Ljøbrekka - The mail route

You drive from Hellesylt towards Stranda, passing through the first tunnel, and find a well marked packhorse road on the left-hand side of the highway opposite the view point. The packhorse road winds its way up Ljøbrekka in 35 steep hairpin turns before comming  to Ljøsætra. From here , the terrain is easier on the north-west side of Nykkjevatnet (lake), before you head downhill Herdalsbrekka in 21 hairpin turns. Comming on the east side of the lake innermost in Herdalsbotn, and northwards to the cabin in Herdalen. 

If you come from the other side, from Stranda (Herdalen), the route is marked from the parking just before the tunnel entrance farthest up in Strandadalen.

History:

The mail route: At one time there were two farmsteads in Herdalen. They were rather out-of-the way, but this changed when the mail route across Ljøfjellet  was established in 1786. This was only a small part of the 800 km long post route between Bergen and Trondheim, but it was regarded as one of the most demanding parts. Mail carriers were one man from Ljøen and one man from Herddalen. During the winter , they had to haul themselves up and down from Herdalsbrekka, using a 245 m long rope. In 1862-63 a packhorse road was constructed up Herdalsbrekka and you could drive by horse sled. Four year later, the mail route  was abondoned, and the steam steamship took over the mail transport.