Monday, August 21 Week 3

Tomorrow 16 °C

Noon 23°C

Evening 19°C

For now, we change our travel plans a little and decide to drive north through the interior of Sweden. We also take a new route via Boras. Typical southern Swedish landscape accompanies us with a lot of agriculture.

When we arrive at Lake Vänern, we head for a parking spot in Hällekis. The recent rainy weather means that the grassy areas are very muddy. At the moment, you're really better off on asphalt or gravel. That's another reason why we're not convinced by the site, and it's also close to the road.

So, after 2009 and 2016, we finally land once again in Sjötorp at the beginning of the Göta Canal.

The weather is now brilliant at 3 p.m., which encourages us to take a long walk through the town. Sjötorp isn't huge, and the high season for boating seems to be over. It's just dead!

Things are different for the mobile homes. The largest spot on the canal is fully booked, but we still manage to get a spot in the rear guest harbor.

The toilet and shower are actually a "small" hike away, but that's not a problem for us, as we have the toilet on board and also a perfectly repaired shower with a new shower tray.

We're having a bit of trouble planning our onward journey. The weather is unpredictable. But we don't want to complain, as we've had a lot of nice weather so far.

Tagesstrecke: Varberg, Schweden - Sjötorp. Göta Canal

Distance: 280 km

Average consumption: 8.2 liters

Average speed: 57 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 50 minutes

Pitch cost: 250 SEK, incl. water/electricity

Tuesday, August 22

Tomorrow 16°C

Noon 21°C

Evening 17 °C

We stick to our plan and drive to Mora today, or more precisely to Nusnäs.

On the way there is a wonderful lunch break at a small lake.

There is even an old sports car, a vintage car! ;-)

In Nusnäs, the first place we head for is the "Dala Horse" shop. Today, however, we leave the shop without a new Dala horse, but we have a new roommate. "Nusi" is a pretty moose, and our moose team is now complete - we now have a Norwegian, a Finnish and a Swedish moose ;-) But two wonderfully warm and beautiful blankets also end up in the Pfüdi. We actually forgot our two blankets, which we always have with us, at home.

You could also spend the night here in the store's parking lot. But we drive in good spirits to a parking lot on the shore of Lake Siljan where you can officially park for 100 SEK.

A small caravan is already parked in one corner, otherwise everything is still empty. By the evening, 4 more motorhomes have joined them, but all at an acceptable distance. We enjoy the rest of the afternoon and the evening here with all its weather moods. Perfect!!

Tagesstrecke: Sjötorp. Götakanal - Nusnäs, Siljansee

Distance: 291 km

Average consumption: 8.6 liters

Average speed: 65 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 27 minutes

Pitch cost: 100 SEK, including toilet which we don't need

Wednesday, August 23

Tomorrow 11 °C

Midday 19 °C

Evening 12 °C

Yesterday evening we again intensively studied the weather reports and considered in which direction our journey should continue.

The weather is simply more consistent in the north. Fläm, Geiranger, Balestrand etc. will have to wait - perhaps late autumn will surprise us with unexpectedly nice weather, then we can do one or two things on the way back. But for now we're heading northeast. There are a few activities and destinations waiting for us there too.

A surprisingly sunny morning greets us and the sun accompanies us through a large part of the day.

We stop countless times today, the stop at Fjätfallen is particularly impressive.

Scandinavia experienced a very wet summer, especially in the south; the lakes are overflowing and the rivers are carrying enormous amounts of water.

We especially love the spontaneity of traveling in a motorhome. And since the weather towards the Norwegian border is much better than predicted today, we turn on the indicator and drive onto the Flatruet.

The number of motorhomes is very limited, the high season is definitely over. We're staying here.

Day route: Nusnäs, Lake Siljan - Flatruet

Distance: 280 km

Average consumption: 9 liters

Average speed: 56 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 58 minutes

Pitch cost: 0 SEK, without everything

Thursday, August 24

Tomorrow 9°C

Midday 19 °C

Evening 17 °C

We are lazy to write today.

The weather is getting better by the hour. We can enjoy our lunch break outside at Lake Storsjön.

Our parking spot today in Arvesund is also on Lake Storsjön and the clouds are getting fewer and fewer. Wonderful!

Day route: Flatruet - Arvesund

Distance: 209 km

Average consumption: 7.9 liters

Average speed: 51 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 3 minutes

Pitch cost: 250 SEK, incl. water/electricity

Friday, August 25th

Tomorrow 9 °C

Noon 23°C

Evening 18 °C

I think I have writer's block! Or just don't feel like writing?

We drive through a stunningly beautiful landscape. We keep stopping to enjoy nature. Our satnav is acting up today - we spend 115 kilometers wondering whether we might end up in a dead end. But nothing like that happens.

And before we know it, we're in Norway. There's a lot of traffic on the Fv72, which we'll soon reach, as the E14 is actually closed until tomorrow afternoon.

The first parking spot we came across in Levanger didn't convince us. It took a while until we found an alternative. Another 32 kilometers - and it was worth it.

We are standing high above the Trondheimsfjorden with a wonderful view. The sun disappears behind us quite early, just after 6 p.m., but that doesn't matter. The main thing is that we like it here.

Day route: Arvesund - Straumen, Norway

Distance: 240 km

Average consumption: 7.8 liters

Average speed: 53 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Pitch cost: 200 NOK, including electricity and water

Saturday, August 26

Tomorrow 12 °C

Noon 21 °C

Evening 19 °C

Last night we spent a long time looking at the map and deciding which route north we should take. We want to go to the Vikna archipelago and there are three different routes there.

Via Namsos to Lund and from there by ferry (25 minutes) to Hofles and then further west.

Or continue a little further along the E6, then turn off to Geisnes and from there take the ferry (10 minutes) to Hofles.

The whole journey can be completed with a few more kilometres but also without ferries.

The ferries only run about every two hours and if you miss one or there isn't enough space, you just have to wait.

But we don't want any stress, we want to have a lunch break, we want to stop whenever we want and we don't want to have to look at the clock. So we'll take the longer route without ferries.

Our lunch break (see picture below) is quite nice. And a nice chat with a couple from Switzerland rounds off this break.

The weather is wonderful and the landscapes are beautiful, but the first place we aimed for is a flop. Where there would have been room for at least five motorhomes, three Norwegian motorhomes have taken up space all over the place, so that no one can park there.

Somewhat frustrated, we look for an alternative and find it on the route out to the Hofles ferry port.

Oops, there's a big sign on the side of the road with several flashing lights. Google Translate helps - the ferry connections that we were studying yesterday are closed until tomorrow evening!!!!

We also find out why - STAFF SHORTAGE!!!!!

We experienced this last year in Lodingen on the Lofoten Islands, but at least only one ferry was cancelled there; these ferries here are cancelled for more than one day!

So we took the only right route and now we've found a nice place to stay overnight. The sun is shining, the water is sparkling, what more could you want?

Day route: Straumen, Norway - Hofles

Distance: 269 km

Average consumption: 8.9 liters

Average speed: 57 km/h

Travel time: 4 hours 42 minutes

Pitch cost: 150 NOK, including water, nothing else

Sunday, August 27

Tomorrow 15 °C

Noon 21°C

Evening 17 °C

We explore the Vikna archipelago on a small round trip and also stop in Rorvik.

Then we move on towards the island of Leka. And suddenly there they are - two moose. At first they are probably frightened that we stop and don't just drive past, but they soon stop being bothered and continue to graze peacefully.

At the Gutvik ferry port we have enough time for a small lunch before the ferry departs at 1:10 p.m. and reaches the island of Leka 20 minutes later. We head straight for Leka Camping and take up panoramic spot no. 1 with the most beautiful view to the east, west and south. Unfortunately, the clouds have increased as predicted, but we still unload the e-bikes and go on a first exploratory tour to the southern tip of the island. Great!

Back at our panoramic spot, we enjoy the views, the changing clouds and sun, and watch the Hurtigruten ship as it sails majestically past beneath us.