After the visit of Trondheim and the publication of a new page of my web site, I left Norway of the Fjords to approach the West coast and the islands. I decided to go there on the RV17 tourist road.
Trondheim is crouched in
the meanders of Nidelva. As all the large Norwegian cities, it is
surrounded by toll places from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the car parks are paying
from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m.
The town centre is very
small with broad streets at right angle. The Cathedral and the
Archbishop's palace are worth a visit. The district of the warehouses
and the Bybrua bridge give a broad outline of the habitat of this harbour city
in the XVIIth century.
On road RV763 at the foot
of the Bola river, there is one of the most famous rupestral engravings in
Norway, Bolareinen, an engraved reindeer dating back to 5,000 years.
The RV17 road,
Kystriksveien, stretches from Steinkjer to Bodo. I traversed it
from Hoylandet to Bodo in three days that is approximately 750 km and six ferries
at a cost of 1,288 NOK for a camper van of 7 meters. The landscapes are often
imposing, unfortunately time was gloomy.
Bodo is the busiest port to go to Lofoten. It is a modern city of NATO garrison. I took the ferry to Moskenes for four hours duration and at a cost of 1,183 NOK for a camper van of 7 meters.
The Lofoten
Islands are located in the north of the Arctic Circle and extend on 168
km from the south to the north. The very sharp-edged mountains enclose fjords
where the villages of fishermen and their traditional red pile houses are
hanged out,
rorbuer.
The Vesteralen Islands all the more contrast with the preceding ones as I visited them by a gloomy weather. The landscapes are less spectacular but quite as interesting.
Narvik is a port located at the bottom of Beisfjord. This city martyrized by war is dedicated to the iron and steel industry, it does not have any charm. Its only attraction is, as in all the Norwegian cities, its library with its free Internet access.
I left with regret this area with its sumptuous landscapes heated by the Gulf Stream. It is worth than a fast trip in camper. The south of Lofoten is the ideal location for ramble and bicycling.
