Kongevegen over Filefjell

The Kongevegen, the King's Road, was the first proper road built across the mountains between eastern and western Norway, completed in stages from the 1790s to the 1840s, replacing a route used since the Middle Ages. Restored between 2010 and 2017 and awarded a European heritage prize, about a hundred kilometres of it can now be walked between Vang in Valdres and Laerdalsoyri, following stretches of the original stone-paved surface, crossing eighteenth-century stone bridges and passing old coaching inns, milestones and the Borgund stave church. The route can be done in sections of a few hours or as a multi-day walk, and it descends over a thousand metres from the Filefjell plateau to the fjord.

What you actually see

• The stone-paved surface - original road construction from the 1790s onward.
• The old bridges - eighteenth-century stone crossings still carrying the path.
• Borgund stave church - a medieval church on the route through Laerdalen.
• The descent to the fjord - over a thousand metres down to Laerdalsoyri.

When to go

June to September, when the higher sections are clear of snow; the lower valley walks stay open longer. The full route takes several days, but individual stages work as day walks with car access at either end.

Honest expectations

The route follows and crosses the modern E16 in places, so it is not a wilderness walk and traffic noise intrudes. Accommodation along it is limited and needs booking. Some sections are on gravel or asphalt rather than historic surface.

Nearby

Borgund stave church is on the route; Laerdalsoyri, the Sognefjord and Valdres lie at the ends.