Road-trips

  • Dalen, Egersund, Jæren, Road-trips, Scenic Drives, Southern Norway

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Looking for an alternative road to the mountains, bypassing the tourists, highways and seeing the secret beauty of Norway? This drive is perfect. I know, the Egersund to Dalen drive is not the most commonly suggested route in Norway, but it is worth the consideration. Both towns are very cute and scenic with plenty to do, and they are separated by a beautiful valley and mountain range that you’ll pass.
    On this page, you’ll find practical info outlining what you’ll see between the two towns, plus where you can stay and what you can do. Be sure to watch my own drive, where I’ve put together a timelapse with information. 
    If you have done this drive, or have any questions for me, let me know in the comments. 

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Egersund to Dalen

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Trollpiken

    Rock Formation

    Trollpikken is a unique and strange rock formation in Norway. In the last few years, it has gained popularity due to its, well, shape. ‘Pikk’ is a relatively new word in Norway that translates to ‘dick’, and as you can see in the image, the name describes what locals have come to recognise the formation as.
    Trollpikken made the news in 2017, when it was vandalised and severed off using power tools. The locals were saddened by this and a crowdfunding campaign raised an incredible 226,000 NOK and within two weeks the rock was reattached (watch the video on the left!). One person was arrested for vandalism.
    Since this incident, there was more effort made in promoting Trollpikken. It’s got its own website now (click here), which goes over the history, folklore, and practical info of the site. There are road signs leading to the large carpark, and the walk to the monument is well marked with modern signs. The name is also recent; it’s only from 2017.
    For those interested in geology, the rock is anorthosite. This is a very rare type of rock that’s found on the south-western coast of Norway and the moon. Yes, the moon! When astronauts were training for going to the moon, they came here to practice collecting rock samples. Trollpikken is 12m (39ft) high.
    It is relatively easy to hike to Trollpikken, and the info can be found here: https://ut.no/turforslag/1113153/trollpikken

    Helleland

    Village

    Helleland is a small village just outside Egersund. The language used here is nynorsk rather than the commonly used bokmål. The Sørlandet train connection between Oslo and Stavanger runs through (and stops at) Helleland.
    Helleland Church is from 1832. It is built in wood and has seats for 500. The architect was Hans Linstow, who also designed the Royal Palace and Karl Johans gate in Oslo.
    In Helleland, there are memorials dedicated to the British aircraft which crashed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in connection with the Operation Freshman sabotage attempt, part of an action that was aimed at the Vemork hydroelectric plant, site of heavy water production. Furthermore, there is a cave in the forest which was used as a hiding place during World War II. People who had kept illegal radio equipment hid in this cave, and the Germans never discovered them.
    You’ll find a grocery store in Helleland (Coop). 

     

    Terland Klopp

    Bridge

    Terland Klopp was built around 1800 as a stone slab bridge. With 21 runs and 60 metres, it is considered the largest in the Nordic region of this type. The bridge crosses the river Gyaåna, which we are following on this road. The valley we are in is called the Gyadalen Valley.
    Terland Klopp has not been in use since 1977; today it is a listed monument. It is considered the best-preserved bridge of this kind. 

    Agder County

    We now cross over into Agder kommune. Originally, Agder was a medieval petty kingdom that governed itself until Norway was unified into one Kingdom. The name Agder was not used between 1662 and 1919; it was reinstated after the counties Aust-Agder (East Adger) and Vest-Adger (West Adger) were established. Since 2020, those two counties were merged into one: Adger. 

    Sirdal Municipality

    Tonstad

    Village

    Welcome to Tonstad! The name means “Tone’s Farm” and is a typical small town name; towns were often built around farmsteads where the church was located. The church here is Tonstad Church and it’s from 1852. It seats 300.
    The town has a large hydroelectric power station and a large ski centre. In fact, Tonstad has one of Norway’s most modern biathlon facilities, and it is known for producing many highly regarded biathletes. The local high school uses the facility for training.
    Tonstad is located on the northern end of the Sirdal Lake. In July, the boat ‘Snorre’ does tours of the lake every Wednesday. A guide on board tells you the stories and local legends, as well as some tales of Vikings from the Norse Sagas. 
     At Tonstad you’ll find road signs leading to Kjerag, a famous natural monument and hiking trail.

    Dorgefossen

    Waterfall

    Dorgefossen is a regulated waterfall, though it is more like a gorge. Due to the water regulations, the waterfall is much smaller than it used to be.
    An old legend from Sirdal tells that death row inmates got one last chance to save their lives by jumping over Dorgefoss. If they managed to do so, they would be free. If they did not succeed, the fall of the waterfall and the rapids fulfilled the death sentence.
    It is possible to swim in the river, but without warning water can be released from the pond, making the water colder than normal.
    By the road, there is a picnic area with restrooms and information boards. The road we drive over goes over the waterfall via the Dorge Bridge. The bridge is from 1919.

    Sinnes

    Village

    Sinnes is a small village located in the upper part of the Sirdal valley. There are two ski centres here: Ålsheia and Tjørhomfjellet. Together, they make the largest alpine facility in southwestern Norway.
    Several alpine and cross-country competitions are held in the area. The largest one is Sesilåmi, which is a 52km long ski run.
    Sinnes is a popular cabin area for people from Stavanger, Sandnes and Jaeren.

    Setesdalsheiene

    Mountains

    The mountains to the north are called Setesdalsheiene. Just north of them is the Hardangervidda plateau, while the Ryfylke mountains lie to the west. The highest point is 1,300m (4,300ft). Wild reindeer herds live here.

    Håhellervatn

    Lake

    The lake on our right is Håhellervatn. The total walking distance around the lake is 6km (4 mi).  
    On the east side is a cave called Håhelleren. It has a lot of stories associated with it. After the Napoleonic Wars, two families moved to the area. They first settled in a fisherman’s hut, and then built a home. Their main job was to keep the road clear and shelter road users in bad weather. They were unable to grow grain on the site, but they did try to grow potatoes, though without luck. After living here for 26 years, they realised it was not such a great place to live and they moved to Sirdal. After their house was torn down, road users used the cave for shelter if need be. Today there is a tourist cabin on the sight, and up to 16 adults can take accommodation in the cave.

    Valle Municipality

    Valle
    town

    Valle is the first major town we’ll pass after crossing the mountains, making it a good place to stop.  We have now entered the traditional district of Setesdal; it’s a valley (dal) that up until recently was very isolated. The name Valle comes from the farm where the church was built. There used to be a stave church on the site called Hylestad stave church; sadly it was torn down in the 19th century to make way for a new church. Fortunately, the portal carvings were saved and are on display at the Historic Museum in Oslo. They illustrate the legend of Sigurd Favnesbane (Sigurd the Dragon Slayer), who is described in the Prose Edda and Beowulf saga. An important historic site is Rygnestadtunet, an old farm. It was built by Vonde-Åsmund (Asmund the Evil) in the mid-1500s and has been well-preserved. Today it is an open air museum, where the interiors reflect the period around 1919. Around the farm, grave findings indicate that the site was settled as early as 900AD.  As mentioned above, Valle was incredibly isolated. To get out via the north, travellers had to follow the river and take a path on a torturous steep cliff face. This was the only way out until the 1870s. Today, the European Highway 9 (E9) crosses through the valley and under the torturous mountain thanks to a nice tunnel.  Valle is known for its ancient silver smitheries. Today, the local high school specialises in silversmith and goldsmith training. Students from all over Norway and abroad come here to train to become jewellers.

    Sylvartun Museum

    Museum

    Sylvartun was the central silversmith and folk music arena in Setesdal valley. Exhibitions in the museum focus on musical instruments and the visualisation of music and dance traditions in the valley.
    Visitor information can be found here. 

    Store Bjørnevatn

    Lake

    We pass a large lake called Store Bjørnevatn. It’s about 15km (9 mi) north of Valle. The elevation is 801m (2,628 ft) above sea level. 

    Skafså

    Town

    Skafså is a small town known for its mountain farm Grimdalen. Today it’s a museum with farm buildings from the time of barter economy in the 17th century.
    Famous sculptor Anne Grimdalen is from here, and there’s a gallery with 300 of her sculptures here.
    Skafså Church is from 1839. There used to be a medieval crucifix standing outside the church; this is now at the Vest-Telemark Museum.

    Dalen

    This drive begins in Dalen, a small town located on the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal. The Telemark Canal goes all the way to Skien on the coast of Norway – originally the canal was used for industry, but today it is more popular with tourists.
    When the canal was completed, it was referred to as the ‘eighth wonder’. Ferries were able to link Telemark with Oslo through the canal and then Oslofjord.
    Dalen Hotel is a famous historic hotel; it is one of the best preserved hotels from the 1800s. The hotel was built with the opening of the Telemark Canal in 1892. When it opened, it became popular with European royals.
    During the occupation, it was a resort for German officers. Most of the interior was stripped and sold for parts. The building fell into disrepair.
    After the war, the building was bought by singer and evangelist Aage Samuelsen. The hotel got a lot of attention and was restored in the 1980s. The hotel reopened in 1992. In 2000, the hotel won the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation.
    The architecture is a mix of Swiss chalet with national romanticism and Dragestil, a type of Norwegian architecture inspired by Viking and medieval art.
    A night at the hotel starts at 3,000 NOK, with rooms going up to 8,300 NOK.

    Dalen Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Telemark

    Take the scenic drive through Telemark from Dalen to Kongsberg.

    Telemark Scenic Drive

    Previous Drive

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    Travel down the southern coast on this scenic, beachy road. 

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Jæren, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Southern Norway

    Jæren Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Jæren Tourist Road

    Jæren is a traditional district in Rogaland county, south of Stavanger. The landscape characterises the area; Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway. Unlike most of Norway, the coast here is flat with no islands and very sandy beaches. The word ‘Jæren’ (almost pronounced like Yeah-en if you make ‘Yeah’ very nasally) is from the Old Norse Jaðarr, which means ‘edge’ or ‘brim’. It’s a common word found in Norway; around 30 farms have this name. It refers to the coastline. Until the 20th century, Jæren was spelled ‘Jaederen’, which is Danish. You can still see this word in some places.

    This drive is part of our ultimate Norwegian road-trip. Click the button below to view the whole drive. 

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    The Drive: Jæren Tourist Road

    Sola Strand Hotel

    Hotel

    Sola Strand Hotel is located just outside Stavanger city centre, close to the airport and Sola Beach. Alternatively, you could start at Sola Ruin Church or Domsteinane, mentioned below. If you are staying in Stavanger, I recommend stopping by ‘Swords in the Rock’ before you leave. The video above begins at Sola Strand Hotel and stops at Domsteinane first. 

    The Sola Strand Hotel is a great hotel to stay at – it’s right on the beach, has all the facilities of a resort, and is the starting point of this drive!

    Domsteinane

    Historic Site

    Domsteinane is a unique place in Norway. It’s often nicknamed ‘Norway’s Stonehenge’ because of the unknown status of why the rocks are laid out this way.

    Read my separate guide to Domsteinane below. 

    Domsteinane

    Detour: Ølberg Camp

    WWII Site

    Ølberg Camp (Ølberg Leir) is a disused military camp primarily for the storage of ammunition. The camp was established by occupying German forces in 1940 in connection with their military activity at Sola. Sola Airport was a civilian airport, but under German occupation it had important military use. For security reasons, they placed the aircraft ammunition at a separate camp away from the airport. This is the Ølberg Camp.  The camp consists of ammunition houses, bomb shelters, and storage sheds. The ammunition houses are simple timber buildings. The bomb shelters are between these structures. Nearly half the buildings are still standing. Moreover, the original road structure is also im place.  After the war ended in 1945, the Norwegian Armed Forces took over the camp. They further used and developed the camp until 2003, when it closed. In 2007, it was sold to the Sola Municipality. The National Heritage Board is preserving 23 buildings and the surrounding pine forest, the only forested area in Jaeren.

    Note – it is not visible from the road. 

    You can view images by clicking here and here. 

    Vigdel Fortress

    WWII Site

    Vigdel Fort is a coastal fort that was actively in use until 2007. The fort is leftover from the German occupation. It was one of the Germans’ methods of protecting Sola Airport from attacks from the sea.  There was one such attack that influenced their decision to fortify the coast. On the 17th of April 1940, the British attempted to fire at Sola Airport from the sea. After several hours of intense gunfire, the British cruiser HMS Suffolk and several cruisers were forced to retreat. The German bombers had been no match for them. The British had conducted the attack in an attempt to recapture Trondheim from the Germans and stall the Germans’ advancement in Norway. After the battle, the English scrapped plans for a similar attack on Trondheim.  Vigdel Fort was built to prevent an attack like this from happening again. Most important to them was their air force, and it was one of the key strategies for the occupation. The fort was to protect the airforce at Sola Airport. However, the English never returned to attack Sola Airport by ship. Moreover, the fort was never really used. It was too far from the airport to be of any use during air raids. After the war, the Norwegian Army used Vigdel Fort as a training facility. Since it has fallen out of use, the site has been transformed into a popular hiking area.

    Images can be seen here.

    Hellestø Beach

    Beach

    Hellestø Beach is a beautiful place to go for a walk. It’s a sandy beach surrounded by rocky hills. The parking place is free, and it’s a short walk to get to the beach. There are no facilities here.

    TS Museum

    Museum

    The TS Museum in Stenebyen (Tjelta) has a unique collection of old tractors, cars, mortorbikes and trucks. In total, there are over 180 vehicles. All of them are still operating. 

    Visitor information can be found at their website (click here). 

    Bore Church

    Historic Church

    The earliest mention of Bore Church is in 1322, but the church was not new at that time. It’s likely that Bore Church was built as a stave church around the end of the 12th century. Only the baptismal font is preserved from the original church. The stave church was torn down in 1640 to make way for a more modern church. In 1895, the church and cemetery was rebuilt 1.5km (0.9 miles) to the northeast. After this church was finished, the old church was torn down.

    Bore Beach

    Beach

    Bore Beach is located just north of Orre Beach, the longest beach in Norway. Bore is a great beach for swimmers and surfers; when we visited, we got to see a surf school heading out!

    In the carpark you’ll find toilets and showers.

    Orre Beach

    Beach

    At 5km (3 miles), Orre Beach is the longest beach in Norway. With its white sand and good swimming or surfing conditions, it will make you think you are in a warm country. However, once you get in the water, you’ll be reminded that you are actually in Norway.

    Orre Beach is often mentioned among the best beaches in the world when it comes to its efforts to maintain a clean and preserved environment.

    Close to the beach is the Friluftshuset. This building has an information centre about outdoor life and nature conservation. There is also a cultural centre with concerts and art exhibitions. A cafe serves food and drink, and there are restrooms here. It’s open daily in summer and on weekends the rest of the year, between 11am and 4pm. 

    Orre Old Church

    Historic Church

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Orre Old Church

    Hå Gamle Prestgård

    Historic Site

    We didn’t stop here on our drive because the facility was closed, but you certainly can visit on your own drive. 

    Hå Gamle Prestgård is a contemporary art gallery and local cultural history museum located inside an old vicarage. Rotating exhibitions highlight Norwegian and international contemporary artists. There is a permanent archaeological exhibition with ancient objects from the area.

    The vicarage is from 1637 or earlier, and the oldest building is from 1787. The facility has undergone many renovations and has been listed for protection since 1920.

    There are two outbuildings with showrooms. In the main house is the café. If you walk around the site, you’ll see remains of settlements from the Stone Age (8200 years old) and old burial grounds from the migration period.

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Historic Site

    Varhaug Old Cemetery is an ancient site located on the old Kongevegen road. 

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse. 

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Hå Municipality

    Hitler's Teeth in Brusand

    WWII site

    Brusand is a small village with a population of 430. It is known for its beach, which has sandy dunes. Also, the largest carrot packing plant is located here!

    Brusand is also known for its Hitler Teeth, which are a series of concrete blocks set up alongside the highway. These are anti-tank obstacles set up by Germans in World War II.

    They were placed here by prisoners of war and forced labour workers. The Germans were worried an Allied invasion would come by sea, so they had these concrete blocks built to delay tanks advancing towards settlements. However, no Allied invasion ever came. 

    The prisoners sabotaged the teeth by mixing in more sand than concrete, making them weaker. They used to be on the whole coast, but this is one of the few spots that still has them.

    Magma Geopark

    Natural Attraction

    Shortly before Egersund is the Magma Geopark, an area with such a unique geology that it has been recognised by UNESCO. Here is also the world’s only sandy beach consisting of moon stone.

    The rock here is the same as the one found on the moon: Anorthosite. Astronauts have even visited the area to prepare for taking rock samples on the moon.

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Egersund to Dalen

    Cross the mountains over to Dalen in Telemark. 

    Egersund to Dalen

    Previous Drive

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    Take the drive from Odda to Stavanger via the traditional region of Ryfylke. 

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Southern Norway

    Drive it Yourself: the Ryfylke Scenic Road

    Drive it Yourself: the Ryfylke Tourist Road

    Rocky mountains, steep cliffs and scenic views. The Ryfylke Scenic Road is a true gem of southern Norway; built to serve the new hydropower plants, it’s hard to believe that this wasn’t designed as a tourist road. Today, it’s a scenic alternative to the main highway between Bergen and Stavanger.

    I did the Ryfylke Scenic Road in September 2020 as part of my Ultimate Norwegian Road Trip. Here’s my driving guide with what you can see and experience, as well as a summary of the history and significance of each major sight. I’ve also included as much practical information as I can so you know exactly what to expect on the road.

    Ultimate Norwegian Road-Trip

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The Drive: Ryfylke Tourist Road

    Odda

    Odda is a small industrial town located at the end of the Sørfjorden. It’s growing in popularity thanks to its nearby natural attractions, namely the Troll Tongue hike and the Folgefonna National Park.

    Odda Travel Guide

    Sandvinvatnet

    Lake

    Sandvinvatnet is the lake you’ll pass immediately after leaving Odda. The lake is 4.3km2 (1.7 sq mi) and is close to the Buarbreen glacier, which is on the opposite side from where we are driving. You can take a detour there, but it adds considerable time.

    Låte Waterfall (Låtefossen)

    Waterfall

    This is one of the most popular places for visitors to take photos, and understandably so! It’s just before the village of Skare.

    The waterfall is 95m (312ft) high and is well-known for the two separate streams flowing down from a lake on the hill. They then go under the E13 highway, and there is a historic stone six-arched bridge over the falls.

    There is a carpark and footpath here. Just keep in mind it’s still a major highway so cars do rush past, and parking is very limited for such a popular attraction.

    I’ve got a full article about the waterfall, which you can read here.

     

    Låtefossen Waterfall

    Røldalsfjellet/Seljestadjuvet

    Scenic Road

    If you’re short on time you can opt to take the tunnels to Horda, but if you want to see some scenery you can take the old road over the mountains to Horda. The turn off is just before the Seljestadtunnelen.

    The Seljestadjuvet road has recently been re-paved so it’s a modern road, but it’s very narrow and consists of several hairpin bends. The road was built between 1859 and 1865 and is considered a piece of Norwegian history. The repaved road is newer than this; it is possible to hike the original 1850s road. Pilgrims used to use this road as they made their way to the historic Røldal Stave Church; it was also used by traders on their way to Røldal Market and travellers on their way east.

    The road is only open for vehicles under 2m.

    You can see the entire road on my YouTube video.

     

    Røldal Stave Church

    Stave Church

    Click the button below for my overview of Røldal Stave Church. 

    Røldal Stave Church

    Rogaland County

    Rogaland is a county in the south-western part of Norway. The first element of the name comes from rygir, which refers to a tribe that used to live in the area. The second element, land, means ‘land’ or ‘region’. Finds of skeletons have been found from the Stone Age, while many items from the Bronze Age and Iron Age have been found. Many crosses in the Irish style have also been found.

    The coastal part of Rogaland was important during the Viking Age and rich finds indicate that there was strong chieftainship here from the Iron Age. Stavanger was a centre of power.

    Sauda Municipality

    Sauda’s business life is primarily based on metal processing, and unlike the rest of Rogaland there is no focus on agriculture here. 

    The way the landscape was formed comes from the last Ice Age. The ice that slid down from the Sauda mountains collided with a glacier. This collision created the Hylsfjord and resulted in the Saudafjord meeting the Sandsfjord. The narrow straits make it difficult for ships to call at the port of Sauda. During the Nazi occupation, the Germans planned to build a canal to make it easier. The plateaus were formed approximately 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. 

    Sauda

    Town

    With a population of 4,254 inhabitants, Sauda is the fifth largest town in Rogaland county. It is primarily an industrial town. From the medieval period onwards, waterfall power was used to run sawmills. People from all over the world, especially the Netherlands, started to traude with Sauda. By the end of the 19th century mining began here. In 1910 the American company Electric Furnace Company began the construction of then Europe’s largest smelting plant, which could only be built because of the large number of waterfalls. During World War II, the Germans built a large aluminium melting plant, though those buildings have since been demolished. 

    Sauda has historically been an important area for industry. It is home to Northern Europe’s largest melting plant, Eramet AS. 

    Svandalsfossen

    Waterfall

    Svandalsfossen is a beautiful waterfall located just outside Sauda. What makes the waterfall interesting is that there is a staircase with 540 steps leading up the side of the waterfall. The staircase system was built in 2006 and if you make it to the top you’ll be rewarded with a nice shower from the waterfall.

    You’ll see brown tourist signs pointing to the carpark as you get close. If you don’t wish to park, you will very clearly see the waterfall as you drive past it.

    Suldal Municipality

    Suldal is a small agricultural municipality in the traditional Ryfylke district. The area has a long history of trade connections to the nearby valley regions in the north and east and is located on the historic trade route. The administrative centre is Sand i Ryfylke.

    Hålandsosen

    Settlement

    Hålandsosen is the next settlement you’ll drive through. Here you’ll see the Erfjord Church, which is a white, wooden church from 1877. There is also a historic home here called Storgarden i Erfjord, which is part of the Ryfylke Museum. The museum was built in the 17th century and is open for private tours.

    Hjelmeland Municipality

    Hjelmeland is a municipality within the traditional district of Ryfylke. Traditionally, agriculture and fruit growing have been the most important industries. There is some heavy industry here too, with a large sand outlet at Årdal. Sand is collected in the village, cleaned and then exported on ships. At Hundsnes there is a salmon abattoir. The traditional Jaeren chairs also come from here.

    Nesvik - Hjelmeland Ferry

    Settlement

    This is where you take the only ferry on this road-trip to Hjelmeland. Just follow signs to Stavanger & Hjelmeland to get onto the ferry. The ferry runs approximately every twenty minutes.

    Hjelmelandsvågen

    Village

    Hjelmelandsvagen is the small village on the other side of the ferry.

    One of the more unique things to visit here is the “World’s largest traditional Jærstol” (Jaeren Chair). It is clearly marked on Google Maps.

    Årdal

    Town

    Årdal is a small village in the Hjelmeland municipality. The main industry here is sand, crushed stone and gravel, with about one million tons shipped every year. 

    Located in the village is the historic Old Årdal Church. The church was built in 1620, though the earliest church documents date back to 1308. The first church on the site was a stave church likely built in the 13th century. The new church from 1620 was built using some of the materials from the stave church and part of the foundation under the southwest corner is on the same foundation as the medieval stave church. 

    In 1919, the new Årdal Church was built about 600 metres to the southwest of the old church, and since then Årdal Old Church has not been used regularly. It is still used for weddings and concerts. 

    Strand Municipality

    Strand municipality is known for its production of fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. There are also some mills located in the municipality. The coat-of-arms shows three red water wheels on a grey background, symbolising hydropower in the region.

    Tau

    Village

    Tau is a small village within Strand Municipality. The main employer here is Comrod Communications, which manufactures antennas for military use.

    Ryfylke Tunnel

    Tunnel

    At 14.4km (8.9 mi) long the Ryfylke Tunnel is currently the world’s longest and deepest subsea tunnel at the time it was built. In 2023 Rogfast, another subsea tunnel in Rogaland County, is expected to open and take over the title from the Ryfylke Tunnel. The tunnel opened in December 2019 after six years of construction.

    When you come out on the other side, you are in Stavanger.

    Stavanger

    Stavanger is an interesting city with strong Viking connections. However, today Stavanger is known throughout Norway for being the centre of the oil industry.

    Read more about Stavanger via the link below. 

    Stavanger Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    The Jæren Tourist Road

    Continue your drive through Southern Norway by taking the very unique Jæren Tourist Road. 

    Jæren Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “From Trondheim to the Lofoten Islands & Back Again”, where we travel from Trondheim to Lofoten via the Coastal Road, and then take the E6 back south to Trondheim. You can view the entire drive below. 

    Ultimate Norway Road-Trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!