Finse

Last updated
Finse
Locality
FinseEdit.png
View of Finse in summer
Norway Vestland adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Finse
Location of the village
Norway location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Finse
Finse (Norway)
Coordinates: 60°36′06″N07°30′14″E / 60.60167°N 7.50389°E / 60.60167; 7.50389
Country Norway
Region Western Norway
County Vestland
District Hardanger
Municipality Ulvik
Elevation
[1]
1,222 m (4,009 ft)
Population
[2]
 • Total10
 Population of basic statistical unit Finse-Hallingskeid
Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
5719 Finse

Finse is a locality in the mountainous north-east of Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. Located on lake Finsevatnet, it is centered around Finse station, a railway station on the Bergen Line, which is the highest station of the Norwegian railway system at an elevation of 1,222 metres (4,009 ft) above sea level. As it is not reachable by road, and as the municipality is not otherwise connected by rail, Finse is not easily accessible from the rest of Ulvik or from elsewhere in the Hardanger region. According to Statistics Norway, the basic statistical unit of Finse-Hallingskeid, which includes several other nearby localities such as Hallingskeid station, had a population of 10 in 2023. [2]

Contents

In winter, Finse is a popular destination for cross-country skiing and other winter sports, while during summer it is a popular start point for hiking and bicycling trips. Tourist facilities include a hotel (Finse 1222), a hostel (Finsehytta) operated by the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT), as well as a number of private cabins. [3] Just west of Finse station, the railway passes through the Finse Tunnel, the longest tunnel on the Bergen Line. When opened, the tunnel replaced a section of rail that was frequently blocked by snow and difficult to clear, causing delays and cancellations on the railway. According to the BBC, explorers Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton all trained for their expeditions at Finse. [4]

Transportation

A Bergen Line train at Finse station 20160825 Finse sykler.jpg
A Bergen Line train at Finse station
Finse is the highest point of Norway's railroad system, at 1222 meters above sea level Finse trainstation Norway.jpg
Finse is the highest point of Norway's railroad system, at 1222 meters above sea level

Since there are no public roads linking Finse to the outside world, the railway provides the sole means of year-round motorised transportation to and from Finse. As of 2023, the long-distance trains between Bergen and Oslo called at Finse with four daily departures in each direction on weekdays. Apart from these long-distance trains, Finse is not served by any railway services. [5] Because the railway is the only means of transportation into or out of Finse, especially difficult weather conditions, rail accidents or damage to rail infrastructure can isolate it from the outside world. In 2020, a particularly difficult year, several separate incidents caused the Bergen Line to be closed for 4 days in total during the first three months of the year. These incidents included the destruction of an avalanche gallery and the derailing of a freight train, both occurring near Finse. The four days of closure equalled the total number of days without passenger traffic on the line during the previous decade. [6]

In summer, it is possible to walk or cycle to Finse on the Rallarvegen rail trail, which stretches from Myrdal station or Flåm to Finse's west to Haugastøl station to its east. Originally built around the turn of the twentieth century as an access road for the workers constructing the railway, Rallarvegen has been open to the public as a bicycle trail since 1974 following a volunteer effort in the 1960s and 1970s. Motorised vehicles are permitted only by application in order to prevent damage to the trail. [7] A railway navvy museum is located near the station, displaying exhibits concerning the construction of the railway line as well as two decommissioned snow-clearing engines which visitors are free to explore.

Recreation

During the winter, Finse is popular for cross-country skiing, snowkiting (due to its location on the edge of the frozen lake Finsevatnet) and expedition training. The ill-fated Scott expedition to the South Pole trained here, and outside the hotel there is a monument to those that died.

There is one small drag lift which allows downhill skiing on one slope back into town. In summer, the recreational focus switches to mountain cycling (including on the aforementioned Rallarvegen trail) and hiking, including glacier hiking on the nearby "blue ice" glacier Hardangerjøkulen, the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway.

Research

Owing to its high altitude and cold climate, Finse is a centre for teaching and academic work on high-altitude biology. [8] It is home to the Alpine Research Center operated by the University of Oslo and the University of Bergen. The research centre began its work in 1972, initially under the title of the High Mountain Ecological Research Station. The Centre hosts numerous workshops, conferences, and research projects from both Norwegian and international institutions. It is part of the EU funded International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT). [9]

Climate

A train arriving at Finse station in 1948 Finse - no-nb digifoto 20160209 00439 NB MIT FNR 05700, contrast edit and crop.png
A train arriving at Finse station in 1948

Located at a high altitude, Finse has an alpine tundra climate (Et in the Köppen climate classification). The wettest season is late summer and autumn, and the driest season is spring. The closest weather station is Finsevatn, which has been operating since in 1993 and is located about 1.5 kilometers south-east of Finse station. There is usually snow on the ground from late October or November to late May or June.

Climate data for Finsevatn 1991–2020 (1210 m), extremes 1980-present
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)6.6
(43.9)		16.0
(60.8)		10.5
(50.9)		20.8
(69.4)		19.6
(67.3)		22.1
(71.8)		23.7
(74.7)		24.2
(75.6)		17.7
(63.9)		16.2
(61.2)		8.4
(47.1)		6.7
(44.1)		24.2
(75.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)−6.1
(21.0)		−5.4
(22.3)		−3.3
(26.1)		1.2
(34.2)		4.8
(40.6)		9.2
(48.6)		12.5
(54.5)		11.5
(52.7)		7.6
(45.7)		2.7
(36.9)		−1.7
(28.9)		−4.1
(24.6)		2.4
(36.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)−8
(18)		−8.7
(16.3)		−7.2
(19.0)		−3.5
(25.7)		0.5
(32.9)		4.5
(40.1)		8.6
(47.5)		8.3
(46.9)		4.9
(40.8)		−0.6
(30.9)		−4.4
(24.1)		−7.4
(18.7)		−1.1
(30.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−11.2
(11.8)		−11.6
(11.1)		−10.6
(12.9)		−7.9
(17.8)		−2.6
(27.3)		1.4
(34.5)		5.5
(41.9)		5.6
(42.1)		2.6
(36.7)		−1.9
(28.6)		−6.3
(20.7)		−9.7
(14.5)		−3.9
(25.0)
Record low °C (°F)−38.1
(−36.6)		−33.2
(−27.8)		−34.3
(−29.7)		−29.6
(−21.3)		−20.0
(−4.0)		−8.0
(17.6)		−3.7
(25.3)		−9.5
(14.9)		−7.1
(19.2)		−21.5
(−6.7)		−28.1
(−18.6)		−34.1
(−29.4)		−38.1
(−36.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)76
(3.0)		62
(2.4)		59
(2.3)		44
(1.7)		51
(2.0)		72
(2.8)		90
(3.5)		111
(4.4)		130
(5.1)		111
(4.4)		87
(3.4)		75
(3.0)		968
(38)
Source 1: yr.no/Met.no (normals) [10]
Source 2: infoclimat.fr (extremes) [11] [12] [ better source needed ]

In culture

Finse in winter FinseInWinter.jpg
Finse in winter

Finse, including the Finse tunnel and the hotel Finse 1222, is the setting of Anne Holt's 2007 novel 1222.[ citation needed ] It is also the setting for the climax of the 1948 Hammond Innes novel The Blue Ice.[ citation needed ]

For the 1980 movie The Empire Strikes Back , the second feature film of the Star Wars franchise, Finse was used as filming location for several scenes taking place on the ice planet Hoth. The hotel at Finse hosted the production crew during filming, and a festival for Star Wars fans was held there from 2017—2020. [13] [14] According to the official PlayStation account on Twitter, the team behind the 2015 video game Star Wars Battlefront went to Finse to film in preparation for building the game's Hoth map. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulvik</span> Municipality in Vestland, Norway

Ulvik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to the mountains that reach 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above sea level. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ulvik. The villages of Osa and Finse are also located in Ulvik municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Norway</span> Overview of rail transport in Norway

The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,109 km of 1,435 mm track of which 2,644 km is electrified and 274 km double track. There are 697 tunnels and 2,760 bridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bergen Line</span> Railway line in Norway

The Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway, is a 371-kilometre (231 mi) long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, where the passenger trains go, a distance of 496 kilometres (308 mi). It is the highest mainline railway line in Northern Europe, crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft) above sea level.

Geilo is a centre in the municipality of Hol in Buskerud county, Norway. Geilo is primarily a ski resort town, with around 2,500 inhabitants. It is situated in the valley of Hallingdal, 250 km from Oslo and 260 km from Bergen. The Bergen Line facilitated Geilo's development as the first skiing resort in the country, and it is still one of the largest. It is also known for having some of the most luxurious and expensive holiday cabins in Norway. The center of the town lies at 800 meters above sea level, and its highest point is 1178 meters above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flåm</span> Village in Western Norway, Norway

Flåm is a village in the Flåmsdalen valley which is located at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjorden, a branch of Sognefjorden. The village is located in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. In 2014 its inhabitants numbered 350.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hallingskeid Station</span> Railway station in Ulvik, Norway

Hallingskeid Station is a train station on the Bergen Line in the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. Located at an elevation of 1,110 meters (3,640 ft) above mean sea level, the station is situated inside a snow tunnel. It opened along with the central section of the line on 10 June 1908 and remained as a staffed station until 1982. It is located on the Hardangervidda plateau in an area without population or road access. The station therefore serves trekkers and mountaineers. Only some of the Vy Tog trains stop at the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardangerjøkulen</span> Glacier in Norway

Hardangerjøkulen is the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Eidfjord and Ulvik in Vestland county. It is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northeast of the village of Eidfjord, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the village of Finse, and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of the village of Haugastøl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finsevatnet</span> Lake in Norway

Finsevatnet is a lake in the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The 3.14-square-kilometre (1.21 sq mi) lake lies just south of the village of Finse where Finse Station on the Bergen Line is located. The Finse Tunnel is located just north of the lake. The southeast side of the lake has a dam which regulates the depth of the lake for the purposes of hydro-electric power generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flakavatnet</span> Lake in Norway

Flakavatnet is an alpine lake on the border of Vestland and Buskerud counties in Norway. The 3.43-square-kilometre (1.32 sq mi) lake lies in the municipalities of Ulvik and Hol and the lake lies entirely within the Hallingskarvet National Park. The village of Finse lies about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest of the lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ustaoset</span> Village in Hol, Buskerud, Norway

Ustaoset is a village in Hol municipality, Buskerud, Norway. It is located on Norwegian National Road 7. Ustaoset is situated 990 m (3,250 ft) above sea level and is the finish for the cross country ski event Skarverennet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asker Line</span> Railway line in Norway

The Asker Line is a 9.5-kilometre (5.9 mi) railway line between Asker and Lysaker in Norway. The line runs along the same corridor as the Drammen Line, offering increased capacity, speed and regularity on the rail network west of Oslo. The first part opened in 2005, and in 2011 an extension opened from Sandvika to Lysaker. Original plans called for an extension to Skøyen, but from 2020, new planning is under way for an extension all the way to Oslo Central Station. Most of the railway is in tunnel and is dimensioned for 160 km/h (99 mph) running. The entire railway is electrified at 15 kV  16.7 Hz AC. The first section cost 3.7 billion kr, while the second is budgeted at NOK 2.7 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-speed rail in Norway</span> Overview of the high-speed rail system in Norway

Opened on the 8th of October 1998, the only high-speed rail in Norway, on the railways of Norway is on Gardermobanen, a 64 kilometer line between Oslo Central Station and Eidsvoll via Oslo Airport. The main service on this route is Flytoget, commuting between Oslo Airport and the metropolitan areas of Oslo at speeds of up to 210 km/h (130 mph). It was extended westwards to include the city of Drammen in 2008, though not at high speed. The high-speed section is also used by express and regional trains between Oslo and Eidsvoll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randsfjorden Line</span> Railway line in Norway

The Randsfjorden Line is an 87-kilometre-long (54 mi) railway located in Buskerud in Norway connecting Drammen to Hønefoss and Jevnaker in Akershus county. The railway is primarily used for passenger trains, and the only scheduled trains on the stretch are Vy Tog express trains on the Bergen Line between Oslo and Bergen. Freight trains to Bergen go to Hønefoss via the Gjøvik Line. The railway is owned by Bane NOR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finse Tunnel</span>

The Finse Tunnel is a 10,300-metre-long railway tunnel west of the village of Finse in Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel is part of the Bergen Line between the cities of Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest tunnel on the line, and the third longest railway tunnel in the kingdom. Inside the tunnel, at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft) elevation, is the highest point on the Norwegian railway network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Follo Line</span> High-speed railway line in Norway

The Follo Line is a 22-kilometre (14 mi) high-speed railway between Oslo and Ski, Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finse Station</span>

Finse Station is located in the mountain village of Finse in the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The station is served by up to seven daily express trains in each direction, normally three per day and one overnight trains, all operated by Vy Tog. The Finse Tunnel begins just west of the village and the Rallarvegen goes through the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringerike Line</span> Proposed high-speed railway line between Hønefoss and Sandvika, Norway

The Ringerike Line is a proposed 40-kilometre (25 mi) extension of the Bergen Line from Jong, Sandvika to Hønefoss, Norway. In 2022, the project was postponed; the government has no commitment to any timeframe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rallarvegen</span>

Rallarvegen is a construction/access road in central Norway that is now popular as a recreation trail for bicyclists. It was built from 1902 to 1904 in connection with the construction of the Bergen Line. The road is maintained by the Norwegian National Rail Administration as an access road for the railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rail transport in Norway</span>

The history of rail transport in Norway had begun by 1805.

Bane NOR SF, formerly Jernbaneverket, is the Norwegian government agency responsible for owning, maintaining, operating and developing the Norwegian railway network, including the track, stations, and the majority of other infrastructure assets.

References

  1. ↑ "Finse, Ulvik" (in Norwegian). yr.no . Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "04317: Befolkning, etter grunnkrets, statistikkvariabel og år". Statistics Norway. Statistics Norway. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Store norske leksikon. "Finse" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "The search for a new Earth". BBC. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "Finse stasjon". www.banenor.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Bane NOR. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Johansen, Even Norheim (29 April 2020). "Bergensbanen like ofte stengd på éin vinter som dei siste ti åra til saman". NRK (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "Søknad om køyring på Rallarvegen". Bane Nor. Bane Nor. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Kolbjørnsen, Mia. "A feeling for snow". University of Bergen. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013.
  9. ↑ Tidemann, Grethe (2010). "UiOs forskningsstasjon på Finse: Undervisning på høyt nivå" (in Norwegian).
  10. ↑ "yr.no statistics Finse". yr.no. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Normales et records pour la période 1991 -2020 à Finsevatn". infoclimat.fr. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Normales et records pour la période 1991 -2020 à FINSE III". infoclimat.fr. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "Visit Hoth". teodor.no. teodor.no. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Farestveit, Elise (19 February 2017). "Her er Finse tilbake som isplaneten Hoth". NRK (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Star Wars Battlefront team filmed the icy blizzards of Finse, Norway while building Hoth". X (formerly Twitter). PlayStation on X.com. Retrieved 10 December 2023.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.