Atlantic Ocean Road

The Atlantic Ocean Road threads about eight kilometres across a scatter of low islets and skerries on the exposed coast between Molde and Kristiansund, hopping from rock to rock on a chain of bridges. The curving Storseisundet bridge, which seems to leap into the sky, is its emblem, and in a storm the sea breaks right over the road.

History

The route was first proposed in the early 20th century as part of a railway, a plan given up in 1935 in favour of roads. Construction began on 1 August 1983 and went on through 12 European windstorms, the road opened on 7 July 1989 at a cost of 122 million kroner, its tolls were paid off by June 1999, and in 2005 it was named the Norwegian Construction of the Century (Wikipedia, Atlantic Ocean Road).

The landscape

• Storseisundet bridge - the famously curving bridge that appears to leap off its end.
• The island-hopping road - the low bridges linking rocks out into the sea.
• Fishing and viewpoints - the laybys, paths and fishing spots along the way.
• Storm-watching - the waves breaking over the road in autumn gales.

When to go

Any season; calm summer days for easy driving and fishing, autumn storms for the drama of waves over the road. It is short, so it fits into a coastal journey.

Good to know

It is a short drive rather than a destination, best combined with the wider coast rather than a trip in itself. In calm weather it is scenic but gentle; the real drama needs a storm, which is unpredictable. Traffic and parking at the famous bridge can be tight in summer.

Nearby

Molde and Kristiansund are the towns at each end; the fjords and Trollstigen lie inland.

Key facts