Open invitation arctic meet 2017
- Thread starter Dave
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😢😢😢😢😢 no work car...😭😭😭😭😭😭
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Will have to see what happens when i get back and weather or not i get a 4x4 in time??? If i do happy days. If not. No chance. Dont think the Astra would work very well. If i do drive probley take 3 days. Depends how i feel really. All ifs buts and maybe atm...😕😕😕
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Hi - a quick question on studded tyres. Can you use them on tarmac roads as well? The reason I ask is that on my last road trip to Jokkmokk from the UK, most of the journey (about 2600 miles) was on tarmac roads clear of snow. Not much point having studded tyres if they get ground down before you get to the snow! I was planning to get un-studded winter tyres for my next trip, but if studded tyres can make the trip intact, I might change my mind!
Tbh not sure. Simple answer is its not good for them. The studs will wear more i would think, thats if you dont lose them speeding down the motorway.
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My thoughts, for what it's worth, on the UK - Jokkmokk road trip, based on my experiences last November on this run. Do it! Yes, it's more expensive than flights/train/buses, but you get to take a lot more stuff, and if you can sleep in the car and cook your own food by the roadside as I did, you can save a fair bit. En route, you can shower in the motorway services in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. And the inland route in Sweden is amazing!
I want to go but all depends on buying or renting a truck now.
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hmm...just so you know - almost everybody use 2WD cars up here (a 4X4 might come in handy, tho). I would go for a car with a Eberspracher heater instead of a 4x4 (starting the car below -20C can be challenging (I have a very old Volvo, which can account for my preference)).
Being of the old school, I use studded tires but friction tires will do fine. I think that studded tires are slightly better on icy roads (when trying to stop), but for normal driving they are roughly equal.
The Greger School of Winter Driving in Sweden: Drive a bit slower, keep longer distance to cars ahead. Keep to the right side of the road. Nobody gets to drink beer in the back seat. Well, that's it really...nothing to it
Greger
Being of the old school, I use studded tires but friction tires will do fine. I think that studded tires are slightly better on icy roads (when trying to stop), but for normal driving they are roughly equal.
The Greger School of Winter Driving in Sweden: Drive a bit slower, keep longer distance to cars ahead. Keep to the right side of the road. Nobody gets to drink beer in the back seat. Well, that's it really...nothing to it
Greger
Thanks Greger. I have done a bit of winter driveing in Norway with studded tyres. Many years ago though.
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You do know it's going to put 4 to 5 days onto the trip for travel time, don't you
I heard road trip and came running in!
It won't add anything like that unless you only have one driver... and as far as it costing more than flying, not if you get a car full. You just need the right vehicle.
In the past I've hired a vehicle... depending on the number of people in vehicle and the number of drivers, it can be cheaper and arguably almost as fast as the other methods of transport. Not to mention a damn sight more interesting than sitting in airports and aeroplanes... plus there is no baggage charge with a vehicle... so again, depending on the vehicle, you can take pretty much what you like.
Add up the costs of the plane individually, the extra baggage charges, the bus trip... not to mention the hassles of moving around your luggage whilst trying to buy food in Sweden... I bet if there is more than 4 people in the vehicle, and more than 3 drivers, it would be more cost effective to hire a vehicle, load it up and drive on over.
I'd be up for it.... well, as long as all aboard have strong bladders... hate having to stop off at every other services for those with the weaker bladder.
Vehicle wise, given the weight onboard and presuming plus 4 or more, what about a mini bus?
Having been watching this planning thread progress i have to chuckle ......when we were planning our winter trip every item that has come up we covered...boots..layers...food..fights...tentage....stoves...fights...or drive.......same questions same problems...fantastic..
Have fun lads .....looking forward to the photos
Twodogs
Have fun lads .....looking forward to the photos
Twodogs
I think if we are talking about driving, and it looks like we are talking about it, we should go as a group, sounds like the U.K. side is up for it, with the exception of TinkyPete who hasn't commented yet, I can't, simple reason is time, multi drivers and more or less non stop, it's still going to take a day and a half each way, but then where is the fun in that ? Just saying I'll have a look at travel and time I can get off.
I'll have a look at travel and time I can get off.
Right, see if this works, no idea on costings yet but here are a few alternatives to flying ?
Ferry from Immingham to Gothenburg long time on the ferry, it's freight with the option to take some passengers LINK
Drive, Dover to Copenhagen 12 hours 40 minutes, 722 miles LINK
Then Copenhagen to Porjus 18 hours 45 minutes, 1076 miles LINK
Train / Sleeper train, I haven't looked at it closely but another possible LINK
All in all, it's a lot of travel by any other means than flying ?
Cliff, you say on your trip you talked about road travel, what did you guys find ?
A snippet from the train link
London to Northern Sweden & Narvik...
First travel to Gothenburg or Stockholm as shown above. Overnight sleeper trains run from Stockholm and Gothenburg to Northern Sweden, including Boden, Luleå, Kiruna and Narvik in Norway. These trains are run by www.sj.se, who took over from previous franchisee www.connex.se in 2008. The trains have 1 & 2 berth sleepers, some with private toilet and shower, 6-berth couchettes, ordinary seats, bar and even cinema. Daytime trains from Gothenburg and Stockholm to most cities in Sweden are also run by national train operator SJ, see www.sj.se for times and fares. If you have any problems booking with SJ.se, try agency site www.acprail.com instead.
Ferry from Immingham to Gothenburg long time on the ferry, it's freight with the option to take some passengers LINK
Drive, Dover to Copenhagen 12 hours 40 minutes, 722 miles LINK
Then Copenhagen to Porjus 18 hours 45 minutes, 1076 miles LINK
Train / Sleeper train, I haven't looked at it closely but another possible LINK
All in all, it's a lot of travel by any other means than flying ?
Cliff, you say on your trip you talked about road travel, what did you guys find ?
A snippet from the train link
London to Northern Sweden & Narvik...
First travel to Gothenburg or Stockholm as shown above. Overnight sleeper trains run from Stockholm and Gothenburg to Northern Sweden, including Boden, Luleå, Kiruna and Narvik in Norway. These trains are run by www.sj.se, who took over from previous franchisee www.connex.se in 2008. The trains have 1 & 2 berth sleepers, some with private toilet and shower, 6-berth couchettes, ordinary seats, bar and even cinema. Daytime trains from Gothenburg and Stockholm to most cities in Sweden are also run by national train operator SJ, see www.sj.se for times and fares. If you have any problems booking with SJ.se, try agency site www.acprail.com instead.
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Its as Andy said more expensive but good fun ...four people and kit means a big car and extra time and maybe extra costs ..
I have drove back from Sweden and Norway with cars I have brought over there ,,,its a long tiring drive to be honest .
It down to you really , worth it if you have the time but minis 20 means winter tyres , silicon brake fluid and big battery .....
Twodogs
Twodogs
I have drove back from Sweden and Norway with cars I have brought over there ,,,its a long tiring drive to be honest .
It down to you really , worth it if you have the time but minis 20 means winter tyres , silicon brake fluid and big battery .....
Twodogs
Twodogs
I have seen the stuff on driving and it has advantages and disadvantages.
I know from seeing Andy's vehicle when he returned that getting more kit in is good. But for the hassle of the driving and possible breakdown and what will happen needs to be looked at as well.
Flying/trains/buses means less kit due to weight and size restrictions but then a lot easiler to catch later train or bus but higher degree of getting to journeys end.
I am easy to go either way but as Cliff has said everything needs to planned and thought through.
I know from seeing Andy's vehicle when he returned that getting more kit in is good. But for the hassle of the driving and possible breakdown and what will happen needs to be looked at as well.
Flying/trains/buses means less kit due to weight and size restrictions but then a lot easiler to catch later train or bus but higher degree of getting to journeys end.
I am easy to go either way but as Cliff has said everything needs to planned and thought through.
Thanks for the input guys, I'm still leaning towards the flying with parcels2go for a couple of bits, still, as ever, lets thrash it out, we'll get a game plan eventually, maybe
This road trip could work out cheap /er ferry from Dover to Calais on economy £84.00 for a minibus and 6 passengers WOW, that is cheap ? So the ferry plus fuel is around £500. Then the minibus 12 seater 17 days £1700 goes and puts a big dent in it anyone got a minibus to lend
anyone got a minibus to lend Four people in a car - even a big one - wouldn't work, as the amount of kit each could bring would be limited to about that you could take on a plane. Admittedly, I took too much with me - basically loading in anything I thought I might need, or want to play with, but even so the car - a big 4x4 - was loaded to the gunnels. I folded up two-thirds of the rear seats to get my pulk (Fjellpulken 130) in, for example. I could have put on a 500litre top-box, but didn't want the car to be too top-heavy. And the logistical problems would be bigger too. Some would want a straight-through drive without much stopping, but that way you'd miss the benefits of a road trip - stopping to smell the roses, so to speak. I wanted to stop at the Mora sales outlet, for example, which in turn took me on the inland route to Jokkmokk.
You also need to be realistic about the time you need to drive there. It's 2000 miles plus each way - you ain't going to be doing that in a day and a half! (remember that the last 4-500 miles will be on snow-covered roads) Allow at least 3 days - preferably 4 - to do it with some degree of sanity.
As far as car prep goes, I got the engine oil changed to a low-temp mix, and ditto the coolant. Full service of course, making sure bake pads had at least 5000 miles left in them. Tyres - I had some M&S tyres already on the car, about half-worn. These were only just about adequate (and then only with 4wd -high range operating), and In future I'd replace them with genuine winter tyres. Battery wasn't new, but it only let me down once, and after a 4 hour wait I managed to get a jump start from a passing motorist. This was the first car that passed me! Next time I'll take a big spare in an insulated box, kept warm with the occasional Hot Hands sachet. Ideally it would be a lithium one, but the costs of these are still astronomical.
You also need to be realistic about the time you need to drive there. It's 2000 miles plus each way - you ain't going to be doing that in a day and a half! (remember that the last 4-500 miles will be on snow-covered roads) Allow at least 3 days - preferably 4 - to do it with some degree of sanity.
As far as car prep goes, I got the engine oil changed to a low-temp mix, and ditto the coolant. Full service of course, making sure bake pads had at least 5000 miles left in them. Tyres - I had some M&S tyres already on the car, about half-worn. These were only just about adequate (and then only with 4wd -high range operating), and In future I'd replace them with genuine winter tyres. Battery wasn't new, but it only let me down once, and after a 4 hour wait I managed to get a jump start from a passing motorist. This was the first car that passed me! Next time I'll take a big spare in an insulated box, kept warm with the occasional Hot Hands sachet. Ideally it would be a lithium one, but the costs of these are still astronomical.
