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DRIVE ON THE MOON
This is one route with four places worth exploring. You can drive it in a single day, but the real value lies in slowing down and spending time at each stop. Flekkefjord, Sogndalstrand, Egersund and Byrkjedal each combine nature, culture and local character, with suggested full-day itineraries to match different travel styles.
Norwegian Scenic Routes are 18 carefully selected roads that pass through landscapes of exceptional natural character, along coasts and fjords, mountains and waterfalls. Designed as alternatives to the main roads, the drive itself is part of the experience.
This route follows parts of the coastline shaped by wind, waves and everyday life. Unlike many scenic drives, these are working roads used by locals, not just visitors. The landscapes are open and raw, unmistakably formed by the North Sea, with places that invite you to slow down and step out of the car.
Take time to explore the smaller roads and short detours along the way. Coastal towns, cultural landmarks and viewpoints reveal themselves gradually, often best experienced up close rather than from behind the windscreen.
From here, the journey continues inland and southwards, connecting four carefully chosen stops in and around Magma Geopark, each offering its own mix of nature, culture and local character.
Start your journey in Flekkefjord, wandering through its white wooden Dutch quarter, narrow streets and coastal cafés and small shops. If you stay overnight, take a short trip to Hidra, reached by a free ferry. The island offers quiet harbours, coastal paths and easy viewpoints — perfect for a peaceful detour with strong coastal heritage.
Continue along the Norwegian Scenic Routes Jæren, where the landscape shifts quickly from sea cliffs to deep fjords. From the south, stop in Jøssingfjord to see the Houses under Helleren and the fjord’s dramatic rock walls. From the north, arrive in Sogndalstrand, a protected wooden town with art, small shops and a calm riverside atmosphere.
In Egersund, stroll through one of Norway’s best-preserved wooden towns with its many local shops and restaurants, it’s the perfect place to spend some time. Soft colours, narrow lanes and varied architecture — from 1800s façades to Swiss-style details — give the town centre a warm, lived-in character shaped by centuries of trade, fire and rebuilding.
As you head toward Byrkjedal, pause at Gloppedalsura, Northern Europe’s largest rock pile. Walk among giant stones shaped by the last ice age or try the family-friendly via ferrata for a closer encounter with this rare geological landscape. From Byrkjedal onward, the road toward Stavanger continues through dramatic valleys and striking mountain scenery.
Flekkefjord to Sogndalstrand is about 40 km (60 minutes). Sogndalstrand to Egersund is about 30 km (45 minutes). Egersund to Byrkjedal is about 50 km (60 minutes).
We recommend travelling by car, or motorcycle, but it is also possible to hire a bus for larger groups.
The trip is best in spring, summer and autumn. Roads may be slippery in winter.
The Tiny Old Town
The Colourful Wooden Town
The Dutch Town
