Road 55 (Norway)

Road 55 is a 140-km regional route between Sogndal at Sognefjord and Lom in Oppland. The route runs through Sognefjellet mountain pass and the drive is simply called Sognefjellet by locals. The Sognefjellet is a mountain pass in central Norway, joining the Sognefjorden in the west with the Ottadalen branch of Gudbrandsdalen in the east. The route has been named one of 18 national scenic routes because of the varied landscape and fine scenery. Route 55 runs between the great western fjords and the wide eastern valleys, and runs through the steep slopes between fjords and high mountains, passed glaciers and alpine peaks, and along big valleys with powerful rivers. The route offers a shortcut between inner Sognefjord and eastern valleys in an area where overland transport is blocked by glaciers and wild mountains. Alternative drives are through Valdres or E39 through Stryn. From west to east the road runs from Sogndal village passed Hafslo lake then along Lustrafjorden to Skjolden village at the far end. After a few kilometers passed Fortun in the deep valley the road climbs steeply and through several hairpins to the mountain pass, Turtagrø hotel is about half way to the highest point. For some kilometers at the highest the road runs across a small plateau surrounded by glaciers, lakes and alpine summits. Just east of Sognefjellshytta lodge the road descends steeply along a deep barren valley. Below the forest line Bøverdalen valley is largely gentle with a partly flat valley floor but also with narrow gorges.

Understand
At 1,434 metres above sea level the Sognefjellet is the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe, and it is only accessible in the summer with a varying opening time. Sognefjellet lies on the northern edge of Jotunheimen and south of Breheimen mountain range. At Lom in Ottadalen branch of Gudbrandsdalen valley route 55 connects to route 15 (Otta-Stryn). Ottadalen valley runs along the south edge of Reinheimen national park, a wide mountain range and plateau. About 1 hour upstream from Lom road 15 connects to Geiranger road which is part of Road 63 (Norway).

Work on the road through the mountain pass began in 1936 when the ministry of social affairs wanted to create jobs for unemployed young people. Some 100 from Sognefjord area and 100 from Oppland county joined and the road was completed in 1938.

Prepare
Get last minute information from road authorities and read weather forecast for drives in spring and autumn. Snowfall and frost can occur also in summer although rarely an issue in the middle of the day.

Get in
Despite being one of the most remote and rugged roads in Europe, the Sognefjellet is easily accessed by public transport, with two buses daily in the summer leaving Sogndal on the South-West side, and Lom in the North-East side, connecting with buses to Otta (route information on Fjord1 |Sognefjellet).

By bicycle
British newspaper the Guardian named the Sognefjellet one of the top 10 cycle rides in the world (Guardian (2007) |The). The road is steep on both the western and eastern side of the pass. Between Skjolden and Sogndal the road is mostly horizontal and at sea level. In Bøverdalen the road is rather flat between Røisheim and Lom village. There are no tunnels east of Skjolden, but a few shorter tunnels between Skjolden and Sogndal - the longest is and with bicycle/pedestrian path on the outside. On the very mountain pass, temperatures can drop close to zero Celsius even in summer.

By bus
From Sogndal the bus headed out from the town and joins the Lustrafjorden, the very end of the Sognefjorden – the longest in Norway. The road impressively and smoothly traverses its shores to the village of Skjolden where the waters end.

From there the route heads steeply up past gulleys and streams, menacing waterfalls, impassable rapids, into the cloud, and beyond. The glacier and rain-fed rivers get ever wilder, until, dramatically, the road sweeps onto the flat plateaux.

The landscape is bare rock, and even in July ice is all around: floating in opaque blue lakes, in great drifts covering whole mountain-sides, and hanging from peaks higher-still, the great glaciers of the Jotunheimen. Other than a couple of hostels there is little but rock and ice, and our trusty road, the Sognefjellet.

As suddenly the road joined the plateaux it leave it: at Krossbu the road glides into the virgin Bøvre river valley, a narrow scar in the highlands, fringed with dizzying waterfalls, which gradually widens and opens out into the Ottadalen at Lom. From there it connects to buses towards Otta, you can also catch servies from here back East.

See

 * The Lustrafjorden arm of the Sognefjorden, the longest fjord in Norway and the second longest fjord in the world.
 * Norway's largest glacier, the Jostedalsbreen Glacier.

Sleep
There are a couple of hostels up on the plateaux, bustling with skiiers and hikers.DNT and Sognefjellet.

Sogndal village has a handful standard hotels.



Stay safe
There are some steep descents. Use engine and gear to control speed so breaks are not overheated.

Waterfalls are treacherous. Watch your step and keep a safe distance.

Glaciers should be observed from generous distance. Large chunks of ice can fall off and kill. Never hike on a glacier on your own. Go with a professional guide and proper gear.

Go next

 * Road 63 (Norway) (via road 15)
 * E6 through Sweden and Norway (at Otta)
 * European route E39 (at Skei near Sogndal)