Driving Kystriksveien & Hiking Torghatten
Considered one of Europe’s most spectacular drives, the Kystriksveien is another of Norway’s amazing road trips. The whole route is 650 km long, comprising a car and ferry road trip combo like no other. The road constantly changes scenery, meandering through both mountains and along coastal routes. It can be done in shorter segments for people who either don’t have the time or don’t have the budget for all the ferries (the costs can mount up, especially when your motorhome exceeds 6m long and the costs more than double).
Most people just tend to stay on the mainland via the Arctic Highway (also known as the E6) and miss out on this coastal alternative which, although quite long and a little bit expensive due to the many ferries, is totally worthwhile. Most of this road trip is along a National Scenic Route and there are 6 ferries (7 if you drive via Rørvik), breathtaking views of “The Seven Sisters” mountain range (De Syv Søstre), the Svartisen Glacier, a fantastic but easy hike to Torghatten, and it will also take you across the Arctic Circle during one of the ferry crossings along the way.
Route marked in pink on our map.
With so much to offer it is not surprising that it has been named one of the world’s most scenic drives by the National Geographic magazine.
We travelled the entire route, following the main road Route Fv17 between Bodø and Steinkjer. Since we are in no hurry, it took us just over a week to complete the route. During this journey we again encountered many small fishing communities along a road with hardly any traffic at all.
Some of our favourite parts are as follows:
The most scenic part of the journey
Going South from Bodø, between Storvik and Sandnessjøen was where we found the most beautiful segment of this road trip. I would recommend it for people who only want to do part of the this route. This section is about 350 km long and requires 3 ferry crossings. Expect dramatic mountains, deep Glacier carved Fjords and some fabulous coastline.
Engabreen tongue of the Svartisen Glacier, almost down to the sea
The longest ferry crossing on this section is the Jektvik to Kibogham (1hr crossing). We sat out on the deck admiring the stunning scenery and heard when the Ferry Captain announced that we would be crossing the Arctic Circle, in the distance we spotted the large silver globe marking this event.
Silver globe marks the Arctic Circle crossing
Sadly it was the end of our travels above the Norwegian Arctic Circle, we were no longer part of the tiny percentage of people who are in this unspoiled and isolated part of the world. It really does feel like a special part of our precious planet.
Svartisen/Engabreen Glacier
The Svartisen Glacier is the second largest Glacier in mainland Norway (the Jostedalsbreen Glacier is the largest in mainland Norway and also mainland Europe). The Engabreen tongue of the Svartisen glacier almost reaches the sea and it is clearly visible along route Fv 17.
Many places to stop and admire the scenery.
There are several ways to visit the Glacier, including taking a boat across the Holandsfjord to see it from up close. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating and since we had already been very close to other glaciers in Norway, we decided to give this one a miss. There are also many great hiking opportunities in this area.
Hiking Torghatten Mountain
The Torghatten Mountain is located about 15 minutes from Brønnøysund. We stayed overnight at Torghatten Camping, parked overlooking the man-made lake and small beach. It is a great campsite and a very handy place to stay for hiking the Torghatten Mountain, since it is located just a short walking distance from the mountain. There are chalets and huts for hire if not travelling by motorhome.
Torghatten Camping
The Torghatten Mountain is an iconic landmark on the Helgeland Coast, in the shape of a hat the mountain has a 35 m high and 160 m long natural tunnel going through it. The tunnel has been named “Nature’s Cathedral” because of its high ceiling. The granite mountain reaches 258 meters above sea level.
This is not my own photo, it was taken from the explanation board at the site, it beautifully captures the hole through the mountain.
The hike starts from here.
If not staying at the Camping site nearby, there is a car park from where the hike route starts.
The hike up is not too hard, but expect a rocky path.
The hike is about a 25 minutes uphill push, via a well marked path and stone steps. Not particularly strenuous, but I do recommend sturdy shoes, since the terrain is uneven and full of large rocks and boulders..
Entrance to the cave
Steps leading to the cave interior.
Views through to the other side.
When you reach the top, there are spectacular views from inside the Cathedral like cave, over the surrounding archipelago of small islands and rocky islets.
Walk through the huge hole via a wooden stairway and the rocky cave interior to come out at the other side for more spectacular views. There is a path leading further down, but we returned from this point to continue our road trip South.
For the curious, the noticeboards in the car park explain how the hole was formed by two back-to-back sea caves exploiting a weakness in the rock long ago when the sea level was much higher here (or rather the land was much lower, most of Norway has been springing up geologically speaking since the ice caps melted after the last Ice Age).
Tips for driving the Kystriksveien route.
Expect some amazing bridges, road tunnels, ferry crossings and great views along this road. Take your time along the route and plan to do it over at least one week or perhaps longer if taking some of the lovely detours to visit the islands and other atractions on the route.
If travelling by motorhome there will be plenty of off grid overnight stays, as well as some fantastic campsites along the way. We particularly enjoyed Furoy Campsite (N66.7388 E13.50162) and Torghatten Campsite (N65.39339 E12.09950), also our off grid near Sandnessjøen, under the bridge spot was very unique ( N66.04127 E12.71933).
Overnight off-grid under this bridge was amazing. Brian fishing AGAIN!
If travelling by car there are many self-catering chalets and huts to rent or small hotels and guest houses. There is no need to book ahead, from our experience at least this route is not too busy at all (we travelled in August/19). The above mentioned campsites had some really pretty chalets/huts for renting. Off grid camping is also easy to find.
We did not book any of the ferry crossings in advance and just payed after boarding the ferries. It is all very chilled and relaxing, ferry attendants are super friendly and seem to speak multiple languages, including perfect English. Ferry crossings varied from 15 minutes to one hour and prices varied accordingly, with the most expensive one being the one hour long ferry costing £63.22 in August/19 (for a 7m motorhome, expect less than half for a car).
It is possible to do just part of the route and to dip in and out of the faster Artic Highway ( E6). If choosing to do that don’t miss out on hiking Torghatten and also the stretch between Storvik and Sandnessjøen which is where we found the most beautiful segment of this road trip.
Our next stop is Trondheim and a drive along the famous “Atlantic Road”.
Wow, just WOW!
Peggy, Norway has given us many jaw dropping moments 🙂
Thank you for your great blog, excellent photographs & writing!
Take care & safe driving.
Kindest regards,
Robert
Robert, thank you very much for your kind comment. You have made my day!! Warm regards to you 🙂
Another amazing trip! What a beautiful country Norway is. Definitely a must-see destination on my list by now. Just not sure when to fit it in… Thanks for all the practical advice contained in your posts; they will make planning such a trip so much easier.
Lieve
You are very welcome, I do hope you will make it to Norway in the future. It has been a wonderful trip and we are so glad that we have been able to see so much of Norway, we have fallen in love with this country 🙂
The hike to Torghatten sounds amazing. I had no idea Norway was such a beautiful country with spectacular lakes, mountains; it is full of surprises. I am loving the photos. You and Brian always look happy and full of wonder. I appreciate you sharing your experience of Norway with us, not to mention the useful tips for ever documented here for future reference. I will be reading your blog on Peru and taking notes, before I set off. Much love
Val, Norway has certainly exceeded our expectations. The hike to Torghatten was short and quite easy compared to others we have done. It is great when you find something so easily accessible and very rewarding. I am so excited about your trip to Peru, I think you and Jack are going to love it…a mother/son trip like no other. I hope you find some of my blog posts helpful 🙂
Gilda, I am in awe of the beauty and ruggedness of this place. It is not likely a trip that Malcolm and I will ever make, so I content myself with your beautiful photographs. That cave walk is right up my ally.
Suzanne, Norway has exceeded our expectations. The scenery is breathtaking and we are glad to have been able to see it at a very slow pace. I wonder if you and Malcolm would enjoy a cruise around the Fjords? I think it is an ideal way of taking a small bite of this wonderful country. In any case it is lovely to have you travelling vicariously with us.
That view down on the campsite at Torghatten looks idyllic, Gilda. What a world you’ve discovered, at your fingertips 🙂 🙂
Jo, this campsite near Torghatten was a big favourite. Fantastic facilities and a lake with turquoise water, I almost felt like being in the Caribbean 🙂 It has been a great road trip so far, thank you for following along Jo.
Gilda as you know I am loving following along on social media but having this article with the map will be a fabulous resource to refer back to. We certainly hope to one day follow in your footsteps!
Sue, I think Norway would be right up your street since you and Dave love your adventure sports. There are so many of the activities you both love here and the scenery is breathtaking. Thank you for your lovely comment.
I bet you had a hard time picking out a “most scenic” spot to include? It seems you would have had so many to choose from!
You are so right, it is hard to pick a most scenic spot, we have been spoiled for choice. Just realised you have been away and have taken a break from the blog…sometimes is good to step away for a while.
That view from the hole in the rock is something else and certainly worth the trek. What a beautiful part of the world, You must be loving it.
Patti, we were glad that it was quite an easy hike with a big reward at the end. We have been in Norway for over two months now and still mesmerized by so much natural beauty. We are loving it and not ready to go home just yet.
Magnificent photos and vistas. Thanks for sharing such a great trip. I would LOVE to get their one day. Have read and heard so much about this country and it seems like it has so much to offer.
Peta
Peta, we have been impressed by Norway. Incredible natural beauty in a sparsely populated country. We often can’t believe that we have such natural wonders to ourselves. It is a country that has a lot to offer, in particular to nature lovers. I think you and Ben would love it. I am glad you have enjoyed the photos 🙂
Your photos almost make me want to go hiking and that’s saying a lot! Kidding aside, your your adventures in Norway remind me of all the natural beauty and wonder that does exist. I have really enjoyed all the photos and hearing about your RVing experiences along the way. I’m not a hiking/nature kind of girl but I love taking it all in and I know how much peace it can bring. I’m happy for you to have had this experience and that you shared it with us :). Okay getting mushy so I’ll stop here.
Lissette, thank you so much for your lovely comment. This Norway trip has been all about nature and enjoying hiking and fresh air. Like you I love cities and cultural places, but I did find that the beauty of Norway won me over. I think you would have enjoyed this hike to Torghatten, it was a short hike, but delivered a lot for the effort. Our home on wheels will have a break for few months, since our next adventure will be in SE Asia. I like the way you and Frank travel, staying based in some awesome places and exploring your surroundings via slow travel.
Being able to take a week sounds so fun. No rush, pull over when you want. You said the ferries could be expensive, but what are gas prices like out there?
Jeff, this scenic route was great. It did involve getting 6 ferries, but worth it for the experience and scenery. Our motorhome is powered by diesel, we found prices varied, we paid on average of £1.30 per litre. Diesel in the Far North was a lot more expensive than in the South, but we also found that prices could vary from one town to another. Here in the UK we pay similar prices, so not a huge difference for us.