Safe Return Doubtful

It’s taking a big effort to get out of this heat. As is no doubt evident, I’m one of those who doesn’t like these last few weeks of the heatwave across most of Europe. It was a bit easier to deal with in Cumbria, where I turned the van to face only in the sun in the early morning, and could find a lot of shade, and of course cooler anyway than many other places. We had a river nearby also, to walk to with the dogs. The heat in Northern Europe is less humid, but hotter, in the early 30s at the moment for eight hours a day. 

The farm at Wanderup, close to the Danish border was on flat ground. Trees gave some shade, but I wanted to get away while the morning was still cool, even though I had less driving planned for the day. The farmers had cut their fields, so Rua got an hour’s run off the lead, and we were away just after 10. 

I had located a couple of motorhome sales and repair outlets to seek advice of where I could get a Starlink charger as I headed north through Denmark After locating one, I then would search for someone to fit it, it’s not a simple operation. My hopes were low. I had a back-up plan to order one by post and collect it in somewhere like Mo I Rana in Norway in a week. 

The first place I called at were busy, but recommended a store called T Hansen, located in towns throughout the country. They sell motor supplies, a bit better stocked than Halfords, and one was half an hour away, but they didn’t stock it. I had however, been able to fill up with LPG at the motorhome stockist, so not a trip completely wasted. 

Though not in any rush, I all but shunned the second of the motorhome suppliers, it seemed a pointless exercise. It was another half hour north, and fifteen minutes off route in the town of Horsens. It was the Danish outlet for the upmarket brand of Chausson, a very smart place, thirty or so vehicles and at around a hundred thousand each. A young guy attended me, and said they didn’t fit Starlink, but may have something that would help. It turned out he did, and he offered to fit it. I was doubly lucky, that they had a 100 watt charger that could be fitted, and that they were quiet; the previous few afternoons he told me, would have been impossible as they were busy. 

It took a couple of hours, and had teething problems. At first it didn’t work. Perhaps a fuse had blown. I emptied the back to look, but it wasn’t that. The guy was now on overtime, they closed at 4 pm, but he kept going and found a badly connected wire. My problem was solved. It was expensive though.. 

I drove on through to Frederikshavn on the northeast coast, arriving just after 7 pm. We headed for a forest just out of town in some hills and took an hour’s walk on an evening still at 28C. We both had dinner and I watched some TV series, which I will mention in a future post, before heading down to the port just after 11 pm. 

The ferry departed on time at 1:30 am. Despite the season it was very quiet, less than a quarter full. After boarding I headed directly into my bed (in the van..), and managed a couple of hours sleep during the four hour crossing; not perfect, but manageable. 

Southern Norway was in for another hot day. After arriving at 5:15 am, I drove ninety minutes then stopped for a bit more sleep, a dog walk and a bit of breakfast, before continuing north. A big driving day, across the border, past a sweltering Oslo at 31C at 10 am, and onwards and upwards on the main Norwegian transport artery, the E6. 

With the help of some podcasts and the one day International cricket commentary we did well, making Trondheim just after 4 pm, then our destination, Steinvikholm Castle on the sea just after 5 pm; 500 miles in around 12 hours. Once out of the Oslo area, Norwegian roads, even the E6, are slow, and busy at this time of year; single carriageway and a steady 70 kph..

Fuel economy requires all my mathematical expertise.. as I write that I can already hear the guffaws.. perhaps experience rather than expertise.. From Germany at around £1.90, a litre, though £2.20 on motorways, to Denmark at £2.30, to Sweden with reduced duty at £1.50, to Norway, also with reduced duty, though varying between £1.30 in the south to £1.80 up here in the central region. 

The castle was built in 1525 – 1532 by Olav Engelbrektson, Norway’s last archbishop, to defend the Church in Norway at the time when there was a struggle for power with the King of Denmark and Norway.

The Castle allows motorhome parking for a small fee, 20 Kroner, around £15. But we are near Trondheim here, and close to the E6 and any decent stopovers are in short supply. This is a good one, though busy; firstly because after some significant effort, I’m am out of the heat, it’s a pleasant 20 C here, dropping to 9C at night. Also though, because the location is a good one, away from roads, noise and has an excellent view across the sea. The castle is on an island reachable by a bridge or at low tide. We headed out immediately, as Rua, though very calm during the journey, needed exercise; basically he just sleeps. It was his first encounter with the sea, salt water and seaweed, and very amusing to watch. We soon met another puppy, a female Newfoundland sheep dog, almost exactly the same age. She belonged to a Swedish couple in a motorhome. We chatted while the dogs played, but they had no space, and we agreed to meet later in the evening and walk over to the island so they could play more easily. 

Sunset was at 10:15 pm. A town close to the Arctic Circle, Narvik for example, will have the midnight sun (no sunset) for another few days, until 20 July. Tromso, until 28 July, Hammerfest until 30 July. By coincidence only, my route will stay with it until about then.

This morning as I write, I realise I have achieved some basic objectives, to get out of the heat (as this morning is a delightful overcast 15C), get the large part of the huge journey done, and get that damned Starlink functioning..