Unmissable Olden and the Briksdal Glacier

AKA Travelling With The Old’Uns in Olden

We recently explored the majestic Norwegian Fjords on our first ever cruise on Celebrity Silhouette. Our second port in Norway was picturesque Olden, with a visit to Briksdal Glacier

Ma Lee doesn’t often crack a funny. But when she dubbed this day ashore “travelling with the old’uns in Olden” it tickled me pink and I promised I’d give her credit. Who knew she had these latent copywriting skills? Give the woman her own blog.

An early morning wake-up call

If we thought yesterday’s alarm was set early we were in for a shock. Our alarm goes off at 5am. And then at 5:05am, 5:10am and 5:15am. At 5:20am we sleepily throw on all our clothes, and a couple more layers for good measure. It’s hardly the crack of dawn though. The sun has already been up about three hours. We are assured that the sail-in to Olden is one of the most spectacular sights, and to celebrate, the crew on the Celebrity Silhouette have opened up the helipad right at the front of the ship so that passengers can get the best vantage point. And what a view it is, as we sail along the Nordfjord and Innvikfjorden to Olden. My fingers are turning blue, and the wind is whipping my hair around my face but it is worth every freezing second.

Want to know more about packing for a Norwegian Fjords Cruise? You can find my (almost) perfect packing list here!

Mr Fletche and I head back to our stateroom for a quick snooze until a more sensible breakfast time. Ma and Pa Lee have been content watching the sail-in on Channel 1 from the comfort and warmth of bed. We have breakfast with one helluva view: verdant forests blanketing the foothills; trickling waterfalls glistening, illuminated by sunbeams; snow-capped mountains piercing the sky. And Olden itself looks like a toytown.

We locate Ma and Pa Lee, and head off to explore Olden and the Briksdal Glacier.

Olden is a tiny picturesque village, which may be small but packs a lot of a punch with its sheer beauty. I lose track of the number of times I say “wow”. Ma Lee is similarly dumbstruck. For once. There’s not that much to do actually DO in Olden so we decide to book a trip from Olden Adventure, right at the cruise terminal. Choice #1 is the Loen Skylift (850NOK, approx £63pp), although none of us are suitably dressed for a snow encounter. Choice #2 is a shuttle bus to the Briksdal Glacier (475NOK, approx £35pp), a 45 minute scenic drive with two hours at leisure. We opt for the latter; in fact, there is a bus leaving in a couple of minutes.

The Briksdal Glacier

Olden is the gateway to Briksdal Glacier, part of Jostedal Glacier which is the largest glacier on Europe’s mainland. Our bus journey takes us through incredible landscapes, past emerald green lakes and little red buildings so typical of Norway. Majestic mountains arise on either side, with shimmering waterfalls cascading down the sheer rock faces. There are so many gorgeous spots that we would have loved to explore a little more, but our driver is on a mission, confidently taking switchbacks at speed before depositing us in a car park, barking a pick-up time at us.

The views from the car park alone are stunning. One corner gives an incredible view of the Briksdal Glacier from afar, and the gushing waterfall opposite. There’s a large gift shop, and a restaurant, and a cafe. But we can’t spend two hours in a car park. The only way is up. Up, meaning a 2.5km ascent by foot, with an altitude gain of 200m. Ma Lee is not keen on this option. In all honesty, without proper walking shoes and more provisions, neither am I. But there is a second option. And the Troll Car Shuttle sounds so much more fun. We happily hand over 260NOK (approx £19pp) for a return trip in a souped-up golf buggy.

The upper Troll Car station is an easy 10-15 minute walk from the lake at the base of the Briksdal Glacier. Mr Fletche and I leave Ma and Pa Lee at a beautiful panoramic viewpoint whilst we carry on the rest of the way. Although the glacier has retreated in recent years, it’s still a spectacular sight. The bright blue is apparent within the ice creeping down the rock face. There’s something very humbling about standing on a glacial landscape, witnessing the power and drama of nature all around you.

I would highly recommend the trip to Briksdal Glacier, although whether the bus transfer is worth the money could be debated. An audio guide or a quick photostop at the emerald green Oldevatnet Lake would definitely have made this a more value-for-money experience. The Troll Cars were perfect when travelling with those less mobile – or when travelling with the old’uns in Olden (thanks Ma Lee, I’m getting my use out of this one!)

Exploring Olden

Our tour bus drops us off right at the cruise terminal – perfect timing for lunch on the Celebrity Silhouette. After lunch, we give Ma and Pa Lee a bit of free time to explore, and Mr Fletche and I head off through Olden village towards the beautiful red church that we spotted earlier from the bus. It’s actually one of two churches in Olden; the white cruciform “Old” Olden Church is now a museum. We pop to the large gift shop in the centre of the village, where I have to be stopped from purchasing every possible thing that has a troll or a moose on it. Olden also has the smallest – and coldest – beach in Norway! Who knew I’d be strolling on Norwegian sands?

Apart from visiting Briksdal Glacier there are other excursions that can be booked, with the Loen Skylift being the other popular option. But if you’re not heading out on an excursion then the very best thing to do in Olden is simply to relax and take in the spectacular surroundings.

Sailing away from Olden

Ma and Pa Lee wonder why I’m so insistent on getting a Sunset Bar seat on the starboard side of the Celebrity Silhouette for the sail away from Olden. I have heard rumours of a spectacular send-off from the locals, and I don’t want us to miss a second of it. Yes, there’s music. Yes, there’s flag-waving. But I won’t spoil any more for anyone else that fancies doing a similar trip. Just make sure you get a Sunset Bar seat, starboard side.

Our visit to Olden and the Briksdal Glacier was my very favourite day of our cruise. From the incredible early-morning sail-in to the smooth spontaneous booking of our excursion, and from the stunning glacial scenery to gorgeous views around the village, Olden never failed to take our breath away at every turn. And I think the old’uns would agree.