It is the edge of the Oslo region, a wooded landscape of low hills, farms, inlets and small boats, with the Hurum peninsula to the south and the Drammensfjord to the west. After the Telemark canal roads, this is the way home.
The riding is gentle and varied. Narrow roads run through spruce and birch forest, with bends, rises and views over water, and the surface is generally good, with patched sections. Traffic is moderate, building at commuter hours on the main roads towards Oslo. In summer, the lanes are busy with cyclists, and in winter, ice can linger on shaded roads. Early autumn, with gold leaves and still water, is the best time.
The fjord has a strong story. At the narrows near Drøbak, a short way to the south-east, the old fortress of Oscarsborg sank the German cruiser Blücher on the night of 8 to 9 April 1940, delaying the invasion force and giving the king and the government time to leave Oslo. The Hurum peninsula has the old village of Holmsbu, where painters gathered in the early twentieth century, and many old wooden houses with white trim. Asker has a museum of local history and a long coastline of sheltered coves.
Fuel and food are easy in Asker, which has stations, supermarkets and many cafes, and Røyken has smaller services. Norwegian bakeries sell excellent cinnamon rolls and open sandwiches, and a coffee with a waffle is a typical afternoon treat. The commuter train runs from Asker to Oslo in about twenty minutes.
If the weather is calm, sit by the water for a while. The fjord at dusk is quiet, with the smell of seaweed and wet pine.