Come down into Lysebotn in the evening and you notice the silence first. The fjord is so enclosed that sound seems to be absorbed by the walls, and the only moving things are the water, the mist on the cliffs and the occasional boat nosing in to the quay. This is the bottom of the hairpins, the point where the long descent ends and the real shelter begins, and it is a very good place to stay for a night.
Lysebotn has the feel of a settlement that was never meant to exist. For centuries it was a handful of farms reached by boat, with grazing on narrow ledges and winters dark enough that the sun disappears behind the mountain for weeks. A hydroelectric station built into the rock brought power and work, and the road that came later made the place accessible by land. Passenger boats still arrive from the Stavanger side in summer, and many visitors come that way, taking in the fjord at water level.
For riders, the interest is in what comes next. Behind you lies a descent that is easier to enjoy when you are not tired, and ahead the mountain stands like a stack of stone shelves. If you plan the climb for the morning, you will have cool air, long shadows and few cars. If you arrive in the afternoon, the coach groups will be there before you.
Above the village the cliffs rise to the great plateau of Kjerag, where the famous wedged boulder draws walkers and parachutists alike. You do not have to climb it to appreciate the scale, but the sight of tiny figures on the rim is a good lesson in perspective. Wildlife includes peregrines and eagles, and sheep graze incongruously on impossibly steep grass.
Services are modest and there is no large town. Jørpeland is the nearest place with a full set of facilities, about thirty-five kilometres away by road. The route is closed in winter. Watch for wet leaves and gravel on the lower bends in autumn.