Numedal (Road Fv.40)

Some motorcycle roads in Norway are famous for brave engineering and amazing views of fjords. Fylkesvei 40 through Numedal offers something different, but just as special. This road starts – or ends – in the old silver city of Kongsberg. It winds north to the mountain town of Geilo. Approx. 160 km in total. It’s a wonderful trip through Norway’s longest valley. Here, you’ll find old history, rich culture, and calm, rolling green hills. If you want to truly feel traditional Norway, Numedalen is a quiet but wonderful road to ride.

From the Silver City to the Valley

Our trip starts in Kongsberg. This city was built because of silver. The Kongsberg Silver Mines worked for over 330 years. You can see the history everywhere in town. The big church shows the money made from silver. Many stories tell of this past. Fv. 40 starts here, at the south end of Numedalen. The road opens up and calls us north into this old valley.

An Outdoor Museum

Numedal is more than just a valley. It’s like an outdoor museum. It has many very old buildings that are kept in good condition. The most famous are the stave churches and old wooden farmhouses (called laftehus). Fv. 40 is the main road through this historic area. It makes it easy to see these special places.

Riding here is a joy. The road surface is smooth. The turns are fun but not too sharp. This means you can ride at a relaxed speed and really see everything around you – or speed up and enjoy the curves. There usually isn’t much traffic, especially outside the main summer season. This makes it feel like a special, personal journey through history.

The stave churches

• Flesberg: As we ride further, Flesberg gives us a first look at Numedalen’s charm. It has its own old stave church. You can feel that the people here are close to their farming history.
• Rollag: The Rollag Stave Church is very old, from the 12th or 13th century. It’s an impressive sight. Its dark wood and special shape look beautiful against the green hills. You should stop here. Maybe visit a local bygdetun (a museum with old farm buildings) to really feel the valley.
• Nore and Uvdal – The Best Parts: This area shows Numedalen’s rich history best. Both Nore Stave Church and the amazing Uvdal Stave Church (which has two churches, the older one from the 12th century) are stunning. Uvdal is on a hill with great views. It’s a place you won’t forget. Inside, it’s full of colorful paintings (rosemaling) and carvings. This shows the religion and art of old Norway. The old farm buildings nearby make you feel like you’ve gone back in time.

The ride between these historic places is always enjoyable. The Numedalslågen river flows next to the road. Sometimes it’s wide and calm, sometimes it moves faster over small rocks. The sides of the valley are covered in pine and birch trees. They rise up like walls, making you feel safe as you ride through this lovely area. Small villages and farms are scattered around. Their red and white wooden houses add color to the green landscape and look very pretty.

Towards the Mountains: Rødberg to Geilo

After Uvdal, the valley starts to change slowly. Rødberg is a bigger village with a large power station that uses water (hydroelectric). This town shows a change in the area. The land starts to look a bit wilder, and the hills get steeper. Fv. 40 now begins to go slowly uphill towards higher ground.

The air feels cooler. The forests might have fewer trees in some places. You can start to see rougher mountain areas ahead. The ride is still fun. The road follows the shape of the land, taking us higher and higher. This last part of the road to Geilo is like a link. It connects the old history of the valley with the open freedom of the Norwegian mountains.

Our ride on this wonderful part of Fv. 40 ends in Geilo. Geilo is a famous ski resort. In summer, it’s busy with people hiking and doing other outdoor activities. Geilo is at the edge of the big Hardangervidda National Park. Here, the deep culture of Numedalen meets the wild beauty of Norway’s high mountains.

Make a round trip?

If you want to make a round trip out of your Numedal experience, don’t go all the way to Geilo, but turn west and south again in Uvdal. Follow Tinnsvegen over Imingfjell (separate post will be made) all the way down to the northern shores of the lake Tinnsjøen. From here you have two options. If you want to continue on tarmac, follow road 364 all the way back to Kongsberg. However, if you’re into gravel, ride from Austbygda (just north of Tinnsjøen) to Veggli. This is a great gravel road through the forrest and brings you right back to Numedalen and road Fv. 40.

YouTube video by TOB Creation.