Trollstigen

Now turn your gaze to the other side of the emerald green Rauma River, and look into the magical Isterdalen Valley which culminates in the engineering masterpiece that is Trollstigen. The road, that is only open in the summer months rises 856 metres above sea level, through roaring waterfalls and 11 sharp hairpin bends, where busses literally hang off the roadside. At the top you will feel fairly small, standing in the middle of five gigantic mountain massifs; Bispen, Kongen, Droninga, Stigbrottshornet and Storgrovfjellet, all of which rise nearly a kilometre further up towards the clouds. Historically, Trollstigen is the old mountain pass between Åndalsnes down in Romsdalen and Valldal in Inner Sunnmøre. An important reason for the connection over Stega mountain was a large annual market that took place at Devoll Farm. But it was only after the opening of the road in 1936 that Trollstigen became an attraction in itself. Every bend on Trollstigen actually has its own name, often named after the foreman of the work party that built that particular bend in the road.