair stuff as the pole had cracked before, in Eidfjord. I managed to put the tent up with some help by the Swiss, but I need a better solution quickly.

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Umeå

Posted on July 16, 2009 by todd

Went to town to check with the outdoor shops about a tent repair kit that’d fit my tent, but to no avail. They didn’t have any affordable replacement tents which I knew were good and would buy on short notice either.

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Umeå

Posted on July 17, 2009 by todd

Woke up and noticed that the 2nd and 3rd tent poles had cracked once and twice, respectively, too. The tent was now virtually unusable. After the first pole had died back in Eidfjord, I’d ordered a replacement in Germany from the shop I had bought the tent from. I found an email in my inbox today telling me that they’d ship it approximately 2 weeks from now.

Checked into a cabin, frustrated.

Decided to cycle on tomorrow, and stay in cabins until I’d find a new tent. Ordered replacement poles from the tent manufacturer, too.

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Umeå – Lycksele

Posted on July 18, 2009 by todd

Set out on the E12 in a northwestish direction towards Lycksele. Crossed into Swedish Lappland around 5pm.

No cabins available at Lycksele’s campsite, so I taped the tent poles and pitched the tent anyway. Looked crappy…

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Lycksele – Storuman

Posted on July 19, 2009 by todd

Checked with the local shops about tents or repair kits. Nothing. Continued on the E12.

Stopped after 111km in Storuman and checked into a cabin. I’m still south of the Arctic Circle, so there is no real midnight sun, but it doesn’t really get dark at midnight either. The picture below doesn’t quite show that properly.

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Storuman – Tärnaby

Posted on July 20, 2009 by todd

An easy 130km ride in fine weather on the blå vägen (”blue highway”). The hills became higher today and the first peaks were covered in snow.

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Tärnaby – Mo i Rana

Posted on July 21, 2009 by todd

Last day in Sweden. The weather was still ok, if a bit chilly. A few rain-laden clouds passed by in the south but I was lucky and didn’t get wet. The road was quite flat again even though I’d expected a few steep climbs at the Norwegian-Swedish border.

Shortly after the border a new tunnel made the journey easier at the only pass — for cars only. Cyclists have to use the old road across the pass. And how lucky us cyclists can feel about that privilege! The old and deteriorated road leads across a beautiful fell!

Arrived in Mo i Rana about 40km later — after 126km in total. The local campsite was close to the noisy iron and steel mill and the hut I checked in was freaking expensive. The lack of a tent didn’t leave me with many choices, though. Asked at reception about shops that might sell tents. Got a few addresses but when I got there there were no shops there at all.

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Mo i Rana

Posted on July 22, 2009 by todd

Went to the Tourist Information and got more reliable information about places to get a tent from, and eventually bought a Hilleberg Soulo. Also asked about glacier tours to the nearby Svartisen glacier. Unfortunately, there were non scheduled for the next days and hiring a guide just for myself was well outside my budget.

There are a few caves in the area and two of them, Setergrotta and Grønligrotta, are open to the public and close to each other as well as close to the town of Mo i Rana. The last kilometer to Grønligrotta must have been the steepest climb of the journey so far (edit: it was the steepest climb of the entire journey).

Went back to the noisy campsite in the evening and pitched my new tent for the first time.

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Mo i Rana – Forøya

Posted on July 23, 2009 by todd

Left Mo in the morning and cycled west along the Ranafjorden towards the RV17, also known as Kystriksveien (the coastal highway).

Crossed the Arctic Circle on a ferry. Stopped at a campsite on the island of Forøya. It was more or less overcast and windy all day, but it didn’t rain.

Crossed the 11.000km mark (since Madagascar) somewhere along the 131km ride today.

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Forøya – Kjelling

Posted on July 24, 2009 by todd

Started on the Rv17 but had to leave it soon due to a long tunnel that’s closed for bicycles. The alternate route involves a ferry which I missed by 20 minutes. Had to wait 1.5 hours for the next one. It started to rain while I was waiting at the wharf (which lacked everything from toilet to basic shelter). Met a Norwegian couple there who’s on their way back home from their cycling island hopping vacation.

From Ørnes, where the ferry dropped me off, I cycled to Kjelling in more or less pouring rain, 86km in total. The campsite there was beautifully located next to a fjord on hilly terrain, with old wooden huts, well off the main road.

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Kjelling – Medby

Posted on July 25, 2009 by todd

Continued on Rv17 to the Saltstraumen, the strongest tidal current in the world. When I arrived it was rising tide and the current was indeed impressive!

From there I turned eastward again on Rv812 and followed it to the E6 near Nesby. Cycled 95 km today.

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Medby – Sulitjelma

Posted on July 26, 2009 by todd

Rode on the E6 to the north for a few kilometers, then I took a shortcut and turned east towards Rv830 to Sulitjelma. This shortcut involved some nasty climbs on dirt tracks.

Sulitjelma is an old mining town, and very close to the Swedish border. The mines are defunct now but one of them can be visited. Unfortunately, I was late for today’s guided tour, so I only visited the mining museum. Met a French couple on the campsite who’d done a 200km hike from Sweden to here. Also visited another mining village nearby called Jakobsbakken. Cycled 55km today.

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Sulitjelma – Bodø

Posted on July 27, 2009 by todd

Took the tour of the mine today, then rode the 111km to Bodø. About 10km from Bodø I cycled over a hill and was greeted by cool air on the other side. The fjord and Bodø in the distance had disappeared in thick fog.

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