Driving from Oslo to Stavanger - Advice?

<p>I am taking my mother to Norway in June (she's the only one patient enough to be with me while I shoot!). We want to drive from Oslo to Stavanger rather than take the train. Has anyone made this drive, and which route would you suggest? We'd like to hit a few of the Stave Churches (and the Telemark area) but not sure of the most worthwhile route. We have the ability to stay the night on the way to Stavanger so any suggestions there are appreciated. We'll be headed to Bergen after Stavanger, and that leg of my trip is all set. </p>

<p>From Oslo to Stavanger there's a choice of going along the coast, or driving over the mountains. The coast saves you time, the mountains give you so much more. You will be seeing two stave churches (one of which is Norways largest) as you drive across the Telemark County, from east to west. The route I would recommend is as follows:<br>

From Oslo you follow E18 south to Drammen, where you turn west on E134. This road will take you to Notodden, where you will find <a href="http://www.heddalstavkirke.no/">Heddal Stave Church</a> . Continue on E134 until you reach Høydalsmo, where you turn soutwest onto road 45, which will take you to Eidsborg where you will find another stave church, but this is a small one and cannot compete with Heddal in size or beauty. Continue along the 45 to the bottom of the valley where you can stay at <a href="http://www.dalenhotel.no/">Dalen Hotell</a> , although it's a bit expensive ($350 for a double room). From Dalen you follow the 45 until it meets road 9 which you follow south. You now find yourself in the Setesdal Valley which seperates the forested hills and mountains of Telemark, from the more rugged and bare mountains of western Norway. A few miles south along 9, you turn west onto <a href="http://www.suleskarvegen.no/">Suleskarvegen</a> (the Suleskar Road), which will take you to Sinnes in Sirdal Valley. Here the road turns into 45 again (follow the sign towards Sandnes) and take you through Hunnedal Valley down to Byrkjedal, where you can have a nice dinner at Byrkjedalstunet. If you're not yet tired of narrow and winding norwegian roads, you can follow the 503, which will take you through Gloppedalsura, Northern Europes largest <a href="http://www.gjesdal.kommune.no/web/cmsmm6_5.nsf/lupgraphics/01%20Gloppedalsura%202.jpg/$file/01%20Gloppedalsura%202.jpg">scree</a> . Either that, or you can take the shorter route, which is to continue on 45. Both roads end up on E39 which you follow north to Stavanger.</p>

 

<p>Oh my gosh, this is great advice. I will check out this route for sure. Thanks!</p>