Gamle Strynefjellsvegen

The old Strynefjell road was built between 1881 and 1894 by hand, with navvies cutting the line across a high bare plateau and building dry-stone retaining and guard walls that still carry it, and it opened at a time when the crossing had been made only on foot or horseback. It runs about twenty-seven kilometres between Grotli and Videsaeter, unsurfaced, narrow, and preserved as a national scenic route with its historic character intact rather than upgraded. The modern road runs alongside in tunnels, which is why the old line survives. The plateau it crosses is stark, with snow patches, lakes and views toward glaciers, and the Videdalen descent at the western end is steep with waterfalls.

What you actually see

• The dry-stone walls - hand-built guard and retaining walls from the 1890s.
• The gravel surface - the road kept unsurfaced as a historic monument.
• The bare plateau - snow patches, lakes and glacier views at the top.
• The Videdalen descent - a steep western drop past waterfalls.

When to go

June to September; the road opens when snow clearance allows, usually early June, and closes in autumn. Snow walls stand beside it early in the season. It is a slow drive, so allow more time than the distance suggests.

Honest expectations

The road is narrow gravel with passing places, unsuitable for caravans and large vehicles, and the surface is rough. There are no services on the crossing. Snowmelt and weather can close it at short notice even in summer.

Nearby

Stryn and the Nordfjord lie west; Grotli, Geiranger and the Dalsnibba road are east and north.