Kårvåg is the village where the Atlantic Road starts if you come from Kristiansund, a small cluster of houses on the island of Averøy, looking out over a coast so battered by weather that it has a name of its own, Hustadvika. This is open ocean, with nothing between here and Greenland to take the force out of the waves, and in winter storms the waves can throw spray clean over the road. In calm weather it looks mild, grey-green and flat, with low islands and bright lichen on the rock. Do not trust that mood. The sea here has a short temper and a long memory.
The Atlantic Road itself, Atlanterhavsveien, is only about eight kilometres long, but it crosses a run of islets and skerries on eight bridges, and it is one of the most famous drives in the world. It was built in the 1980s and opened in 1989, after years of work interrupted by storms, and it was meant to be a local road linking Averøy with the mainland. Instead it became a sensation, with bridges that curve and rise and dip, and a road that seems to hop from rock to rock. Fishing anglers stand on the bridges with long rods, and a few daring souls stand on the walkways at storm time to feel the spray.
Averøy has another treat, and it has nothing to do with motorbikes. The old stave church at Kvernes, dating from around 1300 and set among farms, is one of the loveliest wooden churches in the region, with painted decoration inside. It is a short detour, and if the church is open, you can step in out of the wind and the smell of tar and old timber will surprise you.
On the road, the speed limit is low, there are many places to stop, and the traffic can be heavy in summer, with coaches and campervans. Take it slowly and enjoy it. Weather is the main variable, with wind and rain coming quickly, so wear waterproofs. In a big storm, parts of the road may close. Fuel is easy to get in Kristiansund, about twenty kilometres away, which is a proper town of seventeen thousand people with supermarkets and a good harbour. Eide, on the other side, is small, so fill up in Kristiansund or before you cross.