Låtefossen is two waterfalls that fall side by side from the same stream, joining at the bottom under an old stone arch bridge, and the road runs straight across it. It is one of the few places in Norway where you can ride directly through the spray of a major waterfall. The total drop is about 165 metres, and the water thunders down the rock face in two white ropes that merge and rush under the bridge. On a wet day you will be soaked in seconds, and in summer the spray is a gift on a hot afternoon. There is a car park on the roadside, and a few steps lead to the bridge, so the stop is easy.
The setting is wild. The waterfall comes from the Folgefonna glacier, and meltwater and rain feed it, so the flow is greatest in late spring and after storms. The valley is steep and wooded, with moss, birch and fern on the slopes, and on a clear day you can see the white edge of the ice at the top. The sound of the water is constant and loud, and fills the valley. A stone bridge was built here in the nineteenth century, long before the road was widened, and old photographs show travellers stopping, just as we do now.
The road itself is Rv13, which runs from Odda toward the Hardanger fjord and the plateau, and it is a pleasant ride. The surface is good, the bends are long and easy, and the scenery includes forest, rock and water at almost every turn. Traffic is steady in summer, and tourist buses stop at the falls, so the car park can be crowded around midday. Aim for the morning, and take care on the bridge, which can be slick. If you stop, park off the carriageway and watch for traffic as you walk.
Odda, about fourteen kilometres away, is the nearest large town. It has fuel, shops and restaurants, and a history of heavy industry, with a zinc smelter that closed some time ago. It is also the starting point for the walk to Trolltunga, a rock ledge over a lake that is among Norway's most famous hikes, a long day's walk that is only open in summer. Odda is a good place to eat, rest and buy supplies. Bring a waterproof, and keep your camera in a bag.