Geiranger Road

Soon after Djupvasshytta, beyond the watershed between the Skagerrak and the Atlantic, an impressive stretch of mountain road begins. The Geiranger road (opened in 1885) descends some 1,000m/3,280ft, with gradients of up to 8% and 20 sharp bends (some of them very tight indeed) and several bridges, to reach Geiranger in 17km/10mi (distance as the crow flies only 7km/4.5mi). On this road there is a sudden transition from the severe climate of the mountain regions to the warmer and milder air of the sheltered valley. 2km/1.25mi along the road, on the left, is the Blåfjell, with the Jettegryte ("Giant's Cauldron"), a cavity 2.2m/7ft across and 9.5m/30ft deep gouged out by glacial action.