EU Part 3 Norway 2 Further North
Saturday, 30 March 2019 3:47 pm
The truck rocked all last night with the strong wind. Actually spelt with the roof down.
Rain Rain Rain, difficult to see anything.
A visit to the Dragen Smokehouse where a local fisgerman smokes Trout and Salmon fillets using Juniper wood.
Very nice, could not resist....
Do hope it lasts more than a couple of nights !
There is the great shaped bridge, apparently used in many car advertisements.
Back inland and further North .
That heavy rain turns to snow, adding a new driving challenge.
Time to put the hubs in 4x4 to stop the sliding
I soon learnt to follow this heavy transport truck. The weight of the vehicle melted the snow/ice and gave ‘some’ grip to the road.
Slow slow was the game.
We were travelling very slow, perhaps these two vehicles were not.
We thought initially it was just a touch and spin, however as we passed both vehicle had the front left hand side, wheel assembly and all, missing.
Nobody hurt, but a couple of write offs.
Camp E68: Parking area for local walking trails
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 17 metres
Temp: 1.4*C
Today : 309 Kms
EU Total : 2517 Kms.
Saturday 30th March 2019:
More snow falling today, but the road condition better.
Past typical farmers livestock buildings - always red.
The cattle are kept inside for most of the year and hand fed. The grass is machine cut from the fields and put into white plastic covered bales until needed.
Frozen waterfalls line the road.
Our first animals
Long driving day today, although not much distance.
Camp E69: Parking area truckers
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 206 metres
Temp: 0.3*C
Today : 295 Kms
EU Total : 2912 Kms.
Sunday 31st March 2019:
Today we awake the the aftermath of a snow storm.
About 300mm of new snow on the ground and V cold.
We start and almost immediately we disappear into an 8km tunnel.
I am getting more used to the snow driving, just very cautious at the down hills.
Here yet another downhill with a 7% gradient, about 25kph down is OK
Blue sky !
We also leave the main north E^ road and turn west onto E17 to follow the Atlantic coast line.
The remains of a WWII German gun turret.
The defences were built here in December 1942 using 75 Polish and 100 Russian prisoners of war. The compound was to defend the fjords against allied invasion, as this was an important shipping route for the iron ore from north Sweden to Germany
That Blue sky has gone again but the scenery is just WOW !
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 12 metres
Temp: 0.6*C
Today : 144Kms
EU Total : 3056 Kms.
What a back drop !
Monday 1st April 2019:
We awake to another snow covered canter.
At least we do not have to dig ourselves out...not yet !
Yes it is still snowing..
The ferry from Agskardet to Furoy is only a 15 minute trip.
Although difficult to see is the glass blue Svartisen Glacier.
Another unusual natural occurrence in this area is the Maelstrom.
Strong tidal currents forcing their way through narrow passages. The currents bring plankton, fish and fishermen.
This area has the oldest known traces of human settlement in Norway. The hunters lived on the edge of the ice attracted by the abundance of fish caused by the strong currents.
Although slow and careful driving is the game, its beautiful.
Camp E71: Road side stop parking area
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 71 metres
Temp: a warm 1.3*C
Today : 277 Kms
EU Total : 3333 Kms
Tuesday 2nd April 2019:
We awake to a warm morning at +2*C, no sun but also no rain, sleet or snow. The road os also clear of snow and we are driving on wet bitumen.
Great moose danger in this Area !
Well we saw no moose !
Me thinks its just a tourist advertisement !
As we skip along the broken Atlanticcoast, land mass to island to land mass we are constantly on and off ferries - And paying for toll roads !
The ferry on E6 from Bognes to Skarberget. Just wish that cloud would lift !
No Moose, just reindeer, and it has a dog collar !
Into the town of Narvik.
We hear that the last distance to Nord Kapp is snow and ice covered and will need chains.
So we go to track some down for the 37’s.
The WWII memorial Narvik
The snow is noticeably deeper the further north we go !
Camp E72: Road side stop parking area
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 5 metres
Temp: a warm 3.3*C
Today : 251 Kms
EU Total : 3584 Kms
We are now 300kms north of the Arctic Circle and approx 500kms to go to the top of the European world.