Rallarvegen from Myrdal to Flåm

The walk starts at Myrdal station, high in the mountains, and follows the last section of Rallarvegen, the navvies' road that was built to carry materials up from Flåm during the construction of the Bergen Railway. It drops by the 21 hairpin bends of Myrdalsberget, then runs down the valley floor beside the Flåm river, with views of the waterfalls Kjosfossen, Kårdalsfossen, Rjoandefossen and Brekkefossen and the Rallarrosa cheese dairy at Kårdal on the way, to the Aurlandsfjord at Flåm. The farms in the valley were in use long before the railway and the road, the Norway's Best page says, and are still used all year.

It is 19.8 km one way with 937 m of descent and 74 m of ascent; allow about 6 hours by our measure, though the Norway's Best page gives 20 km, 4 to 5 hours and a descent of 860 m. The grade is Hard on length and time; the page rates the hike medium and calls the walk fairly easy, but suggests cycling instead if you have knee problems.

The first half is gravel and the last part paved, and the lower part carries vehicles going to and from the farms and houses in the valley, so be careful before sharp bends. Myrdal station is at about 867 m, so snow and ice can lie on the road outside the summer months: ask at the Flåm Visitor Center about conditions before you set off.

Bane NOR's page for Myrdal station says there is no road connection to Myrdal, so the walk starts with the Flåm Railway. The Norway's Best page sells a one-way ticket on the Flåm Railway and links the Flåm to Myrdal timetable, and says the hike can also start from Vatnahalsen, as it is about 20 km from either station. It describes the hike as a full-day activity that starts with about an hour on the train. The walk ends at Flåm station, by the fjord.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.