Stalheimskleiva is the steepest road in Northern Europe

Located in Norway, the infamous Stalheimskleiva is said to be one of the steepest roads in Northern Europe with a brutal gradient of 33%.

Where is Stalheimskleiva?

The road is located a few miles to the north of Voss, in Vestland county, in Western Norway.

How long is the Stalheimskleiva?

The serpentine mountain road is 1.9km (1.18 miles) long. It’s totally paved and runs east-west, from Nærøydalsvegen 351 road to Stalheimsvegen 132 road.

Is Stalheimskleiva challenging?

There is a total of thirteen hairpin bends on the road. It’s one of the famous hairpinned roads in the world. It’s very narrow, so speeds are often reduced as cars make the hairpin turns. Previously, cars traveled in both directions on this road making it a bit risky if surrounding drivers were not as skilled. Now, maybe because of the tourist buses, it is a one-lane road. 

Is the Stalheimskleiva steep?

The road is very steep, hitting a 33% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. With this gradient it’s said to be one of the steepest roads in Northern Europe. The elevation gain is 244 meters and the average gradient is 12.84%.

Is the Stalheimskleiva road open?

This road, nicknamed ‘the road between the waterfalls’, is usually impassable from late October through late June or early July (depending on snow and ice). It is currently closed to traffic until further notice due to maintenance work. The road would likely close forever to all vehicles, due the impact of heavy traffic.

When was the Stalheimskleiva road built?

The road was built by manual labour between 1842 and 1846.

Is the Stalheimskleiva worth it?

This is a remarkable road trip. Plan around 6 minutes to complete the drive. The road is, today, primarily used by tourists. Along the road, you can experience the magnificent views of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Nærøydalen valley. The Stalheimskleiva road runs up a ridge between two cascading waterfalls that can both be seen from the road. To the north, you can see the Sivlefossen waterfall, which has a fall of about 140 metres. To the south, the Stalheimsfossen waterfall with a fall of 126 metres.