North-west of Oslo, beyond the forested ridge of Krokskogen, the land opens out into the broad farmland of Ringerike, around the long lake of Tyrifjorden and the smaller Steinsfjorden. Hønefoss is the main town, built around a waterfall where the Begna and Randselva rivers join, and from here roads radiate north into the valleys and mountains of central Norway.
The water is the reason to stop. Tyrifjorden is one of Norway's largest lakes, with clear, cold water, islands and long shorelines of rock, sand and meadow, and on summer days the beaches along the shore fill with swimmers. The water warms slowly and stays cool even in July, but on a hot afternoon a quick plunge is wonderful. Steinsfjorden, shallower and warmer, is known for the pick-your-own strawberry farms that line its shores in early summer.
The views are famous too. On the road over Krokskogen from Oslo, at Sundvollen, a viewpoint called Kongens utsikt, the King's View, looks down over the lakes and islands and the farmland beyond, and it is one of the finest panoramas in southern Norway. The road down from the ridge to the lake is steep and winding, with hairpins and fine views, and it is a favourite with riders. Ringerike also has a long history: the area was a seat of early kings, and the great burial mound at Stein, near the lake, is linked by legend to Halfdan the Black, father of Harald Fairhair, the first king of a united Norway.
North of Hønefoss, at Jevnaker, the Kistefos Museum combines an old pulp mill with a sculpture park and a striking modern gallery called The Twist, which spans the river like a twisted bridge, and it has become one of the most talked-about art spaces in Scandinavia. Further on, the long lake of Randsfjorden stretches north between wooded hills.
Hønefoss has fuel, supermarkets, cafés and restaurants, and the town centre around the waterfall is pleasant to walk. In early summer, the waterfall roars with snowmelt; in late summer it can be just a trickle. Buy strawberries from a roadside stand if you see one, then find a beach and cool off before the ride back to Oslo.