Cycling Norway, an awesome way to the Nordkaap

Dace and I arrived in Larvik, Norway, on the 7th of August. We were so excited to be there. The romantic idea of getting to the northernest tip of Europe was playing in my dreams since I was a teenager, and now, after having cycled through Europe, I was in front of a massive landmass full of wilderness, colourful houses from time to time, nicely sculptured mountains, never-ending hills, very long tunnels, astonishing fjords, glaciers, amazing sunsets and sunrises, happy and friendly people…and an everlasting sense of freedom and belonging wherever you go. 

We were ready to do cycling Norway!

The first thing that surprised me, in addition to all the hills and the colourful villages of the south, was the weather. It was around 30 degrees celsius! I almost felt I was back in Spain, going for a ride in the north.

One thing is for sure, Norway has one of the most beautiful, wild, raw and interesting scenery you can find on the planet. Be prepared to do a lot of climbing up and down the hills, cross plenty of long tunnels and pass some windy bridges. The roads are very long, so if you choose to tour from south to north, or vice versa, get ready to be here for a while. But is worth it! 

Depending on the route chosen, you will enjoy a raw spectacle of sculptured snowcapped mountains and fjords, which also vary from south to north.

Beyond the arctic circle the scenery changes. Regional variations occur with conifer trees in the southern flyer, being replaced by birch trees in the north. Latitude, in addition to altitude, is a determining factor for the types of vegetation. Birch trees are the only ones that can withstand latitudes from 66 degrees all year round. Even the north you go passing the tree line, the vegetation is rich and varied, despite a short growing season. Typical mountain flora grows down at sea level.

The light is characterised by large contrasts, especially the northern you go. Twenty four hours of daylight in the summertime to polar night in winter. In Evenskjer, which is passing the arctic polar circle, where the Lofoten Islands meet mainland,  the sun doesn’t rise for most of December and January, but it does get close enough to bathe the city pink and orange light all day.

Also, there is something that will captivate you, from the intense northern lights that fill the sky, to having sunshine in the middle of the night.

When to go?

There is no doubt that a winter journey along the northern part of the country will be an experience for most people. This is the artic at its harshest, yet in a season which is the quintessence of all, that is polar. The days are short, and on December, January and almost all February, non-existent, which makes the cycling experience such an adventure of almost survival, although at a price of being unforgettable. The winter will be very long, and good mindful planning can be a life or death matter. Very few people will choose to adventure travelling by bike through the north Norwegian roads in the winter season. The locals keep their journeys by car to the minimum, and even in some regions, it is usually to see winter convoy driving. This is a small group of cars driving behind a snowplough. 

You can theoretically cycle in Norway all year round due to its climate, but depending on the route chosen, you might find sections of it closed due to snow. The most vulnerable sections remain the high plateaux, or vidder, including the Saltfjell (Nordland) the Knaenangsfjellet (Troms) and Sennalandet (Finmark). Other routes or sections might be closed for shorter periods in a severe winter. On the western coast, some of the approach roads will also be closed across the high plateau of the Western coast. There is a telephone number to check the state of the roads, in case you are not sure when planning – Vegmeldingsentralen (22 65 40 40)

Spring travel has little to offer apart from the cultural importance that season has in the north of the country. Road surfaces are often in their worst after the winter, and so many mountain passes still closed. In some places, it could still be snowing until July! Days are longer, and the temperatures can be milder, which is a plus for touring, but if this season is chosen, the later months are advisable, as is when the vegetation recovers from the winter and is most attractive.

Summer is the month we chose to arrive on the Norwegian coast. The temperatures are warmer, which for our enterprise is more comforting, but also there are some downsides to it. You will have to go to more remote areas and cycle through back roads if you want to avoid the excessive traffic of the high season. We have found drivers in Norway to be amongst the most respectful, but some of them just like to get too close. Also, some places of interest might be overcrowded, as everybody loves Norway!

Autumn comes early. Especially in the northern part of the country, so beware if you enter the country from the south in August. Norway is long, and by the time you reach the north, it will get nippy. It happened to us! Autumn is the season where most vegetated areas are at their most colourful, as the greens of spring turn into every shade of gold, brown and red. Also, it is typical to experience severe frosts, as the temperatures can drop very quickly, especially at night. The Yermatter (iron nights) might catch you when wild camping, so it is important to have good equipment and be prepared for how to use it properly. Also beware that many touristic attractions, museums and some ferry connections in the north choose to close at the end of August.

Climate

Norway has a unique climate. Nowhere else in the polar world has that relatively high temperature in wintertime. The temperature anomaly, which is the difference between the actual and the average for that latitude, is 20 degrees centigrades in January! For example, whilst in Narvik’s ( a town over the polar arctic circle) lowest mean in January goes just a few degrees below 0 degrees celsius, in Canada’s far north at that latitude they register temperatures of -30 degrees celsius. Also on similar latitude, Verkhoyansk (in Russia) has temperatures below -13 degrees celsius for around seven months in the year.

Away from the coast, the effects of the North Atlantic Drift diminish, and temperatures in Wintertime are noticeably colder. For example, in the Finmarck plateau, you can find temperatures of a more severe winter than in the rest of the region. Karasjok, which is neighbouring Finland, has a mean minimum temperature of -14.5 degrees Celsius, but it has been know to drop quickly at -50 degrees celsius. Yet further north, in Kirkenes, the last Norwegian town, already bordering Russia, the mean temperatures for the coldest month rarely go down from -10 degrees celsius. The proximity of the sea makes all the difference. This has a clear advantage for one of the most know oldest Norwegian traditional ways of living: drying stockfish

As spring comes, temperatures rise slowly. Also, the snow starts to melt with the sun’s radiant energy. The temperatures in Spring can be around 12 or 15 degrees celsius in the mid parts of the country, and around 5 or 8 degrees o the northern parts. Some places enjoy a micro-climate, which makes the temperatures warmer.

July is normally the warmest month of the year. It surprised us when we arrived in Larvik from the south, we had temperatures of around 23 degrees celsius! Later, near Oslo, we could enjoy temperatures of near 25 degrees celsius. Alta, a town far north, has a July mean of 13.6 degrees celsius.

Autumn, as the days shorten, can be cold quite quickly. Around Karasjok, in east Finmark, we had found some days at -3! It was time to start getting down to the south quickly.

Temperatures depend, as so often elsewhere, on the origin of the air stream affecting the region. Certainly in summer, when we were travelling the country from south to north, it is very noticeable when the wind changes from north to east. The temperatures rise as one loses the cold air drawn off the Arctic Ocean. Windchill is also important to factor to have in mind as far as perceived heat is concerned.

Also, in Norway is very easy to experience the four seasons in one day!

Physical setting: Geology and topography

What is so special about Norway, especially its Artic, is made by its climate and its topography. Nowhere else in the world at that latitude enjoy such as mild winter. The North Atlantic Drift, the tail end of the Gulf Stream, separates the cold water of the Arctic Ocean from the warm waters of the eastern Atlantic. This warm current avoids the polar waters mixing with those of the Atlantic and ensures that privately westerly winds draw warm air across Scandinavia and into northeast Russia. 

The topographic singularity arises from the unrivalled fracturing off the coast and the recent modification of the land made by the Pleistocene Ice Age. When you cycle from south to north you can see two distinct parts: the Baltic Shield and the Caledonian mountain system of the Scandinavian Highlands. As the name suggests, the Caledonian mountains are the same system as the Scottish mountains

When you travel the areas further south, you can see the coast broken by steep-sided fjords, which look so dramatic. In the north, the fjord is less incised and broader looking.

Norway is formed by a range of mountains, forming a backbone to the Scandinavian peninsula, the highest part which approaches the Norwegian-Swedish border, and around Lillehammer. These mountains present a steep face to the Norwegian Sea.

From Lillehammer, we will be cycling through three flyer or autonomous regions: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark – although since January 2020 they have joined the last two-. The first two are narrow with the coast close by always. In the narrowest point, there is only 6km from the Swedish border to the coastline. Finnmark is broader and plateau-like. The plateau or middle, slopes down southwards into Finland, and the scenery is more truly tundra.

The norther you cycle, the more exciting it is. For those who like to be challenged by mountains, this is paradise. The central area, from Oslo to Lillehammer is perhaps where you can find the biggest climbs. The northern you go, the less steep the climbs are. Don´t take me wrong, there are still climbs, but less sharp. 

What route to take? 

There are many cycling routes to enjoy different parts of the country, and also some long-distance ones, which cross it from north to south and east to west.  We custom made it using part of Cycle Route number 1 on the south coast from Larvik to Dramen. Then we took the E6 for another big chunk of the country, retook route 1  to Bodo, where we crossed by ferry to the Lofoten Islands. In there we took mainly the  E10  to join again the E6 and E69 to Nordkaap. We didn’t do the most scenic and challenging one, but got a lot of services and good infrastructure on the way.

It was nice sometimes to have a toilet and a flat surface where to set your camp for the night, especially when the weather is miserable for several days in a row and you just pedal on, up and down the hills.

A good point to start is visiting https://www.cyclenorway.no or the EuroVelo site https://en.eurovelo.com/ev3/norway, where you can find a lot of information and maps regarding routes. Below we give you a taste of some of the ones we have chosen.

The EuroVelo 1, or the Atlantic Coast Route, Is the most common and probably the most scenic to take. It starts in Bergen and goes through the coast to Nordkaap. It runs through the arctic landscapes of the Norwegian west coast, then it crosses to the Lofoten Islands from Bodo, going as far as Andenes, and then crosses over to Senja and Tromso, and goes through the E6 road to later link with E69, which takes you as far as Nordkaap. Be aware that some ferries are seasonal, and the one covering the service between Andenes and the island of Senja runs until the end of August.

The EuroVelo 3 or The Pilgrim route. It enters Norway from Sweden through the southeast, going through Oslo, and finishing in Trondheim. This route is dedicated to Olav Haraldson, who died in a battle in 1030. Sometime after, he was made patron saint of Norway, as some miracles and experiences related to his remains came into light. Since that moment, pilgrims from all Scandinavia and Europe started coming, and a today is a sacred place of pilgrimage. 

The Rallarvegen. If you don’t have plenty of time to spare in Norway, or you are not in a long tour mood but want to still experience the rawness of the Norwegian landscapes, this is a very good option to consider. I did it a few years ago, in my first contact with the country, and I have great memories of it. Originally this was a transportation road to build the railway of the Bergen-Flam lines. This route offers a very close to nature segregated road, where cars or motor vehicles simply don’t bother you. The most known is the 82 km section route going from Haugastol to Flam. The terrain is gravel, and there are some more technical parts, but it´s suitable for everyone with 2 wheels and a will. 

Cycle-paths

All the major cities and towns we have encountered on the way have developed a network of cycle paths. Although this extends normally only to developed areas. Normally there is no so much traffic on back roads, which makes them perfectly fine for cycling. At some points of the country, there are sections of old railways made into cycle paths. These are part of cycle route number 1.

Tunnels

Tunnels are a real headache when planning your route in Norway. You can check the map of tunnels in Norway

We could divide Norwegian tunnels into 3 categories:

1. Tunnels in red, which are forbidden to cyclists – these are the longest ones, and there are many. Most of the times, alternative roads are going around, sometimes you have to either hitch a ride or take a bus through. 

2. Tunnels allowed but dangerous marked amber – sometimes these are long, with tiny hard shoulder and poorly lit. 

3. Tunnels that are just fine to cycle, marked green

I have to recognise, tunnels, especially the amber ones, were not my favourite part of Norway. You can constantly hear a car or truck coming, but don´t know when is going to overtake you. 

Sometimes, some tunnels cross under the sea, so they have a steep down for half of it, and then a steep up. There is nothing more stressful for me than going up the hill whilst in a tunnel. 

Some tunnels have a special system that notifies the drivers of the presence of a cyclist. When you get to the beginning, you have to press a button that warns the vehicles that there is a cyclist in the tunnel. We saw this in the isle of Senja. There was also a free high viz jacket available in a box, where you could dispose back at the end.

Where to Stay in Norway

The question has as many answers and kinds of travellers or bike tourers are around. Where to stay when cyclingNorway? You can easily stay in amazing hotels or cabins in the different fishermen like villages that you will find out on the way and plan the trip to go from accommodation to accommodation.

Is also good to know that, especially in the north, there are toilets and laundry facilities in most of the harbours. This can be a nice refuge for those cold, rainy days, where you can hang out in a warm and dry place and even charge your electronics!

There are different options for accommodation in Norway.

Wild Camping in Norway 

Our chosen option for this section and the whole of Norway was to pitch the tent wherever we want. This means virtually almost anywhere.

Property rights are different in Norway. Since Norway has a population of only 4.8 million people with a very large extension of land, which makes it a low-density country in terms of population.

The so-called right to roam gives people the possibility to pitch their tent almost anywhere, following a very simple rule.

You can’t pitch your tent less than 150m from the closest house or cabin. In easier terms, you shouldn’t be seen from the closest house, and you will be fine.

Leave everything as you have found it. Don’t litter. In Norway, due to climate conditions, even the paper will take a long time to disappear.

Be considerate with everybody around you. Explore and enjoy!

– our experience

Our experience o camping in Norway is great. We have always found a decent camping spot for the night. It´s true that in the south is much more challenging than in the north, as it´s more populated, but there is also more infrastructure, and you could find some nice surprises, such as a camping hut we found in Sandefjord. 

We have also met a family who was on a trip from up north to the south, who slept mainly on people´s cabins. There are great people in Norway when you ask for help. 

Best spots to pitch your tent in Norway

Unfortunately, given the harsh and wet climates, there’s a lack of widespread free shelters in Norway, meaning that very simple roofs, porches or gazebos are a mirage… forget about the Finnish Lavu or the amazing Danish shelters 

The forest offers some protection from rain and wind but not from humidity and cold. The mosses of Northern Norway are soft sleeping grounds providing solid holds for the stakes. Finding a camping spot near a water body is usually easy. We camped next to rivers, lakes, service areas, etc, and never had a problem. Nothing beats a nice swim on the lake during sunset times. Although then you have to run into the tent to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitoes!

Lodges in Norway

There is a network of Lodges and DNT network cabins scattered around Norway.

To access the cabins you need a universal key, and the only way to get it is by being a DNT associate. The annual membership is 650 NOK (350 if you are less than 26 years old).

There are different categories of lodges: 

Staffed lodges: those are hotels or hostels, people are working there, usually running some sort of restaurant. A bunk bed in 1-3 beds rooms costs 357 NOK per person for the members.

Self-Service Lodges: those are unstaffed cabins supplied with stocks of food. You’ll need the key to open them (sometimes there’s a unique key to collect, the passe-partout won’t work everywhere), some also need pre-booking. You need to fill a module to pay for food and accommodation. Member’s price is 275 NOK per person, not so cheap!

No-Service Lodges: These don’t have any food provisions. You still have to pay for sleeping, the same as the self-service ones. Some of these might be open, not requiring a key, although usually those open ones are remotely located along some hiking trails.

We honestly don’t think the DNT cabins can be very useful for cyclists, except maybe for very adventurous bikepackers who like to go off track. The few cabins near the roads are those stuffed ones, although we saw three Self-Service ones we would have loved to get into, they were about the same price as a basic private cabin… add the fact that most need pre-booking and you’ll see how hard is to use them for a bike tour. 

Have a look at the Norwegian Trekking Association for more information on this

You can also check the map of lodges and shelters here

Campsites in Norway

There are over 1,000 privately owned campsites in Norway, they are everywhere, especially in the South, but also in the remoter regions of the north you’re rarely more than a cycling-day distance from the next ones. 

Almost all Norwegian campsites have cabins, those are the most affordable form of proper accommodation in Norway. They are especially convenient when travelling in groups of three, four, or more persons since most of them have four to six bunk beds but no price difference for one or two people.

The price of camping cabins (Hyttekos in Norwegian) ranges from a minimum of 400 NOK, with prices skyrocketing to $300/400 for a very basic cabin in the Lofoten Islands in high seasons. Most campsites have basic cabins starting at 600NOK in summer, shared toilets and facilities, basic cooking equipment (rarely running water) is often present in the cabin itself.

Some of these campsites are open the whole year-round, the cheaper cabins usually have electric radiators, while higher-end ones might even have a fireplace, but some of them, especially the ones in the northern parts of the country, are closed from September, so be aware of planning for that.

Campsites in Norway are mostly small and cosy. There’s always a shared kitchen and often a closed barbecue hut. Showers are almost always excluded from the basic fee, costing $1 for 4/5 minutes of hot water. You learn how to shower fast in here.

Washing machines and dryers are ubiquitous in Norwegian campsites usually costing around $5 each.

The price for a tent in a Norwegian campsites goes from 100 to 200 NOK ($12-22)

In our experience, we have only used campsites when we were really tired after going up and down for several days and needed a warm place to stay for a day or two. Most campsites in the north close their doors after high season, but we have a good experience at the Alta fjord, where after negotiation with the owner, he must have seen our tired and fed up faces, he let us stay in one of the cabins for about $80. That was just the cash we had, so he took it and we spent one of the nicest 2 nights in a long time. We were warm, dry, in the middle of a fjord with an amazing landscape and nature surrounding us… is in that moment when you realise that every stroke to your pedals took you to that moment and place. All the sweat and tears were worth it. And it´s awesome!

Hotels and Hostels in Norway

Hotels are expensive in Norway, starting at about $100 but more often around $150 or more. We have never slept in hotels, but have rented a self-catered apartment next to the sea once in Havoysund, to explore the quietness and remoteness of life in a fishing village. It cost us about $200 per night, but we needed to have a break and serious rest, as our bodies were starting to complain a lot. 

Sometimes it is nice to seek refuge and have somewhere comfy to sleep and relax after days on the road, exposed to the harsh elements of the Norwegian great North.

Despite the expense, we didn’t regret it at all, as we discovered a nice way of life, met a nice group of Danish people who were there for the fishing trip of their lives. We had fun, they showed us how to clean fish, shared a meal, stories from the road…

Hostels are present in major cities or towns in Norway, costing an average of $50 per person per night in a dorm. Airbnb is not much cheaper. All of these prices are considered for high season, in lower season prices can go down to half.

Ferries in Norway

There are many fjords in Norway, and sometimes you would have to take a boat or a ferry if  you want to cross Norway, especially if your chosen route goes through the coast.

In our experience, going north we could always get for free going with the bikes in car ferries, whilst we had to pay in passenger ferries (express boats), and Hurtigruten options. 

We never encountered a problem going with our bikes and the excessive baggage, and found the staff of all the boats very accommodating. 

These are the different kinds of water carriers you will find in Norway.

There is an app we have been using in order to find ferry connections between different points, schedules, etc. This is important, as some ferries in the north don’t sail during autumn and winter time. For example, the last ferry from Andenes, north of the Lofoten Islands to Gryllefjord, in Senja, is on the 31st of August. It is important to know if you happen to be in Lofoten Islands in late August, like us, and planning to go up north.  This free app is called Vy Underholdning, and you can find it in the Apple Store or Play Store. It’s kind of a life saver for planning. 

Express boats and car ferries

Express boats and car ferries sail up and down the coast, in sheltered waters and across open seas, to towns, villages and islands large and small. They provide good logistics for a holiday of island hopping or an itinerary of your own choosing.

Be warned, there may be queues in the summer months. For the most popular ferries, we recommend that you queue early: Geiranger–Hellesylt and Lauvvik–Lysebotn.

Both of these options will accept bicycles.

The Norwegian coastal express Hurtigruten

The long-established Hurtigruten sails from Bergen to Kirkenes in Finnmark. The journey Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen takes 11 days. This voyage is an exquisite way to experience the natural beauty of the coast. It is indeed “the world’s most beautiful sea voyage”. What fascinates tourists most are all the tiny and not-so-tiny communities they stop at along the way.

Departures are daily, and there are frequent stops along the coast. The ships can accommodate cars, making it easy to combine the cruise with a holiday in different places ashore.

Check rates at Hurtigruten – “The World’s Most Beautiful Sea Voyage”

We had met some Norwegians who would take cars from Bergen up to Kirkenes and then drive back through the coast. If you have the funds, it has to be an amazing experience!

We took a Hurtigruten line from Havøysund to Honningsvåg on the day we got to Nordkapp, as it was our only option that day. It was an amazing experience, as we got treated to a cruise level 2 hours trip through the northernmost tips of Norway. 

What to wear when cycling in Norway?

Merino whole is the ideal material for cycling in Norway and cold climates. Even in August, make sure to pack, at least, a short sleeve and long sleeve merino whole layers.

Quick-dry synthetic gear is fine, but you will never get the warmth of a merino wool layer.

We also make sure we have a short sleeve merino wool and a couple of long sleeve ones.

It is important to get change into a dry long sleeves layer, as it is quite fresh in the evening. You will thank the extra warmth after a full day fighting the raw elements of the Lofoten.

Bear in mind that in Norway you can experience the four seasons in one day, as I have witnessed before during summertime, so make sure you pack a good waterproof jacket and trousers when cycling Lofoten Islands. We have been using jackets and trousers from Showers pass, and they seem very good, and have plenty of goods reviews from people. They can be a little pricey, but it’s totally worth it.

Good full covered gloves are also on your must list. We take at least a couple, so when one pair gets wet we can use another one dry on the next day.

We don’t like to get cold feet. That’s why, together with good cycling shoes, we like to use waterproof socks. We use the ones from the Shower pass. They keep your feet warm and dry even after the whole day raining! They also breathe, so your feet don’t boil in the process.

Water supplies

Tap water is very safe in Norway, and actually very good, so there is no need to get it in supermarkets, unless you like to go for sparkling.  Also, when travelling, it is possible to drink from the streams without filtering the water. It’s quite safe, according to my sensitive stomach and a bunch of locals we cared to ask on different occasions.  

There are lots of streams along the way, so you don’t always need to carry plenty of water with you “just in case”. 

If you prefer tap water, you can always knock on somebody’s door to fill up the bottles. Norwegians are very happy to help out, and on some occasions you will find more than just water behind the door. Most of them speak english, and even if not, they will understand you when they see you with some empty water bottles.

Supermarkets

There are several supermarket chains along the country (Coop, REMA, Rimi, Spar, Kiwi, Bunnpris…) Almost all of them are closed on Sundays, with the exception of Bunnpris. That’s good to know in case you buy your food daily. There is always a supermarket in almost any village, especially a sizable one, which might even have a bigger one.  

The food in Norway is more expensive when you get out of the bigger cities, being cheaper in Oslo than in Havøysund, for example. This also works like that in other countries we have cycled through, like in Denmark, Finland, or Latvia. 

Food is normally expensive in Norway for a foreigner, and unless you are in a bigger town, the choices might be quite limited. 

Some people try Dumpster diving, although we decided that in times of Corona it would be a bit risky practice.

Also, Wines and spirits are only sold in state shops, but they are really expensive.

They are highly taxed. Relatively low alcohol beers are found in all licensed bars around, 65, and 70 NOK and 25 to 30 NOK, for a beer in the supermarket. In here you can only find beers up to 4.5 degrees, and no Alcohol can be purchased on Sundays.

What to do next?

Why don´t you check our Travel Tips, where you can find a lot of content on how to troubleshoot some of the difficulties you might find on the road?

Additionally, you can also check our travel lists and material we carry on our trip.

If you are thinking on travelling into Norway, I totally recommend to cycling the Lofoten Islands and include them in your itinerary