Nørdstedalseter

OK! This is a gem! And I think it’s an unknown gem also for many hardcore gravel enthusiasts. The best part is that you’ll find this gravel road when you ride another great road; the Norwegian Scenic Route Sognefjellet.

Just south west of the landmark Turtagrø, the road takes off at Fortun and into the wilderness and towards DNT’s (the Norwegian tourist association’s) cabin Nørdstedalseter.

This route is an adventure for motorcyclists and nature enthusiasts alike. Hidden in the Breheimen region, it offers beautiful nature and exciting rides.

The road from Fortun to Nørdstedalseter is an experience in itself. You wind your way into the valley, climb toward the barren mountain, and find yourself surrounded by towering peaks and deep valleys. The road is narrow but rewarding, and often you’ll find the clouds hugging the mountaintops.

Nørdstedalseter DNT cabin

After some 25 km’s, you will arrive at Nørdstedalseter and discover a cozy DNT cabin nestled in magnificent nature. Here, you can park your motorcycle and explore on foot. For the adventurous, this isn’t the end of the road. The journey continues approx. 8 km’s to the lake Middalsvatnet, but the road quality deteriorates, so make sure your tires are suitable for gravel. When you finally hit dead end, you can either camp – or head back to Nørdstedalseter where you can rent a bed. If not staying over night, you have to ride back the same way you came from because this is not a round trip, you need to endure the spectacular views also in the other direction:-)
The .gpx file you can download on this page, takes you first to Nørdstedalseter, before it continues all the way to to the end of the road.

In the area

As already mentioned, you are already on Norwegian Scenic Route Sognefjellet when you take off towards Nørdstedalseter! At Turtagrø, you can aslo take Tindevegen (The high peaks road) towards Øvre Årdal and Road 55, Tyingvegen. If you want something to look at while taking a rest from riding, you are not too far from Old Lærdalsøyri, Kaupanger stave church, Urnes stave church (the oldest in Norway and on the UNESCO list) or you can talk a walk along parts of the scenic road Tusenmeterstiga.