You just have to open Instagram and various accounts will show you the beautiful climb of the Lysefjord, the Lysefjordstigen in Norway. Not only the location, at the end of one of the more beautiful fjords, but also the challenge itself: you climb 840 meters in 8.9 kilometers. With an average of 9.4%, it therefore ranks alongside places like Passo Giau and is heavier than, for example, the Matterhorn. Sa Calobra. It truly qualifies as a beauty. If you go cycling in Norway, If so, it shouldn’t be missing from your list. Would you like to take a look?
The climb: a random side effect
It’s a magnificent view when you get on your bike from Lysebotn. You can see miles across the water of the Lysefjord. If you stand with your back to the water, you can see the beautiful 27 bends of the climb to your right. The fjord is a kind of canyon, so the climb is quite steep. A magnificent, but also impressive, prospect.
Construction
Before the construction of this road, Lysebotn, a small village at the end of the Lysefjord, was an isolated place. You could only get there by water. With the construction and completion of this beautiful piece of infrastructure, that changed in 1984. The goal was to make the energy plant in Tjodan more accessible. There was no expectation of a surge in tourists. This is the nice by-product of this route.
Start in the center
If you still want to drink some courage, you'd better start with Olav’s Pub at the Lysebotn campsite. Actually, the only place where you can still get a cup of coffee. From here on, it’s still a fairly flat stretch; you have to go through a tight tunnel for 1,100 meters. Then you start climbing quite quickly at bend 1 of the total 27 hairpin bends. Tip: Make sure the gradient isn’t visible on your Wahoo or Garmin. Because you’ll see ‘double digit’ gradient numbers for a long time. For over 6.5 kilometers, you climb 10 percent up the mountain. There’s a tricky stretch towards the end, where you climb at 15 percent.
Way out of line
Once you reach the top of the climb, the road flattens out. It’s literally like you’ve climbed out of the abyss. That’s what’s so special about cycling in Norway. It’s a completely different experience than cycling in the Alps. The route takes you through beautiful scenery with small mountain lakes and rock formations. It’s like you’re driving through a fairytale landscape. That feeling lasts for a while. There’s still a long way to go at the very end. If you think you’re back on level ground, you’ll be thrown a further 14 percent.
Going and coming back
Because the road to Lysebotn is a dead end, you don’t necessarily have to make a nice round trip. You’ll always have to go to a crossing to catch the boat, or as we had planned: you drive all the way to the end of Lysevegn and then turn around again. Because actually, it’s pretty cool to descend those hairpin bends again. Don’t you think?
Until 2019, it organized High Route Here's a great race. With the reorganisation of priorities and the takeover by the IronMan group, they have started focusing more on the classics. It's a shame, because pictures like the one below will be less common as a result.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.