A few weeks ago, Matteo contacted Cycle Norway looking for ways to contribute to the platform. Rather than simply sharing ideas, he headed out and rode the first section of Nasjonal grusvei 5 for himself. What makes this even more impressive is that it was Matteo’s first-ever bikepacking trip. After completing the route, he put together detailed field notes covering the terrain, highlights, challenges, and practical information that future riders may find useful. He kindly shared these with us, and we’re delighted to publish them below. A big thank you to Matteo for taking the initiative and helping grow the knowledge base surrounding Norway’s National Gravel Routes.
Text and Photos by Matteo Kozlowski 29/05/2026
Cover photo by Knut Myking
The route is about 260km from Oslo with a solid elevation gain and some challenging gravel climbs that require good physical condition. I did the route over the weekend, starting on Friday evening and taking the train back to Oslo from Ål on Sunday afternoon. Here, I come back to the highlights of the route and try to describe it precisely to give you an idea of what to expect!
Day 1: Oslo – Myrsetra DNT, nice and easy
I left Oslo in the evening and headed up to Nordmarka to reach my first objective of the trip.The route is straightforward without any difficulty. I chose to reroute slightly to avoid being directly along the Lysakerelva which remains very technical and isn’t necessarily interesting. After that, you’ll get on a mix of nice gravel routes and asphalt to exit Bærum before hitting a nice stretch into the woods until the cabin. A first chill day around 40km just to get out of the city and exploit the Friday evening!
Day 2: Myrsetra DNT – Fønhusskoia DNT, things get tougher
The day begins by a nice gravel track that starts heading back down towards Hønefoss aftera few kilometers. The descent is fast and fun. It started raining there so I chose to take a break at XXL, Extra and Burger King to get some equipment and carb up for the rest of the day. Hønefoss is a good place to get stuff as it is the last actual town before Gol the day after. Since I had no time constraint, I decided to go with the weather and waited one and a half hours before making my way further up.
The first big gravel climb arrived outside of the city. After it, the track ends by a DNT cabin where you will need to walk on a single woody-rocky trail for at least 30 minutes. You get back on a nice gravel road if you stay on track so don’t worry, it just takes a little longer! After that, you’ll enjoy nice forest gravel roads and get a good section on asphalt before reaching Buvatnet where the serious stuff begins. After crossing a river to get on the other side of the valley, you’ll hit a major steep climb on a sandy track.
The next challenging climb occurs around 12 km later. Not as long but very steep. You’ll get a nice view of the Aurdøla river on the top. Further up, crossing the river can take a little time depending on the season and on the water level. Mid may, the flow was intense, and I had to navigate between trees to reach the different bridges. Afterwards, a nice stretch will take along multiple lakes. The track gets rougher by the end and stops to start another great session of bike pushing! This part can feel frustrating since you’re so close to the next cabin but walking on the technical trails takes so long! It was around 2 km of navigating in the swamps and the rocks but it’s doable! Finally, the last gravel climb of the day will take you to Fønhusskoia where I spent my last night.
Day 3: Fønhusskoia DNT – Ål stasjon, Up and down
I started my last day around 9am to make sure I’d have time to catch the train in Ål. The day begins on a rough trail that quickly turns into nicer gravel roads. The only technical part of the day arrives around 10km after the start. A nice and swampy single track of 2km before getting back on gravel highways. From there, just enjoy the view of the plateau before hitting a massive drop down to Gol. From there, it’s only an extra one and a half hours until Ål and a good spot to take a break. The last stretch of about 30km alternates between asphalt and gravel and is pretty fun! I made it an hour early for the train and even got to rinse my bike in a nice, retired couple’s backyard!
Summary and practical remarks
This route requires some decent biking skills and fitness. Yet, it remains very doable and takes you through remote and gorgeous spots. The second day was “only” 132km, but the walking sections add up a lot of time. Make sure to pack enough food, as you will not find much between Hønefoss and Gol. There is, however, water along the way with the multiple rivers, brooks and lakes you’ll cycle into. You can continue the trip up to the National Gravel Route 5 section 2, where a loop – Ål – Hemsedal – Gol – Ål can be ridden in late June.
For more information, visit: https://cyclenorway.com/en/national-gravel-routes/
National Gravel Route 5: Fønhusruta
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