Norwegian Mountains

Torefjellet, 1050m
Gråtindane, 1104m
Vetle Havringsfjellet, 1019m

Fylke/Kommune : Hordaland/Kvam
Maps : 1215-I Norheimsund (Statens Kartverk, Norge 1:50 000)
Primary factor : Torefjellet: 157m
Primary factor : Gråtindane: 136m
Primary factor : V. Havringsfjellet: 41m
Hiked : Jun 2001,Aug 2004
See also : Ådni
See also : Fuglafjellet
See also : Skrott
See also : Kjetilsnuten
Torefjellet

Torefjellet

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Introduction

Torefjellet, Store and Vetle Havringsfjellet, Gråtindane and Ådni are located on a high ridge that runs from Norheimsund by Hardangerfjorden to Fuglafjellet - the highest mountain in the Kvamskogen region. Lake Myklavatnet is located west of this ridge and Vossadalen/Fitjadalen valleys on the east side.

While Torefjellet is fairly accessible from Sjusete above Norheimsund, Gråtindane is best reached from Fitjadalen via Øystese. You can additionally reach these mountains on a variety of routes from the west. The higher mountains Fuglafjellet and the Skrott massif takes away some of the views, but you have still a tremendous view towards Hardangerfjorden and the Folgefonna peninsula and glacier.

Primary factor:

Torefjellet (M711: 1050m, Ø.K: 1050,25m) has a primary factor of 157m towards the higher Gråtindane. The saddle is found northwest of Torefjellet on the high ridge. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), you cross the 895m contours on the high route, but not the 890m. The saddle height is interpolated to 893m.

Gråtindane (M711: 1105m, Ø.K: 1104m) has a primary factor of 136m towards the higher Fuglafjellet. The saddle is found between Gråtindane and Ådni. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), you cross the 970m contours on the high route, but not 965m. The saddle height is interpolated to 968m.

Vetle Havringsfjellet (M711: 1018m, Ø.K: 1019,5 ~ 1019m has a primary factor of 41m towards Store Havringsfjellet (which have an even lower primary factor towards Gråtindane). Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), you cross the 980m contours on the high route, but not 975m. The saddle height is interpolated to 978m.

Trail descriptions:

Notes: Class ratings are in reference to YDS. Click here for more information.

The trails described below are not necessarily the *easiest* trails to this mountain.

Sjusete - Torefjellet - Gråtindane (summer)

Difficulty : Class 1
Exposure : No
Comments : Mixed trail/off-trail
Distance : Approx. 4,5Km to Torefjellet
Distance : Approx. 8Km to Gråtindane
Time : Approx. 3-4 hours to Gråtindane (w/o pause)
Starting Elev.: Approx. 320m
Vertical Gain : Approx. 1200m (total)

Map of the area
Map of the area
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Detailed map
Detailed map
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Access

From Bergen, follow highway E16/RV7 towards Oslo. At the Trengereid junction, turn right onto highway 7. Follow highway 7 all the way to Nordheimsund by Hardangerfjorden. At Norheimsund, exit left towards "Sjusete". Follow a narrow and curved road up to Sjusete. You will find a large parking area here. Parking fee per June 2001 was NOK 20,-.

The route

The trail begins by a gate. Follow the wide gravel road around lake Sjusetevatnet (on the north side) and then upwards through a number of sheep gates. Just before the top of the road, exit right when you see the sign pointing towards Torefjellet. The trail is well used and visible at first, but up in the wetlands, the trail is harder to follow. But the direction is northeast all the way.

To your left, you have the Beindalen valley and to it's right, you have Torefjellet in clear view. Out of the wetlands, the trail agains becomes very visible, and it runs upward the southwest ridge on the mountain. The summit point is on the northeastern side of the mountain.

If you want to continue all the way to Gråtindane, and perhaps further all the way to Fuglafjellet (highest point on Kvamskogen, 1334m), set a northwestern course, go down from Torefjellet, cross over Vetle and Store Havringsfjellet before you reach Gråtindane. At this point, it is a steep climb (but not hazardous) down to lakes Fugladalstjørnane. From these lakes, you are at the foothills of Fuglafjellet and Ådni (1103m).

Notes from the June 2001 hike

A beautiful, but strenuous hike to Gråtindane across Torefjellet. Hiking time all together was 5,5 hours. Early June, it was still a lot of snow on top of the plateau. Even more strenuous with Troll in the backpack. Very nice wiews towards Hardangerfjord, Folgefonna glacier and Rosendal alps. In the west, great views towards Fotasperrnuten, Vesoldo in the south and Tveitakvitingen in the southwest.

Water found in Beindalen valley and on the way up to Vetle Havringsfjellet. Lots of sheep on the gravel road from the parking. I even saw a redfox in the middle of the crowd of sheep. Lots of sheep on the trail as well.

Pictures from the June 2001 hike

1. Torefjellet seen from the trail. (194KB) 2. Green landscape seen from Sjusete trailhead. (80KB) 3. Tveitakvitingen, 1299m, seen from Torefjellet trail (115KB) 4. Vesoldo, 1046m, seen from Torefjellet trail (98KB) 5. Calm sheep on the way up to Torefjellet (169KB) 6. Torefjellet summit. (85KB) 7. Torefjellet seen from Graatindane. (127KB) 8. Fotasperrnuten and Iendafjellet seen from Graatindane. (116KB) 9. Torefjellet seen from Havringsfjellet. (209KB) 10. Lake Myklavatnet seen on the way to Graatindane (189KB) 11. Fuglafjellet, Skrott and Manfjellet seen from Torefjellet. (473KB) 12. Hardangerfjord view from Torefjellet. (230KB) 13. Oystese (left) and Norheimsund (right) as seen from Torefjellet. (171KB) 14. Northern Hardangerfjord view from Graatindane (285KB)

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Fitjadalen - Gråtindane (summer)

Difficulty : Class 2
Exposure : No
Comments : Off-trail above Eivindsete
Distance : Approx. 6Km to summit
Time : Approx. 3 hours to summit (w/o pause)
Starting Elev.: Approx. 280m
Vertical Gain : Approx. 820m

Map of the area
Map of the area
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Detailed map
Detailed map
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Access

From Bergen, follow highway E16/RV7 towards Oslo. At the Trengereid junction, turn right onto highway 7. Follow highway 7 all the way to Nordheimsund by Hardangerfjorden. Continue northeast towards Øystese and turn left in the roundabout. Follow signs towards "Sjusete". In the Skårdalsvegen/Sjusetevegen junction, do not exit left towards Sjusete, but continue straight ahead. Further up, follow sign towards Fitjadalen. Follow this road until road end at lake Fitjadalsvatnet. The distance is approx. 6,2Km from the roundabout in Øystese to the parking at lake Fitjadalsvatnet.

The route

Follow the gravel road towards Vossadalen. The gravel road extends well beyond the last cabin and ends at a bridge by Botnane. Continue on the forest trail for a few minutes until you reach a bridge. Cross Vossadalselvi river via the bridge and continue on the forest trail that takes you to the old Eivindsete cabins. The trail ends here. Above Eivindsete, you see a steep ridge. The summit is in that direction, so find a good route up the ridge. It is recommended to walk a bit around on the left and then climb up to the right.

Next, you arrive lake Eivindsetetjørni. Above the lake, you yet again see a steep ridge up to your right. Find a good route up this ridge. At 1000m elevation, the terrain is all rocky. Maintain your general direction and find a route that you are comfortable with. Gråtindane summit is marked by a standing rock.

Trip Report Sep 04 2004

The plans kept changing frequently this Saturday morning. The alarm clock rang 06:00AM, and I took a look out the window. It was a grey and misty morning, so I ruled out Eggenibba near Byrkjelo, which was the original plan. I had Solnuten on Folgefonnhalvøya as backup, but when I saw the winds bend the trees, I decided I should seek wind protection in Vossadalen and go for Ådni - one of the very few summits in the Kvamskogen - Øystese region that was still on the to-do list. This meant I could sleep a few additional hours, which I did.

Passing Bjørkheim, I called my friend Ketil Vevle and asked if he wanted to come along for a hike. Doing so, I realized that going for Ådni was perhaps a bit too ambitious. But I was just as happy with a nice hike up Vossadalen. I've only seen the upper part of this valley during my hike to Kjetilsnuten (from the north). Now I got to see the southern part of this great valley connecting the Voss and Hardangerfjord regions.

Ketil was happy to come along, and 11:00AM, we left the trailhead in Fitjadalen. I talked to a couple of the locals about a route to Ådni. I had some hopes about being able to hike from Vossadalen directly up to the pass between Ådni and Gråtindane. Noone I talked to thought that would be a good idea, given the recent rain. That meant the only way to Ådni would either be across Gråtindane or via Fugladalen in the north. It was getting clear that Ådni wouldn't be reached today. It didn't matter a bit. I was much more happy with Ketil's company than a solo hike all the way to Ådni.

We reached Eivindsete 12:00PM and a group of other hikers followed shortly after, doing a loop hike in Vossadalen. After a 15min break we continued upwards. It was a strange weather. Very hazy, looking like it would pour down any minute. But the weather was stable. The route from Eivindsete to Gråtindane was strenuous, but eventually we reached the summit 14:00PM, 3 hours after we started. The weather on top was not pleasant. It was raining, and the wind was indeed noticeable. Ketil and I was looking towards Ådni. Ketil indicated that he could give it a try, alternatively wait for me. I told him Ådni was not on the agenda anymore, and that we should get down from the very unpleasant high ridge. 5 minutes after putting on all of the rain gear, both the wind and the rain had seased.

Troll had been walking for the most part and done his job well. We took it nice and easy down the mountain and was back at the car 16:30PM. By now, fog covered Ådni, and I had a feeling we were down just in time. I guess I was right, because it rained all the way back to Bergen. I didn't get Eggenibba, Solnuten or Ådni, but was quite happy with the trip. Even if I had visited Gråtindane before, this time it was done on a different route. That also counts for something.

Pictures from the Sep 04 2004 hike

Move cursor to read notes, and click on the images to see full version.
Some of the thumbnails may have been cropped to fit the format.

1. On the way up to Vossadalen (108KB) 2. Bridge across Vossadalselvi (202KB) 3. Odd sign (154KB) 4. Arriving Eivindsete (103KB) 5. Skrott seen from Eivindsete (132KB) 6. Group of hikers at Eivindsete (113KB) 7. Ketil above Eivindsete (110KB) 8. At lake Eivindsetetjorni (220KB) 9. On the way to Graatindane (163KB) 10. Break below Graatindane (132KB) 11. Below Graatindane summit (170KB) 12. Vossadalen (141KB) 13. Distinct rock (190KB) 14. Ketil and Troll arriving the summit (155KB) 15. Aadni seen from Graatindane (298KB) 16. Fotasperrnuten seen from Graatindane (205KB) 17. Graatindane summit, 1105m (99KB) 18. On the way down from Graatindane (219KB) 19. Troll refuses to go any further (118KB) 20. Kjetilsnuten (111KB) 21. Above lake Eivindsetetjorni (197KB) 22. Above Eivindsete (144KB)

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Pictures from other hikes:

1. Torefjellet, Store Havringsfjellet, Graatindane and Aadni seen from Kjetilsnuten (389KB) 2. View from the hike to Storegroeggi (473KB) 3. Torefjellet and Graatindane seen from Aadni (294KB) 4. Oystese mountains seen on the way to Jondal (421KB) 5. Oystese mountains seen on the way down from Folgefonna N (247KB) 6. Gråeggi summit views (part 1/2) (1204KB)

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