We were heading to Oldevatn Camping, near the town of Olden, where we’d be staying the night.
Our route took us through a long tunnel and along the shores of fjords and lakes. The scenery was stunning. We made a brief stop on the banks of a lake to eat our sandwiches.
Finally, we reached the town of Loen, which is at the easternmost end of the Nordfjorden, and from there we left the main road and on to the village of Oldren, where a large cruise ship was moored alongside the dock. Luckily, our destination was still a few kilometres further on.
I had booked us into a traditional camping ground on the banks of a lake. Although this was a campsite Although this was a campsite and was mostly occupied by camper vans they had some cabins, which is where we going to be staying. It was a beautiful location in a valley with steep mountains on either side. Above we could see the tops of the mountains and a glacier wedged in between the peaks.
Our cabin was basic, with one main room and a second bedroom with a bunk bed, but it was well equipped, and we’d only be staying here one night.
After dropping our stuff, we jumped into the car and headed to Briksdalsbreen Glacier as the weather was okay, and although we could have done it the following morning it was hard to tell what the next day would bring. Carpe diem!
We were only about 25 kilometres from Briksdalsbreen glacier, which is one of the most accessible and best-known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. It is located inside Jostedalsbreen National Park. Briksdalsbreen terminates in a small glacial lake, Briksdalsbrevatnet.
The size of Briksdalsbreen depends not only on temperature but is also strongly affected by precipitation. Although like most glaciers in Europe, the glacier has been in retreat. In the period from 1967 until 1997, the glacier expanded by 465 which attracted a lot of international attention in the 1990s, as it was growing at a time when other European glaciers were in decline.
It was a very pleasant drive along the side of the lake to reach the parking lot at the Mountain Lodge. As we’d arrived later in the day it was not too hard to find a parking lot. There are several hiking options available at the Briksdal Glacier, the most popular is a 3km trail from the Mountain Lodge along a wide and well-maintained trail. There are more adventurous routes right up to and onto the glacier for the more experienced hiker – which is not us.
The steepest part of the trail for us was right out of the carpark, but the rest of the way was a relatively gentle climb. For those who don’t like hiking or cannot, they offer rides in an off-road buggy.
Along the way, there were information panels that showed where the edge of the glacier was back in time, and we are talking 100, 200 years ago not millennia. It is scary to see how fast the glacier is retreating – I am glad we were here to see it before it disappears completely.
The path follows the river that flows from the lake at the bottom of the glacier. The rain over the last few days had amplified the water flow so in sections it was running fast and furious. At one point on the trail, about a kilometre in, there is the powerful Kleivafossen waterfall with a several metre drop, which soaks visitors crossing the bridge.
As we got closer there were viewpoints of the glacier. We’ve seen glaciers before in Alaska and Iceland, but we still get excited to see these wonders of nature that have carved the mountains and created the incredible scenery we’d experienced in Norway.
The trail eventually brought us to the rocky shore of the lake underneath the Briksdalsbreen Glacier, which was a bright green due to the minerals in the water from the glacial melt. We were now only a few hundred metres from the glacier itself, which was beautiful. It was still mostly overcast, but you could see the bright blue of the reflected light from the ice crystals inside the glacier. We found a quiet spot on a rock to stare up at the glacier for a few minutes of reflection.
Like the glacier, it was time for us to retreat.
On the way down we stopped a couple of times to look back. There was also a spot by the river where some goats were frolicking, which occasionally turned into something more aggressive. We were concerned one would end up in the fast-flowing icy waters, but they were very sure-footed.
We reached our car. The whole walk had taken us about 90 minutes and while not a difficult hike, it was good to have stretched our legs after the day’s driving.
On the way back to our cabin we made a brief stop at a pull-in along the lake to take some photographs of the blue lake waters against the backdrop of the mountains.
Getting to Briksdalsbreen Glacier
Tour
Taking a tour that includes transportation, entrance fees, and a tour guide is the most convenient way to visit Briksdal Glacier. It’s a 4-hour glacier excursion and is a great option if you’re coming from Olden or on a cruise as everything is taken care of for you.
Shuttle Bus
Alternatively, you can take the shuttle bus from Olden port. The drive takes about 45 minutes one way and once you reach the starting point of the hike, you’ll have two hours of trek up to the lake to view the glacier’s arm. The shuttle will be waiting for you in the parking lot and will transport you back to the port.
There are two departures for the shuttle bus. One departs at 9:30 am and returns at 1 pm, while the other leaves at 11 am and returns at 2:30 pm.
Note that the shuttle only operates from April 1st to November 1st.
Public Bus
There is a public glacier bus (115) that departs from Stryn to Briksdalbreen and stops at different villages along the way. It runs from May 15th to September 15th and departs at 9:45 am from Stryn station.
Car
Briksdalsbreen is easily accessible by car. You can park in two places: Melkevoll Bretun and the Briksdal tourist centre. The Melkevoll Bretun is primarily used for camping, and the Briksdal tourist centre is located next to the troll cars and marks the beginning of the national park.
We parked at the Briskdal tourist centre, which is the closest to the start of the walking path. The parking costs around 7 USD per day and 14 USD if you wish to spend the night with your campervan.