Category Scandinavia
Bergen Weekend
I ❤️ Norway. After last year’s weekend in Stavanger it was Bergen’s turn this year. I had been twice before in 1992 & 2022 but this did not detract from my latest visit, this time with my big sister. We packed a lot in. Thursday afternoon This was spent reorienting and visiting the World Heritage […]
A Weekend in Stavanger, Norway
I was looking for a cheap solo weekend away and after a little research plumped for Norway’s 4th biggest city. But isn’t Norway expensive I hear you exclaim. Well not really actually. A return flight from Gatwick with the excellent Norwegian Airlines arriving 2pm Friday and departing 7pm Sunday cost £75, two nights room only […]
Tuesday Train – Iron Ore Train in Narvik, Norway
Millions of tonnes of iron ore are exported every year from Sweden via Norway. The reason? Sweden’s Baltic coastline freezes in Winter and therefore the ice-free Norwegian port on the North Sea is vital to continue trade. Each laden train can weigh up to a staggering 8,600 tonnes with the lore-class locomotives pulling 68 trucks. […]
Tuesday Train – Lulea in Sweden
This was to be the first leg of us traversing the whole Iron Ore Line from Lulea to the ice-free port of Narvik. We were going as far as Gallivare, to then continue 2-days later. We hadn’t figured on track problems however, ending up only getting as far as Boden and then having to take […]
A Few Days In Helsinki – Part Two
Continuing my short break in Helsinki………. Suomenlinna Islands This was the undoubted highlight of the weekend. Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) is an inhabited sea fortress built on eight islands and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the Finnish War of 1808, Sweden surrendered the fortress that they had started building in 1748 to Russia, paving the way […]
A Few Days in Helsinki – Part One
I recently had a work assignment that took me to the Finnish capital for a week, so naturally I tacked the weekend onto my trip with my sister Jackie joining me for a few days. Finnish History When you think of Finland today, you probably get thoughts of a peaceful nation with a fabulous economy […]
Scandinavian Tour Part 5 – Narvik in Norway
The North Atlantic port of Narvik is right at the end of the Iron Ore/Ofoten line from Lulea on Sweden’s Baltic Coast. You can read parts 3 & 4 of my tour to read about our journey there. My fourth visit to the strategically important town was my first from east to west, with my […]
Monday Morning Blues – The af Chapman Youth Hostel in Stockholm
I recently paid a visit to the Swedish capital, known as the Venice of the North. Consisting of a series of islands, it is home to a unique youth hostel, a full rigged steel ship named the af Chapman. Built by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company in the UK and launched in 1888, she undertook voyages […]
Scandinavia Tour 2022 Part 4 – From Sweden Into Norway
Kiruna to Narvik When my travelling companion and I were learning geography at school, we were taught all about the Swedish iron ore industry and how a train line was built to Narvik so the ore could be exported. You see, the shallow Swedish Baltic Sea port at Luleå that was the main route out […]
Monday Morning Blues – Riksgränsen in Sweden
I recently passed through Riksgränsen on the train on the way to Narvik in Norway. Riksgränsen is a popular ski resort in Sweden, just 709 metres from Norway. The train station is Sweden’s highest at 1,228m above sea level.
