Radiumhospitalet - Bjørndal

Directions: Radiumhospitalet - Skøyen - Frognerkilen - Filipstad - Rådhuset - Bjørvika - Mosseveien - Nedre Bekkelaget - Ljan - Hauketo - Bjørndal

This route starts at Radiumhospitalet in the city district of Ullern and ends in the neighbourhood of Bjørndal in Søndre Nordstrand. It crosses the city of Oslo from west to south by the coast. Be aware that some road deviations were registered in the map due to works on the regular route by Bygdøy and Filipstad. Anyway, the GPS system may be responsible of more inaccuracies than these two eventualities.

You will start cycling down Gråbrødreveien, a low transitated street without cycle lane. Just before passing by Kikutkollen, a local wood over a small hill, you will find villa Ekely, last residence of Edvard Munch until his death. Turning down St. Georgs vei, you will end up on a pedestrian passage parallel to the tram lane until Hoffsveien. From there, a cycle lane will take you to Skøyen station.

From Skøyen station, take Hoffselvenpromenaden as a shortcut to reach the E18 route by the coast. You will get a glimpse of the Hoffselva river to the right as you cycle uphill after crossing Karenslyst Allé. Turning to the left, you will pass by Bygdøy, a fancy peninsula in the borough of Frogner where several museums and the King's farm are located. Oslo's harbour promenade will start at Frognerkilen's skatepark, and you will follow it most of the time until the mouth of the Alna river, between Grønlikaia and Kongshavn.

Back at Frognerkilen, follow the E18 route in direction to the centre. You will pass by the Frognerstranda harbour and have a view over the northwestern shore of Bygdøy, where the Oscarshall Palace and the Dronningen harbour are located. In front of it, the Kongen harbour, base of the Christiania rowing club, lays in your shore. Soon, you will arrive to Filipstad, a container port and dock for the Oslo-Kiel ferry. The picturesque building of Villa Filipstad will appear to your left as you approach the neighbourhood of Vika.

Cycling behind the recently opened National Museum, you will get to the City Hall Square (Rådhusplassen). You should be very careful not to gain too much speed downhill at this point, as there use to be many pedestrians and other vehicles (bicycles, e-scooters) on the way. Additionally, you ought not to invade the tramway crossing the square. You will leave the Nobel Prize Center, Aker Brygge and the harbour at Pipervika bay behind at your right, and pass down the walls of the impressive Oslo City Hall.

As you head uphill on Rådhusgata, you will pass by the Kontraskjæret park, just in front of the Akershus Fortress, one of the main tourist attractions in the city centre. Up the street you will cross Christiania Torv, the town's very first square, and continue right ahead down the street. In the intersection with Nedre Slottsgate, you may notice a red building with a cultural heritage signal on its front wall: the Old Town Hall, one of the oldest building in the city. Finally, just before getting to the end of Rådhusgata at Langkaia you will pass between the over 190-year-old Oslo Stock Exchange (Oslo Børs) building and the Havnelageret. At the time when the latter was built up, it was the largest concrete building in Europe.

Arriving to Bjørvika, the first thing you will see is the Opera House, the iceberg-like sculpture 'She Lies' floating on the waters of the fjord, and the new Munch-museum, Sørenga and the Ekeberg hill standing behind. You will start following the cycle signals in direction to Vinterbro, turning to the right in the intersection with Dronning Eufemias street, to pass by the Oslo Public Library, the Barcode tower blocks, over the mouth of the Akerselva river, until the water surface 'Tenerife' at the Oslo Medieval Park. Many seagulls, geese, ducks and swans flock at this place.

You will be heading southwards now, passing under the Sailor's School over Ekebergskråningen, with the Hovedøya and Bleikøya islands on sight in the fjord. Just after the mouth of the Alna river, and before the container port at Sjursøya, a bridge will take you up from Kongshavnveien to Mosseveien. Next, you will cycle down the street to Nedre Bekkelaget and pass by the harbours at Paddehavet, the water area around the Skilpadda ('Turtle') island, surrounded by the Ormøya, Malmøya and Ulvøya Islands. The following highlights on your way ahead will be the suspension bridge at Ulvøya and the beaches of Nordstrand and Vølund.

Finally, you will depart from the coast as you turn to the left up Ljabruveien. From here, the way will go uphill most of the time until the end of the route. The ascension will be worth the effort, as you will enjoy a beautiful view over Bunnefjorden, the fjord to the east of the Nessoden peninsula. On your way up, you will pass by the Ljan train station, and have finally a short break downhill between Herregårdsveien and Ljabru, with views to Liadalen, the valley carved by the Ljanselva river on its way to the fjord.

The last stage will go from Hauketo to Bjørndal. Take the pedestrian bridge over Nedre Prinsdals vei to reach the E15 trail, part of the network of public trails of the City of Oslo. The way will go in parallel to Gjersrudbekken, the main affluent of the Ljanselva river. Turn to the right by Bjørndal farm, just after the confluence of Bjørndalsbekken and Gjersrudbekken. You will be then on the E16 trail that will take you to the Bjørndal sports park and the end of this route.