Walking the Treungen Line
| Distance: | Duration: | Terrain: | Level: | Type: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 km | 4 hours | Gravel road | Medium | Hikes |
The part of the Treungen Line between Gaukås and Treungen is suitable for biking and hiking. You will pass beautiful station buildings, water towers and a spectacular stone arch bridge along the rail trail.
Høgefoss Bridge. Photo: Erlend Garåsen
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Water tower at Gaukås
The route starts at the county boarder between Agder and Telemark. On the eastern side of the national road you follow the corridor through a birch forest. After one kilometre you will see one of the highlights of the trip — the water tower at Gaukås. The old station was located south of the water tower, but it burned down in 2008 and just the platform remains today.
Høgefoss Bridge
After a kilometre you will pass another highlight — the 58-metre Espebu Tunnel. The trail continues through a hilly area with high rock cuts until you reach the impressive Høgefoss Bridge.
Unsafe route
The cycle route continues on a new trail along the national road towards Tjønnefoss station. The Treungen Line originally went on the opposite side, and you can see clear signs of this. It bends left and continues into the woods. Do not follow it, as the bridge is removed where the route crosses Rauåna.
Tjønnefoss Station
The station building is now a tavern called Tjørullkroa, and inside you will find several old photos of the line. The Treungen Line continues as a woodland road along Breidungen lake, which was dammed up when Tjønnefoss Power Plant was built in the 1960s.
Treungen Station
The trail crosses Fiskåna over a bridge before it joins the national road. After 300 metres it crosses the national road and passes an old stone bridge. On the right you will see a tourist information board about Heimdalsvelgen Halt. After 500 metres, follow the gravel road to the left. You are now following the railway corridor through a forest the last kilometre to Treungen station. Most of the station buildings are preserved, and the most interesting ones are the engine shed and the water tower, which are located on the other side of the road Fjonevegen.
How do I get there?
Bus 131 from Åmli or Treungen to Gaukås, or Ekra, which is closer to the county border. If you are driving from Oslo, exit E18 towards Gjerstad and follow the county road 418. Then continue about five kilometres on the National Road 41 towards Vrådal until you arrive the county border. You can park outside the former Gaukås station.