Day 5 -Storfjord to Saltsrummen

66 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 296 miles (476 km)

These campsites get really busy late in the evening. I’m not sure it would have been possible to fit another caravan or camper van into the place. With 24 hour daylight people stay up later than the rest of Europe. The trailers rolled in between 8 and 10 in the evening, and I feared there would be lots of noise. The tents near me were quiet though.

A dry day today, and even sunshine after midday. In easier conditions I can break camp in about an hour, and was on the road at 8:30 am,mover the hill into Leknes for breakfast and onwards on the E10. It’s busy, but the traffic doesn’t really have room in many places, a sort of one and a half lane carriageway. It’s less than 30 mph and generally considerate to cyclists.

There are lots of tunnels on this section also, including a 2.5 km sea tunnel, which descends and pretty much straight afterwards, ascends at 8% gradient. The riding from Leknes is spectacular, and this must be one of the ‘great rides of the world’. There are sandy beeches, a meandering and hilly road hugging the coast, and those famous jagged peaks often on both side as the road follows around fjords. The last stretch through Hanoya, Reina and Moskenes is the best.

My timing was almost perfect. As I entered the last tunnel I could see the ferry coming into dock at Moskenes, by accident I might add. I had thought it was 3 pm, but there are only 3 a day, so good job to catch this one at 2 pm. It’s a 3.5 hour crossing so time to relax for a bit in the sun, almost 17C here today.

After a bit of food shopping in Bodo it was 15 km by cycle lane out of town, then a really good 15 more on a small road headed south. I was aiming at Saltstrummen but the campsite there is 4 star, packed and £20, so I’ve found some space at the back of the school next door and can nip across and use their facilities.

Distance 65.5 miles Left at 8:30 am Arrived at 7:30 pm Time riding 7 hours 4 minutes Height climbed 4789 feet.