INTRODUCTION
PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Getting there
Vehicle ferries to Scandinavia and Finland 11 – Cargo ship 14 – Air routes 15 – International flights into Scandinavia/Finland 16 – Using public transport: road or rail 17
When to go
Climate 19 – Hours of daylight 20
Driving the Highway
General 21 – Accommodation 30 – Maps 34 – Time zones and telephones 35 – Language 35 – Getting advice 37 – Money matters 38
PART 2: BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Physical setting: geology and topography 40
Flora and fauna
Fauna 43 – Flora 45
The history of the Arctic Highway
The early roads 47 – One hundred years ago 48 – The Highway completed 53 – The Highway in wartime 55 – The post-war period 56 – The future 59
The Sami 60
PART 3: GETTING TO THE HIGHWAY
The options
Approach Routes 65
Approach Route I: Oslo to Mo i Rana by road 66 – Oslo 66 – Dombas 72
Trondheim 74
Approach Route II: Larvik to Mo i Rana by road 79
Approach Route III: Bergen to Mo i Rana by road – a recommended
route 79 – Bergen 80 – Voss 83
Approach Route IV: Bergen to Kirkenes or Kirkenes to Bergen, by sea – a
recommended route 87
Approach Route V: Stavanger to Mo i Rana by road 89
Approach Route VI: Gothenburg to Mo i Rana (via Oslo) by road 90
Approach Route VII: Gothenburg to Mo i Rana (via Stockholm) by road 91
Stockholm 92
Approach Route VIII: Helsinki to Karasjok by road – a recommended
route 97 – Helsinki 98 – Jyväskylä 101 – Kajaani 103 – Kuusamo 104
Approach Route IX: Turku to Karasjok by road 110
Approach Route X: Using public transport (rail or road) 111
PART 4: The guide – Mo I Rana to Fauske
Route guide introduction
Distances 113 – Journey time 113 – Accommodation 113
The guide
Mo i Rana 114 – Side trips from Mo i Rana 119
The Highway: Mo i Rana to Røssvoll 122
Side trips from Røssvoll 124
The Highway: Røssvoll to the Polar Circle and Saltdalen 128
Side trip from Saltdalen to Sweden 134
The Highway: Saltdalen to Fauske 135
Fauske 140 – Side trip from Fauske to the Bodø 142 – Bodø 143
PART 5: FAUSKE TO NARVIK
The Highway: Fauske to Ulsvåg 146
Side trip from Ulsvåg to Nordneset Peninsula 156
The Highway: Ulsvåg to Narvik 156
Narvik 162
PART 6: NARVIK TO NORDKJOSBOTN
The Highway: Narvik to Nygård 170
Side trip from Nygård/Trædal to the border 171
The Highway: Nygård to Bjerkvik 172
Side trip from Bjerkvik to the Lofotens 173
The Highway: Bjerkvik to Elverum 173
Side trip from Elverum along Route 87 179
The Highway: Elverum to Nordkjosbotn 180
Side trip from Nordkjosbotn to Tromsø 185 – Tromsø 187 – Side trip from Fagernes to Olderdalen 194
PART 7: NORDKJOSBOTN TO ALTA
The Highway: Nordkjosbotn to Oteren 197
Side trip from Oteren to Lyngseidet 198
The Highway: Oteren to Alta 200
Alta 218 – Side trips from Alta 225 – Kautokeino 227 – Altafjord 231
PART 8: ALTA TO KARASJOK
The Highway: Alta to Skaidi 233
Side trip from Skaidi to Hammerfest 237 – Hammerfest 238
The Highway: Skaidi to Olderfjord 242
Side trip from Olderfjord to North Cape 243 – Honningsvåg 247 – North
Cape 252
The Highway: Olderfjord to Lakselv 254
Lakselv 258
The Highway: Lakselv to Karasjok 260
Karasjok 262
PART 9: KARASJOK TO KIRKENES
The Highway: Karasjok to Tana Bru 267
Side trip from Tana Bru to Lakselv 274
The Highway: Tana Bru to Varangerbotn 280
Side trip from Varangerbotn to Vadsø & Vardø 282 – Vadsø 283
Vardø 286
The Highway: Varangerbotn to Brannsletta 288
Side trip from Brannsletta to Bugøynes 290
The Highway: Brannsletta to Kirkenes 291
Kirkenes 295 – Side trips from Kirkenes 298
APPENDIX: LANGUAGES 302
INDEX 305
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