Day 29: Kautokeino to Alta

The weather picked up a bit on Tueday and Julien cycled on to Alta the biggest city in the area but home to only 7,000 inhabitants

He followed the E6 road to Alta which was mountanious with some pretty tough hills along the way.

The hills were low lying with sharp gradients which is a bit of a nightmare for cycling!

Julien stopped in at Maze for a quick break. It is incredibly expensive in the Finnmark area with a 500ml bottle of coke costing about £3.50!

After leaving Maze Julien hit his favourite bit of tarmac on the whole journey!

He followed a road that hugged a cliff and followed a huge river. Julien said the views were similar to a loch in Scotland and simply stunning.

As the river widened, Julien was surrounded by giant fir trees and it was like being in Alaska.

He says riding along this road was a real highlight of the journey and an absolute joy.

Julien noticed that his back tyre was bearing too much weight and stopped to check it to discover that the tyre had completely worn away  in places.

It would be a major job to stop and change it so Julien cycled on to Alta hoping the wheel would hold out for a few more miles.

On the way Julein passed a frozen waterfull and when he arrived in Alta he could see snowcapped mountains in the distance.

The camspite was on the far side of town another 10km away, but Julien’s tyre held out. On the way Julien saw the first signpost for Nordkapp!

It is too cold to camp now so Julien has been staying in heated cabins with the comfort of a real bed and his own shower!

Unfortunately he has to cycle back to the other side of Alta to reach the nearest cash point which will add 20km to his journey tomorrow.

But after that he will be ready to cycle on to Nordkapp, he should hopefully make it there by Friday!

Here is today’s Google Map. You can sponsor Julien on his Just Giving page. Please also vist the Child’s i Foundation and see if you can help out. Thanks!

Day 26: Pello to Kolari

As Julien predicted yesterday he didn’t end up getting much sleep last night as his fellow campers were up drinking and partying!

It took him a while to get going this morning; he set off from Pello at about 10.45

Today was a really tough day of cycling as Julien faced a constant headwind and a number of hills along the way.

It took him around 5 hours to cycle 75km to Kolari.

Julien stopped in at a good restaurant and spoke to some locals who say that the wind is not usually as bad as it has been over the last couple of days.

The weather forecast also indicates that the wind speed should drop form 15mph to 10mph tomorrow, which is good news.

Julien decided he did not have the energy to cycle on in such tough conditions and took a shorter day than usual after cycling 47 miles.

He met a really nice Swiss couple called Sylvia and Urs who are also travelling to Nordkapp and expecting to arrive there about the same time as Julien.

Sylvia and Urs were also looking for a campsite in Kolari. But it turned out that there was not one in the town

Instead the three of them found a hut to stay in for night. It is his first night with his own room and a real bed so he should sleep better tonight!

Here is the Google Map for day twenty-six. You can support the Child’s i Foundation by sponsoring Julien on his Just Giving page.

Day 9: Brake to Dageling

It’s day nine for Julien today and he started out from Brake early this morning catching the ferry across the Wesar river. Julien tells me he loves a ferry ride in the morning!

He then continued on to Beverstadt where he had a good German lunch and saw a number of schoolchildren disobeying their angry teacher!

Julien cycled over many hills today so he had a bit of a problem with both his knees. He also got a bit lost again (I am starting to sense a theme!) this time around Lambstedt. After a while he made it to a more major route to Wischaften and took another ferry along with a load of trucks and cars.

Julien then made a final 12 mile push to get to the campsite in Dageling where he is staying in for the night. Apparently the place is occupied by a few people who look like they have been there for too long!

Julien estimates one more full day in Germany heading towards the northeast around Schlesig and Flensburg.

Here is the Google Map for today and as always please visit the Child’s i Foundation and Julien’s Just Giving page. Thanks!

A Healthy Glow

Perhaps a little aftersun Julio?
Perhaps a little aftersun Julio?
Bridges, Canals and General English Pleasantness
An attempt to ween ourselves of fryups
An attempt to ween ourselves of fryups
Everything. So much colourful, prepackacked, un-organic goodness for lunch that day!
Everything. So much colourful, prepackacked, un-organic goodness for lunch that day!