North Sea Cycle Route. Yippee! Summer 2008

[gordon taylor]

I've given up on my stupid idea of doing Morocco in August. Gah!

But I'm going to do some of the North Sea Cycle route, staring and finishing at home in Staffordshire, this summer. I have a five-week pass.
Whooppeeee Doo Dah Day!

I'll be going anti-clockwise and probably crossing the channel to Calais...
Riding up the coast through northern France, Belgium, Germany and Denmark...
Crossing into Sweden or Norway (depending on days left)...
Riding to Bergen...
Crossing by ferry to Scrabster on the north coast of Scotland on 19th August...
Riding home...


I wonder how far it is?
I wonder if I should take the Surly or the trike?

[Wowbagger]

There seem to be several of us intent on this nonsense. Mrs Wow and I will do the first bit this year, but we won't spend more than a fortnight at a time at it.

We originally planned to start it about the middle of July, but then it dawned on us that this clashes with the 60th birthday and retirement bash of an especially lovely sis-in-law, who has a twin, and between them there will be a megaparty. I think we are looking at the first couple of weeks in September now.

We are not intending to stick to the coastal route though: I think we will spend a fortnight at 40-ish miles a day starting at Boulogne and finishing that The Hook. We'll meander.

[Polar Bear]

I've given up on my stupid idea of doing Morocco in August. Gah!

But I'm going to do some of the North Sea Cycle route, staring and finishing at home in Staffordshire, this summer. I have a five-week pass.
Whooppeeee Doo Dah Day!

I'll be going anti-clockwise and probably crossing the channel to Calais...
Riding up the coast through northern France, Belgium, Germany and Denmark...
Crossing into Sweden or Norway (depending on days left)...
Riding to Bergen...
Crossing by ferry to Scrabster on the north coast of Scotland on 19th August...
Riding home...


I wonder how far it is?
I wonder if I should take the Surly or the trike?

Sounds great, but ...

Midges will be in full bite at that time of year in the north of Scotland.

[Craig]

Midgies aren't usually much of a problem on the east coast of Scotland (probably because its too windy). I assume you'll be sticking to the east coast if following the North Sea cycle route.

[juliet]

That sounds fab!  Are you camping or B&Bing?

[gordon taylor]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll be camping, with the occasional youth hostel stay to get some washing done. I have to do this on a very small budget, and have the idea that I can stealth camp in the dunes on many nights.

In Scotland, the plan is to come straight south to Edinburgh, because I have relatives on Speyside who'll put me up. I'll miss out the Aberdeenshire coast but will do the East Coast on the way south from Edinburgh. I'll watch out for midges!

I'm very tempted to take the trike, because it is then impossible to jump on a plane or train and come home early. I want to do a maximum of 2,400 miles, and this route is easily adjustable by taking different ferries out of Denmark.

The ferry from Bergen to Scotland only runs once a week, so if I miss it, I'm stuffed.

[Gus]

Hi Gordon

Sounds like a great tour.
If you are concerned about the ferry, Wideroe flies from Bergen to Edinburgh and Aberdeen allmost daily, and it's propely cheaper than the ferry.
I was just reading about the norwegian part of the trip and they describe it as fairly easy, the are a couple of hills, but nothing higher than 300 meters.

So I would go for the Surly 

Btw. I know  a book, where there are rough camps listed all over Denmark, some cost £1-2 for a night but most are free. I'll see if I can get some copies of the campsites along your
route, if you want it.

Gus

[gordon taylor]

Gus, the camping details from that book would be great, thanks.

The ferry is £98, and I got my ticket in the post today. I looked at flights, but I really want to cycle as much of the route as possible and the north of Scotland is wonderful. Those flights just land too far south on the UK side.

[Gus]

I was just finding some tentsites for Gordon, but I thought the rest of you
might need the infomation too.

Naturcamps in Denmark

And there are plenty of links to other accommodations too.

hope this help you to getting some good nights sleep.

Gus

[Polar Bear]

Midgies aren't usually much of a problem on the east coast of Scotland (probably because its too windy). I assume you'll be sticking to the east coast if following the North Sea cycle route.

I remember being on the train to Thurso two years ago.  We stopped at a request stop and the windows visibly darkened due to the pesky blood-sucking critters clamouring for the fresh meat inside.   It was late May at Forsinard.

I'm not sure where the NSCR goes exactly but I know the midges don't really care! 

[Polar Bear]

Just looked at the NSCR site.  The route goes west along the northern coast of Scotland to Tongue, then turns south through Altnaharra to Lairg.   Lots and lots of Midges there because it is quite sheltered.   Fantastic road though.   We did it into the evening one day going north.  Stopped at Crask Inn for food and wild camped just outside Altnaharra.   We persuaded a nice landlady in a B&B in Altnaharra to do us a cooked breakfast   

Laiirg sems to be where the midges hold an annual convention too 

I'm sure I'm not putting you off Gordon.

[gordon taylor]

Laiirg sems to be where the midges hold an annual convention too 

I'm sure I'm not putting you off Gordon.

Naaa. My worst midge experience was when camping on Skye. We were sleeping in a van ('cos the tent was blown down the night before...) and I needed a pee in the middle of the night. I could see the little bleeders in clouds against the windows and Mrs G wouldn't let me use an old bottle. Ouch.

They are really awful on a still night when there's nothing else around.

OT: At my cousin's wedding in Glenfinnan, the hotel had a couple of midge traps running outside. IIRC, they are attracted to a carbon dioxide "bait" and the machine vacuums them up.

[Polar Bear]

Laiirg sems to be where the midges hold an annual convention too 

I'm sure I'm not putting you off Gordon.

Naaa. My worst midge experience was when camping on Skye. We were sleeping in a van ('cos the tent was blown down the night before...) and I needed a pee in the middle of the night. I could see the little bleeders in clouds against the windows and Mrs G wouldn't let me use an old bottle. Ouch.

They are really awful on a still night when there's nothing else around.

OT: At my cousin's wedding in Glenfinnan, the hotel had a couple of midge traps running outside. IIRC, they are attracted to a carbon dioxide "bait" and the machine vacuums them up.

Ah yes. Skye.  Been eaten alive there too   

I wish I could stop looking at the NSCR site ...

[Tourist Tony]

So that's Gordy, me, Arabella, possibly the Wows, all on the NSCR this summer....

[gordon taylor]

I suggest we all buy aero bars and ride like a pursuit team with panniers.

[Chris N]

I suggest we all buy aero bars and ride like a pursuit team with panniers.

You saw me on Sunday then?

[Regulator]

So that's Gordy, me, Arabella, possibly the Wows, all on the NSCR this summer....

And me.  I intend to do Hoek van Holland to Bilund/Esjberg this summer...

[Gus]

I'm riding the danish part this year, it's a part of my tour de Denmark.
I'm considering riding the rest in april/may next year as training for LEL .

G

[Hot Flatus]

I'd never heard of this route until I met some aged aussies doing it whilst I was doing an E2E.

It sounds fantastic.  Hope you have a really good time!

(p.s. you have probably realised this but with the £/euro rate it would be worth planning in as much self-sufficiency as poss)

[microphonie]

I'd never heard of this route until I met some aged aussies doing it whilst I was doing an E2E.

It sounds fantastic.  Hope you have a really good time!

NSCR for more info