Sunny Sweden

Last night the rain started and then it really started, then the wind started and it blew with such a force the Van' was rocking and the rain was smashing into the roof! I checked the forecast and the rain was set in for Norway for the next three days at least. With the lakeside site a complete wash-out we decided it was best to drive and head for the sun. Nearest warm sunshine was located on the Swedish Baltic coast, however that was about 1000k away!. We soon headed off through the glorious Norwegian countryside which even in the rain was some of the best we have seen anywhere. There is a idilic lake covered in lily pads around every corner and granite rocks glisten with the sparkling clean water running over them. The Norwegian Pines stand tall by the roadside and make for a truly wonderful location. We found the Motorway near the coast although this is a single lane 80 kph affair with millions of speed camera's. We eventually passed Oslo after 5 hours and then stayed in a services car park about 60k south of Oslo. We have just arrived at "Villa Bjorkhagen - Swecamp Rosenlund" in JonKoping, Sweden, on Lake Vattern one of the biggest expanses of freah water in Europe. We have a lake side pitch and the sun is out - good enough for now but we will run for the sunny east coast (if the rain sets in here tomorrow) as the forecast there is sun and 26 degrees which is just fine by us....


What we woke up to:



New Swecamp site pitch by Lake Vattern:

Fishing Update

Took the boys fishing with two spinning rods and we caught a small Trout on the second cast. Spent the next 150 casts trying for his bigger brother....

Beautiful Norway

We are pitched right by huge lake in the beautiful Setersdalen Valley in southern Norway. The closest village is Byglandsfjord. Wonderful spot if a little soggy as the area has had the worst July rainfall in 150 years. However we are here now and the sun is out on a beautiful evening by the lake and mountains. Sue is cooking outside on the grill and George & James are playing at fishing but the real fishing comes later. I am sampling some cold dry Cider at 7.5% volume! We are here until Saturday and will then head easy towards Oslo and stay at another lakeside site on the way.

Super Speed Ferry

Just arrived in Norway after blasting across the North Sea at 40 Knots on a Mega Ferry designed in the shape of a fast luxury yacht! Only took 3 hours and boarding and unloading was very efficient. Highly recommended if you need to get from Denmark to Norway fast!

Driving on the Beach

Today we had a quiet day as we are leaving Denmark tomorrow on the High Speed Ferry to Kristiansand in Norway. We cycled down to the Beach at Lyngby which remarkably is very similar to Kingsdown in Kent where I spent most of my childhood holidays. Its holiday cottages on a chalky/Clay cliff top with a steep road down onto the beach. Cars are then permitted to drive on the beach and park anywhere! This system applies between Blokhus and Lonstrup on the North West Coast. Later we played Cricket and George was involved in a football match between Danish & German campers here at Klitgard Camping.

North Sea Aquarium

Yesterday it was raining heavily all day as forecast so we headed off to the Nordsea Aquarium in Hirtshals. After finding a grass verge to park the Van' on we entered the vast Aquarium and were stunned by the massive centre piece Ocean Tank with hundreds of species of North Sea Fish including Sharks and two Sun Fish! The boys really enjoyed all the displays and tanks and even their Scandinavian style chicken lunch.

Later we cycled down to he beach near the Campsite which is suffering from sever erosion to the cliffs including a tarmac road that simply ends in a 50ft cliff drop! Amazingly you can drive on the beach here and there is a road leading onto the beach and off it. Crazy Danish.

Skagen

Today we left Frederikshavn and travelled up the coast to Skagen the most Northerly point in Demark. Its a great spot with huge sand dunes and lots of huge WW2 bunkers and a beautiful lighthouse. Sandy beaches and crystal clear water make up the picture for a very pretty place for a day on the beach.

We are now camping at a site in Lokken which is very peaceful and spacious with great playgrounds for the boys. We will stay here until Wednesday when we get the High Speed Ferry to Norway from Hirtshals.

Ferry to Norway

I have just booked the super speed Ferry between Hirtshals & Kristiansand in Norway. This is a slight change of plan that saves 1200km of driving and fuel. We leave on Wednesday 29th and will then be heading into Norwegian Mountains before driving into Sweden via Oslo. We will be staying at Neset camping in the Setesdal Valley on a beautiful lake in a high mountain area:

Frederikshavn - Nordstrand Camping

We arrived in Fredrikshavn at about 5.00pm and easily found the campsite located by a white sand beach and quaint little harbour. The weather improved as we set up and the sun shone for most of the evening. We set off to explore the beach and harbour on the bikes and the boys found a great playground and that keeps them happy!

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Trip to Skagen

We are about to leave for Skagen on the most Northerly tip of Denmark about a 3 hour drive from here. Pictures and news when we get there.

Flensborg Fjord Bike Ride

Just back from a 3 hour bike ride along a coastal path by the shore of the Flensborg Fjord. James rode his "Pukki" for much of the off road sections and then travelled in his carriage for the road sections.

Its very beautiful and calming here even without the sun, the rain held off for the ride but has just started at the campsite.

The facilities here are second to none with every conceviable luxury including wall mounted widescreen TV in the washing up areas! Showers are better than 5* hotel with massage setting and two different shower heads. May try the heated outdoor pool later.

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Rain Attack

Just woke up after a night of the heaviest sustained rainfall I can remember. The Van' was pounded all night long but withstood the attack and get us very warm and dry! Even the windscreen that had a slight leak before I fixed it last week held up perfectly.

The sun is now in the sky and we are going to go for a bike ride along the beautiful Flensborg Fjord pictured below.

Frigard Camping - Kolland Denmark

Just arrived at Frigard Camping just over the border into Denmark. Fantastic site which is designed with families and children in mind. About six huge sand playgrounds with everything a child could dream of, huge pitches with hardstanding, water and electricity together with the largest and cleanest family shower room I have ever seen.

Earlier we set of from the North German coast and headed via Bremen and Hamburg to the Danish border. The trip took about five hours and was hampered by over 50 miles of roadworks!

This was going to be a stop off for one night but having seen the site and location on a fjord like inlet we will stay 2-3 nights before heading for Northern Jutland. James was OK last night with only a few coughs so hopefully he will recover fully soon.

Photo updates tomorrow....

Photo :Crocodile we made on the beach yesterday J

Germany to Denmark

OK quick post: James woke up with a chesty and more worryingly Croupy cough following our long indoor swim yesterday. He seems OK now but we will avoid the pool today and see how he gets on tonight.

Tomorrow we leave this site and head for Denmark, we will probably find a site just over the border to overnight and then progress north into Jutland to stay at a site on the Northern beaches where the weather is fine from this Friday. (Accuweather 15 day forecast) The weather in southern Sweden also picks up from Saturday so hopefully the rain is behind us now. More later...

Skagen looks nice as does Blokhus. As we understand you can drive on the beach in Northern Denmark and that will be a first for our 28ft campervan! Legoland will probably be visited as well after the beaches.

Chorleywood to Essens Bensersiel Pictures

Here we are driving accross the 20 mile causeway on the way up the coast of the Netherlands:










The Frankia at our pitch in Bensersiel Campingplatz:











George and James at the waters edge after a storm!


Bensersiel Harbour:



Sue pulling James home accross the sand:






Sunset tonight by our pitch:

Chorleywood to Essens Bensersiel

On Saturday morning we set off from Chorleywood in the Frankia i820RD, a 2006 A Class 8.2m German Motorhome, and headed for the Channel Tunnel just outside Folkestone. We managed to sneak on board an earlier train with Sue using a bit of palming to make a "D" card into a "B" so we were speeding up the A16 towards Belgium by about 1.20pm local time.

After stopping for fuel and Cofee at a few service stations we arrived at Port Zelande in the Netherlands at about 6.30pm. Unfortunately our planned campsite next to Centreparcs was full and we were advised to try Camping Klaverweide across the Dyke and within cycle distance of the Centrparc island. On arrival the site reception was closed but I soon managed to find the Turkish looking owner smoking a cigar and drinking a brandy in the site bar!

We parked on a spacious grass pitch with water tap and electricity and the boys got outside and started to play football. Weather was nice for an evening if a bit "Blowy". Sue cooked up a nice Curry and Pizza for the boys and this was enjoyed with a nice couple of glasses of Shiraz.

We left in the morning as the rain was coming down and when it rains its best to drive so we headed out on a bearing for Germany but via a Dutch coastal route taking in the huge 20 mile Causeway/bridge/dyke between the Polders near Den Helder.

We then hit the A7 and did not stop until we got into Germany near Weener.

We arrived at the Campingplatz at Bensersiel on the North Sea coast midway between Holland and Denmark earlier today. Its a great little town located right on the coast and has a quaint harbour and lots of good restaurants, Cafes and shops to browse.

The Campingplatz is actually in the harbour area and has its own beach and huge swimming facility with wave pool etc. There is also a huge Centreparcs like indoor spa in the village where we spent a couple of fun hours today.

On leaving the pool we cycled along a coastal path for about an hour before checking out the town and buying supplies.

Everywhere has a cycle path and the sun is shining so we all off on further "Explore" trip right now at 7.15pm local time....

Just back - boys in bed and we are watching new BBC TV Drama while I am posting this blog report.