Kjenndalsbreen

Kjenndalsbreen descends from the Jostedalsbreen ice cap into the valley at the head of Lovatnet, and a toll road runs along the lake to a car park below it, from which a marked path of about twenty to thirty minutes reaches a viewpoint at the glacier's foot beside a meltwater river and waterfall. The ice front is blue where it has calved, streaked with dark bands of rock debris, and the amphitheatre around it is bare and recently uncovered, showing how far the glacier has pulled back within living memory. A cafe operates at the car park in season, and boat trips run up Lovatnet from Sande to connect with the walk. The valley holds snow late and the path can be wet.

The landscape

• The ice front - a blue calving face streaked with rock debris.
• The meltwater river - the outflow and waterfall below the glacier.
• The bare amphitheatre - ground uncovered by recent glacier retreat.
• The approach walk - a marked path over moraine from the car park.

When to go

June to September, when the toll road is open and the path clear of snow; earlier the valley is often still blocked. Clear weather matters, as low cloud hides the front entirely.

Practical notes

Going onto or under the ice is dangerous and prohibited; blocks fall and the front is unstable. The toll road is narrow, with a fee and limited parking. The glacier is well back from where older photographs show it, and the walk is longer than some guides state.

Nearby

Lovatnet runs the length of the valley below; Briksdalsbreen and the Loen Skylift are nearby.

Key facts