Dyrskar turistveg

Dyrskar turistveg (tourist road) is a part of the old Haukeli road going east-west between Drammen and Haugesund. Parts of this road has been replaced in modern times – with tunnels and new routes (E134), but Dyrskar is kept and maintained (10,7 km) for us motorcycle riders 🙂 (and other motorized vehicles). Dyrskar was the most challenging part of this mountain road, hence the Haukeli tunnel was built in 1968 – 60 meters below Dyrskar.

Tunnel from 1900

On this short but memorable road, you can see the old Dyrskar tunnel – as shown in one of the pictures. This tunnel is one of the oldest in Norway, and was in use between 1900 and 1919. If you park by the bauta indicating the highest point on the route, you can walk up to the old tunnel. As you can see in one of the the pictures, our first tunnels were not too high nor too wide:-) I guess I could force my GSA through it, but imagine doing it with a car in the early 1900s!

Dyrskar tourist road is only open in the summer months, but if you come early, you can get some stunning photos of meters high snow walls along the road.

Old Haukeli road part II

If you are going east-west, you will after 10,7 km leave Dyrskar tourist road and again enter the new E134 towards Haugesund. But if you continue 1,6 km west – through a short tunnel, you will once again be able to make a detour along the old Haukeli road. This stretch is only 4 km long, but once again you will replace a boring tunnel with a great, historic mountain road.

To make your tour along E134 complete, make sure to ride the short Austmannalia. It’s also part of the Old Haukeli Road, open for vehicles, and offers four hairpins with great view – a much better alternative than the tunnel!

In the area

If you are riding Dyrskar turistveg, or even just E134, you are not far from Norwegian Scenic Route Ryfylke. This is one of my favorite roads in Norway – especially the northern part of road 520 over the mountain near Røldal. Highly recommended!

Hiking and bicycling

The old Haukeli road was an important connection between east and west – and it still is! Even if most of it has been replaced by the new E134, long sections are still available for hikers and bicycles. The two stretches I’ve mentioned on this page, plus Austmannalia, are still maintained and available for those of us who prefer an engine between the two wheels… The .gpx file you can download on top of this page, covers both Dyrskar and the 4 km long stretch a little further west.