Valdresflye and home, summer ride 2

Last Updated on: June 5, 2023

Valdresflye is a “household name” in Norway, a name for both a road or route as well as a mountain plateau. It was also a part of my return route back to Oslo.

Sunday morning the return began. The lingering high pressure produced absolute cloudless sky and perfect conditions for the first part of the ride south.

Valdresflye

Past breakfast I packed up and, for the last time, rode down Leirdalsvegen. A road that easily might qualify for a top ten among the bumpiest partial pavement roads in the country. Or at least one in my personal top ten list!

Lom in Otta valley

Lom in Otta valley

Down to Lom in Otta valley the weather was absolutely magnificent. Being Sunday there were few cars on the road. I followed the E15 down past Tessand, then sharp right up Rv51, also known as Valdresflye.

Lake Lemonsjøen along Rv51 or Valdresflye

Lake Lemonsjøen along Rv51 or Valdresflye

The road runs along the eastern side of Jotunheimen National Park. It takes you to the plateau with magnificent nature and ditto views. I passed Lemonsjøen (Lemon lake, yep that’s the name!).

At Lemonsjøen, looking north towards Dovre National Park

At Lemonsjøen, looking north towards Dovre National Park

RV51 or Valdresflye is a typical cruising road. Long straights or rolling sections, with a few not too sharp bends. It is a road you’d better do within speed limit, or else risk missing the vistas. With the weather up in the mountains like on this day it would a double sin to go too fast.

Along Valdresflye: view from Hindsaæter high mountain hotel

Along Valdresflye: view from Hindsaæter high mountain hotel looking southwest

A little later I passed Hindsæter, since the weather was so lovely made a quick stop for a coffee. Hindsæter high mountain hotel is a lovely place, not cheap but well worth a visit. If weather is good you can sit outside and enjoy your coffee. Which is precisely what I did.

Crossing the mountain plateau

Back on Rv51 from Hindæther  the road begins to climb to a higher plateau section. Noticeable as the temperature fell a bit but still hovered around 22-23C.

Valdresflye: Øvre SJodalsvatnet

Valdresflye: lake Øvre SJodalsvatnet

But higher up it dropped below 20C. Lots of people around, I could spot tents down by the rivers and streams. Mentioned in a previous post, “allemannsretten” or the law Right to roam, permits camping almost anywhere.  Because of the weather this particular weekend there were lots of tourists along the road.

Valdresflye: inwards and upwards

Along Rv51/ Valdresflye: inwards and upwards

Made a few stops for pics, to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the views.

Pretty view of Jotunheimen National Park

Pretty view of Jotunheimen National Park

Last leg home

Not long after I reached the highest point of Valdresflye, and began descent down towards Beitostølen in Valdres.  Which is one of the most popular go to places in Norway during winter. During summer season people go here for biking or trekking into the mountains.

Gravel in Valdres

Riding gravel in Valdres

A little south of Beitostølen I took off from Rv51 and found a gravel road. Never been in this particular area before and it was cool to experience from a back road perspective.

But all good things comes to an end. The gravel road merged back onto pavement. Back onto Rv51 through upper Valdres, later the E16 to Bagn.  South of Bagn I took off from the larger road, across a small bride and continued on the western side of river Begna for a while

On the way home

On the way home, smallways riding in Valdres

It was now later afternoon. Out of Valdres I chose the quickest route back home. It had been a fantastic 2 days worth or riding. Around 1300 kilometers of pure joy, and arguably the best ride of the year! You can find the entire route here. I might do it again, maybe next year.

Back to first post in the series

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