In this article I will tell you how we drove along the Troll Road and what we saw. I will mention all the attractions that you need to pay attention to so as not to miss anything. And right away I will please you, travel along the Troll Road is absolutely free, even parking near attractions is free, which is no less important for expensive Norway.

Trollstigen is part of the national tourist route. It is a section of road with 11 sharp turns that allows you to climb Mount Stigrøra (858 meters above sea level) by car. This road used to be of great importance for the local population because... allowed residents to go to the fair. Now this road has become more of a tourist attraction. There they take tourists on big buses. The route is very convenient for cruisers: - Troll Road. Most tourist guides classify this road as a “must see” attraction in the country of the Fjords.

In the morning we moved towards Trollstigen from Valldal (this is from the Geiranger side), so I will show the photos in sequence from Valldal to Trollstingen. The road slowly but surely crawled up. At first, the path passed by numerous strawberry plantations. The strawberry trade took place right at the place where the berries were collected. We didn’t dare to ask the price; Norwegian prices almost always cause a shock.

Troll Road on the map

All places mentioned in the article are on the map. All points are signed and provided with photographs. In total, from Valldal to Åndalsnes is about 50 km, but considering that the road is mountainous and very beautiful, we often stopped to take photographs, we drove for about 3 hours.

River rapids Gudbrandsuwe

We stopped to look at the Gudbrandsjuvet river rapids; some call this place the Witches Cauldrons, which generally corresponds to the content. Nearby there is free parking and a tourist information board and a cafe. You need to walk nowhere, the threshold is located right next to the road.

Gudbradsuwe is located halfway between the center of Valldala and Trollstigen and consists of several whirlpools on a section of the river 5 meters wide and 20 meters deep. The power of the flow is actually very impressive; photographs do not convey even a fraction of the sensations that we experienced standing next to this unbridled element. The stream roars, in the literal sense of the word, the water, wriggling in countless whirlpools, “boils” and bubbles. God forbid that any living creature accidentally fall into the river, the “Witches Cauldrons” will not let anyone out alive.

Gudbrandsuwe

According to a 16th-century legend, the gorge was named after a man named Gudbrand, who fled with his bride and eluded his angry pursuers by jumping over the gorge at its narrowest point. Gudbrand was outlawed for his deeds, and lived for the rest of his life in a stone hut in one of the side valleys above Gudbrandsjuvet. The valley is still called Gudbrandsdalen. What was the fate of the kidnapped bride remains a mystery...

Gudbrandsuwe

Bridges are built over the threshold so that everyone can see the roaring mountain stream. Norwegians know how to make a landmark anywhere. Observation platforms in Norway are designed by famous architects. The cafe building made of glass and concrete looks very original. It's only the beginning.

Gudbrandsuwe

Then the uphill climb began, smooth without serpentines. There was snow along the road and it got colder. We moved to the level of mountain tundras. It was warm in the sun in the tundra, but it was probably frosty there at night, since the snow didn’t have time to melt in July.

We stopped and were left by the snow. A flock of sheep immediately ran up to us for a treat. The sheep there are almost predatory; they rush to every stopped car as a whole herd, collecting tribute. The rams have developed an instinct - iron, they immediately run to the trunk. If the tourist does not give something, the sheep begin to try to chew a windbreaker, a jacket, or, at worst, a trouser leg.

We're going straight into the cloud. There were no more clouds above. So we rose above the clouds in the car.

Who would have thought that you could experience joy when encountering snow in July? This is probably because you know for sure that the snow is local and soon it will be summer again. In November I don’t feel much joy about snow. In summer shoes it was very slippery in the snow.

Trollstigen observation deck

The visit center directly at the Trollstigen pass looked even more stylish. A slanted roof on which you can walk, viewing platforms above the abyss and a roaring waterfall with a glass fence, an organized cascading pond near the cliff. You could park your car just along the road for free.

It’s interesting to watch how the cars below pass each other, the road there is narrow, in order to pass the oncoming person you need to drive into a pocket and press yourself against a wall or the edge of a precipice. It’s especially scary to see large tourist buses driving along this road; when turning, they go in a large circle, so everyone has to wait out their pockets for them. Traffic on this road longer than 13 meters is prohibited.

In winter, this pass is closed, like many other passes in Norway. Trollstingen usually opens in May and runs until the end of October, but even during this period it may be closed due to weather conditions. When there is ice, traffic along the pass is stopped.

It is curious that this road was built in 1936. Before this, caravans of pack animals walked through the pass under the guidance of experienced guides. Now, if you wish, you can repeat their experience and walk along the pass. A marked walking route has been created for this purpose. Klovstien. This walking route is classified as difficult. To complete it you will need at least 1 hour and good physical shape, an elevation gain of 424 meters, a length of 2.5 km.

Walking route sign

Bus on Trolley Road, Trollstingen

Well, we couldn’t resist the charm of the Norwegian trolls.

Trolls on Troll Road

Below, after passing the pass, there is a parking lot from which you are supposed to start hiking along the route Klovstien.

In the Romsdal Valley, starting immediately at the foot of the pass, there is another natural attraction - the Troll Wall (Trollveggen). This is a mountain with an almost vertical wall, about 1000 meters high. The Troll Wall is very popular among professional climbers; there are about 12 routes to overcome it; serious sports records are set there. Ordinary tourists can simply look at it as a miracle of nature. Another glass and concrete visitor center was built next to the Troll Wall.

Romsdal Valley

There are several campsites along this road, the valley is very picturesque, it is a pity that we did not stop there for the night. Based on the overall results of the trip, I will say that this day was the most interesting. On the one hand, we moved around all day, only going out to take pictures in interesting places, but the landscapes along the road were so mesmerizing that they made our day.

On the same day we managed to go for a ride. Read about the cost of travel on the route Trollstingen - Atlantic Road - Kristiansund in the following article. There's not much to please here.

You can also find out on my website where I describe the features of living in camping cabins.

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Norway surprises and amazes with the abundance of various natural attractions: fjords and waterfalls, mountain lakes and fast-flowing rivers, bizarrely shaped mountains with snow caps on the tops and bright green valleys replacing each other. But, probably, no matter how you plan your route, it will definitely pass through one of the most popular and frequently visited attractions of this country - Trollstigen, the Troll Staircase (or Road). Marina Petrenko says:

Who are trolls?

In Norway, there are many geographical names in one way or another connected with supernatural creatures from Scandinavian mythology - trolls: Trollstigen, the Trollveggen mountain range, Trollhetta Mountain, there is even a comic road sign “Beware of trolls!”

As a rule, trolls are freaks with a huge nose. They can be very small or huge. These are mountain spirits, born from rocks and turning into stone in the sun.

During your journey, you are sure to meet large and small stone and wooden trolls. Troll figurines, T-shirts with their images, magnets are the main souvenirs that tourists bring from Norway.

How did the road-attraction appear?

The Troll Road, of course, was not built by these mythological creatures, but by people. But this is such an incredible miracle of engineering that it’s hard to believe that a person could create this route without the intervention of supernatural forces.

The Troll Staircase is one of Norway's 18 national tourist roads, which is part of road number 63. It connects the two towns of Andalsnes and Valdall, located on opposite sides of a long mountain range. The technical design of the route was developed by road engineer Nils Hovdenak ( Nils Hovdenak). The road took 8 years to build and was inaugurated by King Haakon VII of Norway in 1936. Local residents asked the king to give the new highway a name, after which it was named “Troll Staircase”.

On the map the road looks like this:

It consists of 11 serpentine tongues with sharp turns, bridges over turbulent rivers, including a bridge under which a 180-meter waterfall falls ( Stigfossen).

On the rise, in some places the slope of the road is up to 12%, and the width does not exceed 3.3 meters. There is even a limit on the length of the vehicle. If you take into account that immediately behind the road there is an abyss with virtually no edge, reaching up to 200 meters in depth in some places, and the only limiting guards are low natural stones along the road, then you can imagine what a thrill you experience while driving along this road.

How to go?

I would like to please you right away that parking at the beginning and end of the Troll Road, observation platforms and travel along the road itself are free. You can drive along the Troll Road in two directions, and which one you choose is up to you.

If you are heading towards this road from Geiranger or Ålesund, then road number 63, winding between snow-capped mountains, is incredibly beautiful in itself.

From time to time along the road you come across small pyramids of Trolls, built by tourists from stones.

The road will lead you to a large modern tourist center with souvenir shops, cafes, and toilets.

Behind the parking lot there is a beautiful stepped artificial pond with clear water.

A path is laid from it to an observation deck hanging over the abyss.

Here is the highest point of the Troll Road (858 meters above sea level) and several at once, from which a simply dizzying view of the valley and the road winding along the slopes of the mountain range opens.

Moreover, you can see it all from above and you have the opportunity to first admire the landscape and understand what you will soon have to overcome, and then drive along the Troll Road.

If you are heading towards the Troll Road from the E136 motorway (Oslo or Åndalsnes), then you will find yourself at the lowest point of the Troll Road and, surprisingly, you will also see it all, and then overcome it on the rise. The first option seemed more logical to us, but here, as they say, it depends on taste and color...

When to go?

The E136 road in the Troll Staircase area is not year-round. It is guaranteed to be open during the three summer months. The opening and closing times of the road vary each year depending on the weather and snow depth. Before driving, I advise you to check the current state of the road. There are also statistics by year, which will undoubtedly be useful when planning a trip.

A second trouble may await you, which, unfortunately, cannot be predicted in advance. The weather in Norway is capricious and changeable, there is frequent rain and fog, and low clouds. In such weather, it is better not to go to the Troll Road simply because you will see almost nothing and certainly will not get those bright and thrilling sensations as in good clear weather. I can advise you to first look at the hourly weather forecast in the Troll Road area on the Norwegian weather website.

Well, you can read more about the road itself.

What else to see nearby?

If you are traveling to the Troll Road along road 63 from Geiranger, take the time to stop at the interesting place Gudbrandsjuvet. A large free one is located right next to the highway.

Gudbransüvet

Gudbrandsjuvet is a small, very narrow gorge, about 5 meters wide and 20 meters deep, through which the mountain river Valdola flows.

This place received the name Gudbrandsjuvet, which is difficult for a Russian to pronounce, at the beginning of the 16th century. According to ancient legends, a Norwegian youth named Gudbrand was declared an outlaw for his misdeeds and was forced to flee from his pursuers. His fiancee agreed to go on the run with him. They escaped by jumping over a very deep ravine at the narrowest point, and settled in a small hut in a valley near the river. Since then, this place with the ravine began to be called Gudbrandsuvet. and the valley where the fugitives lived is still called Gudbrandsdalen.

The stormy river created hollows and bizarre bends in the soft rocks, and people built metal bridges and observation decks over the gorge, from which beautiful views open up.

The water in the river is bright blue, surrounded by white lace of foam and the bright greenery of the slopes of the gorge, it looks simply amazing. Near the gorge there is a cafe with an all glass wall facing the gorge and a small gift shop.

Troll Wall

Another natural attraction awaits you after crossing the Troll Road on the way to the E136 highway. This is the Troll Wall (Trollveggen) - a vertical cliff more than a kilometer long and 1795 meters high. It is considered the largest vertical rock in Europe and is included in the “Big Wall” list of the most difficult mountain walls in the world for climbers to conquer.

But not everyone sees this wall in all its glory. We were lucky with the Troll road, but the Troll Wall was hidden behind low clouds.

Well, we're not offended. There will be a reason to return to Norway again.

Norway is famous as a harsh and cold country. Tourists need to be prepared for the fact that even in summer it will meet them with inhospitable weather conditions - even in June, cold winds, rain and dampness are not rare guests here. The local landscapes are just as harsh, but it is precisely in this harshness and inaccessibility that their charm for visitors lies.

Those who dare to visit the Norwegian fjords on a tourist visit will remember the rocky mountain peaks, cold sea shores indented by bays, rapid mountain rivers and waterfalls. One of the tourist attractions in Norway is the Troll Road (or Troll Staircase, as it is also called). Trollstigen is located in the northern part of Vestland - the western region of the country. It forms part of the national highway RV63, which connects the towns of Åndalsnes in Reuma and Walldall in Nordal.

Why is just a section of a mountain road so attractive to tourists?

The Troll Staircase is essentially a combination of modern engineering technology and natural beauty. In this part of the country one can see the greatness of both natural forces and man-made influences on the world.
The length of the route is 106 kilometers, during which it changes its direction more than once, rising into the mountains. During the passage of the Troll Road there are 11 sharp turns, which will become a real test for drivers.

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Throughout its entire length, the Troll Staircase rises 858 meters above sea level. The difference in height between some of its turns sometimes reaches a record level of 12%. Like any mountain road, the Troll Staircase is narrow, and in some sections it is 3.3 meters wide.

Vehicles longer than 12.4 meters are prohibited from passing through it.
Due to the difficulty of travel, as well as the specific weather conditions of this region, the Troll Staircase is not always open. Seasonality leaves its mark on its visit. The track is open from May to October, however, opening and closing dates depend on current weather conditions.

However, despite the travel difficulties, Trollstigen attracts thousands of tourists. All of them are first of all impressed by the steep bends of the Staircase - after all, when looking at it from below, from the valley, it seems that it is difficult to climb it not only by vehicle, but even with the help of climbing equipment. But this is only at first glance. In fact, the RV63 highway is famous for its excellent surface and high-quality, well-thought-out markings, like all roads in Norway.
The entrance to the Troll Staircase cannot be confused with anything - it is marked with a special road sign, which naturally depicts the silhouette of a troll. This sign is loved by tourists who leave stickers and inscriptions with their names on it to immortalize their own visit to this place. But behind the sign the real magic begins - from almost every meter of the Troll Road there are stunning views of mountains, gorges, numerous waterfalls and forests.

For the convenience of motorists, along its entire length at different height levels there are special pockets for cars - you can park in them, get out and, like from an observation deck, explore the surroundings.

From such pockets there are also often special trails leading to other viewing platforms and places intended for picnics. So, if you want to have lunch, you can do it right in the fresh air, on one of the rock ledges.
In the summer, tourists have the opportunity to swim in the stepped pools located along the attraction. The water in them is most often cool, but warms up from the sun's rays.

About halfway through the Staircase, drivers will face another impressive challenge - they will have to cross a narrow bridge spanning the Stigfossen waterfall.

A powerful stream of water bubbles under the wheels of a car when you cross this place. The highlight of a visit to Trollstigen will be a view from the top observation deck at an altitude of over 800 meters above sea level. From here you can see beautiful views of the Valldalen valley, the Romsdal fjord, the Troll Wall, see the city of Åndalsnes from above and look at the Stigfossen waterfall.

There is a gift shop at the top of the attraction. Unlike the bright shops that are found in European towns, the store here is so organically integrated into the surrounding landscape that you may not notice it at first glance.
And in general, the man-made elements of this route fit into the natural landscape, as if they were conceived by nature itself. This also applies to bridges, which you will have to cross on the way, as many as three - Gudbrand, Hohl and Kriehe, and side barriers lined with natural stone, which are carefully laid out along the entire path.

Why did the Norwegians need an unusual route in such difficult terrain?

The need for a road connection in this area arose back in 1905, when the Norwegian government decided to create a road connecting the valleys of Romsdallen, where the fair had been regularly held since the 16th century, and Valdllen, whose residents wanted to get to the fair comfortably. The first 8 kilometers were built back then.

Historical reference

By 1913, the first version of the road connecting the valley was completed. However, the architect Hovendak proposed a larger-scale option - a highway connecting these valleys. He suggested that the picturesque pass through which the future Troll Road was supposed to run would become an excellent point on a tourist route around the country.

Since the Norwegian summer is very short, construction dragged on for many years - in winter it was hampered in every possible way by avalanches, snowfalls and rockfalls, which brought the construction of the route to naught.

- this is what you need in winter.

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Video note about the fjords of Norway. Look here -

In 1936, King Haakon accepted the delivery of the road, and it began its existence as a tourist route. Then, at the request of the residents of the communes, he gave it a name - Troll Staircase. To get to this Norwegian miracle, tourists will need to acquire personal or rented vehicles, as this is a convenient and safe way to travel along the Troll Road.

How to get to the Troll Staircase

If you plan to start your trip from the northern part of the country, for example, from Trontheim, then on the road to Åndalsnes you should turn onto the RV63 highway at the Sogge Bridge. When traveling from the capital of Norway, you should take the E60 highway to Lillehammer, and from there take the E136 highway, which will lead to the same Sogge bridge, from where you can get on the RV63.
If the trip is planned by public transport, then you can get to the Troll Staircase from the city of Åndalsnes, from where express tourist buses run.

You can get to Åndalsnes both by regular buses and by trains that run from Oslo and Trondheim every day.

Since 2012, a tourist center has been operating for tourists at the foot of the Troll Staircase. In addition to receiving any kind of help in difficult situations, you can buy souvenirs there and have lunch in a cafe before a long trip.

The Troll Staircase is a reason to visit Norway. Any tourist who has visited this road will confirm this. The country's government deservedly considers this attraction the pearl of Norway's tourist routes.
For those who love active tourism, appreciate the beauty and harshness of the landscapes of the northern region and dream of seeing fjords and waterfalls with their own eyes, this route will be an unforgettable adventure, as well as a way to spend a summer vacation in an unusual and interesting way. And a picnic at the heights of the Troll Staircase will become the most unusual event in the life of any tourist.

A bizarre string of asphalt with sharp turns in western Norway is the world-famous Troll Road (Troll Staircase). Even in modern times, the road, built in 1936, is considered a standard of engineering excellence.

From the history.
There has been a fair in Romsdalen since the 16th century. As a result, it served as the impetus for the construction of the road to Valldalen. Already in 1891, the first eight kilometers of road were laid from Veblungsnes. At the same time, the county authorities of Grütten and Nordahl drew up an appeal to the local government, asking for help in developing a plan to build a road through the mountain range. The appeal was accepted, and in 1894 engineer Nilsson Hovdenak examined the area around the proposed road and reported that a route should be built to Stigfjällrør from Evstestøl. He connected this with the potential of transforming the road into a highway. However, this Stigen road section was quite expensive, but it was suitable for a trail where horses and people could move freely. The director of the Kraga department did not believe in the likelihood of building a road for cars, but in the year 1896 other researchers confirmed this. Subsequently, the engineer did a lot to translate his idea into reality. His perseverance brought results, and the state budget allocated an impressive amount for construction.

Construction of the roadway began in 1905 and was completely completed in 1913. But Hovdenak could not stop there, and continued to dream of building a road for cars, starting from Walldalen to Romsdalen itself. He also mentioned that this road will become a tourist route, since the local landscape is striking in its beauty. He drew up a new plan, as well as an estimate for construction, and in 1916 the authorities gave the go-ahead for this. Laying of the famous road was completed in 1936.

It is noteworthy that the serpentine road is visible completely from bottom to top. Serpentine loops number 11, and the height difference reaches 12%. When ascending, in the middle of the path, there is a bridge laid over Stigfossen waterfall. The height of the waterfall is 180 meters.

On the top There is a parking lot, quite impressive in size, as well as an abundance of souvenir shops. Just a couple of minutes walk from the parking lot there is an observation deck, which offers an impressive view of the waterfall and the serpentine road.

It is worth noting that the width of the road at its widest part is no more than 3.3 meters, which makes it impossible for vehicles longer than 12.4 meters to pass.

Passage is prohibited here in autumn and winter; the opening of this section often occurs at the end of spring. In 2005, the Norwegian authorities carried out repair work. These works are aimed primarily at protecting motorists from rockfalls.

Paved above the road a tourist route for hikers. In more dangerous areas, strong chain paths are installed. At the top of the trail there is a small and unique observation deck. If you go to the very corner of this site, you can find yourself at the edge of a fabulous landscape, and also enjoy the most complete and picturesque view of the Troll Staircase.