Motorhome hire in Scandinavia

From Bergen, the road follows the Hardangerfjord, with its orchards in blossom in May and villages such as Eidfjord or Odda, the starting point for hikes to Trolltunga. You then head down the west coast, with several fjord crossings by ferry or undersea tunnel, to the Haugesund area and then Stavanger. The Lysefjord and the Preikestolen rock are half a day away.

Bergen and Stavanger are about 160 km apart as the crow flies, but the real journey is much longer because of the fjords. A one-way trip between the two cities depends on the rental companies and dates: select two different depots in the search to see what is on offer.

Ålesund, an Art Nouveau town set on islands, opens the road to the Geirangerfjord and its waterfalls, then to the Trollstigen and its eleven hairpin bends. Further north, the Atlantic Road hops from islet to islet on curving bridges before reaching Trondheim and its Nidaros Cathedral, a pilgrimage destination.

The Trollstigen and some mountain roads close in winter and often reopen between late spring and early summer, depending on the snow. Check road conditions before setting off: the direction of this route depends on rental company availability in Trondheim.

From Narvik, an ore town at the foot of the mountains, the E10 leads to the Lofoten archipelago: peaks plunging into the sea, red rorbuer cabins at Reine, pale beaches at Haukland and, at the end of the road, the village of Å. You return by sea, on the Moskenes to Bodø ferry, or by the same route back to the mainland.

The road crosses the archipelago over islands linked by bridges, but motorhome pitches fill up quickly in summer and wild parking is increasingly restricted. Book the ferry and your nights in advance. A depot is also listed directly in the Lofoten.

From Tromsø, the route crosses the fjords of Finnmark towards Alta and its rock carvings, then climbs to the North Cape, on the island of Magerøya. The landscape turns to treeless plateaus, bogs and herds of reindeer, often on the road. On the way back, you can branch off west to the island of Senja and its pointed peaks.

On this route, distances are long and fuel stops rare: fill up as soon as you can. Kirkenes, further east near the Russian border, offers another starting point for the tracks into Lapland. One-way hire is possible depending on the depots and dates.

This route links three regional capitals: Oslo, the Swedish west coast around Gothenburg and its archipelagos, then the Scania plain to Malmö. The Øresund Bridge, about eight kilometres long, then crosses the strait to Copenhagen, with its canals and quays. The roads are fast and there are plenty of motorhome areas.

Crossing three countries requires the rental company's approval: mention it when you book. A one-way trip between two pick-up cities is sometimes possible, depending on the rental companies and dates. To add to the trip, Funen and Jutland offer beaches and parks from Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg.