Visiting R 129 17
This post is part of a bigger trip I made through Scandinavia with focus on Norway.
On my way I came along the Högakustenbron (high coast bridge). Just driving towards it is an impressive experience in my opinion. Suddenly those pillars show up and I immediately felt like driving towards the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The difference – no big city around. It just sits there almost in the middle of nature.
Both are suspension bridges with two pillars. The maximum span of Högakustenbron is 1,210 m and therefore almost as long as that of the Golden Gate Bridge (1,280 m). The color is a different and the elements inside the pillars are missing. But nevertheless there is real and intended relationship.
The bridge was finished in 1997 to shorten the way one would normally need to take. But we are not talking about miles and miles here. Just about 8 km/5 miles (normal vehicles) and 38 km/23 miles (very heavy vehicles). Quite a lot of effort for a relatively small shortening. Quite an impressive structure that is very interesting to watch.
The name “High Coast” of the region refers to the fact that the land is uplifting since the last Ice Age. But this is the subject of another blog post.
Some travel tips (from 2021)
- There is a view point area at the North end of the bridge with a big parking lot as well as a restaurant.
- If you travel with kids: there is a big playground area.
- There are dedicated places for camper vans/cars with trailers at the beginning of the parking lot.
- It can get really crowded during high season. Especially when you travel with a big camper van or with a trailer make sure you don’t arrive around noon. If you are a small camper van please go to the front of a parking space so that another small camper van can park behind you (big thanks to the one who did this when I visited which allowed me to find a spot).
