Route Co-ordinator Pete Wellington has completed several recce trips during the last few months, but has been hampered by the winter weather in Norway delaying a detailed recce of the Norwegian section of the route. Further updates on this are expected within the next month when Pete can complete his survey free of snow.
Participants assemble in Stavanger, Norway, for documentation, eligibility checks and a late afternoon reception and welcome by the city.
Stavanger claims to be Norway’s 'largest small town', as testament to its compact geography and friendly inhabitants.
Clustered around the port area, Old Stavanger is the oldest and most picturesque part of this ancient settlement, including the Stavanger Domkirk, Norway’s oldest cathedral.
Monday 15th September (Stavanger to Bergen)
The official start of our driving experience gives us an immediate appreciation of the beautiful coastal scenery as we travel north via a short ferry link to our first check point at Haugesund. After leaving Haugesund a second short ferry takes us to our lunch halt at Leirvik before we continue towards our overnight halt at Bergen.
Bergen 's city centre is situated between a group of mountains known collectively as de syv fjell ('the seven mountains'), and is Norway’s second largest city, with over 225,000 inhabitants. The oldest remaining part of the city is on the north side of the bay of Vågen. Bryggen, now an Unesco World Heritage site, the product of rebuilding after a fire in 1702, is in this area. The official overnight hotel will be the Radisson Royal Hotel.
Tuesday 16th September (Bergen to Gerainger)
Heading north again we have a long day ahead of us to reach our overnight destination of the Hotel Union, Geiranger. A mixture of coastal and mountain roads, we will again use a short ferry trip (approx. 20 mins) to cross a fjord and shorten our journey.
Geiranger is a small tourist town in the western part of Norway. It lies innermost in the Geirangerfjord which is a branch of Storfjord and is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by many authorities. We can expect plenty of snow visible on the mountains at this time of year and the hotel has a fairytale location above a mountain river and with spectacular views. The owner is a classic car collector who keeps a private collection in the basement of the hotel which we will be able to view. Wednesday 17th September (Gerainger to Kristiansund)
Today we leave our cars for a while at the hotel and enjoy a 90 minute boat trip on the fabulous Geirangerfjord, the crowning glory among Norway's fjord district's pearls of natural beauty. Majestic, snow-covered mountain peaks, beautiful and wild waterfalls, lush, green vegetation and the deep blue waters of the fjord makes it one of nature's masterpieces. The title, "the most beautiful fjord in the world", is no exaggeration. We then commence an equally spectacular drive, and short ferry trip, further north to Alesund for lunch. We hope to be able to use the world famous Eagles Road which links the Geirangerfjord to the Norddalsfjord and features 11 hairpin bends and a summit height of 624 metres. It offers remarkable views of the fjords and their many waterfalls.
Two more short fjord crossings (approx 30 mins and 20 mins), and the famous Atlantic Road, lead us to our overnight halt at Kristiansund. The Atlantic Road's sharp turns and wild nature have ranked it first on The Guardian's list of the world's best road trips. The more than eight kilometre long road along the Norwegian west coast zigzags across 12 low bridges that jut out over the sea, linking the islands between Molde (famous for its annual Jazz festival in July) and Kristiansund in the western fjords. The Hustadvika is an infamous stretch of ocean and when in storm it's fantastically dramatic but in calmer weather you might spot whales and seals.
Kristiansund is one of the most densely populated cities of Norway, having what is arguably the country's most urban small city centre, due to the relatively small size of the four islands on which it is built and the very constricted central harbour/town area of Kirkelandet.
Thursday 18th September (Kristiansund to Lillehammer)
After following the west coast of Norway northwards for three days, we now turn inland and eventually make our way south to the capital, Oslo.
The first part of this spectacular journey across mountains and fjords takes us to an overnight stop at the winter Olymipc site of Lillehammer.
Again spectacular views and challenging roads are guaranteed.
Friday 19th September (Lillehammer to Oslo)
The city centre of Lillehammer is a well-preserved late 19th century concentration of wooden houses, which enjoys a picturesque location overlooking the northern part of Lake Mjøsa and the river Lågen, surrounded by mountains.
The main street is apparently excellent for people-watching, shopping and dining.
In Oslo our overnight halt is at the luxurious Park Plaza Hotel.
Saturday 20th September (Oslo)
A day 'at leisure' in Oslo. The city centre of Oslo is situated at the end of the Oslofjord from where the city sprawls out to the north and south on both sides of the fjord to form a “U” shaped centre.
Oslo is the biggest city in Norway, and has been the country's capital since 1814. The Goverment and Parliament are located here, and at the end of Oslo's main street, Karl Johans gate, you find the Royal Palace. The city offers an abundance of attractions, shopping possibilities and a flourishing cultural life, and a choice of restaurants which is almost unparalleled in Scandinavia.
Sunday 21st September (Oslo to Jönköping)
Today we get our first circuit activity at the Rudskogen / Sarpsborg circuit south of Oslo. Principally a kart circuit, it has a 1.2 miles (1.9 km) lap.
A change to our previously published schedule and to reduce the daily mileage, instead of Karlstad in Sweden for lunch, we will now be heading south to Vänersborg, before continuing to Jönköping for our overnight halt. Jönköping, a town situated by the southern end of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, has a sandy beach running through it and is considered a very beautiful city.
Monday 22nd September (Jönköping to Malmö)
A very busy final day with two circuits and a finish dinner in the beautiful Town Hall at Malmö.
Our first circuit is at Anderstorp and a cracker it is too. At one time the venue for the Swedish Formula 1 Grand Prix, now WTCC and A1 Grand Prix, it features a full 2.5 miles (4.0 km) lap.
Our second stop is at Knutstorp. Smaller at 1.3 miles (2.0 km), it is a round of the Swedish Touring Car Championship and features a lot of interesting topography. A real driver’s circuit, apparently.
Malmö is said to have been founded in what was formerly Denmark, in the year 1275, as a fortified quay or ferry berth of the Archbishop of Lund, some 20 km north-east. It was, for centuries, Denmark's second biggest city. Its original name was Malmhaug, somewhat unromantically meaning "Gravel pile".
In the 15th century, Malmö became one of Denmark's largest cities and the most important city around The Sound, with the German Hanseatic League frequenting it as a marketplace, notable for its flourishing herring fishing.
We have been assured of a warm welcome here and the use of the splendid Town Hall for our finish celebrations.
* All details contained within the Route Update are provisional and subject to change