Norwegian Scenic Route Hardangervidda (85 km)

Eidfjord to Haugastol · back a different way, via Norwegian Scenic Route Hardanger

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Why this ride

Out of Eidfjord, one way: 85 km, roughly 1 h 24 in the saddle. It goes by way of Mabodalen, Voringsfossen, Dyranut and Halne Fjellstugu. The highest point is about 1,350 m. It suits an unhurried touring pace.

Roadbook

1. Eidfjord start

   Eidfjord lies at the inner end of the Hardangerfjord, one of the longest fjords in Norway, and the village, with only a few hundred people, sits at the foot of steep cliffs, where waterfalls fall from the plateau above and the water below is dark green and still. The setting is dramatic. In the early morning, mist hangs on the fjord, and the mountains rise on every side, while orchards of apple and cherry trees on the lower slopes recall that the Hardanger region is Norway's fruit garden. In spring, when the trees blossom, the contrast with the snow on the peaks is striking.

   Above the village lies the Hardangervidda, the largest mountain plateau in northern Europe, a wide, bare upland of lakes, bogs and rounded hills, which is home to the biggest herd of wild reindeer in the country. The road, Route 7, climbs from the fjord to the plateau through the Mabodalen valley, with a sequence of tunnels and hairpins and a view of Voringsfossen, a waterfall that drops about 180 metres in two stages into a deep gorge. The fall is one of the most visited in Norway, and the viewing platforms give a close look at the spray and the cliffs.

   Eidfjord has a visitor centre, the Hardangervidda Nature Centre, with exhibits on the geology, wildlife and human history of the plateau, and a small hydroelectric industry nearby makes use of the water. The Hardanger Bridge, a suspension bridge that opened in 2013 and has a main span of about 1,310 metres, crosses the fjord just beyond the village, and the road across it is smooth, exposed and unforgettable. Wind can be strong on the bridge, so a firm grip is wise.

   Fuel is the thing to plan. Eidfjord has a few services, but it is small, and pumps in rural Norway are often unmanned and take only cards. Ulvik and Granvin, the nearest villages, are also small, and the larger towns of Voss and Odda are about an hour away. Fill up beforehand, and keep a bank card with a PIN. Tolls on tunnels and bridges are charged automatically, and rental bikes usually have a tag. The riding season on the plateau runs from late May to October, and snow can fall in any month at height. Layers and waterproofs are essential, because the weather changes quickly.

2. Mabodalen scenic

   Måbødalen is a steep, narrow valley that drops from the edge of the Hardangervidda plateau down to the Eidfjord, and the main road, Rv7, comes down it in a series of tunnels and bends that were once among the most feared in Norway. The valley walls are sheer granite, scoured by ice, with waterfalls on both sides, and the floor is a thin green strip with a river and a few farms. The descent is about a thousand metres in a short distance, and you feel it in your brakes and your ears. In the old days, travellers came down on a narrow, hand-built road with hairpins, parts of which still exist as a walking and cycling path.

   The modern road is a good one, wide and well surfaced, with tunnels that cut off the worst bends. It is not a hairpin road in the Alpine sense, but it is steep and long, and when trucks and caravans use it in summer, patience is needed. Use engine braking on the descent, and do not ride the brakes. In winter the road can be icy at the top, with snow on the plateau and a warmer, wetter valley below. A rider coming up from the fjord will feel the temperature fall as he rises, often by ten degrees or more.

   Eidfjord, at the foot, lies at the head of a branch of the Hardangerfjord, and it is a small village of about five hundred people, with a good harbour and a feeling of depth and shelter. The surrounding slopes are planted with orchards, and in May the whole district blossoms, making a vivid contrast with the barren plateau above. Apples, plums and cherries are grown here and sold at roadside stalls in season, a fine reward for the cold of the road.

   For fuel, Eidfjord has a pump, but options are limited, and the nearest large town in the other direction is Geilo, on the east side of the plateau. Fill up before you go either way, and take the weather seriously. The road is open all year, but in storms it can close, so check the traffic reports before a winter trip. Whatever the season, the contrast between the bare mountain and the green fjord is dramatic, and it is the best argument for coming down by the slow way.

3. Voringsfossen scenic

   Vøringsfossen is the great waterfall of Norway, with a total drop of about 180 metres, of which around 145 are a clean, free fall into the Måbødalen gorge. The river Bjoreio runs across the Hardangervidda plateau and comes to the edge in a rush, and then it simply drops, with a roar you can hear long before you see it. The spray rises in a cloud and the rocks around it are wet and bright with moss. The viewing platforms on the edge give you a view straight down into the gorge, and it is worth taking your time, because the scale does not register at once.

   The waterfall has been a famous sight since the nineteenth century, when the first tourists came, often by boat up the fjord and then on horseback and foot. A grand hotel was built at the edge of the gorge in the 1890s to receive them, and it is still there, a big old wooden building in the dragon style. Painters and composers came to look, and Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany was among the visitors who made the journey. The waterfall was a marvel and a status symbol, and it appears in many old photographs and paintings.

   The road to the falls is the Rv7, which at this point runs on the plateau edge before dropping into the valley, and it is a pleasant, easy ride. There are fast, long bends, a good surface and wide views over the mountains. The main trouble is crowds in summer, when buses and campervans fill the car park and the road, so aim for the morning or the evening. At the edge, take care: the rock is slippery, and the platforms are railed, but the drop is enormous.

   Eidfjord is the nearest village, about fifteen minutes down the valley by road, and it has a pump and a few shops. At the fall there is a café and a shop. The best time is after rain or in the spring melt, when the flow is at its greatest, and the best light is in the middle of the day, when the sun reaches into the gorge and the spray is full of rainbows. Wear a waterproof, as the mist can soak you in minutes.

4. Dyranut scenic · 1245 m

   Dyranut stands at about 1,245 metres on the western edge of the Hardangervidda, the largest mountain plateau in Europe, and it is a mountain lodge in the old Norwegian tradition: a simple wooden building with a restaurant, beds and a view over an enormous bare country. The plateau is a high, rolling upland of stone, bog, small lakes and low scrub, with the occasional snow patch hanging on into July. There are no trees, and the sky is large. When the cloud lifts, the light can be extraordinarily clear, and the mountains seem close enough to touch.

   The Hardangervidda holds the largest herd of wild reindeer in Europe, and the animals roam over the whole plateau, moving between summer and winter grazing. You may see them from the road, a dark line against the pale ground, and they are best seen early in the morning or in the evening. The plateau is also a national park, and its protected status keeps it free from building. In the distance, the long white back of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier can show on a clear day.

   The riding on the Rv7 here is open and fast, with long, easy curves that follow the lie of the land. It is a high-speed, high-altitude road, and you feel the exposure. Wind is usually the main thing, and it can be strong enough to move a bike sideways on the straights. Rain and fog arrive without warning, and the temperature at 1,200 metres is far below what you left in the fjord, even in July. Dress warmly, carry waterproofs, and treat any sign of ice with respect, because it can appear in any month.

   The lodge is a welcome stop, with hot food, coffee and a toilet, and it is open in the main season. Do not count on it in the shoulder months, and call ahead if you can. Eidfjord, at the foot of the descent, has a pump, and Geilo, on the east side of the plateau, has more services, so make sure you start the day with a full tank. A bowl of hot soup, waffles with jam and sour cream, and a seat at the window are exactly what the place is for.

5. Halne Fjellstugu scenic · 1135 m

   Halne Fjellstugu stands at 1,135 metres on the Rv7, beside the lake of Halnefjorden, in the middle of the Hardangervidda, and its main virtue is that it is there at all. This is an enormous, empty country, with very few buildings, and a mountain lodge on the road is a landmark in its own right. The place is a classic Norwegian fjellstue, a timber lodge with a restaurant, rooms and a big stove, and it has been taking in travellers, walkers and skiers in a country where weather can turn at any time.

   The landscape is low and open, with reindeer moss, rocks and water, and the colour is a mix of grey, green and brown, lit by a very clear northern light. In late summer the ground turns red and gold with dwarf birch and bilberry leaves, and the light has a pale, silvery softness that makes every ridge stand out. The lake is cold and deep, and in winter it freezes and the whole area becomes a playground for cross-country skiers, who come in large numbers from February to April.

   The road between Geilo and Dyranut is one of the highest main roads in the country, and in good weather it is a joy, with long, gentle bends and fast, open straights. Be prepared for the opposite as well. Fog, rain and wind sweep across the plateau, and ice can form on the surface in any month. Visibility can drop to a few metres, and you should slow down and light up. In winter the road is often closed or open only in convoy behind a plough, so check conditions at the Norwegian road authority before you go.

   Geilo, with a couple of thousand people, is the nearest town of any size and has fuel, shops and plenty of places to eat, so fill up there before you cross the plateau. The lodge itself offers food and drink in season, but check opening times in advance. In the middle of the plateau, cell coverage may be patchy, and there is little help around, so let someone know your plan. A cup of coffee at the window, with rain on the glass and a stove burning, is a small and solid pleasure that you remember long after the ride.

6. Haugastol finish

   Haugastøl is a mountain hamlet on the Hardangervidda plateau, and it feels exactly like the edge of the world's largest high-altitude plain in northern Europe. The Hardangervidda is a vast, treeless plateau of about 8,000 square kilometres, with an average height of around 1,100 metres, covered in lakes, bogs, heather and low mountains. It is a national park, home to Europe's largest herd of wild reindeer, and the weather is often harsh, with fog, wind and snow even in summer. Haugastøl sits on the northern edge, at about 1,000 metres, with a hotel, a few cabins and a railway station on the Bergen line, and Geilo, nearly twenty kilometres away, is the nearest town.

   The road across the plateau is a National Tourist Route, and it is a quiet, wide, open ride. The surface is smooth, and the curves are long and gentle, with views across lakes and low ridges that seem to go on forever. You rarely see a tree, and the horizon is huge. The Hardangervidda has been used for centuries by herders and travellers, and old trails cross the plateau. In summer, the plateau is a hikers' paradise, with huts and trails, and in winter, it is a place for cross-country skiing. Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen trained on the Vidda before their polar expeditions.

   Weather is the main point to consider. Even in July, the temperature can be close to freezing, and sudden storms or fog are common. Keep warm layers and waterproofs handy, and be prepared for strong winds. In winter, snow closes the road at times, and drifts are common into May. The road is not busy, but trucks and campers use it in summer, and reindeer sometimes cross, so keep an eye out.

   Fuel is available in Geilo, but not on the plateau, and it is wise to fill the tank before you set off. Haugastøl has a hotel and cafe, where you can eat a simple meal of soup, bread and coffee. The air is clear and cold, with a smell of heather and wet stone. The huge sky and long light make this a place for slow riding and for being very small.

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