Lofoten cuts like a sickle into the Norwagian Sea along the 67th and the 68th latitude. The mountains are soft grassy green in the summer and black and snow white in the winter. Lofotveggen - the sheer Lofot wall rises with sea at both sides. The sea and the unbroken horizon is ever present.

The mountains in Lofoten are of vulcanic origin. The mountains are shaped by the last ice age. The sharp peaks goes up to about 1000 metres. Vestvågøy is rich in arrable land. The main Lofoten islands are from east to west - Austvågøy, Gimsøy, Vestvågøy, where Kvalnes is, Flakstadøy, Moskenesøy, Værøy and Røst. There is a continuous road connection from Fiskebøl to Å, a strech of 168 kilometre. Værøy and Røst are seperate islands.

The Golfstream which passes the Norwegian coast is what gives Norway a fairly hospitable climate and keeps its coast ice-free in winter. Other areas at the same latitude have tundra and permafrost. But the coastal climate means the weather changes quickly, and you might experience a row of dramatic changes in one single day. In the summer the sun is above the horizon 24 hours a day from 27th May to 17th July. Kvalnes is one of six inhabited places in Vestvågøy where you can see the midnight sun. In the winter there is still light although the sun doesn't come above the horizon. In the spring and autumn the days are long and the light beauteful and ever changing. The way the weatherand the sun's position always changes alters the wast landscapeand makes it look different every time you look.

The coastal climate means Lofoten has mild winters and cool summers. January and February are the coldest months with average temperatures of minus 1 degree. July and August are the warmest months with an average temperature fo 12 degrees. May is the dryest month. There is a big tidal difference. Three metres between low and high tide. Between the islands there are tidal currents. The most famous are Moskenesstrømmen between Lofotodden and Værøy. It has been written about by among others Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne. The tidal current closest to Kvalnes is Gimsøystrømmen.

There is a rich bird life in Lofoten. Particularly rich in sea birds like razor-bills, guillemots, cormorants, gannets, puffins, eiders and other ducks, oyster catchers, petrels and many more. And last but not least the white tailed eagle. On the hill right behind Kvalnes there are six white tailed eagles nesting every July. It is quite a sight to see the soaring eagles with their wing spans of more than two metres. At Røst and Værøy there are bird colonies and cliffs full of nesting seabirds. Lofoten is a paradise for the serious ornithologist as well as the amature bird watcher.

The sea birds are dependent of the fish in the sea. The Golf stream brings plenty of fish from the south and the Arctic waters bring other spieces from the north. Fish is the basis for all life in Lofoten. The fish is caught close to land. Cod is the most important fish, particularly the big cod called "skrei"which is caught during the short winter season from January to April. Apart from cod there are haddoc, pollack, catfish, monkfish, ling, sole, halibut and squid. You can often see seals, whales and killer whales. The flora in Lofoten is varied, although not spectacular. The close vicinity of shore, inland and mountains make it possible to see mountain flowers growing side by side with plants usually only found by the shore. What little there is of confier forest in Lofoten have been planted, the natural forest consists of birch, rowan and small willows.