Fridays' drive from Kiruna to Rovaniemi was completed in splendid wonderful sunshine. The scenery has reverted to fairly standard forestry and farmland, but we are still in the Arctic Circle. The roads were fine with minimal traffic.
The highlight of the journey was spotting a reindeer strolling into the forest just as I was passing. Bridget screeched to a halt, I grabbed the camera and jumped out as quickly as one can from a Midget. I walked back up the road to the point where the deer entered the woods and as quietly as possible went after it. Within a hundred yards I came across it grazing in a clearing. I managed to get several photos before it trotted off further into the forest.
I realised on arriving in Rovaniemi that Bridget has completed 3,500 miles on the run so far which, together with the testing, etc. prior to leaving, means she needs a short service. I visited four garages in the...
I have been negligent in my reporting duties and for that I apologise. My only excuse is that the driving since leaving Bergen has been fantastic. The scenery here is much the same as the west coast of Scotland, only there is much more of it in Norway.
From Bergen we have driven north despite the cold and the rain (I know, Britain has been basking in sun for the past ten days or so. In the famous words of the late Harry Secombe "Raspberries"). We travelled up through Alesund, Trondheim, Mosjoen and eventually to Narvik. The daily distances weren't great, around two hundred miles a day, but the time taken to cover those miles was roughly double that of normal driving. This is because every fifty miles, or so, you need to take a ferry, and because although the roads aren't all that bad, they are single carriageway with almost no overtaking points. Once you are behind a truck you...
Friday started promisingly, with the sun out and Bridget looking resplendent under her new hood. A minor false start when I notice her brake lights were permanently on, but it was just a two minute job to adjust the switch and we were off.
Finding the correct route out of Oslo proved straightforward and we were quickly shaking ourselves free from the suburbs. Within a few kilometres the scenery improved immensely. Initially meadows and woodland, then sea inlets with woodland down to the waters edge. The trees by no means just pine, but a mixture of birch, willow, as well as conifers and many more. At the roadside were plenty of signs warning of the presence of and deer crossings and the scenery became very similar to that of the Trossachs in Scotland. I have checked if moose and elk are the same thing and can confirm that they are and it is the American language that causes the problem.
There was...
Before leaving Gothenburg I had made contact with Ola Thygesen, President of MG Norsk Club. I related the problem I had with Bridget’s soft-top being vandalised and he made some quick enquiries with a local importer of MG spares. Ola reported back saying that it might be possible to add the soft-top to an existing order, with Moss in England, if we were quick. I said to go ahead and I would call Ola next morning.
The day started with some sunshine! This was the first day that I really started to get into my normal travel mood. The route from Gothenburg to Oslo is far less inhabited than everything before it and there was even the promise of some wildlife. I came upon my first road signs of this trip warning of possible moose crossing the road.
At around 11:00am Ola phoned to say “You’re soft-top has arrived”. Even though the order was mid-afternoon the day before, Moss pulled out all...
There will be no mention of the weather, but note the picture above.
I gave Bridget a day off whilst doing the full tourist bit around Copenhagen. As with many of the Nordic countries the architecture is very pleasing to the eye. I am not so keen however on the green roofs and adornments.
Buildings worth noting are the Rosenborg Slot, Radhus City Hall, The Stock Exchange, and St Nikolaj Church. I spent Sunday afternoon at the Botanical Gardens where, not only did a Great Tit decide to perch on my outstretched hand, it even allowed me to take a photograph (see Gallery - Copenhagen)! These birds are usually so skittish I was amazed.
Monday morning and we drove up to Helsingor to catch the ferry across to Sweden. Originally I was going to drive across the Öresund Bridge but as the cost is identical but the ferry route is much shorter I changed my mind. I was delighted when I found myself...
