The Hidden North
North European travel guide
self-guided road-trips
Ryfylke Tourist Road
Explore the historic industrial region of southern Norway.
What You Get
- Free interactive Google Map (with every place mentioned in the guide marked with an address) that can be loaded into your GPS, making finding that stave church or petrol station much easier.
- Detailed overviews of all the major points of interest on the road.
- Practical information (cafes, dining, museums, toilets, petrol, road-side rest areas, detours, alternate routes)
- Historic, modern and practical information for every city, town, village, and farm you pass through
- Modern and historic images of all the major points of interests
- Distance between points (in kilometres and miles)
- QR code & interactive links to museum websites, relevant pages on our website, ferry timetables, and more!
This guide is 6 pages and comes in a PDF format.
Why drive on this highway?
Ryfylke is a traditional district and part of the Rogaland County in south-west Norway. The name comes from the Old Norse word meaning ‘person who eats rye’ and refers to the Rugiere, a Germanic tribe that emigrated from southwestern Norway to Pomerania around 100AD. The landscape in Ryfylke is characterised by high mountains though the outer islands are much flatter. Narrow fjords cut into the mountain areas throughout the entire area. The oldest settlement in the county took place in the mountains at least 7,000 years ago. The region today is protected and a tourist road because of the industrial growth that emerged here in the 19th century, especially with regards to mining and power production. The drive is short but is a scenic alternative to the Rv13.
Trip Highlights
- Travel off-the-beaten path in southern Norway
- Visit historic sites from medieval times to the industrial period
- Cross the mountains of Ryfylke
Distance
85km / 53 miles
Start Location
Near Stavanger on the Rv13
End Location
Røldal
This drive can easily be done in either direction.
The Route
An interactive version of this map is available after purchase.
This guide will:
- Answer the question “How do people live here?”
- Provide you with historic images and stories relevant to where you are
- Give you practical tips such as – where’s the nearest toilet? When can I get a hot dog? You know, the important stuff.
- Show you interesting points where you can stop to stretch your legs or get beautiful photos of Norway
- Give you information about museums (including opening hours), attractions, and major points of interests that you can visit
This guide won’t:
- Drive for you (Sorry, we aren’t that advanced yet)
- Give you accommodation tips (this guide assumes you know where you are staying already). If you want accommodation tips, visit our (free) online travel guide https://thehiddennorth.com/norway
Example of what the guide looks like.
Resources for the Ryfylke Tourist Road
Watch the drive on Youtube
The Ryfylke Tourist Road was the first ever drive I filmed for YouTube. Definitely need to do a new version, but for now enjoy this video.