Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
accessible but the most stunning glacier. Nearby residents grew alarmed in the
1990s when it advanced by 300m (984 ft.), but it now seems to be retreating.
The water flowing from the glacier forms a trio of lakes in the valley, which have
a dramatic emerald-green color. For a part of the jaunt up the glacier, you can take
a two-wheeled cart pulled by a
stolkjerre,
one of those sturdy-footed fjord horses.
Along the way you'll pass by a thundering waterfall. At the end of the track,
hikers may wander deeper into the glacier mass to a height of 1,700m (5,577
ft.), a distance of only 346m (1,194 ft.) above sea level. In summer the glacier
can be seen “pupping”—that is, giving birth to smaller chunks of ice that fall
from the mother lode.
Rides are available from
Oldedalen Skysslag
(
&
57-87-68-05
), costing
230NOK ($33) for adults and 115NOK ($16) for children, for the 15-minute
jaunt.
The best
organized tours
are conducted by
Briksdal Breføring
(
&
57-
87-68-00
) at the Briksdalsbre Fjellstove at Briksdalsbre, a small hotel. A 3-hour
hike on the ice costs 250NOK ($36). In summer there are five departures a day,
beginning at 10am, with the last one setting out at 4pm.
STRYN
Stryn was put on the map by British fishermen coming to catch salmon in its
waters back in the 1860s. Since then it has grown and developed into a major
tourist center in the fjord district. The
Stryn Sommerskisenter (Summer Ski
Center)
lies on the Tystigen branch of the Jostedalsbreen. This area offers the
country's best summer skiing, and is a popular setting for photographers cap-
turing beauties skiing in their bikinis. Its longest run stretches 2,100m (6,889
ft.), with a drop of 518m (1,699 ft.). In addition, some 10km (6
1
⁄
4
miles) of
cross-country ski tracks are offered. Lift tickets for 1 day cost 250NOK ($33),
and ski equipment is available for rent. For more information, call the center at
&
92-25-83-33.
The road to the ski center,
Gamble Strynefjellsvegen
, is one of the most
dramatic in central Norway, with hairpin curves. It goes past waterfalls, glacier
arms or tongues, and opens onto panoramic vistas at an altitude of 1,139m
(3,736 ft.).
OLDEN
This little resort makes a great launch pad for jaunts to the Briksdal glacier (see
above). In town you can visit
Singersamlinga
(
&
57-87-31-06
), which displays
the artwork of William Henry Singer of Pittsburgh, a famous American mil-
lionaire. Singer and his wife, Anna Spencer, spent summers in Olden from 1913
until the late 1930s. He was fond of painting landscapes of western Norway. The
house can be visited by appointment by calling
&
57-87-31-06.
The cost is
20NOK ($2.85) for adults, or 10NOK ($1.40) for children.
LOEN
A small fjord farming hamlet, this is a summer resort with many outdoor pur-
suits. It is also the site of some of the best accommodations in the area.
From Loen you can take one of the most scenic trips in the area to the beau-
tiful
Kjenndal Glacier
lying 17km (11 miles) along a glacial lake, the Lovat-
net. This is the least visited of the glaciers, and is less crowded in summer.
You can take a boat, the
Kjenndal,
going up Lovatnet from Sande and costing
150NOK ($21) per person, including a return bus from the Kjenndalstova Kafe
(
&
94-53-83-85
), a cafe-restaurant with some of the most panoramic views of the
area. The cafe is close to the Kjenndal Glacier, so you can soak in the backdrop of
