Road trip to the Arctic Circle 2020/2021?

[bjmullan]

So next year (2020) is a significant birthday for me and I have always fancied celebrating it with a road trip to the Arctic Circle. My wife, Alison, had her significant birthday last year and we did Argentina, which was amazing, now it is my turn, this and a new carbon fibre bike with Di2 shifters on the cycle to work scheme! Alison is a teacher so we are limited to doing this trip in the summer and in fact, I would love to see the midnight sun. So we are more than likely going to start the trip in late June/early July 2020.

I have nothing booked as yet but the trip is likely to start in Newcastle or Hull and take in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Gothenburg with several days also in and around Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. When I first thought of doing this I wanted to get to the top of Europe, but it’s a very long way even from Rovaniemi. The great thing is that Airbnb now gives you the opportunity to be very flexible with your plans so it might be that all we actually book before we leave is the ferry and our stay in Rovaniemi.

I’m keen to hear of people’s experiences and recommendations.

The plan had always been to do it in Honey, my 1969 911T, but Alison is not keen on that so I have decided that as part of my birthday present I will buy another Porsche to complete the trip. I don’t have any plans to keep the car so it will be most likely sold in late summer early autumn. We had a 944 a few years back and both of us loved the car, with road trips to Ireland, France and the Orkney Isles among the highlights. Alison loved driving the car and one of my lasting memories is of her driving through Paris while I navigated and took in the sites.

So in terms of what Porsche, pretty much everything is on my radar from a 924 to a 911. Not keen in tying too much money up in a car so I guess £13k – £14k would be my absolute limit and I think I would much prefer to be under the £10k mark. My initial thought was a Boxster, but is there enough storage space in a Boxster for a 3-week tour? The beauty of the Boxster is there are so many for sale and one suitable for the trip could be had for less than £5k. At the other end of the scale is the 924, I love the pure design of the car and would love to compare it with my 944 experience. The sweet spot is probably a Cayman and of course would a sub £10K 996 really be a good idea? Lots to ponder and I’m sure that you guys will be able to give me lots of advice.

[Gary71]

Sounds a great plan. I’ve only been up there in the winter, but I’d imagine it looks spectacular in summer as well with all the lakes.

It’s an awful long way and the slog up through Sweden can be a bit painful.

I can recommend the Scandic hotel in Rovaniemi, the Laponia in Arvidsjaur, and Bella Sky in Copenhagen.

If you are in Arvidsjaur the closest point you can cross the artic circle is Yokkmokk, as you point out getting right to the top is still a very, very long way!

As for the car long distance comfort is No.1, with reliability a close second, some of it is really remote!

[Bootsy]

You don’t look 69 At all Brendan

[takeflight]

Have you watched Harry’s garage, YouTube he did in a 4000 rolls Royce bought off ebay

[brembo]

Good luck with the trip Brendon, hope
You post a report of your travels on here.
Will be doing a similar journey next year as well, but in the VW camper.DIfferent route to you guys, will be heading up to the Artic circle through Denmark and Norway.

[gridgway]

And there was me thinking this was going to be an invite!

[Tosh]

So did I
You could follow along with a tool kit, just i case

[mean_in_green]

You’ll need to recalibrate a little in planning the Norwegian driving - you can find ten hours’ driving only gets you two hundred miles up the road. It’s a combination of: traffic typically no more than 45-50MPH on trunk routes, the roads usually follow the footprint of the mountains so often very twisty and indirect, it’s quite common to have to wait for a ferry. Harry mentions it in his YT road trip - it takes bloody ages to get anywhere. Plan on averaging 35MPH and you’ll be about right.

Luckily you can get drunk on the scenery.

[Sam]

I’d very much suggest taking a packed lunch to Norway.

I went there once.

It was 90p for a banana in a supermarket. That’s for 1, not a bunch.

And it’s a good job you can get drunk on the scenery because you’ll pay £12 a pint. Not that you get a pint, you get 400ml, for about £9.

Higher education is apparently free though and you’ll see plenty of women in spandex.

[stichill99]

I think you should buy 911Hillclimbers 2.9 boxster. A brilliant car for the trip. Lots of room with the 2 boots . I did a 3 week tour of France ,Italy,Switzerland,Germany and Belgium and my wife packs a lot of needless stuff.

[yoda]

I think you should buy 911Hillclimbers 2.9 boxster. A brilliant car for the trip. Lots of room with the 2 boots . I did a 3 week tour of France ,Italy,Switzerland,Germany and Belgium and my wife packs a lot of needless stuff.

Not to mention great fuel economy ......

[bjmullan]

I think you should buy 911Hillclimbers 2.9 boxster. A brilliant car for the trip. Lots of room with the 2 boots . I did a 3 week tour of France ,Italy,Switzerland,Germany and Belgium and my wife packs a lot of needless stuff.

That's an interesting comment you make about the Boxster's luggage capacity. One of my concerns was is there enough room for a three weeks trip.

[Gary71]

I did three weeks four up in the 911.

Vacuum packing bags and planning!
And take less shite.

[210bhp]

Cayenne. It’s a Porsche.

Lots of room and loads of them under your budget. Might be ok in snow as well, I don’t know, never been in one.

Failing that a white 968 would be a great camouflage car and enough room for your toiletries Brendan. This one £10k ish for sale just now.



Regards
Mike

[camperco]

Is the Cayenne really a Porsche? They don't feel like one to me. I think I would rather pick a hire car from the airport.

The 968 is more like it.