Touring in Norway

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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syklist
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by syklist »

Vorpal wrote:
syklist wrote: ... and local trains to Hirtshals then take the Colorline boat to either Kristansand (start of the Setesdal route) or Larvik (start of the Numedal route, which joins up nicely with the Rallarvegen) or the Fjordline boat to Bergen.


There is a fast ferry (4 hours) from Hirtshals to Larvik, and it is quite reasonably priced (£50 ish) if you can be a little flexible about time and day.

I'll second the suggestion of the Numedal route to Rallarvegen, though there is also at least one reasonable alternative to Numedal, mostly on secondary roads ('B' road equivalents).


I have not checked all the ferry routes on this route suggestion so the route might not be work. Fly into Sandefjord (Oslo Torp) fly out of Trondheim. Follow the Numedalruta to Geilo then cycle to Haugastøl and take the Rallarvegen.

EditBoat to Leikanger is running in 2015 Then take the Rallarvegen down to Flåm boat to Leikanger (if it still goes) then cycle west to Hella. Take the ferry to Dragsvik.
OR
Take the Rallarvegen to Myrdal, train from Myrdal to Upsete and then cycle down to Voss. From Voss follow the Rv 13 over Vikafjellet to Vangsnes and the ferry to Dragsvik. Dragsvik campsite (assuming it is still there) has a some tent pitches with a view over Balestrand.

After Dragsvik follow the Rv 13 over Gaularfjellet to Førde and Naustdal then over a minor road towards Florø. This will only work if an old tunnel we went through in 2008 is still open. Otherwise you might have to cart your bike and bags over a hill. The alternative main road tunnel is closed to cyclists so you would need to take a bus or find an alternative route if the old tunnel is no longer usable. From Florø take the ferry to Smørhamn and then follow National Cycle Route 1 the Coastal Route (overview maps are available) all the way to Trondheim. Fly back from Trondheim airport (careful you take the correct cycle route to the airport as the E6 is closed to cyclists east of Trondheim).

If you have the time when you get to Brattvåg (before Mølde) take the ferry to Ona and spend a night there (assuming the ferries still run).

This would be short of the stated 1100 miles I think but the route takes in a few major climbs plus plenty of minor ones. So enough for you to go at in your four weeks.

One more thing,the Rallarvegen has a short open season sometimes from mid-June to mid-September. Sometimes shorter.
Last edited by syklist on 8 Apr 2015, 10:17am, edited 3 times in total.
So long and thanks for all the fish...
Vorpal
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by Vorpal »

syklist wrote:
Then take the Rallarvegen down to Flåm boat to Leikanger (if it still goes)

As of last season, ferries from Flåm were going to Gudvangen (with additional stops available upon request) and Balestrand/Bergen.

Service on other routes from Flåm has been suspended. A call to Fjord1 or visit their website http://www.fjord1.no/eng/ferry for information about routes. They operate many of the ferries on the west coast.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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Doormat
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by Doormat »

Hi, I'm doing a 3/4 week tour in August of Norway
its my first tour and I'm doing it alone. (I'm 20)

I'm planning on flying to Oslo and cycling to Bergen then taking a few days/week to get boat up on of the fjords and relax before flying home to Ireland. I'm planning on cycling to geilo and then to Voss because I think its an official cycle route that's done very year by lots of people. I might do the Rallarvegen.. if that's not the same thing? or it might overlap the route from geilo to Voss, I'm not sure.
Seeing as your 16 or you scared at all? like with camping in the wild etc.? I'm terrified but I'm forcing myself to do it. I think I'm scared of quitting more than anything though.
Anyway I wish you good luck in your travels :-)
(first post)
Last edited by Doormat on 12 Feb 2015, 12:40am, edited 1 time in total.
Vorpal
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by Vorpal »

Welcome :) Rallarvegen is the main cycle route across the mountains between Oslo and Bergen. It was the access road built for constructing the Oslo - Bergen rail line. It begins at Haugastøl (near Geilo) and ends at Flåm, although there are several places that you can get off the route for other destinations. Flåm is well worth a visit, IMO. I would suggest a ferry from Flåm, either all the way to Bergen, or to Gudvangen, then cycle along the fjords to Bergen.

On the other hand, it's hard to go wrong, whatever route you choose. The fjords on that side of Norway are incredibly beautiful. :D
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
iviehoff
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by iviehoff »

syklist wrote:
iviehoff wrote:
syklist wrote:3) If you want to avoid planes then probably the easiest is to take Harwich Esbjerg

Harwich-Esbjerg has now ceased, so you can't do that any more.

It looks like another operator is going to run a similar service. Has anyone else heard about this?
http://www.reginaline.dk/index-uk.htm
There is the story about Norwegian Seaways starting up a Newcastle - Bergen service. They are still trying to raise capital to get going. One of the main sources of capital was the Offshore Oil industry particularly in Stavanger which is now cutting back a lot due to the low oil prices.
Here is the story in Norgleeze courtesy of our favourite auto translation service.

No. But I have seen many examples of people setting up websites saying "we're planning to run this ferry service you'd like to use, look at all these detailed plans we've got, it's right on the edge of running, all we need is a big fat public subsidy so help us lobby for it". Of course they don't use exactly the words "big fat public subsidy" but it's what they mean. Setting up a website is a cheap way of begging for a big fat public subsidy. Sometimes politicians fall for it.
jakobpoffley
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by jakobpoffley »

Thank you everyone for the replies.
I'll say what i'm thinking of so far. I'm going to go by plane rather than ferry because there are no direct ferries and it's much cheaper to go by plane anyway. I'm not sure which airport i'll arrive in in oslo because i haven't decided which airline yet but i'll want to go into oslo while i'm there so i'll probably get a train from the airport to the center so i don't think it really matters which airport i go to. I'll then get to Haugestol where i'll follow the Rallersvegen to Flam. I thought i'd then get the ferry to Gudvangen to avoid the banned tunnels on the e16 for that section. I'd then continue along the e16 using the old roads to avoid the tunnels. I'm then not really sure what to do next. I think i could either continue towards Bergen or skip it and start going north and then following the north coast of sogneford going east. Is Bergen worth going to?
I haven't really thought much about from then onwards towards trondheim but i don't want to plan my route too much otherwise it won't have the spontaneity I want.
jakobpoffley
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by jakobpoffley »

Doormat wrote:Seeing as your 16 or you scared at all? like with camping in the wild etc.? I'm terrified but I'm forcing myself to do it. I think I'm scared of quitting more than anything though.
Anyway I wish you good luck in your travels :-)
(first post)


Your trip sounds really good and I wish you the best of luck!
I think its just that i've done lots of this type of thing with my family anyway so its kind of how i've been brought up. I've done lots of wild camping before and its amazing how you can literally pretty much rely on finding somewhere to camp anywhere you go! Last year I cycled from Bilboa to north france with my family without having to pay for any accomodation! People think i'm crazy to want to do it on my own and none of my friends parents would ever let them do anything like this but that kind of makes me want to do it even more! I want to live life and go on adventures!
Definitely do it though! You'll be so glad you did it afterwards and you'll remember it the rest of your life. Some of my best memories of my life so far have been on cycle tours.
jakobpoffley
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by jakobpoffley »

Also I thought i'd buy the maps i'll need soon (at least for the first bit anyway and maybe buy maps for the rest when i'm there) but i'm not really sure what maps i need and where to get them from. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
pal
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by pal »

The Map Shop is a very good source for Norwegian maps, and also very helpful at advising if you aren't sure quite what you need: http://www.themapshop.co.uk/europe/rest/norway.htm The Nordeca 1:50,000 series covers the whole country -- but probably give more detail than you really need for cycle touring (and the cost mounts up, too!). You can get away with the 1:400,000 'Veikart' maps (4 sheets for the whole country) if you aren't planning on going off-road (to any great extent), and don't mind not knowing how steep the hills will be until you get to them (there's something to be said for ignorance being bliss, actually...). A compromise are the 1:100,000 'special sheets', which show contours, and a bit more detail -- but which don't cover the whole country (there's an index map on the Map Shop webpage).

Re. your question about Bergen: I'd say it's worth visiting -- it's one of my favourite cities in Norway (or anywhere). But: it isn't the nicest city to cycle in or out of, I have to say. It might be worth using a train or boat to avoid slogging through the suburbs? (There's a fast boat route from the end of the Sognefjord down to Bergen [and vice versa]).
jakobpoffley
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by jakobpoffley »

pal wrote:The Map Shop is a very good source for Norwegian maps, and also very helpful at advising if you aren't sure quite what you need: http://www.themapshop.co.uk/europe/rest/norway.htm The Nordeca 1:50,000 series covers the whole country -- but probably give more detail than you really need for cycle touring (and the cost mounts up, too!). You can get away with the 1:400,000 'Veikart' maps (4 sheets for the whole country) if you aren't planning on going off-road (to any great extent), and don't mind not knowing how steep the hills will be until you get to them (there's something to be said for ignorance being bliss, actually...). A compromise are the 1:100,000 'special sheets', which show contours, and a bit more detail -- but which don't cover the whole country (there's an index map on the Map Shop webpage).

Re. your question about Bergen: I'd say it's worth visiting -- it's one of my favourite cities in Norway (or anywhere). But: it isn't the nicest city to cycle in or out of, I have to say. It might be worth using a train or boat to avoid slogging through the suburbs? (There's a fast boat route from the end of the Sognefjord down to Bergen [and vice versa]).


I've got the Veikart maps now and they're just what i needed. I've also booked my flights so i'm committed now!
jakobpoffley
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by jakobpoffley »

It would be great if people could suggest specific places/roads I wouldn't want to miss while in Norway so I can try and work them into my route.
Vorpal
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by Vorpal »

What to do in Norway somewhat depends on what you like... I usually tell visitors that Oslo is worth 2 or 3 days. Maybe more, if you like museums. http://www.visitoslo.com/n has information about the attractions, passes, etc. I usually take visitors to the Viking Ship Museum, and Bygdøy is a nice place to cycle, as well. Fram and Kontiki museums are also there. You can take your bike on the ferry, or cycle there.

Other things... Sognefjord and Aurlandfjord or perhaps Geirangerfjord. I like Aurlandsfjord, and Stegastein (a view point above the fjord), which you can get to by bicycle. That climb / descent is well known amongst cyclists, and it's quite common to see cyclists on that road. It's not as famous as Trollstigen, but the ride across the mountains on Aurland is also amazing (but cold!). There are lots of things that visitors typically do, like hike up to Preikestolen that I guess you can find out on the internet. I've never been there, but I'm not entirely comfortable with things like that, and prefer something like Stegastein :)

I also said I would recommend some routes... I think I have a suggestion, but I wanted to check a couple of things with a colleague, and will post here after I have done so.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
pal
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by pal »

It would be great if people could suggest specific places/roads I wouldn't want to miss while in Norway so I can try and work them into my route.


There are a lot of very nice roads to choose from, and as Vorpal says, picking the best will always be a bit subjective... But I'd second the recommendations of Geirangerfjord and Aurlandsfjord. If you can work it into your route, the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is (for my money) one of the best roads in Norway: info here http://www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/en/routes/gamle-strynefjellsvegen. If heading north, you could come up from Stryn, then turn left at the end of the road and drop down to Geiranger from there. Further north, the Atlantic Highway is spectacular (though can be a bit busy with campervans): there's an undersea tunnel at the (north) end which is closed to bikes, but there's a fairly regular bus service through it which takes bicycles.
Paul Kirkwood
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by Paul Kirkwood »

If possible include the Lofoten Islands [in the Arctic circle] in your tour. Fly from Bodo into Svolvaer, cycle down the archipelago to A right at the tip then fly back from Leknes. There is nowhere I know where the mountain views are so spectacular but the routes between them so wonderfully flat! Very smooth roads too which further eases progress. It is very expensive, though, and you need to book accommodation in advance as there's very little of it.

Good luck!

Paul.
For 70 features with pics about bike rides see my new blog: http://www.greatbritishbikerides.net
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syklist
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Re: Touring in Norway

Post by syklist »

Vorpal wrote:
syklist wrote:
Then take the Rallarvegen down to Flåm boat to Leikanger (if it still goes)

As of last season, ferries from Flåm were going to Gudvangen (with additional stops available upon request) and Balestrand/Bergen.

Service on other routes from Flåm has been suspended. A call to Fjord1 or visit their website http://www.fjord1.no/eng/ferry for information about routes. They operate many of the ferries on the west coast.


Are you sure the boat to Leikanger no longer runs? The link below shows a timetable running through 2015.

http://www.fjord1.no/passasjerbat/ruteoversikt-for-passasjerbat/batruter/sogn-og-fjordane/flam-balestrand
So long and thanks for all the fish...
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