Norwegian Scenic Route Atlantic Road (69 km)

Kristiansund to Bud · back a different way, via Norway · Atlantic Road and Troll Church Coast

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Why this ride

A 69 km one-way ride from near Kristiansund, about 1 h 08 of riding. On the way it passes Karvag, Storseisundet Bridge and Vevang. It suits an unhurried touring pace.

Roadbook

1. Kristiansund start

   Kristiansund is a town built on four islands, which means that getting anywhere in it involves a bridge, a tunnel or, if you are lucky, one of the little open Sundbåt ferries that have been shuttling people across the harbour for well over a century. It faces the open Atlantic on the Nordmøre coast, and for a long time it made its living from fish, specifically klippfisk, the salted and dried cod that was shipped out to Spain, Portugal and Brazil. The tradition has not died: bacalao, the dish the rest of the world cooks from that fish, is still something the town takes seriously, and a plate of it is a more honest welcome than any brochure.

   The harbour is the heart of it, a natural horseshoe with painted wooden warehouses on the quays and the bigger, more modern town climbing the hills behind. There is a well-regarded opera tradition here too, which surprises everybody, with a house that claims a very long history as Norway's first. With sixteen thousand people, Kristiansund has everything a rider needs: several fuel stations, supermarkets, bakeries and lunch spots, and the sort of unhurried waterfront where it feels natural to sit for an hour with a coffee and watch the boats.

   The reason most riders turn up here is what lies to the west. A tunnel under the sound carries you out to Averøy, and from there the road leads to the Atlantic Road, that short, famous run of bridges and causeways hopping from skerry to skerry. The best of it comes in a westerly gale, when waves climb the rocks beside the tarmac, but check the forecast first, since the road does get closed when the sea gets truly serious. Wind is the constant companion on this coast, so expect crosswinds on the bridges and dress for a cold sea breeze even in July.

   Start the day here with a proper breakfast and a full tank. Light is best in the early morning and in the long evenings of summer, when the sun skims low across the water and turns the skerries gold. The road itself is smooth, and the fun is not in the twisties but in how close the open ocean feels.

2. Karvag scenic

   Kårvåg is the village where the Atlantic Road starts if you come from Kristiansund, a small cluster of houses on the island of Averøy, looking out over a coast so battered by weather that it has a name of its own, Hustadvika. This is open ocean, with nothing between here and Greenland to take the force out of the waves, and in winter storms the waves can throw spray clean over the road. In calm weather it looks mild, grey-green and flat, with low islands and bright lichen on the rock. Do not trust that mood. The sea here has a short temper and a long memory.

   The Atlantic Road itself, Atlanterhavsveien, is only about eight kilometres long, but it crosses a run of islets and skerries on eight bridges, and it is one of the most famous drives in the world. It was built in the 1980s and opened in 1989, after years of work interrupted by storms, and it was meant to be a local road linking Averøy with the mainland. Instead it became a sensation, with bridges that curve and rise and dip, and a road that seems to hop from rock to rock. Fishing anglers stand on the bridges with long rods, and a few daring souls stand on the walkways at storm time to feel the spray.

   Averøy has another treat, and it has nothing to do with motorbikes. The old stave church at Kvernes, dating from around 1300 and set among farms, is one of the loveliest wooden churches in the region, with painted decoration inside. It is a short detour, and if the church is open, you can step in out of the wind and the smell of tar and old timber will surprise you.

   On the road, the speed limit is low, there are many places to stop, and the traffic can be heavy in summer, with coaches and campervans. Take it slowly and enjoy it. Weather is the main variable, with wind and rain coming quickly, so wear waterproofs. In a big storm, parts of the road may close. Fuel is easy to get in Kristiansund, about twenty kilometres away, which is a proper town of seventeen thousand people with supermarkets and a good harbour. Eide, on the other side, is small, so fill up in Kristiansund or before you cross.

3. Storseisundet Bridge scenic

   Storseisundet is the bridge everyone has seen, even if they do not know its name: the long, curving span on the Atlantic Road that seems from the front to rise up and end in the sky. It is the longest of the eight bridges, about 260 metres, and it climbs to a height of some twenty-three metres above the water, enough for the fishing boats to pass beneath. The way it is built, with a bend in the middle and a steep hump, makes it look from one angle as though the road ends in mid-air, and the optical illusion has made it a favourite with film crews, car advertisers and photographers.

   The experience of riding it is better than the photograph. As you approach, you see the road rise and curve, and then you are up, with the sea on both sides and the land laid out below. On a clear day the horizon is wide and the light bright, and on a stormy one the sea thunders against the skerries and the rain hammers sideways. The best way to see the bridge is from the parking area on the rock beside it, from which you can walk to a viewpoint and look back along its curve. A short loop path leads out to the shore.

   The weather is the big thing here. In winter, storms can be violent, and waves have been known to break over the road, but even in summer a strong wind can make a motorbike twitch on the high span. Hold the bars firmly and keep your speed down. Rain, fog and low cloud can all spoil the view, so be flexible and come back at another hour if you have the time. Evening and early morning are the best times for light and for fewer tourists.

   The road around the bridge is well kept, with parking areas, toilets and a small café at one of the rest stops, where you can buy coffee and waffles when the season is on. Fuel is in Kristiansund, about twenty-one kilometres to the north-east, so make sure you start the day with a full tank. It is worth stopping to watch the birds: gulls, eiders and the odd white-tailed eagle all use the thermals around the skerries, and a patient visitor may see a seal.

4. Vevang scenic

   Vevang is the village at the southern end of the Atlantic Road, on the mainland side, where the road comes ashore after its dance across the skerries and the landscape shifts from sea to land. It is a small place, a scatter of farms and houses, with a harbour and a few boats. The coast here is rough and low, with bare rock, thin grass and bright lichen, and in the late evening the light turns the rock to copper. A short distance away, there is a rest area on a headland with a walkway and a platform where you can stand and watch the waves.

   I like Vevang for what it tells you about the road. The Atlantic Road has a reputation as a tourist attraction, and it is one, but it is also a local road, linking small communities that live by the sea. Fishing and fish farming remain important, and the houses are low and tough, painted in strong colours, built to survive the weather. On an ordinary day you see trucks carrying fish and farm machinery, and locals going about their business among the visitors. That is a good thing, because it keeps the place honest.

   The ride here is easier than it looks, with gentle bends and a good surface, but the traffic can be an issue. In summer, drivers slow down or stop suddenly for photographs, and cyclists and walkers share the road. Watch the mirror, signal early and be patient. The wind is a constant companion, and in a gale a motorbike can be pushed around, so stay alert. The road can close in storms, and signs warn when that is the case, so take them seriously.

   Eide, the municipality's main village, is a short way inland, with a few shops, a school and some services. It is small, and the nearest big town is Kristiansund, about twenty-six kilometres away, which has all the fuel, food and repairs you could need. Molde lies in the other direction, a longer ride. A flask of coffee and a bag of buns are good companions here, and a place on the rocks out of the wind is a fine spot for lunch. Whatever the weather, a visit at dawn or dusk is rewarding, as the light on the sea is extraordinary.

5. Bud finish

   Bud is a tiny fishing village on the coast of Møre og Romsdal, and it has a big place in Norwegian history. The old fishing hamlet sits on a low, rocky shore, facing the open Atlantic, with a harbour, a few houses and a church. In the sixteenth century, it was one of the largest fishing stations on the coast, and in 1533, the Norwegian nobility gathered here to choose a new king, in a failed attempt to hold off Danish control. During the Second World War, the Germans built a coastal fortress here, the Ergan Coastal Fortress, which can still be visited, with guns, bunkers and tunnels. Molde, the nearest town of size, is over twenty kilometres away.

   The reason most riders come is the Atlantic Road, the Atlanterhavsveien, a short stretch of road that hops across a string of small islands and skerries on eight bridges, including the curving Storseisundet Bridge, which seems to end in the air from one angle. It was opened in 1989 and has become a classic, with the sea crashing against the rocks in storms and waves occasionally washing over the road. The road is only about eight kilometres long, and on a calm day, it is a gentle ride with fishing anglers standing on the bridges. On a stormy day, it is thrilling, though also dangerous.

   The surface is excellent and the curves are smooth, but wind is a big factor, and crosswinds on the bridges can be strong. Rain and spray reduce grip, so take care. In summer, the road is busy with tourists, so ride early or late. In winter, storms can close it. The nearby fishing villages have simple restaurants where you can eat fresh fish, including fish soup and fried cod, and there are small shops selling coffee and cakes.

   Fuel is available at Elnesvågen and Molde, but not at Bud, so fill up in advance. The area is rich in birds, and whales and seals are occasionally spotted from the shore. The light, in the evening, is soft and golden, and the sea changes colour with every cloud. Bud is a calm place to finish a ride, with the sound of the sea in your ears.

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