Ørnesvingen is the top bend of the Eagle Road, Ørnevegen, the road that climbs from Geiranger to Eidsdal in eleven hairpins, with a viewing point that looks back down on the Geirangerfjord. The road was opened in 1952, and its steep, tight bends are carved into the mountainside above the water, with a gradient of about ten per cent. It was a great improvement on the old route, and it made Geiranger accessible by road from the north. The name comes from the eagles said to circle the cliffs, though the best-known eagles here now are the ones on the road signs.
From the viewpoint at Ørnesvingen, you see the fjord laid out below, long and narrow, with dark water between steep walls, and waterfalls pouring down the cliffs. The most famous of them, the Seven Sisters, can be seen from the water but not from here. The farms along the shore, some of them abandoned, cling to ledges high above the water, and it is hard to believe that people lived and worked there. The view is wide and dramatic, and the viewpoint has a car park and a railing, so you can take your time.
Riding the Eagle Road is a joy for those who like hairpins. The bends are tight but well engineered, with good grip and safe margins, and the climb is steady. Going up from Geiranger, you look back at the fjord as it falls away, and the height grows with each turn. Coaches and campervans use the road in numbers, and they need the whole width at the tightest corners, so wait for them and take your time. In wet weather, the surface is slippery, and in late autumn ice can form in the shade.
Geiranger has a few shops and a pump, but supplies are limited and prices high, so it is wiser to fill up at Stranda or Stryn. From Eidsdal, a short ferry crosses the fjord to Linge, a pleasant break that lets you rest on the water. In summer, queues can be long. The Geirangerfjord is a World Heritage Site, valued for its beauty and its geology, and the road along it is among the most famous in the world. Go early in the day if you can, for the light and the peace.