First of all — you will not find the name Kvinå on the official map. The reason might be, that the railway tunnel through this mountain was important for the Norwegian military, before the new Finse tunnel was opened in 1993. Kvinå is an old, local name of the mountain passage for Rallarvegen, north-west of the lake Tågavatni. The name Kvinå, comes from the sound the wind makes in this windy place. The wind makes a complaining cry, it whines.
In the foreground of the photo is the peak of Kvinå, altitude 1338 meters above sea level. In the background, to the left, is a part of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier. To the right, 6 kilometers away, are the two peaks of Ramnabergnuten, altitude 1726–1731 meters above sea level. (Photo at 15:12:15, August 1 2006)
A nice view, with Rallarvegen climbing up the mountain to Kvinå. “Here I come, and here I go”, as Kvinå was the turning point for my bicycling on August 1, 2006. In view in this photo is also the lake Tågavatni at 1298 meters above sea level, and the mountain areas Memorge and Dyrhaugane. (Photo at 15:12:33, August 1 2006)
This photo shows snow at Kvinå, and in the background (6 kilometers away) the peaks of Ramnabergnuten at 1726–1731 meters above sea level. (Photo at 15:15:59, August 1 2006)
My camera pointed toward north-west when I took this photo. It shows the view from Kvinå toward the other side of the watershed. At the lowest level of the canyon Moldådalen, is the lake Låghellervatnet, altitude 1180 meters above sea level, with its outflow toward Flåm. The distance to Låghellervatnet is circa 3 kilometers. Behind my back, 300 meters toward south-east, was the lake Tågavatni, altitude 1298 meters above sea level, with its outflow toward Finse. I was standing on the watershed. The lake with the highest altitude, at 1232 meters above sea level, to the left in the photo, does not have a name on the map.
My photo also shows the beautiful lengthmen's house — at Grjotrust. Without a name on the official map, probably because of former military reasons. Grjotrust is the largest lengthmen's house along Rallarvegen. One can see Rallarvegen, and the old Bergen Railway track, next to Grjotrust. The long “silvery and gray tubes” are stone and snow shelters for the Bergen Railway at the lowest level of Moldådalen. That is also the point where the old and the new tracks of the Bergen Railway are rejoined. Lågheller is the place where the 10.6 kilometers long Finse tunnel comes out from the underground. (Photo at 15:18:21, August 1 2006)
This photo shows Rallarvegen at Kvinå. And in the background, the impressive Hardangerjøkulen glacier with a peak at 1863 meters above sea level. The lake is Tågavatni. (Photo at 15:18:52, August 1 2006)
This photo shows Kvinå, and Rallarvegen toward Grjotrust, Moldådalen, and Lågheller. My bicycle points toward Finse. And on the next web page there will be photos from my way back toward Finse. (Photo at 15:22:39, August 1 2006)