Newcastle to Norway ferry plans could make Nordkapp road trips easier

For decades, riding to Nordkapp has been one of motorcycling's great bucket-list adventures. But getting there from the UK usually means slogging across the Channel, crossing half of Europe, then heading through Denmark and Sweden before you even reach Norway.

That could eventually change, as calls for a new ferry route, one that takes people into the heart of Norway, have begun.

Talks are once again gathering pace over bringing back a direct ferry between Newcastle and Norway, a route that disappeared back in 2008 when DFDS ended its long-running service because of rising fuel costs. Newcastle City Council has now confirmed it wants to explore ways of restoring the link, with Bergen once again the proposed destination.

While Bergen, and Norway on the whole, will be simply another travel option for motorists – for bikers it could be a genuine game-changer. Instead of burning a day or so riding motorways through Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Sweden just to reach Norway's spectacular roads, riders could roll onto a ferry in the North East and wake up surrounded by fjords. From Bergen, some of Europe's finest riding roads are within easy reach, while the legendary run to Nordkapp becomes a far more achievable, and possibly cheaper, trip for anyone with limited annual leave.

It would also make Norway a much more realistic destination for riders who'd rather spend their time carving through mountain passes than clocking up motorway miles.

There are still plenty of hurdles before that becomes reality. At the moment there is no operator, no confirmed vessel and no timetable. Previous attempts to revive the route have failed to get off the ground, despite ambitious proposals for a low-emissions ferry capable of carrying passengers, freight and vehicles.

Even so, the idea hasn't gone away. Newcastle City Council says it is actively looking at the possibility of re-establishing the service, while interest remains on both sides of the North Sea after nearly two decades without a direct passenger ferry between Britain and Norway.

For riders, it's certainly a story worth watching. Norway has never been short of spectacular roads, but for some riders, it’s the journey to get there that can seem like the biggest hurdle.

If a Newcastle to Bergen ferry does make a comeback, getting to Norway to begin your Nordkapp adventure might finally become the easy part.

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