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Olden – Oldedalen:
Of the three short fjord arms in the innermost
reaches of the Nordfjord, the southernmost ends
at Olden. From there, the beautiful Oldedalen
valley stretches about 20 km inland, between
waterfalls, lakes and mountains topped by
glittering glaciers. Olden and its valley have
played host to thousands of visitors for more
than a century. It is the intense experience of
Nature that makes the area so attractive; its
wide range of fjords, mountains, lakes,
waterfalls and glaciers make Olden and Oldedalen
one of Norway’s most beautiful destinations. It
is no coincidence, therefore, that the first
tourists began to come here at the end of the
19th century; the first tourists were mostly
British, and usually from the aristocracy, who
had the time and money. They stayed out on the
fjord on their cruise ships, “the floating
hotels”, and set out on journeys of discovery up
the valleys. The British liked to call Norway
“The Northern Playground” and it was the
mountains and glaciers that fascinated them.
Then, as now, Briksdalsbreen glacier at the very
head of the valley was the great tourist magnet.
Briksdalsbreen and Melkevollsbreen glaciers
are
both tongues of the Jostedalsbreen glacier,
which descend into the Oldedalen valley. The
mountains in the Olden and Oldedalen area are
part of the Jostedalsbreen National Park,
created in 1991 and measuring 1,310 km2. Of the
total area, the Jostedalsbreen icecap itself
accounts for 487 km2. For hundreds of years, the
glacier was the main route for both two-legged
and four-legged travellers across to the Sogn
region on the other side. At the same time, the
advances of the glacier have caused both
accidents and natural catastrophes. The last
great advance began in the 1600s and lasted
until about 1770; this “Little Ice Age” was a
period of floods, avalanches, rockfalls,
landslides and icefalls caused by the movement
of the glacier.
Briksdalsbreen is one of the most popular
nature-based tourist destinations in Norway. As
many as 300,000 people visit the glacier in a
season. The idyllic road up to the glacier,
which was built in 1927/1928, snakes its way
though magnificent, lush scenery. On the lowest
of the bridges you can get a refreshing shower
from the spray from the foaming glacier river.
The walk up can be done on foot or in one of the
“Troll cars” run by Oldedalen Skyss A.S. Those
who want to get even closer can take a glacier
safari on rubber dinghies on the lake in front
of the glacier. Once you have experienced
Briksdalsbreen at close quarters, it is always
good to relax at the mountain lodge,
Briksdalsbre Fjellstove. Enjoy some good food
and drink or do a bit of shopping in the
souvenir shop.
We hereby welcome you all
to Olden and Oldedalen. |
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