01 Oslo to Karlstad
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RouteXpert Leon Bodegom
Last edit: 22-02-2021
Route Summary This was the start of our tour in 2019 and introduction to Sweden. There is plenty to see and visit along the way. However, keep in mind opening times of places to visit. The tourist season is short and in several places the sights were sometimes only opened after Whit Monday.
Beautiful roads, curves, lakes, rivers, heather and swamps alternate with forests and green hills. And also bears, lynx, wolves and moose. So you have to watch out.
Start: Port of Oslo, Colorline Terminal
End: Karlstad, Hotel Clarion Drott
I have awarded this route with 3 *** stars because the landscape is varied, the roads are good and the attractions very good.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
9h 6m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
254.74 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review In Norway, the main roads around Oslo are all toll roads, which were still toll-free for motorcyclists until 2019. If you are by car, you will be registered via automatic toll gates with license plate registration and after a few weeks or months, sometimes not at all, you will receive the bill at home. The costs are generally not too bad. Oslo city is certainly a city where you can stay for several days, given the old town and the various museums. Feel free to plan a few extra days here at the start or end of your tour.
After about 25 kilometers the road branches off to the south and we drive parallel to the river Nitelva. These are the last kilometers of the 37 kilometer long Nitelva, which then flows into the Glomma. This changes into a large lake called Oyeren and later you will pass the Glomma again. The river used to be used to transport logs to the sea.
After the bridge over the Glomma, there is a spacious parking lot by the river to take a break and take a look at the old bridge (Old Fossum Bru). Here are also defenses from the 2nd World War. There is also an opportunity for a cup of coffee at the parking lot.
After about 100 km you can visit the monumental church in Eidsberg. This is a 13th century church and is one of the oldest stone churches in Sweden. If the church is not open, the caretaker lives diagonally opposite and will gladly open the door for you with an old-fashioned key of 30CM long.
A little further on, before the town of Mysen, you come to the small open-air museum Folkenborg. See the link below the text for more information. The many (small) museums in Sweden and Norway are indicated by the ⌘ Looped square symbol on white signposts with brown print. Shortly after the Folkenborg museum, the route through Mysen passes a kiosk with a terrace to possibly have lunch or do some shopping for it.
The height differences in the landscape are not spectacular but enough to encounter a waterfall every now and then.
You will pass the Susebakkefossen where an old hydroelectric power station is located. There is room across the bridge to stop for a photo opportunity.
Upon entering Orje you pass an old lock complex in the Halden canal.
This is well worth a walk around and for a viewing. Here is also a museum about the history of the Halden Canal.
You pass the border between Norway and Sweden and continue between lakes and forests to the town of Arjang. There is a large statue of a troll in a parking lot.
The last part you drive through the province of Varmland to the final destination Karlstad. Varmland is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Sweden. The beautiful nature makes your motorcycle holiday complete. The landscape of Varmland is very diverse: lakes, rivers, heather and swamps alternate with forests and green hills. More than 2/3 of Varmland consists of forests. There are more than 10,000 lakes in the area and these naturally characterize the landscape. Bears, lynxes, wolves and moose live in the many forests. So you have to watch out.
The locations to eat or drink something along the way are limited. You will often have to drive to a village center for food and drinks. At Sanda there is a campsite on the route on the water with a kiosk and terrace. Here it is pleasant to stay for a short break.
When entering Karlstad, the route goes along the Circle K to refuel so that you can immediately move forward the next day.
For camping enthusiasts, 2 poi's have also been added from campsites in the woods and on the waterfront in front of Karlstad.
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Disclaimer
Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Ostfold
About this region
Østfold [ˈœ̂stfɔɫ] (listen) is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in southeastern Norway. It borders Akershus and southwestern Sweden (Västra Götaland County and Värmland), while Buskerud and Vestfold are on the other side of Oslofjord. The county's administrative seat was Sarpsborg. The county controversially became part of the newly established Viken County on 1 January 2020.
Many manufacturing facilities are situated here, such as the world's most advanced biorefinery, Borregaard in Sarpsborg. Fredrikstad has shipyards. There are granite mines in Østfold and stone from these were used by Gustav Vigeland.
The county slogan is "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialect is characterized by its geographical proximity to Sweden.
Read more on Wikipedia
Many manufacturing facilities are situated here, such as the world's most advanced biorefinery, Borregaard in Sarpsborg. Fredrikstad has shipyards. There are granite mines in Østfold and stone from these were used by Gustav Vigeland.
The county slogan is "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialect is characterized by its geographical proximity to Sweden.
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Statistics 
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11895Amount of visitors (Ostfold)
299Amount of downloads (Ostfold)
Route Collections in this region Top Car and Motorcycle tour through Sweden and Norway
Sweden and Norway are beautiful countries. You will find nice cities, but also impressive nature reserves. This versatility makes Sweden & Norway the perfect countries for an impressive motorcycle holiday.
In this collection 14 beautiful routes through Sweden & Norway.
Good preparation is half the battle, so read the tips below carefully.
1. Check the weather forecast. It can be very hot in Sweden & Norway, but it can also get very cold. Always check the weather forecast before you go, so that you can pack the right clothes.
2. Decide in advance which route or routes you want to follow. This way you don't drive around like a headless chicken and you can make the most of your days off in these beautiful countries.
3. Familiarize yourself with the traffic rules. In Sweden & Norway, in some situations, slightly different rules apply than in the Netherlands. By immersing yourself in the traffic rules, you prevent (unknowingly) committing a traffic violation and/or putting yourself in a dangerous situation.
It is also wise to book the accommodations in advance. It might be more fun to drive through these countries on spec, but you don't want to drive around endlessly to find a place to sleep. If you go to Sweden or Norway during the high season, the chance that you will have to look for a place to sleep is greatest. It is also possible to camp during your motorcycle trip, but find out in advance where this is and is not allowed. You are not allowed to pitch your tent everywhere.
As the largest country in Scandinavia, you can enjoy extensive tours in a unique environment. Forests, lakes, nature parks and agricultural areas largely determine the landscape, which also consists of flat areas and rolling hills. Around the Swedish-Norwegian border is the Scandinavian Highlands, where the mountains rise locally to 2100 meters.
Norway is known for its amazing natural beauty. Fjords that go into the country tens of kilometers deep, snow-covered plateaus, sharp mountain peaks and vast forests. In this sparsely populated country, most people live in the cities, of which the capital Oslo is the largest.
Tolls have to be paid on a large number of roads in Norway. If you approach a toll road, you can continue without stopping. With cameras above the road, the license plate of the vehicle is scanned, not the registration number of the trailer or caravan. It takes quite some time to process the photos.
The bill is then sent home within four to six months by Euro Parking Collection (EPC) in London.
Mandatory on the motorcycle: Safety vest - A motorcyclist must bring at least one safety vest. In the event of a breakdown or accident, the driver is obliged to wear a safety vest. The ANWB advises motorcyclists to also bring a safety vest for a possible passenger.
Advice: First aid kit, motorcyclists are advised to bring a first aid kit.
In this collection 14 beautiful routes through Sweden & Norway.
Good preparation is half the battle, so read the tips below carefully.
1. Check the weather forecast. It can be very hot in Sweden & Norway, but it can also get very cold. Always check the weather forecast before you go, so that you can pack the right clothes.
2. Decide in advance which route or routes you want to follow. This way you don't drive around like a headless chicken and you can make the most of your days off in these beautiful countries.
3. Familiarize yourself with the traffic rules. In Sweden & Norway, in some situations, slightly different rules apply than in the Netherlands. By immersing yourself in the traffic rules, you prevent (unknowingly) committing a traffic violation and/or putting yourself in a dangerous situation.
It is also wise to book the accommodations in advance. It might be more fun to drive through these countries on spec, but you don't want to drive around endlessly to find a place to sleep. If you go to Sweden or Norway during the high season, the chance that you will have to look for a place to sleep is greatest. It is also possible to camp during your motorcycle trip, but find out in advance where this is and is not allowed. You are not allowed to pitch your tent everywhere.
As the largest country in Scandinavia, you can enjoy extensive tours in a unique environment. Forests, lakes, nature parks and agricultural areas largely determine the landscape, which also consists of flat areas and rolling hills. Around the Swedish-Norwegian border is the Scandinavian Highlands, where the mountains rise locally to 2100 meters.
Norway is known for its amazing natural beauty. Fjords that go into the country tens of kilometers deep, snow-covered plateaus, sharp mountain peaks and vast forests. In this sparsely populated country, most people live in the cities, of which the capital Oslo is the largest.
Tolls have to be paid on a large number of roads in Norway. If you approach a toll road, you can continue without stopping. With cameras above the road, the license plate of the vehicle is scanned, not the registration number of the trailer or caravan. It takes quite some time to process the photos.
The bill is then sent home within four to six months by Euro Parking Collection (EPC) in London.
Mandatory on the motorcycle: Safety vest - A motorcyclist must bring at least one safety vest. In the event of a breakdown or accident, the driver is obliged to wear a safety vest. The ANWB advises motorcyclists to also bring a safety vest for a possible passenger.
Advice: First aid kit, motorcyclists are advised to bring a first aid kit.
View Route Collection
6500 kilometers through Scandinavia with the highlights of the Lofoten and the North Cape
The Arctic Challenge Tour, on which this 26-part tour is partly based, is not a speed race. It's a tour. It comes down to agility, good navigation and anticipation. The participants are obliged to adhere to the speed limit of the country concerned. The participants must find the ideal route with the shortest possible distance by complying 100% with the locally applicable traffic rules. Of course, also take maximum speeds into account. The organization checks for violations of the speed limit. In case of gross or repeated exceeding of the maximum speed, disqualification for the relevant stage and for the final classification will follow. Control of the route and speeds is done by means of a track and trace system. This equipment is installed in every vehicle. You can then follow each team accurately in the Back Office. Those staying at home, interested parties and participants can also see the performances of the teams, because you can be followed live via the Internet. The Back Office takes action when a team gets into trouble. (source: website The Arctic Challenge)
That's quite a luxury, having a back office behind you that keeps an eye on you. Most of us will not have that and are on our own or the fellow traveler(s). The only agreement you have with the participants is that you also have to abide by the rules. Fortunately, you don't have to complete this tour in 9 days, like the participants, but you can take it a little longer.
The highlight of the Arctic Challenge in 2020 was the Lofoten, an island group northwest of Norway. The Lofoten archipelago is located in the middle of the wild Norwegian Sea, well above the Arctic Circle. This special region offers a beautiful landscape with imposing mountains, deep fjords and long, wild sandy beaches where the sound of the seabird colonies can always be heard.
The archipelago is best known for its rich fishing tradition. The Lofoten makes a prosperous impression despite their isolated location. The entire economy revolves above all around fishing. The image of the Lofoten is mainly dominated by wooden racks with cod, which hangs to dry. Lofoten fishing has been a household name for centuries. In the middle of winter, the ships set out to catch the fish in just a few months. The rich fishing grounds are due to the North Atlantic Warm Gulf Stream around the islands, in which the fish have their spawning grounds. Oil drilling is not permitted around Lofoten and the cod spawning grounds there.
The next destination for the participants was Sirkka, also known as Levi, a winter sports resort in Finnish Lapland. They stayed there for a few days to go ice-karting and to enjoy the snow by going on a snowmobile or skiing trip. This tour also takes you to Sirkka, but instead of staying there for a few days, you have the option to continue to the North Cape, the second highlight of this trip.
Imagine a place in the far north, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. This place is the North Cape in Western Finnmark in Northern Norway. From here, only the archipelago of Spitsbergen lies between you and the North Pole and the sun shines for 2.5 months at a time; from mid-May to the end of July. Many visitors admire the midnight sun or the sunset over the Barents Sea from the North Cape plateau.
With each route you will find a review with a description of the route, where you pass and what to see along the way. It is also briefly described how the participants in the Arctic Challenge in 2020 had to drive it anyway, from which point to which point. Along the way, markings (route points) have been included that indicate the end points of the stages that the participants had to complete. As mentioned, they covered the distance in 9 days, stages of more than 1000 kilometers were no exception.
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Puttgarden to Angelholm, 280km
R02 - Angelholm to Alingsas, 281km
R03 - Alingsas to Mysen, 261km
R04 - Mysen to Rena, 312km
R05 - Rena to Orkanger, 306km
R06 - Orkanger to Grong, 292km
R07 - Grong to Mo i Rana, 290km
R08 - Mo i Rana to Bodo, 231km
R09 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 1, 314km
R10 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 2, 250km
R11 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 3, 291km
R12 - Bodo to Arjeplog, 295km
R13 - Arjeplog to Jokkmokk, 244km
R14 - Jokkmokk to Pajala, 239km
R15 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 1, 257km
R16 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 2, 300km
R17 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 3, 244km
R18 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 4, 275km
R19 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 5, 332km
R20 - Sirkka to Kemi, 299km
R21 - Kemi to Ylivieska, 251km
R22 - Ylivieska to Jalasjarvi, 236km
R23 - Jalasjarvi to Turku, 279km
R24 - Stockholm to Askersund, 271km
R25 - Askersund to Varnamo, 224
R26 - Varnamo to Trelleborg, 259km
Have fun driving these routes!
That's quite a luxury, having a back office behind you that keeps an eye on you. Most of us will not have that and are on our own or the fellow traveler(s). The only agreement you have with the participants is that you also have to abide by the rules. Fortunately, you don't have to complete this tour in 9 days, like the participants, but you can take it a little longer.
The highlight of the Arctic Challenge in 2020 was the Lofoten, an island group northwest of Norway. The Lofoten archipelago is located in the middle of the wild Norwegian Sea, well above the Arctic Circle. This special region offers a beautiful landscape with imposing mountains, deep fjords and long, wild sandy beaches where the sound of the seabird colonies can always be heard.
The archipelago is best known for its rich fishing tradition. The Lofoten makes a prosperous impression despite their isolated location. The entire economy revolves above all around fishing. The image of the Lofoten is mainly dominated by wooden racks with cod, which hangs to dry. Lofoten fishing has been a household name for centuries. In the middle of winter, the ships set out to catch the fish in just a few months. The rich fishing grounds are due to the North Atlantic Warm Gulf Stream around the islands, in which the fish have their spawning grounds. Oil drilling is not permitted around Lofoten and the cod spawning grounds there.
The next destination for the participants was Sirkka, also known as Levi, a winter sports resort in Finnish Lapland. They stayed there for a few days to go ice-karting and to enjoy the snow by going on a snowmobile or skiing trip. This tour also takes you to Sirkka, but instead of staying there for a few days, you have the option to continue to the North Cape, the second highlight of this trip.
Imagine a place in the far north, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. This place is the North Cape in Western Finnmark in Northern Norway. From here, only the archipelago of Spitsbergen lies between you and the North Pole and the sun shines for 2.5 months at a time; from mid-May to the end of July. Many visitors admire the midnight sun or the sunset over the Barents Sea from the North Cape plateau.
With each route you will find a review with a description of the route, where you pass and what to see along the way. It is also briefly described how the participants in the Arctic Challenge in 2020 had to drive it anyway, from which point to which point. Along the way, markings (route points) have been included that indicate the end points of the stages that the participants had to complete. As mentioned, they covered the distance in 9 days, stages of more than 1000 kilometers were no exception.
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Puttgarden to Angelholm, 280km
R02 - Angelholm to Alingsas, 281km
R03 - Alingsas to Mysen, 261km
R04 - Mysen to Rena, 312km
R05 - Rena to Orkanger, 306km
R06 - Orkanger to Grong, 292km
R07 - Grong to Mo i Rana, 290km
R08 - Mo i Rana to Bodo, 231km
R09 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 1, 314km
R10 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 2, 250km
R11 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 3, 291km
R12 - Bodo to Arjeplog, 295km
R13 - Arjeplog to Jokkmokk, 244km
R14 - Jokkmokk to Pajala, 239km
R15 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 1, 257km
R16 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 2, 300km
R17 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 3, 244km
R18 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 4, 275km
R19 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 5, 332km
R20 - Sirkka to Kemi, 299km
R21 - Kemi to Ylivieska, 251km
R22 - Ylivieska to Jalasjarvi, 236km
R23 - Jalasjarvi to Turku, 279km
R24 - Stockholm to Askersund, 271km
R25 - Askersund to Varnamo, 224
R26 - Varnamo to Trelleborg, 259km
Have fun driving these routes!
View Route Collection