Gaularfjellet is one of the lesser-known of Norway's 18 Scenic Routes, linking the Sognefjord with Sunnfjord by way of hairpin bends, waterfalls and a dramatic mountain viewpoint. Here's what it's like to drive.
On a summer road trip through western Norway, one of the things we wanted to do was tick off a few more of Norway's scenic routes.
After driving a couple of the best-known ones, we left Balestrand to head north. Almost immediately, we spotted the familiar brown sign marking a Norwegian Scenic Route. It was one I hadn't even realised was here.
That route was Gaularfjellet, a historic road linking the Sognefjord with the Sunnfjord region across a mountain landscape of hairpin bends, waterfalls and lakes.
The full designated route is 114km (71 miles) long. It runs between Balestrand and Moskog on county roads 55 and 613, with an additional branch on county road 610 between Eldalsosen and Sande. From sea level beside the fjord, the route reaches almost 800 metres above sea level.
Despite having driven many of Norway's most famous roads, Gaularfjellet took me completely by surprise.
Watch Highlights of the Drive
If you prefer to watch rather than read, check out this video we made along the way.
If that has piqued your curiosity, read on for the details.
What Are Norway's Scenic Routes?
Norway's 18 designated Scenic Routes combine some of the country's most spectacular roads with purpose-built viewpoints, rest areas, architecture and artwork.
The roads themselves are often older alternatives to today's main highways. Rather than simply getting you from A to B as quickly as possible, the point is very much the journey. Gaularfjellet is a perfect example.
The road across the mountain opened in 1938 and became an important transport route between the districts on either side. Today, most through traffic uses faster alternatives, leaving Gaularfjellet as a relatively peaceful way to travel between Sogn and Sunnfjord.
Starting From Balestrand
The charming village of Balestrand lies on the Sognefjord at the southern end of the scenic route.
It's well worth spending some time here rather than simply driving through. Highlights include the historic Kviknes Hotel, the distinctive English church and the area's growing reputation for cider.
For anyone putting together a longer road trip through Fjord Norway, I would happily recommend an overnight stay.
When we left Balestrand, the scenery started almost immediately.
The route follows county road 55 towards Dragsvik before continuing on road 613 towards the mountain. For a while, the road hugs the fjord beneath steep green mountainsides.
It was so picturesque that we pulled over for a photograph barely five minutes after setting off. The view across the water looked almost painted.
But that's one of the things I enjoyed most about Gaularfjellet. The landscape changes remarkably quickly. Before long, the fjordside scenery is behind you and the road begins its steep, twisting climb towards the mountain plateau.
Utsikten: The Viewpoint Above Gaularfjellet
The reward for the climb is Utsikten, easily the most spectacular man-made attraction on the route.
Opened in 2016 and designed by Code Arkitektur, the concrete viewing platform sits on the edge of the mountainside around 700 metres above sea level. Its unusual triangular design reaches out in three directions, providing different perspectives across the valley and towards the mountains.
Of course, mountain weather doesn't always cooperate.
When we arrived, the valley and surrounding peaks were almost entirely shrouded in cloud. It seemed as if we'd climbed all that way only to miss the famous view. We waited.
Within about ten minutes, much of the cloud lifted. Suddenly the valley appeared beneath us, together with the extraordinary ribbon of road we had just driven winding its way up the mountainside. It was worth the wait.
Utsikten is one of those places where the Scenic Routes concept really works. The architecture is striking, but it's really there to make you stop, get out of the car and properly appreciate the landscape you've just driven through.
Into the ‘Realm of Falling Waters'
Beyond Utsikten, the character of the journey changes again.
The Norwegian Scenic Routes organisation describes this part of Gaularfjellet as the “realm of falling waters”, and for once the tourism language doesn't feel like much of an exaggeration.
The road follows the protected Gaularvassdraget watercourse, where tranquil lakes and stretches of river alternate with rapids and waterfalls. There are 29 significant waterfalls along the watercourse, making water the defining theme of this half of the drive.
Several of the best places to stop are built around it.
Fossestien: A Trail of Waterfalls
If you have more time than we did, the Fossestien waterfall trail gives you the chance to explore the landscape on foot.
The 21km hiking trail follows old paths and mountain-farm tracks alongside the Gaula river, passing 14 waterfalls and seven lakes.
You don't have to walk the entire route. Access and parking are available at Eldal, Likholefossen, Longestølen and Torsnesstølen, making shorter sections possible.
That's worth knowing if you're planning a full day on Gaularfjellet rather than simply using it as a scenic drive.
Torsnesstølen
One of the more thought-provoking stops is Torsnesstølen.
At first glance, Marianne Heier's Mirage artwork may seem an unusual addition to a mountain road. It consists of a well equipped with a hand pump. The bigger artwork, however, stretches far beyond Norway.
Mirage consists of ten wells. One stands here in famously wet western Norway, while the other nine were established in Malawi, where access to clean water can be scarce. The Malawi wells were created in cooperation with UNICEF.
Heier's work uses water both literally and as a comment on the unequal distribution of resources around the world. It's a surprisingly powerful idea for something encountered at a roadside stop.
Likholefossen
Of all the waterfalls along Gaularfjellet, Likholefossen is the easiest place to experience the force of the water at close quarters.
A flexible steel footbridge crosses directly above the waterfall, putting you right alongside the rushing Gaula river. When the water level is high, it's quite an experience.
The bridge also connects directly with Fossestien, so this is perhaps the best stop for anyone wanting just a short taste of the waterfall trail rather than committing to a long hike.
Where the Gaularfjellet Route Divides
A little farther on, near Eldalsosen, the designated Scenic Route divides.
We turned right to continue north on road 613 towards Moskog and eventually onwards towards Nordfjord. Along the way, we found another natural stopping point at Viksdalen Camping.
The other option is to take road 610 west towards Sande. Although we didn't follow that branch on this particular trip, it is also part of the official Gaularfjellet Scenic Route. Both options eventually provide connections with the E39.
One important point for anyone using an older guidebook or map: this main road across Gaularfjellet used to be numbered 13. It was renumbered 613 in 2019, so older descriptions of the route can be confusing.
Hestad
If you take the road 610 branch towards Sande, Hestad is the major Scenic Routes stop to look out for.
The rest area sits beside Viksdalsvatnet in a protected landscape area. From its distinctive service building, one path follows the water's edge while another takes visitors out over the shallows on an elevated walkway.
Just 300 metres away stands Hestad Chapel.
Although today's building isn't a Norwegian stave church, one stood here from at least 1327. It was replaced by the present chapel in 1805, and some timber from the medieval stave church was reused in its construction.
When Can You Drive Gaularfjellet?
This is one Norwegian road trip you shouldn't assume is available year-round.
The mountain section between Mel and Mjell, including the climb from the Balestrand side towards Utsikten, closes during the winter.
There is no fixed opening or closing date. Snow and weather conditions determine both, and recent spring openings have ranged from late March until early May. Even after the road has officially reopened, temporary closures can occur at night or during bad weather.
For that reason, anyone planning a spring or autumn road trip should check the latest road information from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration shortly before travelling.
Facilities are seasonal too. Toilets at major stops including Utsikten and Hestad are generally open from around May until late October.
Is Gaularfjellet Worth Driving?
Absolutely, especially if you're already travelling between the Sognefjord and destinations farther north.
Gaularfjellet doesn't have the international name recognition of Trollstigen, the Atlantic Road or nearby Aurlandsfjellet. In some ways, that's exactly what makes it worthwhile. We hadn't even planned to drive it.
Yet within minutes of leaving Balestrand we'd already stopped for photographs, soon afterwards we were climbing a dramatic series of hairpin bends and by the time we reached Utsikten we were willing the clouds to disappear.
Then came an entirely different landscape of rivers, lakes and waterfalls.
Sometimes the best road trips are the ones you plan months in advance. Gaularfjellet reminded me that occasionally, the brown sign you weren't expecting can lead to something even better.
Have you driven Gaularfjellet? Let us know what you thought. If you enjoyed this post, why not share it on Pinterest? You can find the perfect pin by hitting that red Pinterest button.
Loved this post, that video brought so many memories of when I drove that route years ago. Unfortunately since the dreaded DFDS scrapped the Newcastle Bergen route It has been too difficult to contemplate driving to Norway again! Perhaps the rumours of it being re-opened will happen!
Wonderful post! I would love a little Google map that shows the route more clearly.