Verona - Nuremberg

The first stop is to be considered as adjustment more than a real departure. We tested the vehicle trying to cross Germany with aim to get to the city of Kiel as soon as possible. When you get to Nuremberg you start realizing that you have truly left and the desire to arrive at point zero becomes pure adrenaline. 

Kiel - Stockholm

24 hours crossing by ferry to get one of the most charming cities in the Scandivian, Stockholm. I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in Stockholm. In this 2 days we enjoyed visiting the city. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, located in Baltic Sea and it includes 14 islands and more of 50 bridges. Gamla Stan, the old centre with its cobbled streets and ocher-colored buildings, is home to Storkyrkan Cathedral, the Kungliga Slottet Royal Palace and the Nobel Museum, which is dedicated to the Nobel Prize. The temperatures were already starting to get cold and we had to prepare the off road 4x4 for the restart. The important thing in this moment is to stud the tyres, which for me were Hankook Dyna PRO. We found easily a parking area to put Best Grip studs. The procedure was long and well studied as the studs had to be staggered in such a way to create a design for giving greater adherence. The numbers of studs per wheel must be between 80 and 160 starting from the smallest size up to the largest tire. This intervention allows to get greater stability of the vehicle and the possibility of traveling on ice roads for long distances. Needless to say this is a necessary action for this type of trip to North Cape Norway.

Sundsvall – Umea

We headed to Tornio, our second long stop which allowed us to visit Lapland, the house of Santa Claus. The journey was long but quiet, when unexpectedly a problem knocked on the door. The clutch was having an issue. We stopped in a parking lot and I tried to drain the system but apparently we needed the only spare part that I had not taken with me: the master cylinder pump. So, we contacted Landylandia, a Land Rover spare parts specialist that in this occasion sent the part to Tornio sales point where we were headed. The journey continued at the very slow pace of 50 km/h and after 12 hours we finally reached Tornio. 

• How much money is needed for a trip from Italy to the North Cape?

  3000-3500 € for 2 people, for 25 days of travel. In the winter period, therefore the least suitable, with an off road 4x4.

• So what is the most suitable period?
  

  Summer certainly, especially for the many hours of light and less prohibitive temperatures.

• How many km per day can you travel by car in that condition?

  About 500 km, no more. The climatic conditions and poor visibility force you to stop for many more stages.

• What are the "unmissable" stages that you would recommend?

  Stockholm, Val di Tornio, North Cape and obviously the most instagrammable the Lofoten Islands, which we visited on our return.

• For those who plan to face a trip like that in a 4x4 off road vehicle, what kind of equipment for the car are absolutely necessary?

  Radiator cover, Auxiliary heating, "webasto" an auxiliary diesel heater, pneumatic nails and chains, fuel additive, Garmin satellite phone I Reach.

• How long did it take you to prepare your LandRover Discovery TD5 II SERIES 4x4?

  About 1 year, I documented and then adapted my vehicle to very low temperatures and any unexpected events. Some mechanical improvements made were: heavy bumper, snorkel, roof rack, auxiliary heater, engine and differential protection, winch, suspension, oversized tires, double battery, auxiliary lighting, CB radio, internal camperization.

• Which kind of oil maintenance did you do before leaving?

  My Discovery is an old model and I made a specific consultancy with Pakelo before choosing the right oils, taking into account the extreme temperatures I had to face during the trip. The engine oil for the Discovery was a Pakelo Krypton Racing SAE 0W-40 which is particularly good for cold temperatures. The coolant (which was fundamental) was a Pakelo RED Coolant OAT. For the brakes I used Pakelo Brake Fluid 404, for the gear I used ATF PC Synth. On the axles I used two different viscosities: Pakelo Gear TS Plus 75W80 and Pakelo Global Racegear TS SAE 75W90.