Foto: The northernmost point of mainland Europe (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Norway - At Olderfjord, we leave the E6 and take the E69. This road leads to the North Cape. The North Cape is located on the island of Magerøya. We reach the island via the Nordkapp Tunnel, which is nearly seven kilometers long. The road in the tunnel descends at a 10% gradient. On the way back up, Brutus struggles — we manage to reach the top at just 40 km/h. In Honningsvåg, one of the last villages, we refuel. After that, we head toward the cape. Along the roadside, patches of snow from the past winter still linger. At the end of the road, there is a toll booth. Here, we buy our entrance tickets to the North Cape. The ticket allows us to enter and exit for 24 hours. We park the car and walk toward the “Globe” — the monument that marks the northernmost point of mainland Europe. Triumphant, we give each other a high five. We’ve driven 4,400 kilometers to get here, but we made it to the North Cape. It’s an amazing feeling. We are now just 2,080 kilometers from the North Pole. We take several photos and watch the panoramic film about the different seasons at the North Cape. Afterwards, we drive a few kilometers back to spend the night. We stay in a trekkers’ cabin at Midnatsol Camping near Skarsvåg. This is the closest campsite to the North Cape. We have a small cabin with a bunk bed. We unpack our own chairs and table and light the barbecue. What a wonderful experience in this unique place in Europe. Around midnight, we drive back to the North Cape. Although it’s cloudy, we hope to catch a glimpse of the midnight sun. When we arrive, the entire parking lot is full. There are also at least thirty tour buses. We estimate that there must be at least two thousand people. Around the Globe monument, it’s much more crowded than it was in the afternoon. On the horizon, the low-hanging sun shines faintly through the clouds. How surreal it is to stand here, around midnight, with so many people — and it doesn’t get dark. We wait until it’s midnight. Then we return to our little trekkers’ cabin.
Hopperstad stave church
Norway - After lunch, the bus continues along the shores of the Sognefjord toward Hella. In Hella, we take the ferry across the fjord to Vangsnes. At Vik, we leave the fjord behind and head to the small church village of Hopperstad. In Hopperstad stands one of ...
Northern lights at the Arctic Circle
Norway - In the evening, during dinner at the hotel (there is no other place to eat nearby), the waitress alerts us that the Northern Lights are visible outside. We abandon our coffee and quickly grab our cameras. We rush outside. The Northern Lights are a beautiful ...
The Geiranger Fjord
Norway - Along the way, the low clouds create stunning views across the fjords. In Linge, I cross the Norddalsfjord by ferry toward Eidsdal. From there, I continue toward Geiranger. Thankfully, the weather keeps improving. As I approach Geiranger, I get a magnificent ...
The Lofoten Peninsula
Norway - As we rejoin the E6, light rain begins to fall. This is not the kind of weather we had hoped for in Lofoten. It doesn’t improve. Just past Narvik, we leave the E6 and take the E10 heading toward Lofoten. Lofoten is a rocky peninsula just above the Arctic ...
The Norwegian Fjords
Norway - After breakfast, we drive through light rain to the ferry. Visibility is limited due to the low-hanging clouds, which gives the Moldefjord a mystical atmosphere. The ferry crossing takes thirty-five minutes. On the other side, we continue toward Geiranger. ...
The Preikestolen
Norway - When we open the curtains, it is cloudy. Carefully a ray of sun comes through the clouds. The most important thing: it is dry. After breakfast we drive to the Preikestolen. The Preikestolen is a 605-meter-high steep rock that rises above the Lysefjord. ...
Wooden trading houses of Trondheim
Norway - The Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim is one of the few churches in Norway built from stone. The building was constructed in the 11th century (1093) but has been expanded and restored several times, partly due to the many fires that have damaged it (six ...