Oslo Cycling — Son Loop
About this Route
← Oslo & Oslofjord Cycling GuideThe favourite route of many Follo cyclists — and for good reason. From the Oslo Opera House, this 118-kilometre loop takes you through the very best of Follo's quiet countryside roads, passing the charming villages of Kråkstad, Kroer and Garder on virtually traffic-free lanes before arriving at the idyllic coastal town of Son.
Son is the highlight of the route and deserves a proper stop. Hagestua serves excellent food and drinks right by the waterfront, while Håndverksbakeriet is the place for outstanding baked goods — grab something and find a spot along the harbour. With 1,307 metres of climbing on rolling Follo terrain, this is a proper hard day out that rewards with some of the finest cycling roads in the Oslo region.
This is my favourite long ride out of Oslo — the one I keep coming back to when I want a proper day in the saddle. Something about the combination of quiet Follo roads, a real destination halfway, and enough climbing to feel earned makes it hard to beat.
The first section climbs out of the city and into the farmland of inner Follo. It takes a while to shake the urban feeling, but once you're through the southern suburbs the roads change completely. The stretch through Kråkstad, Kroer and Garder is the heart of the outward leg — narrow lanes, virtually no traffic, rolling terrain through open fields and forest edges. On a late summer morning with the corn standing tall on either side, it is some of the finest cycling anywhere near Oslo.
Son arrives around the halfway point and it earns a proper stop. It's a genuinely lovely place — white wooden houses, a small harbour, a relaxed pace that feels nothing like a day trip from the capital. I usually go to Hagestua for food and something to drink by the water, or pick up something from Håndverksbakeriet and find a spot along the quay. Either way, don't rush it.
The return starts gently enough, but a steady three-kilometre climb comes early — and on café legs from Son, it has a habit of feeling harder than it should. From there the route follows the quieter road through Pepperstad skog rather than the busier alternative via Vestby kirke — calmer, and better cycling. The landscape opens up into vast fields through this section, proper agricultural Follo at its finest. As you approach Drøbak the roadside strawberry fields appear — if it's the season, stop and buy some. It's worth it every time.
Klommesteinveien is a late highlight worth looking forward to. It starts on a barely-there downward gradient — just enough to build speed naturally — then rolls over a series of small crests where you can carry momentum if you time it right. A good stretch to push the pace when the legs are still willing.
The route finds the sheltered path alongside Gjersjøen for the final approach to Oslo — smooth tarmac, calm water, a welcome change of rhythm after the climbing. The second half of this ride demands respect: well over 550 metres of climbing on tired legs. Leave Son well-fuelled.
Kilometre by Kilometre
Leave the Opera House heading south. The first 25 km gain around 370 metres — the city exit is not flat. The route passes through the southern suburbs before the roads open up into the quiet farmland of inner Follo.
The finest section of the outward leg. Narrow lanes through Kråkstad, Kroer and Garder with virtually no traffic — rolling terrain through open fields and forest edges. The road descends to the coast as you approach Son.
The natural midpoint and the highlight of the route. Hagestua serves excellent food and drinks right by the waterfront. Håndverksbakeriet has outstanding baked goods — find a spot along the harbour. Allow time here.
A steady three-kilometre climb comes early on the return — café legs from Son will feel it. The route follows the quieter road through Pepperstad skog rather than the busier alternative via Vestby kirke. The landscape opens into vast open fields. As you approach Drøbak, roadside strawberry fields appear — buy some if it's the season.
Klommesteinveien is a late highlight — the road tilts ever so slightly downhill at first, just enough to get the speed up, then rolls over a series of small crests that reward good timing and pace. The route then finds the sheltered path alongside Gjersjøen: smooth tarmac and calm water before the final roll back to the Opera House.
Gallery
Route map & elevation profile
Key Climbs
Highlights
- •Son at km 64 is the turning point and the real object of the ride. The harbour, the old wooden houses and two good stops right by the route.
- •Kråkstad at km 36, Kroer at km 44 and Garder at km 52 are tiny villages with almost no traffic. Fv60 through Kroer is one of the best-known stretches for cyclists in Follo, and it is these roads that make the loop worth riding.
- •This is a true loop. You ride 118 kilometres without taking the same asphalt twice.
- •Kongsveien straight out of the city is the route's only categorised climb. 1.9 kilometres at 4.9 per cent, and you are at 111 metres after three kilometres.
- •Klommesteinveien between km 84 and 86.5 comes late and tilts slightly downhill. A good way to finish a long day.
Must know
- ⚠Kongsveien is closed to cyclists until the end of October 2026. The detour runs Mosseveien to Ljabru and up to Nordstrand — same effort, different road, but you miss the view from Ekeberg.
- ⚠The second half is harder than the first. 566 of the route's 1,307 metres of climbing come after km 59, and the longest continuous climb arrives four kilometres past Son.
- ⚠Son at km 64 is roughly halfway, and the natural stop on the loop. 64 kilometres out and 54 home — plan the day around that.
- ⚠Son gets busy on warm weekends and the harbour fills up. Start early if you want a seat.
- ⚠Best from April to October. Spring mornings bite this far south of Oslo — dress in layers for the first hour.
Café & Water
- km 63.8Hagestua
Right by the route in Son, by the water. Good food and drink, and the natural lunch stop halfway round. If you would rather have something quick, Håndverksbakeriet a couple of hundred metres away has very good baked goods but no seating inside — find a bench along the harbour.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the route?
- 118 kilometres with 1,307 metres of climbing, from the Opera House and back. Allow five to seven hours including stops.
- Why is it marked hard?
- Not because of the climbs; the highest point is 172 metres. It is the combination of 118 kilometres and the climbing bunching up in the second half.
- Can I ride it now?
- Yes, but Kongsveien is closed until the end of October 2026. The detour goes via Ljabru and up to Nordstrand, and costs about the same.
- Where can I stop?
- Son at km 64 is the natural stop, roughly halfway. Hagestua is by the water, and Håndverksbakeriet a couple of hundred metres away.
- Is it the same road back?
- No. The route is a true loop with no repeated roads — you come home a different way from the way you set out.
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