October 5, 2016 -

From the verdant meadows and the lush cultural landscape of Bøverdalen you can catch a glimpse of towering mountains in the far distance, as the road slowly ascends through the valley. It makes its way up to the summit at 1,434 metres, making the road northern Europe’s highest mountain pass. From the starting point in Lom, your expectations rise even before you drive out of the small village. Not every tourist route provides such a natural dramatic setting with a profusion of powerful impressions. Along the road you will be tempted to stop at the viewing points to soak in the beauty of the natural surroundings. At the Mefjellet stop you will find Knut Wold’s stone sculpture which allows us to view the mountain landscape from a different perspective. Continuing down towards the Sognefjord the mountain region appears untamed. Where the Hurrungane massif towers up to the heavens the mountains suddenly open up and the landscape changes once again. Towards Gaupne, the final point on this stretch, the road descends to skirt the beautiful Sognefjord whose clear waters change colour from green to blue in tune with the light and the weather. What should you do when you arrive? Relax and let your impressions sink in. Some people turn and drive the same way back, and are surprised to see how different everything is. Although everything is the same, it’s as if you see the surroundings anew.

The 108-kilometer section across Sognefjellet, known as Sognefjellsvegen, is designated a National Tourist Route. (http://www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/en/routes/sognefjellet)
The road reaches the highest altitude on the public road network in Norway, 1434 m, and it is closed every winter.