However, despite my initial apprehension, I am pleased to say that it was truly a great experience and I loved every minute of it. In fact, using a car is such a great way to see the incredible and vast landscape on offer in Norway I would recommend it to anyone! With very few other vehicles around, it is a great place to easily navigate on your own - just watch out for the reindeer and remember to turn right when you get to the roundabouts!
Our Scandinavian road trip consisted of driving north from Finland to Norway in order to catch up with some of our lovely suppliers. After a quick photo stop at the Finnish-Norwegian border, we headed for the small town of Kirkenes located in the far northeast of Norway.
Arriving into Kirkenes was such a beautiful sight. As we approached it looked as though the sea was draped around the edge of the fjord and looking out across the water made it feel as though you were looking out over the top of the world.
Although only a small town, Kirkenes is a great spot to head out to sea and try your luck fishing for the mighty king crab. Unfortunately, we didn't make it off land on our visit but I did manage to see a few of these immense creatures up close at the entrance of the Thon Hotel.
After enjoying a delicious lunch in the town, we began making our way along the peninsula. It is fair to say that we were all in awe of the incredible scenery, with the sea to our right and the fells dotted with fjords to our left it was a simply incredible sight. It was exactly the kind of drive you would want to do whilst listening to your favourite playlist, with the windows down taking in the wonderful fresh sea air.
Having driven along the edge of the spectacular Varangerfjord we began heading southwest back across the border to Finland. We ventured through the impressive Kaldoaivi wilderness reserve, which is the largest in Finland and followed the River Teno to the small Finnish town of Ustjoki.
Known as the 'Great River' in Sámi, the Teno divides the border for Finland and Norway and is known for its excellent salmon fishing. The river lies directly outside the Holiday Village Valle Hotel and perhaps unsurprisingly is a very popular spot for local fishermen in the summer months as well as being a great location to see the Aurora Borealis in the winter.
It is fair to say that Norway is definitely one of the most amazing countries I have visited on my travels. From the mountains to the incredible fjords, this great country has so much to offer and I would recommend it to anyone interested in witnessing some truly spectacular scenery.
Click here to find out more about our holidays to Norway
Image Credits: Trym Ivar Bergsmo, Nord Norge & Soer-Varanger
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