It is gentle country of clay fields, small woods and low ridges, where Norwegians who work in the capital have settled in neat suburbs and villages.
Rotnes is the main centre of Nittedal, a municipality with a mix of old farms and newer housing, and it is where you will find supermarkets and fuel. Åneby is a smaller community nearby, and Kløfta to the north, with around six thousand people, sits on the main railway line and close to the E6. Gardermoen, Oslo's main airport, is not far beyond, so the sky is full of arriving aircraft. To the west the land rises into the forested hills of Nordmarka, which is one of the capital's great recreation areas, with lakes, trails and cabins.
The landscape tells an old agricultural story. The marine clay left by the retreating ice age sea made this some of the best farmland in the country, and Romerike has long been known as the granary of Norway, with big fields of grain and potatoes. In late summer the plain turns gold, and you can see the red barns across fields from the road. Old churches stand in the villages, and the area has a long history of settlement.
The riding is straightforward, with good surfaces, long straights, and the odd roundabout. Speed limits are enforced by cameras and there is heavy commuter traffic at rush hour on the main routes, so try to avoid those times. If you want something more attractive, head onto the minor roads towards the forest edge, where bends and gentle climbs make a pleasant change. Watch for tractors, joggers and elk, which do wander across roads at dawn and dusk.
Fuel is easy at Rotnes and Kløfta, and the area is a good spot to stock up before continuing north or west. Norwegian prices are high, so a supermarket sandwich and a thermos coffee are the sensible choice.
Best from late spring to early autumn, when the days are long. This is not the dramatic Norway of the postcards, but it is a calm, agricultural pause in the journey.