Væskestasjonen ligger ved løypetraseen.

Because -en is the usual definite ending for many masculine nouns in Norwegian.
So:

• en væskestasjon = a refreshment station / drink station
• væskestasjonen = the refreshment station / drink station

The same thing happens in løypetraseen:

• en løypetrase = a course route / trail route
• løypetraseen = the course route / trail route

Unlike English, Norwegian often puts the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

It is a compound noun:

• væske = liquid / fluid
• stasjon = station

So væskestasjon literally means liquid station, but in natural English it usually means something like refreshment station, drink station, or water station, especially in a race, ski event, or similar outdoor activity.

In Norwegian, ligger is very commonly used to say that something is located somewhere.

So:

• Væskestasjonen ligger ved løypetraseen = The refreshment station is located by the course

This often sounds more natural in Norwegian than using er.
Compare:

• Stasjonen er stor = The station is big
• Stasjonen ligger ved løypa = The station is by the trail

So er describes what something is like, while ligger often tells you where it is.

Yes, literally ligger is related to lie / be lying, but in Norwegian it is also very often used for location in a general sense.

For example:

• Oslo ligger i Norge = Oslo is in Norway
• Huset ligger ved sjøen = The house is by the sea

So even though the literal image is lies, you should often understand it as is located.

Ved usually means by, near, or next to, depending on context.

In this sentence, ved løypetraseen means that the refreshment station is by / near the course route.

It does not necessarily mean directly touching it. It usually suggests nearby location.

Compare:

• ved huset = by the house
• ved veien = by the road
• ved siden av = beside / next to

It is another compound noun:

• løype = trail, track, course, or route depending on context
• trasé / trase = route, line, course layout

So løypetraseen is something like the route of the trail/course or the course path.

In natural English, you usually would not translate every part separately. You would choose the most natural phrase for the situation, such as:

• the course
• the trail route
• the track route

This kind of long compound noun is very common in Norwegian.

Because Norwegian usually writes compound nouns as one word.

So:

• væske + stasjon → væskestasjon
• løype + trase → løypetrase

This is different from English, where similar expressions are often written as two words, like water station or trail route.

Writing them separately in Norwegian often looks wrong or can even change the meaning.

No, this is a very normal Norwegian main-clause word order:

• Væskestasjonen = subject
• ligger = verb
• ved løypetraseen = adverbial phrase of place

So the pattern is basically:

Subject + Verb + Place

That is very similar to English in this sentence.

A few sounds may feel unfamiliar to an English speaker:

• æ in væske sounds somewhat like the vowel in cat, but not exactly the same
• øy in løype is a distinctly Norwegian vowel combination and has no exact English equivalent
• sk in væske is pronounced like sh before certain front vowels, so væske sounds roughly like VESH-keh
• g in ligger is pronounced clearly

A rough, English-friendly guide:

• væskestasjonen ≈ VESH-keh-stah-SHOO-nen
• ligger ≈ LIG-ger
• løypetraseen ≈ LUR-peh-trah-SAY-en or LOY-peh-trah-SAY-en as a rough approximation

These are only approximations, but they can help you get started.

Yes, that would be understandable, and in some contexts it is possible. But ligger is usually the more natural choice when talking about physical location.

So:

• Væskestasjonen ligger ved løypetraseen = more idiomatic for location
• Væskestasjonen er ved løypetraseen = understandable, but a bit less natural in many situations

Norwegian often prefers verbs like ligger, står, and sitter where English might simply use is.

Because the definiteness is already built into the noun itself with -en.

So:

• ved løypetraseen = by the course route

Norwegian does not need a separate word like the here. The ending already does that job.

This is one of the biggest structural differences from English.