16 June - Lofoten to Tromso. 287 miles


Lofoten was bodywarmer and coat-cold when we left this morning, driving the length of the islands, turning east just above Narvik and making for Tromso. 


Around half of the Lofoten road is a designated Scenic Route, and there was some lovely stuff to lap up.







At one point, we came across (thankfully in the other direction), a close convoy of 23 motorhomes and a coach. The Toad has a good many of these painted on its side but overtaking that lot in one go on Norwegian roads might require a Stage 3 upgrade.

It is difficult to imagine a better setting than Tromso's. One arrives from the south over a magnificent bridge



and the views on either side are wonderful. Will this do?

















After looking round the city (pop. 72,000, Norway's eighth largest. For comparison, the 89th largest town in England is a third more populous) we walked back over the bridge to look at the Arctic Cathedral, which dominates the skyline.





An entire wall is stained glass.


The city, on the same latitude as northern Alaska, is allegedly warmed by the gulf steam and many of the locals, no doubt inured to the cold, were in T shirts although my body warmer stayed on.

Returning to my room, I spotted an FT piece headed Is Tromso the new Reykjavik? Rather like saying "Is Nottingham the new Oldenburg?"
Our final two fjord ferries tomorrow en route to Hammerfest, where I will be on an assignment. Now it is time to raid my pension and have some beer. 














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