Steindalsbreen

Steindalsbreen sits at the head of the Steindalen valley on the western side of the Lyngen peninsula, and the walk to it is the gentlest introduction to these mountains: about six kilometres up a broad valley on a marked path, two hours each way, with a modest climb and a hut at the halfway point. The route is also a lesson in glacial retreat, since markers along the valley show where the ice front stood in previous decades and the distance from the current snout is considerable. At the head the glacier tongue descends between rock walls with a meltwater river and lake below it. The valley holds birch forest at the lower end and open moraine above.

What you actually see

• The glacier snout - an ice tongue at the head of the valley.
• The retreat markers - signs showing where the ice front stood in past decades.
• The meltwater lake - a pool below the current front.
• The valley walk - birch forest giving way to open moraine.

When to go

July to September, once the valley is clear of snow; earlier the path is wet and the upper section can hold drifts. Clear weather matters, as cloud often sits on the ice.

Honest expectations

The path is easy but long, and the moraine section is rough underfoot. Walking on the ice is unsafe without equipment and guides. The glacier is much smaller than older photographs show, and the last stretch to the front has lengthened accordingly.

Nearby

Lyngseidet and the Lyngen ferries are along the fjord; Tromso lies west across the Ullsfjord.