The Midnight Eagle tour took us to Norway where for two weeks the sun never set!

12 days, 12 stunning E-types and 2,000km of driving through some of the world’s most dramatic scenery. This was another tour pieced together by our partners, Tour de Force, combining the best hotels, restaurants and roads that Norway has to offer into one well-packaged tour. In typical TDF fashion there were a few extra surprises along the way as well…

Supporting us on the tour we had Dean Smith, one of the worlds leading automotive photographers, to capture all of the incredible memories. We also had an Eagle mechanic crew and the TDF team to ensure everything ran smoothly. 

The starting point of the tour was Tromso, in the far north of Norway and well into the Arctic Circle! The cars were delivered to the picturesque Malangen resort and guests had the opportunity to re-new old friendships (and make new ones) over drinks and dinner as excitement built for the journey ahead.

 

Our first driving day saw a relatively short drive of 100km along some of Norway’s famous fjords, with the road hugging the coastline before heading inland. Tonight’s accommodation was a rural, family owned guest house in Rundhaug and this hosted the first of the signature TDF surprises…

Before dinner we walked deep into a candlelit cave where we were finally greeted by a local male voice choir, the natural acoustics really made this a surreal experience. Pre dinner champagne was served in the cave whilst enjoying traditional Norwegian choir songs. 

Day three saw a longer but incredibly scenic drive of 350km. The first part of the day ran along green valley floors, surrounded by high, barren mountains. Then we hit the coast and headed towards the Lofoten Islands, nestled close to the mainland, but with a topography all of their own. Set on a group of tiny islands at the foot of the imposing Vagakallen mountain is the charming fishing village of Henningsvær, our home for two nights.

After dinner it was time for the next TDF surprise, we set out on ribs to chase the midnight sun. Although it may be hard to tell from the photos, this boat trip was in the middle of the night! We were also appropriately joined by a few eagles. 

Day 4 was our first ‘rest day’ although there were plenty of opportunities for activity. The opportunity to Snorkel inside the Acrtic Circle isn’t one that presents often. Those who were brave enough suited up in some serious dry suits and explored the crystal clear Artic waters.  For those that didn’t fancy swimming in the freezing waters there was an option to go fishing and catch fresh Norwegian cod.

The small fishing town was filled with plenty of cafes, galleries and craft boutiques to explore to pass the time. We also visited Henningsvær football stadium, quite possibly the most incredible location for a football pitch anywhere in the world! 

Day 5 saw us back on the road towards Saltstraumen, this involved island hopping to Moskenes via an amazing network of bridges and tunnels. We then got the ferry across to Bodø and ended the day with a short coastal drive around to Saltstraumen. Saltstraumen is the small strait where the huge Skjerstad Fjord meets the Norwegian sea resulting in the most powerful tidal current in the world. 

Today was another day of ferries and fjords, following the famous “Kystriksveien” coastal route. The route looped around various fjords, the snow-capped peaks reflecting off of the crystal clear waters made for some great photo opportunities. We then headed south to our stopover point in Mosjøen for a relaxed dinner and drinks.

On day 7 we continued 300kms further south. Passing by Lomsdal-Visten and Borgefell National Parks as we journeyed through Helgeland, following the river Vefsna along fast, winding roads. This part of Norway is fairly sparsely populated, meaning traffic was light and towns few and far between. Towards the end of the day we skirted the edge of Beltstdfjorden, arriving in the tiny village of Inderoy. Our home for the night is full of low-key charm and elegant design. 

Day 8 was a short drive around the southern edge of the Beitstadfjorden Fjord. From here we took a tiny back road along a forgotten river valley, heading towards the sea. We then plunged down out of the hills, through a series of hairpins and onto a stunning coastal road, ending on the beautiful island of Stokkoya, our home for two nights.

This was the final non-driving day of the trip and what a location to spend it in! Our accommodation was a contemporary, beachfront hotel in an isolated corner of the island. This was a day for relaxation, whether that be hanging out at the beach bar or making the most of the wood fired hot tubs. However, for those that couldn’t sit still there was the option for kayaking as well as walks and bike rides.  

Day 10 was a long driving day but for sure a highlight of the trip! The small coastal villages gave way to mountain passes as we headed towards the famous Trollstigen mountain road. This is an incredible road that winds it’s way up the mountain with a series of hairpin bends, incredible views and at points even passing through waterfalls.

At the end of the day we stopped at the Juvet Design Hotel, nestled beside a river and overlooked by mountains. The hotel is designed in such a way that each room had a view as if they were looking through the lens of a camera to amazing views from all angles!

Trollstigen is hard to top but we tried our best on day 11 with another day full of breath-taking mountain passes. Our lunch stop was a small farm where we enjoyed a meal made completely from produce grown or farmed on site. The afternoon saw us take on Sognefjellet, Northern Europe’s highest mountain pass at 1400m. Although there was snow beside the road it was still a pleasant temperature for those in convertibles to make the most of the sunshine!

For our final day we carved our way out of the mountains and weaved around (and across) the fjords towards Bergen. After two weeks of exploring small, isolated communities it was quite a contrast to enter Norway’s second largest city to spend our final night.

The final meal of the trip was a special one, we boarded a boat to visit one of Norway's best fish restaurants. Uniquely it is based on a small island and can only be accessed by boat.

Massive thanks to the Tour de Force guys for putting together another unforgettable trip. We count ourselves extremely lucky to have such a wonderful group of owners to share the experience with. Details for next year's tour will be released in due course.