The Atlantic Road in Norway is well worth visiting but manage your expectation.
I used it to cover part of my journey up north, and so I enjoyed the trip. Would I get out of my way to revisit this road?
Is the Atlantic Road Norway worthwhile a ride?
The Atlantic Road is not the first thing coming to your mind thinking about Norway? OK, I\'m not talking about how great this nation is in a winter sport or the Aurora (the northern lights), how clean everything is. Or how friendly and helpful the locals are.
I\'m losing you, already right?
I meant the coast. Norway has plenty of it. 2,650 kilometres or 1650 miles. And that\'s just in a straight line. The mainland coastline is about 28,953 kilometres and adding 71,936 km Island coastline, and you end up with an impressive 100,915 km or 62,706 mi of coastline. Now, this is mind-blowing, right?
Did I mention the 239,057 islands?
The Atlantic Road in Norway
Travelling the coastline could be literally a lifetime occupation.
As motorbike riders and travellers, we are more a flyby visitor, dipping in and out as we please on our journey to other destinations. My visit to the Atlantic Road was only a 350-mile stretch on my way to the north. I was travelling at the beginning of August in great weather. Norway wouldn\'t be Norway if there weren\'t some rain on the way, but that didn\'t stop me enjoying every minute of the tour.
Travelling on pristine roads along the beautiful coastline at a steady pace is just the most relaxing way of riding I come across in years. The traffic is virtually non-existent, so you progress rather fast and slightly non-event full.
The Atlantic Road in Norway - spectacular Vistas wherever you turn
And that's the catch with this route. Because everything is going so smooth and relaxing, there are no challenges in your way. No epic climbs up to a pass, no tight corners, no nothing. The only problem on this part of the trip was the many Motorhomes who made this road their home. Everywhere you look are these big white boxes, every car park, every lay-by is pretty much parked up. You can\'t get near a viewpoint without having to navigate through them. This is their road, their part of Norway and I do understand. Motorhomes are not made for climbing a pass, going around tight corners or manoeuvring rough terrain. The Atlantic Road is their domain, their playground and I respect this.
Norway is a big place with lots of amazing roads. We all can find our corner of Norway to enjoy.
The Atlantic coast road is well worth visiting but manages your expectation. I used it to cover part of my journey up north, and so I enjoyed the trip.
Would I get out of my way to revisit this road?
As a motorbike rider maybe not, but if I had a caravan or motorhome, that would be a very different story.
