Tag: Trondheim

Norway Day 9: Kårvåg – Atlanterhavstunnelen Bus – Trondheim

Distance: 14.1 miles

Time: 1:09

Elevation Gain: 928 feet

I needed to make a significant route choice, the time was ticking on my time in Norway, and after 8 days riding, I was still two days away from Trondheim. Then, I’d have a big section between Trondheim and Bodo to do, then finally the sprint along the Lofoten and Vesterålen Islands to Tromso, it seemed like all the waiting around for ferries had knocked me off track. But, there was the option to take the ferry from Kristiansund to Trondheim, 200 hundred kilometers east. If I could get the Atlantic tunnel bus at 12:41, then I’d have a few hours to spare in Kristiansund, before the ferry onwards at 16:15, and I could be in Trondheim in the evening.

I set off up the hill out of Kårvåg, when a couple on heavily loaded tourers rode past me, before my lighter setup saw me move ahead of them again on the next hill. Soon after, there were some roadworks, and we all stopped at the lights for long enough to become acquainted.

This was a French couple who had started their five month trip from home, and would be carrying on to Nordkapp.

Soon we were off again, but after a lumpy 14 mile ride to the bus stop – from which we’d take the Atlantic tunnel bus to Kristiansund – I was able to quiz them again about their trip. Their names were Simon and Margot, and they’d left their hometown near Gap, travelled north to Denmark – to catch the 3 day ferry to Seydisfjordur, Iceland, to complete a lap of the island, before travelling onwards to Norway via a stop off in the Faroe Islands en route. After Nordkapp they would then make their return south via Finland. Sounded like a good trip!

After getting off the bus, we met a couple on a recumbent tandem waiting at the stop, and chatted a little more, before we all said our goodbyes.

Enjoying my short visit to Kristiansund, I found a fantastic Thai restaurant, just along the road from the port, and the colossal Pad Thai I was served would have been excellent cycling fuel, if I was planning any more. As it was, I was making for the ferry, and after an ice cream at the waterfront, I boarded one of the superfast Norled boats for the almost 4 hour journey.

The journey whizzed by, and I had a pang of regret at not being out on the road, with such beautiful scenery on a lovely day.

Then I arrived in Trondheim, and I was definitely reconsidering my decision, it was cool and overcast, and not too inviting.

But I was staying at the spectacular Clarion hotel, right on the waterfront, and when I turned up at the restaurant at a few minutes to 10, and optimistically asked if they were still serving food, I was delighted to be told, ‘yes, for 5 more minutes’.

One burger then, please, and what a burger it was. All washed down by a pleasant IPA, which, for completeness, cost £10.56, for a 400 ml ‘pint’…

Norway Day 8: Sandneset Campsite – Kårvåg

Distance: 63.14 miles

Time: 5:58

Elevation Gain: 2660 feet

It was a beautiful morning in the campsite, and Arijit and I had a leisurely breakfast before setting off. Our route carried on for ten miles, across Otrøya, with some long gradual climbs along the coast.

After crossing back onto the mainland, slightly west of Molde, we struggled up another hill in the warm sunshine, before stopping at the large ‘Extra’ supermarket in Hollingen to pick up a few things for lunch.

Soon, we started the long circumnavigation of Frænfjorden, and as it neared 6 o’clock and 30 miles for the day, we stopped again for something to eat at a petrol station cafe. Arijit having fish and chips, and me, an enormous chicken doner platter.

It was all the fuel I needed to sustain me for another few hours, and just as well too. Up ahead there was a fork in the road where Arijit would be turning left and cycling a few more miles to the next campsite, and I’d be turning right, cutting the corner of the route before hoping to press on to Kristiansund that night

The evening was still young, and secretly, I had aspirations to reach the ferry onwards from Kristiansund by half past 11 and carry on pedalling for a few more hours into the night.

But, there was a spanner in the works, and having blasted across the hinterland to Farstad, and admired the stunning views along the Atlantic road, I stopped just outside Kårvåg and checked the time of the next atlantershavstunnelen tunnel bus. It was half past 9 in the evening now, and the next bus wasn’t until 12:41 the next afternoon. It was the end of the road, I wasn’t allowed to cycle through the 6 km underwater tunnel, and there were no other ways across to Kristiansund without going a very long way back the way I’d come.

My grand plans to make up miles had been hijacked. With ferries all along the Atlantic coast route often running until at least midnight I hadn’t even thought to check when the last bus might be.

Deflated, I pedalled back along the Atlantic road looking for a spot to camp amongst the rocky outcrops, before eventually returning to Kårvåg, and finding a small campsite just off the road by a harbour.

Although I’d racked up 63 miles for the day, and cut out a section of the route, with only two weeks remaining of my trip, and a significant distance still to go, I would need to plan my next move.

Norway Day 8: Sandneset Campsite – Kårvåg

Distance: 63.14 miles

Time: 5:58

Elevation Gain: 2660 feet

It was a beautiful morning in the campsite, and Arijit and I had a leisurely breakfast before setting off. Our route carried on for ten miles, across Otrøya, with some long gradual climbs along the coast.

After crossing back onto the mainland, slightly west of Molde, we struggled up another hill in the warm sunshine, before stopping at the large ‘Extra’ supermarket in Hollingen to pick up a few things for lunch.

Soon, we started the long circumnavigation of Frænfjorden, and as it neared 6 o’clock and 30 miles for the day, we stopped again for something to eat at a petrol station cafe. Arijit having fish and chips, and me, an enormous chicken doner platter.

It was all the fuel I needed to sustain me for another few hours, and just as well too. Up ahead there was a fork in the road where Arijit would be turning left and cycling a few more miles to the next campsite, and I’d be turning right, cutting the corner of the route before hoping to press on to Kristiansund that night

The evening was still young, and secretly, I had aspirations to reach the ferry onwards from Kristiansund by half past 11 and carry on pedalling for a few more hours into the night.

But, there was a spanner in the works, and having blasted across the hinterland to Farstad, and admired the stunning views along the Atlantic road, I stopped just outside Kårvåg and checked the time of the next atlantershavstunnelen tunnel bus. It was half past 9 in the evening now, and the next bus wasn’t until 12:41 the next afternoon. It was the end of the road, I wasn’t allowed to cycle through the 6 km underwater tunnel, and there were no other ways across to Kristiansund without going a very long way back the way I’d come.

My grand plans to make up miles had been hijacked. With ferries all along the Atlantic coast route often running until at least midnight I hadn’t even thought to check when the last bus might be.

Deflated, I pedalled back along the Atlantic road looking for a spot to camp amongst the rocky outcrops, before eventually returning to Kårvåg, and finding a small campsite just off the road by a harbour.

Although I’d racked up 63 miles for the day, and cut out a section of the route, with only two weeks remaining of my trip, and a significant distance still to go, I would need to plan my next move.

Norway 2025 Day 7: Mauseid – Sandneset Campsite

Distance: 39.1 miles

Time: 3:43

Elevation Gain: 1394 feet

I packed up on the wall beside a large multi-gym by the side of the lake, keen to make an early start to make for the ten past 11 ferry out of Ålesund.

Setting off along the 61, a short climb led me to a tunnel and from the other side, I could see the whole greater Ålesund area spreading out before me. It looked flat and fast, if I could just stay on this road, I’d be there in no time.

As it was my phone battery was running low, and as I approached the town, I suddenly noticed that highway 61 had become the E39, and the road started to drop towards a tunnel, and the sign was clear, no bikes.

Turning around and exiting at the previous sliproad, I attempted to follow the cycle path route into Ålesund, but trying not to use my phone for navigation, and just using what I thought were the signs denoting the route, I first of all ended up following the route in reverse, and then I followed a purple bike sign that took me off at a complete tangent, and when I tried to realign myself with the route ended up finding I no longer knew which way I was headed at all.

Needless to say, by the time I made it to the Ålesund ferry terminal I was 10 minutes late, it was 20 past 11 and the next ferry wasn’t until 14:35. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I hate cycle paths…

With significantly more time in Ålesund than I’d expected, it did give me time to appreciate the famed Art Deco harbour, and find an excellent Thai restaurant, Soi One, for a green thai curry.

When I arrived back at the terminal, I found that I wasn’t the only one who’d been waiting a considerable time for the ferry, when I met an Indian cyclist, now based in Hamburg, Arijit. He had started his four month trip from Hamburg before traversing Denmark and taking the ferry to Norway’s southerly port city of Kristiansand. From there he’d been working his way down the Atlantic coast route, and would be continuing north all the way to Nordkapp.

We were each thinking of staying at a campsite just past Midsund, 30 kilometres and another boat ride away, so after leaving the ferry in Hamnsund, we carried on together around two sides of a remote outpost of the mainland, a little sunshine and the hint of a tailwind providing rejuvenating companions. The rest of Arijit’s trip had not been like this.

Another ferry later, and we were sprinting around the mercifully flat island of Midøya, the road leading to the aptly named Midsund bridge, rising – as it did – steeply over the sound below, and onto the next island of Otrøya.

Stopping for supplies in Midsund, we didn’t spot the Thai takeaway truck in the supermarket car park until after we’d been inside, but a few satay skewers were unlikely to put us off our dinner.

From there it was only a short hop to the scenically positioned and very pleasant Sandneset campsite, situated on a small lake, and with a wall of cliffs in behind. It was only a small site, but luckily it was late enough in the day that there were no other demands for the kitchen, and we could make ourselves at home.