Jostedalsbreen Glacier

Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier on the European mainland, a huge ice cap sprawled across the mountains of western Norway that sends around fifty tongues of blue ice down toward the fjords. Its arms, like Briksdalsbreen and Nigardsbreen, are among the most accessible glaciers in the country, reached by short valley walks.

History

The glacier covers 487 square kilometres, reaches 1,957 metres at Høgste Breakulen and is up to 600 metres thick, kept alive by heavy snowfall rather than by cold. It has around 50 arms, among them Nigardsbreen, Briksdalsbreen and Bøyabreen, and work on footpaths for tourists was under way by 1906 (Wikipedia, Jostedal Glacier).

Highlights

• The ice cap - the vast white plateau of ice feeding the valley glaciers.
• Glacier arms - the blue tongues of Briksdalsbreen, Nigardsbreen and others.
• Guided ice walks - roped trips onto the glacier with crampons and a guide.
• The glacier centres - visitor centres explaining the ice and the changing climate.

When to go

Summer, when the valley trails are clear and guided ice walks run; the glacier arms are best in the warm months. The ice is retreating fast, so views change year to year.

What to expect

You do not see the whole ice cap easily; you visit its arms, which have retreated markedly and keep shrinking. Walking on the ice must be done with a guide and proper gear, never alone. The valley walks to the tongues are easy, but reaching the region takes real driving.

Nearby

Briksdalsbreen and Nigardsbreen are its most visited arms; the Nordfjord and Sognefjord frame it.

Key facts