Jordalen Loop – The Greatest UNKNOWN Gravel Loop in Norway | Ep.2

I’ve journeyed across Norway to film and document the best loop rides the country has to offer. This series will reveal the countless incredible cycling destinations in the land of the midnight sun.

In episode three, we’re venturing into uncharted territory for cyclists. Nestled deep in the mountains of central Norway are two high valleys linked by a stunning gravel road. This area has never been documented by cyclists before, and for good reason: it’s incredibly challenging to access, with prohibited tunnels on either side. But there is a way, and I’ll show you how!

Sign up for a free Cycle Norway account here: https://cyclenorway.com/membership/
Full Route Information: https://cyclenorway.com/routes/jordalen-loop/

Bike used in this series: https://faracycling.com/fara-product-view.php?pid=4300
Bike Bags used: https://restrap.com/collections
Lights: https://magicshine.com/products/evo-1700-seemee-300-sunglasses
Clothing: https://velocio.cc

#Eksingedalen #Fjordnorway #cyclenorway #Voss #Matthewnorway

when William slingsby published his famous 1904 hiking book he called it Norway the northern playground and that’s exactly what Norway is a playground a playground for adults pull out any map and look at the unique geography and terrain you see them red lines on the map they’re the main roads and everything in between is an adventure what do we have here hiking cycling skiing all three I spent a lot of time looking for undiscovered cycling roads in Norway and 2 years ago I stumbled across a gravel Loop deep in the high mountains and from my knowledge no one has documented it before it’s been on my to-do list ever since this is not the road by the way this is the road that leads to the road that’s how good this cycling route [Music] is oh my good Lord was feeling all of this Joy hold up before we go any further I have to mention something one of the reasons why I’ve never cycled this road until now is because of this on both sides of the valley there are prohibited tunnels to cycle through then you have this I’m on a very special Road very very special road but it’s sort of Road you don’t want to cycle because it’s in Main e16 Road incredibly busy during the day but right now it’s 6:00 in the morning and I’m just trying to ride this very special part of it before the trucks arrive there’s one behind me now truck hold your breath you don’t want to be on this road in a few hours time that’s for sure so not exactly cycling friendly however on the west side of the valley there is an old road around the tunnels and it’s not just any old Road its name is stalheim cver built in the 1840s this is no’s steepest road with an average gradient of 18% you would think a road as old and as steep as this would be off limits to large Vehicles nope like Charles Dion every Tom Dick and Harry is allow to drive down it and guess what several years ago part of this historic Road collapsed and since then the road has been off limits for everyone including your sincerely so how did I manage to cycle this route okay before we continue very quickly I just need to read out this letter from my lawyer says here let the record state that in early June 2024 Matthew Norway took a private helicopter up to of storheim’s cver and there is zero evidence that he cycled up it good all right we can [Applause] continue well we made it up to the hotel we probably the best view in Nori or one of them at least you want to see what I’m seeing right now it’s not a bad view eh not a bad view so we’re going to go behind the back of here all the way around here and then we’re going to come down somewhere out that point I think somewhere there we’re going to come out at so I mean if the if if it’s anything like this rally even like you know 10% is good then we’re no room for a bit of r [Music] Treat so the first part of the route is up badal’s ran and it follows a beautiful River on white tuskin style Gravel Road what more could you ask for so far so good this a beautiful Road beautiful so I have no idea how bad this road is going to get I do know is it’s going to be really steep to the top uh it’s been sleeping places but my God it’s absolute pure Road porn I mean # r porn all the way here let me show you what I [Music] mean f completely on my own as well just completely no one else you know for get roll of iron come and do this one you’ll have it all to yourself we got to continue but I could sit here all day [Music] so we just gone over a little block or barrier in the road which might mean that the road gets a little bit worse in condition as we go up here now little update from the road we’re about 850 m above sea level now and it’s the 1st of June so I’m a bit early and uh yeah some of the snow has not melted yet and I have a feeling it’s going to be blocked up here but we got to get around because we can’t go back cuz uh there’s some serious tunnels down there on the main road so we got to figure it out got either way we’re walking we’re hiking whatever we got to do that’s a pretty good shot actually so I’m hoping around that corner it’s clear as that’s where the Descent [Music] starts how bad is this now oh [Music] well at least I know I’m the first person this year to cycle this road I think I can see part of the road here what what do we have here W wo wo wo [Music] me on let’s go guys oh yeah look at this so the road has completely disappeared now beautiful there though look at it we found her we found [Music] her I think that was the last of the snow fingers crossed we’re back on it oh we’re going down there there b down there once you get below the Snow Line oh the road is just beautiful again absolutely stunning I just kind of believe that this has never been documented before and that no one cyles this so that’s a beauty that’s just done that it’s the far at all Road in between a road bike and a gravel bike 32 mil was fine very secure going down it’s just a great bike it’s light agile good G geonetry geonetry that’s not the word is it geology not geology okay so at this point you have two options one you can go this road takes you to about 900 m above sea level there’s like a dam or a reservoir supposed to be really really spectacular and then it comes to a dead end and then you basically come back on yourself or you can just go straight down now the valley this is called your darling and that’s what we’re going to do now cuz it’s going to be too much snow up there at like 900 me as more sea level it just be too [Music] much oops [Music] it’s really difficult to decide which was the more beautiful Valley both Brea dal’s V and y’s ran well they were like identical just beautiful gravel lush green both have Rivers this one has a tunnel and not just any old tunnel this is going to be a lot of fun this is a very fast descent down in this tunnel I think it’s a horseshoe as well I had to slam on the brakes oh my God 2 and 1/2 kilm descending with a 10% decline gradient oh no cars no nothing I mean I’m going to do like I’m going to go I’m going to go back in time I’m going to go over 88 km an hour or is it miles an hour I need to go for 88 mil hour to go back in time cuz I’ve got the flux capacitor it’s just on the back of the rear wheel here all right this is going to be mental 88 miles sorry to interrupt the video again I just need to read out another letter from my lawyer and it basically states on the first of June 2024 Matthew Norway did not at all exceed the speed limit of 50 km an hour in that tunnel everything on the YouTube video is now done for for imediate purposes only and that he obeyed all laws while s food good good well the year is 1955 I’ve traveled back in time that was out so we head back onto the e16 and unsurprisingly it’s not that busy because it’s 1955 and as I’m cycling back I’m on Cloud9 knowing this route was incredible and with a bit of planning and knowledge anyone can do it however as I’ve said many times on this channel bike packing and gravel riding is still in its early development stages here in Norway no one is taking it seriously but fully understands the potential and no one’s going to make it easy for you and that’s why cycle norway. comom exists join the free membership and if you want all my knowledge to maximize your Adventure on two wheels consider joining our paid membership like these beautiful people here oh we made it back we made it back and before I end this we have some big [Music] news storheim’s cver reopened 2 weeks after I visited it for the first time in several years and from now on all motorized vehicles are Bann if only Charles stigen would follow and we should know to adapt to this crazy new rule the local municipality put on a 3-day Workshop showing people how to get out their car and use their legs it was a massive success no one died only one person pulled a hamstring and everybody had a great time little update from the road have just seen where we’re going oh it looks exciting got some switchbacks going on here [Music]