A ferry lovely day!

My morning routine is becoming quite slick now and once I tie up the loose ends from yesterday, I hit the road…

As the Arctic Highway threads its way towards the top of the plateau-like col, what little shelter was afforded by the Trolldalstind range is lost. As I begin to descend the open waters of Øksfjorden come into view. Down on the valley floor, the highway runs along the fjord edge only a few meters above the water.

From Djupvik the Arctic Highway now turns southwards, in contrast to the previous westwards course, and this is now the direction I will be travelling in for the rest of the journey.

Olderdalen is the ferry point to Lyngseidet and where I leave the Arctic Highway for a few days. As I wait for the ferry to arrive, I admire the Lyngen Alps across the fjord. This small, but perfectly formed, mountain range rising majestically from the deep waters is a truly wonderful sight.

The ferry arrives and opens its massive mechanical mouth, in a scene reminiscent of the Jaws movies, to spit out the vehicles it had swallowed in Lyngseidet. Feeding time for the ferry begins once more as one by one vehicles are willingly swallowed. The whole process is very efficient and before I know it, we are sailing…

The crossing of the Lyngenfjord takes forty minutes and then my wheels roll onto Route 91. This splendid, if short, ride amongst the imposing peaks of the Lyngen Alps clocks up the two thousandth mile of the journey.

Svensby arrives too soon and the slick boarding procedure is repeated. The twenty-minute crossing is as rewarding as the first. The ferry docks at Breivikeidet where Route 91 continues.

Rising away from the Ullsfjord through a narrow birch-filled corridor, I feel like I am travelling through a JRR Tolkien novel. Small hanging valleys score the steep sides of the main gorge; it is a most beautiful setting.

At Fagernes, I join the functional route into Tromsø. I stop on the outskirts of Tromsø to check out the Arctic Cathedral. Strictly speaking it is not a cathedral, but this does not make it any less impressive. It is made from eleven triangular sections which represent the twelve apostles minus Judas.

I ride across the impressive Tromsøbrua and make a quick pit stop at my hotel as I have a deadline to meet...

Tromsø is home to perhaps the World’s only, never mind most northerly, pub to be closed by 6pm!! Despite the shortage of time, I sample most of the very quaffable beers that the Mack’s Brewery Ølhallen Pub has on offer.

In need of some fresh air, I wander around the harbour and stumble across a statue to Roald Amundsen.  Now my belly starts to rumble, so the nooks and crannies of Aunegården are where I acquire some sustenance. This delightful café-cum-restaurant used to be a Butcher’s Shop and, as a result, is rich in character. I have an excellent salad and mouth-watering chocolate cake.

Time for some more beer at Verdensteatret. Within moments of entering Norway’s oldest film house, which is now a funky bar, I manage to upset the owner by accidentally stealing his chair. After a friendly discussion, diplomacy prevails and I secure a tour guide for my evening. The tour starts by sneaking a peek at the glorious cinema, which is in the rear of the bar and ends in the cool basement hangout called Bastard.

Distance: 96.8 miles