6 week Norwegian tandem gravel adventure

Anonymous

We are in the very early stages of planning a 6week gravel extravaganza to Norway during July and August of 2024. We will be fully self supported on our off road tandem, camping as we go, with the plan to maximise the gravel, quiet roads and wilderness. We’ve had plenty of experience taking the tandem off road so are always keen to seek out the gravel, both rough and smooth, and are happy to have the odd bits of singletrack thrown in too. Being fully stocked for 4/5 days of riding in the Scottish Highlands with no real amenities close by is when we’re at our happiest!! Our initial plan was to find somewhere in Oslo to leave our van for 6weeks, start heading north and aim to head to Nordkapp then figure out the flight back from Alta at the end. However, I worry this will miss out on a lot of Norway’s best gravel and it looks like north of Trondheim the gravel options reduce?? Another idea is to leave the van in Hirtshals jump on the ferry to Kristiansand and then do more of a giant circular loop joining up the long distance gravel routes on this website, going to Stavanger, Bergen, Trodheim, Oslo and back to Kristiansand. Logistically this will be more straightforward and we wouldn’t have to figure out how to get a tandem on a plane! It feels like this second idea might maximise the gravel better but would lose that sense of ‘heading north to the Arctic circle thrill’. I feel like either option would be incredible seen as we’ll be spending 6 weeks in Norway, and well, Norway rocks, but I just wanted any thoughts and/or advice on best use of our time (what other people would do with 6 weeks fully dedicated to riding in Norway) and what gravel options there are north of Trondheim.
I feel like I’ll be posting lots of questions on here over the coming months as our trip starts coming together, so thank you for any help/advice in advance!

Naomi

Matthew Norway

Keymaster

Hi Naomi,

If you are after gravel, then I recommend you stick to the southern part of Norway (Trondheim and below).
The cycling route from Trondheim to the Arctic is mainly on paved roads with a lot of ferries.

If I were you, I would either start in Kristiansand or Oslo and pick up the long-distance gravel routes from there.

From Kristiansand, you can take Nasjonal Sykkelrute 3: Fjord og fjell up to the Southern Explorer route and then perhaps the great Norwegian divide from Oslo to Trondheim.

From Trondheim, you will find there are limited gravel roads heading west towards Ålesund, Bergen, Stavanger and back to Kristiansand. The whole of the Fjord Norway region is mountainous with limited roads. You will on small occasions be required to cycle on a few main E roads which at the wrong time of day can be unpleasant.

You have the tough but beautiful Fjord Norway route under the Norse all-road series and the Atlantic Coast route series that show you how to get from Trondheim to Stavanger to complete a full loop. Even though the west side is not on gravel the scenery and landscape are so beautiful and a delight to cycle.

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