The Atlantic Road is 8km long, that’s 5 miles in other places and part of one of the 18 Nasjonale Turistveger (National Tourist Route). The full route is around 36km long, which is about 22.5 miles in other places. So why did I clock up about 50 miles and take 6 hours to cover it??
I’m taking a day off from the scheduled tour today, partly because I’m way ahead of schedule but mostly because of how struck I was with mother nature’s handiwork around this area. Even so, I made sure I was awake fairly early, I wanted to get out on the Atlantic Road before there were many cars around.
The Atlantic Road has been named as one of the best driving roads in the world, and it’s easy to see why.
The Atlantic road consists of seven bridges that jump from Island to Island, the most striking and probably the most well known of these is the Storseisundet Bridge, its curved structure seems to defy gravity but makes it a wonder to see and fun to drive!
There are plenty of rest stops along the route all with their own different view of the sea, and all of which I visited!
The Atlantic road however is only part of this particular tourist route, and as you continue along the route, you’re taken through small villages and past quaint harbours and what seems like hundreds of various sizes islands, some inhabited, some small, some are just rocks that barely break the surface of the sea, but all today had waves crashing against them.
I have traveled back and forth along this route today, stopped time and again to see the views, I must have reversed the car about half a mile in all after catching a glimpse of something I hadn’t seen before and gone backwards to take a look. In total I’ve traveled the road at least 2 and a half times. It’s only half the third time because I’ve stopped for the night along the route!
Whilst, the Atlantic Road may win the prize for the best architectural attraction on this national tourist route, arguably it’s the more modest and humble views along the way that come out on top.
Steve In Real Life 