The Stigfossen waterfall
It drops a hundred and eighty metres, crossed by the road's bridges.
W. Bulach — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Stefan Krause, Germany — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0
A mountain road climbing a rock wall in eleven consecutive hairpin bends, counted among Norway's most famous drives. The name means the trolls' ladder, referring to the creatures of Norse folklore. The gradient is about nine per cent, the road is narrow and cut into a very steep slope, and some of its bends cross stone bridges over the Stigfossen waterfall, which drops a hundred and eighty metres. It was built between 1928 and 1936 with picks and dynamite, and opened in the presence of King Haakon VII. It was regarded then as an exceptional feat of engineering, and still is. At the top is a modern viewing platform of steel and concrete cantilevered over the drop, looking down on the whole road and its bends from above. The road closes in winter — usually from October to late May — for snow and avalanche risk, and has been closed in particular seasons for reasons of rockfall. Check its status before planning.
It drops a hundred and eighty metres, crossed by the road's bridges.
Steel and concrete over the drop, looking down the whole road.
The road was built by hand over eight years.
Between Åndalsnes and Valldal, western Norway
Not technically hard for an experienced driver, but it demands concentration: the road is narrow and its bends very tight, and in season it is busy with tour coaches and caravans that slow movement and make passing difficult. The practical rule is to drive it early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the peak, and to use a low gear on the descent rather than relying on the brakes. Vehicles over twelve metres long are prohibited.
Trollstigen is part of a national tourist route linking Geiranger to Åndalsnes. From the south you reach it by Ørnesvingen, the Eagle Road, whose bends look over the Geirangerfjord. From the north lies Åndalsnes, with a cable car to the summit of Nesaksla. The distance from Bergen is long — about eight hours by car and ferries — so it belongs in a multi-day tour rather than a day trip.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.