Nigardsbreen
An arm of the Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on mainland Europe. The ice reads blue because it is pressed so dense that every other colour is swallowed, and it has retreated more than two kilometres since the 1930s — marker stones along the path show where the front stood in which year.
The facts
| Elevation | 300 m |
| Coordinates | 61.7000, 7.2333 |
| Time to allow | 4 h |
What to see
- Brevandring på Nigardsbreen Activity
With a guide, crampons and rope. Walking onto the ice alone is lethal — the glacier opens crevasses without warning. - Breheimsenteret Museum
- Stien til brefronten Hike
Marker stones along the path show where the ice stood in which year. It has retreated over two kilometres since the 1930s. - Båten over Nigardsbrevatnet Activity
In winter
The road to the glacier front and the boat across the meltwater lake run only in season. In winter, guided trips go into the ice caves instead, which is a different experience from walking on the glacier.
Month by month
| Month | Daylight | Day high | Wet days | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.3 h | -1.4 °C | 19 | Closed |
| February | 9 h | -1.4 °C | 16 | Closed |
| March | 11.7 h | 0.8 °C | 18 | Closed |
| April | 14.8 h | 5 °C | 15 | Closed |
| May | 17.6 h | 9 °C | 15 | Open |
| June | 19.5 h | 13.9 °C | 18 | Open |
| July | 18.6 h | 17.5 °C | 20 | Open |
| August | 15.9 h | 16.6 °C | 19 | Open |
| September | 13 h | 12.4 °C | 18 | Open |
| October | 10.1 h | 6.1 °C | 18 | Closed |
| November | 7.2 h | 1.1 °C | 17 | Closed |
| December | 5.3 h | -1 °C | 19 | Closed |
Background
Nigardsbreen (lit. 'the Nigard Glacier') is a glacier arm of the large Jostedalsbreen glacier. Nigardsbreen lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the village of Gaupne in the Jostedalen valley in Luster Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located just west of the Jostedøla river.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
On these routes
- Otta–Flåm — Besseggen, Galdhøpiggen and the Sognefjell road — straight through Norway's high mountains, from the Dovre Line to the Bergen Line.