- Area Haukeli
- Distance 309.9 km
- Difficulty Multi-day
- Terrain Climbing
National Cycle Route 3 runs from Kristiansand to Haukeli and continues to Røldal, and on to the Ryfylke National Tourist Route to Stavanger. It is divided into shorter sections, and this is the route from Ryfylke to Stavanger. This section has not been cycled and certified by Syklistenes Landsforening. From experience, the National Cycle Routes have short and longer stretches along sometimes very busy roads, and we cannot recommend this as a safe cycle route for everyone until it has been cycled by one of our surveyors. As one of the national tourist routes, it offers great nature and culture along the way, but can also be burdened with a lot of car traffic.
To give you easy access to the GPS track on the route, we have chosen to post the GPX file on SykkelNorge.no, even though we have not mapped and certified it. You can use it as a good starting point for planning your cycling trip in the area.
We recommend loading the GPX file into a digital mapping platform to plan your trip in detail. Ride With GPS is a platform used by the Cyclists’ Association. If you’re going on a long bike ride, it’s well worth spending some time learning how to use this service to easily plan your trip in detail. It will probably provide an even better travelling experience.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens Veivesen) is responsible for the National Cycle Routes with regard to routing and signposting.
This is what the Norwegian Public Roads Administration writes about the route:
«The 300-kilometre stretch between Haukeli and Stavanger through Ryfylke offers everything from rugged mountains to fjords. For much of the route, you’ll find yourself on national tourist routes with several interesting stops. The views from the bike seat are also magnificent for much of the journey.
The route is not signposted as a cycle route, but is part of the Ryfylke National Tourist Route.
From Haukeli, the road climbs up towards Haukelifjell on the E134 where the highest point is well over 1000 metres above sea level. Here you have to share the road with the cars, but up on Haukelifjell the cars follow the European road into tunnels. Cyclists follow the peaceful old road instead.
From Haukelifjell, the road plunges down towards Røldal, before you come to a steep climb up the summer-open mountain road (county road 520) towards Sauda. Here you can get away from the cars and enjoy the high mountains of western Norway.
This is how Norwegian Scenic Routes describes the stretch from Røldal to Sauda:
«This is a long tourist route that runs through varying terrain. Starting on county road 520 from Håra near Røldal, you’ll enjoy a climb up to Saudafjellet and a great cycling experience over the mountain before a recommended stop at the disused zinc mines in Allmannajuvet. There are several tunnels along Saudafjorden, but here it is possible to take the old road round. On county road 517 between Ropeid and Ostasteidn, you have to go through a tunnel of about 1 kilometre. The southernmost part of the tourist route from Lovra to Oanes is relatively hilly, but offers a great experience of the fjord landscape in Ryfylke. From Stavanger you can also follow National Cycle Route 1 along the coast. This section is also part of the European cycle route «North Sea Cycle Route» Eurovelo 12.
In Sauda, you’ll get your first view of a fjord, and from here to Stavanger you’re rarely far from salt water. There are some steep hills along the fjords, but the stretch from Sauda to Stavanger is manageable for most people.
There is some traffic around the towns on the southern part of the route, but the footpaths and cycle paths are well developed and there is a good distance to the cars.
Once you’ve passed Tau and Jørpeland, you can take a detour to Preikestolen.
Del