{"id":31790,"date":"2025-06-24T09:06:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T08:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclenorway.com\/?p=31790"},"modified":"2025-06-24T09:06:27","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T08:06:27","slug":"the-700m-climb-in-oslos-backyard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclenorway.com\/fr\/lascension-de-700-m-dans-larriere-cour-doslos\/","title":{"rendered":"La course de 700 m dans le jardin d'Oslo ?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Climb Oslo\u2019s Highest Road: The Hidden Beast of Gyrihaugen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re cycling through the Oslo region and think the terrain is all rolling forest paths and mellow gravel, think again. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Oslo\u2019s great forest, Nordmarka,is one of the region\u2019s steepest and most dramatic climbs: Gyrihaugen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We tackled it from the village of \u00c5sa near Steinsfjorden, the tougher and more scenic side. What starts as a gentle forest road quickly turns into a relentless climb that gains over 620 meters of elevation<\/strong>, topping out at 683 meters above sea level<\/strong>, making it the highest road climb in the Oslo area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But this is no ancient forest trail or forgotten gravel lane. The road to Gyrihaugen was bulldozed into existence for a now-abandoned military radar project, intended to be part of NATO\u2019s northern surveillance network. After years of blasting and clearing through protected forest, the radar was never installed due to interference issues. The only thing left behind? A perfectly engineered gravel road that now stands as a monument to misplaced planning, and a gift to adventurous cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The climb itself is no joke. With sections reaching 17% gradient<\/strong>, tight hairpin bends, and long sustained pitches, it\u2019s a test of legs and mindset. Yet, the surface is excellent, hard-packed gravel wide enough for construction vehicles, making it suitable even for a road bike with robust tires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the summit, you\u2019re rewarded with one of the most sweeping views in Eastern Norway. On clear days, you can see all the way to Hardangervidda<\/strong> and the iconic Gaustatoppen<\/strong>, two of Norway\u2019s great mountain landmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the road comes with a heavy environmental cost, flattened trees, guardrails, and scars on the landscape, it also opens up an otherwise remote part of the forest to cycling. Whether it remains rideable in the future is uncertain. Discussions are ongoing about rewilding the area, converting it into a hiking access point, or letting it deteriorate naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you’re passing through Oslo and looking for a serious challenge, Gyrihaugen is the one climb you shouldn’t miss<\/strong>. It\u2019s steep, raw, and strangely beautiful, an unforgettable ride born from military ambition and reclaimed by cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Route Options to Gyrihaugen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Option 1 : Kongevegen Approach (from Oslo via Nordmarka)<\/a><\/strong>
Start your ride directly from Oslo and head into the forest via the old Chemin du roi<\/strong> gravel road. This scenic route takes you deep into Nordmarka, eventually linking up with the newly constructed military road to Gyrihaugen from the easier<\/em>eastern side. After reaching the summit, you can descend westward toward Lommedalen and continue back into the city through gravel and forest roads. A solid day ride with serious elevation, but manageable for most experienced cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option 2: The Steep Western Climb (via H\u00f8nefoss)<\/a><\/strong>
Take the train or bus from Oslo to\u00a0H\u00f8nefoss<\/strong>, then cycle toward \u00c5sa and tackle the full climb from the western side\u2014by far the steeper and more demanding option. The climb rises all the way to 683 meters above sea level, with long pitches and sharp gradients. It\u2019s a proper test, but the views from the top more than make up for the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The village of \u00c5sa offers a historic quirky shop that has been in trade for over 130 years (\u00c5sa Landhandleri). Worth stopping by and fueling up before the big climb up. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Option 3 : Full Loop Challenge (multi-day or epic day ride)<\/a><\/strong>
For those looking for a big ride, consider a full loop through the western gravel networks before returning via Chemin du roi<\/strong> and Nordmarka. This can be done as a demanding one-day ride or split into two days, with several campsites, cabins, and wild camping<\/strong> options available along the way. It\u2019s a real forest adventure, offering a deep dive into the best gravel cycling Oslo\u2019s surroundings have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finnemarka and Vestmarka offer excellent forest gravel trails that can be seamlessly included in a longer Gyrihaugen loop.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Climb Oslo\u2019s Highest Road: The Hidden Beast of Gyrihaugen If you\u2019re cycling through the Oslo region and think the terrain is all rolling forest paths and mellow gravel, think again. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Oslo\u2019s great forest, Nordmarka,is one of the region\u2019s steepest and most dramatic climbs: Gyrihaugen. We tackled it from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,87,58],"class_list":["post-31790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-featured","tag-nordmarka","tag-oslo"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t