Nordic adventure

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makno

New Member
Hello everyone, sorry for this been my first post and already requesting infos but as the departure date is approaching i'm starting the feel the tension and would like some advice from someone with more experience.
I'm planning to leave from Dorset to reach Nordkapp, top of Norway, on my hardtail mountain bike which has been serving me good for a while. The road i'm planning will take me to dover first to cross to calais and than through belgium, holland, germany, denmark, sweden, finland (just a little bit) and than norway. For some reason i don't really feel confortable with the idea of cycling for 2-3 days in germany and would like some advice on that, maybe someone can tell me about their experience (specially in the bremen-hamburg area) so i can make up my mind abount going for it or trying to take a shortcut from holland to denmark.
I'll be taking a trailer with camping equipment as i'm planning to camp around overnight so here is the second problem, will it be easy to camp around or is best to rely on hostels/b&b along the way?
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
That part of Germany will no doubt provide you (IMO) with the best cycle paths and routes, good campsites and reasonable terrain before you get to the hills of Norway.

The campsites are mostly open now, but your post doesn't say when you're going?

Germany is (IMO) up there with Holland and France as the best country in the world to cycle tour, it's just set up for it.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
makno said:
For some reason i don't really feel confortable with the idea of cycling for 2-3 days in germany and would like some advice on that, maybe someone can tell me about their experience (specially in the bremen-hamburg area) so i can make up my mind abount going for it or trying to take a shortcut from holland to denmark.
Ditto remarks from Comedy Pilot re cycling in Germany:smile:
Is it essential that you visit Bremen and Hamburg? These are ok places to cycle through, but if in a hurry I would take a more northerly route avoiding these conurbations. You can cross the Weser at Nordenham on a ferry which lands you in Bremerhaven, then up to Wischhafen for the ferry across the Elbe to Gluckstadt.
The only shortcut I am aware of would be the ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg.
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
snorri said:
Ditto remarks from Comedy Pilot re cycling in Germany:smile:
Is it essential that you visit Bremen and Hamburg? These are ok places to cycle through, but if in a hurry I would take a more northerly route avoiding these conurbations. You can cross the Weser at Nordenham on a ferry which lands you in Bremerhaven, then up to Wischhafen for the ferry across the Elbe to Gluckstadt.

+1

Besides, cities are for tourists, countryside is for travellers.
 
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makno

New Member
Well i'll be leaving in 3 weeks time, possibly 2, those ferryes were exactly what i was looking for as i much wanted to avoid bremen and hamburg. It will also be better for me as i will have to stop in amsterdam. I knew about the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry as has been used before but that would cut quite a lot of road (good on one side but that's not the point of the tour). Thanks for the replyes, this is a proper great piece of info that i needed. Is there anything in particular you would suggest to bring with me? The obvious spare tyres and inner tubes are well marked in the list along with chain and brakes/gear cables and pads. Again suggestions are much appreciated also for type of tyres to be used.
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
Tyre wise I would recommend Schwalbe for their p*ncture protection. Dutch, German, Danish and Norwegian phrase books - always helps if you speak the lingo, or at least make an effort towards it. Ipod. Hat. Sunglasses.

If you are doing Holland then northern Germany I would recommend doing the Asfluitdijk, a 30km mand made causeway that keeps the north sea out of Holland. A 'must do' for any cycle tourist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afsluitdijk
 
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makno

New Member
i was planning to do it but it seemed like a motorway from the sat images so i wasn't sure. Now i think i will hoping my camera will enjoy it ;D
As for the language i speak very very basic danish but i've been in denmark 4 times and survived so i guess i'll be able too this time. mp3 player is a must. I'm also trying to work out some system to power/recharge the mobile (as i'm using the tomtom on it) while moving. So far the best idea seems to be carrying a car battery in the trailer to use the car lighter adapter for the phone and solar panels to topup the battery on the go. Any suggestions in that respect? Also considering a bottle generator but i know that will add quite a lot of drag to the wheels
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Regarding language, I carry a Danish/English or whatever pocket dictionary for each country I visit. This helps with menus in cafes etc. personally I think phrase books are a waste of time (and bigger and heavier) as pronunciation is a problem. You can always point to the word in the dictionary if you are having difficulty expressing yourself to some foreign person.:thumbsup:
The Afsluitdijk is like a motorway, a motorway for cyclists.:thumbsdown: It is a good place for checking calibration of your cycle computer, a straight road with distance markers every 100 metres. There is an olde worlde sort of cafe in the middle to relieve the tedium.
I don't use any electronics, apart from the mileage computer, so no experience of charging systems.
I find a cheapo computer recording kilometres can be a handy accessory, I like to keep my regular computer recording in miles.
 
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makno

New Member
yes i have a small computer too just to keep track of speed (so i don't push too hard) and of mileage even if i prefer to use kilometers as i've been using them for 20 years before moving to england and start using miles.
 
Location
Midlands
agree with snorri - did it last september as far as stavanger - on my way at present to northkapp might see you in a couple too three weeks - at present at Leinz in austria - going salzburg prague hamburg - top of denmark - stockholm -turku- umea vassa bodo nothkapp
 

oysterkite

New Member
Sounds like an interesting trip - I recently did 850 miles across France on a hardtail with a trailer and camped the whole way. Regarding your need to charge your phone/ipod/gps etc - Have a look at a powermonkey -one device will charge the lot and it even has a solar panel to trickle charge the unit - Weight is everything uphill on a trailer - cant imagine taking a car battery unless you are a Hoy/ Contador X breed - remember also that you can charge your items in the campsite no probs. Take only what you really need not what you 'might need'. Also consider a brooks saddle and schwalbe marathons....have fun :laugh:
 
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makno

New Member
thanks for the suggestions oysterkite, luckly i'm quite a hard pusher on hills. I just love climbing and get to the top to look down satisfied. I was considering chargers like the powermonkey but they don't seems to be that reliable specially if you need to power the mobile constantly to use the satnav on it. Eventually i will get rid of the excess weight along the way. I'm now wondering if anyone has been along on the dutch coast and if it's possible to ride on the n57 ( Stormvloedkering). I'm nt sure if the N roads are open to bikes or not.
 

Haitch

Flim Flormally
Location
Netherlands
makno said:
I'm now wondering if anyone has been along on the dutch coast and if it's possible to ride on the n57 ( Stormvloedkering).



No problem whatsoever. As far as I know all N roads have bike paths running alongside them or as near as dammit. I've been over the stormvloedkering a couple of times. It's a doddle. Actually, the national LF1 bike route goes all down the coast, signposted from one end of the country to the other. More info on Dutch bike routes here.
 
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makno

New Member
that's great news, thank you very much alan. sorry guys but i'm really feeling the pressure building up :rofl:
 

Tony

New Member
Location
Surrey
See my North Sea link below. There are no problems cycling in Germany; not just last year's trip for me, but I have just returned from Germany-Hungary. The only hiccup is that German path surfaces (like many canal towpaths) can be a bit....idiosyncratic.
 
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