Briksdal Glacier P&O tour - anyone done it?

Hello,

Looking at the P&O tours in the Norwegian fjords, can anyone advise on the Briksdal Glacier tour? I like the idea of hiking from where the coach drops you off, but am a bit anxious about the coach ride to get there. I have a very bad fear of heights & vertigo, so need to know whether the coach ride is likely to be manageable for me or not.

The website says the drive is through the valley (which would be fine.) Is this correct? If it's actually hairpin bends over the mountains, I would be in a terrible state by the time I got there. I did email P&O through their website a few days ago but haven't had a reply.

Thank you.

I have done this journey in a minibus and don't remember any scary episodes at all, but I don't have a fear of heights. My recollection is of a drive through the valley and then driving up into the mountains, but no awful hairpin bends. You could put this question on the Europe/Norway boards? There is a really helpful Norwegian poster on there... user name Galaxy or similar I think - who is connected to the Port of Olden. Am sure he will help.

I have done this journey in a minibus and don't remember any scary episodes at all, but I don't have a fear of heights. My recollection is of a drive through the valley and then driving up into the mountains, but no awful hairpin bends.

Ditto!

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It's a fairly gentle drive alongside the lake through the valley bottom, surrounded by the fabulous scenery and then climbs a little to the coach drop-off point. The only hairpin bend I can recall is on the walk up to the glacier, but I don't remember any vertigo-inducing drops away from it.

I think the tour speaks of approx a 45 min walk along uneven ground to get to the glacier - what is your experience of the time estimate (I find they often err on the side of exaggeration presumably to avoid complaints) and the terrain? I think there is another trip which includes some kind of vehicular transport from the bus to a point closer to the glacier - has anyone done that? And also how impressive is the glacier once you get there? I understand it's receded a lot over the years. Thanks for any help with these questions - I'm very undecided as to what to do.

We took a minibus from the quayside up to the Briksdal carpark and then we walked right up to the glacier. I would describe it as pretty steep and un even terrain and which could be quite a challenge for people not used to walking up hills. I would definitely suggest trainers or comfortable closed in walking shoes too. On the way down, there were patches where you could slide a bit. There was the alternative to the gravelly path of walking on the road behind the troll cars, but please be aware that these give off awful diesel fumes and walking behind them at any time was not nice. I would say that 45 mins each way was a reasonable assessment, allowing for different paces and individual's need to rest. The Troll Car can be booked in advance or from the car park on the day, depending on how busy it is. We could have booked the day we went, but I have heard others say they weren't able to. If you take the Troll Car, it does not go right up to the glacier. You do have to walk a further 10 minutes or so and again on uneven ground. Re the question of was it worth it? I thought it was. Even though the glacier has receded a lot in recent years, it was very interesting to see just how much from the info boards around and it was wonderful to be up there nice and high with the cutting clear fresh air and admire it from close quarters.

Thanks Scriv for your extremely helpful and informative reply. Do I take it that you did this independently just picking up the minibus dockside and that it was a local tour firm and not a P&O excursion?

Yes indeed. I will try to find the link for you. The tourist office/ Visitor Centre for booking the minibus shuttles is just as you get off the gangway on the pier at Olden. The minibuses run throughout the day and there is no need to book in advance. Actually I'm not sure you can. It is all very well organised and reliable and significantly cheaper than the organised coach which takes you to the very same car park as the shuttle. The only difference I could make out was that the P&O coach had coffee and cake included... ;). Olden is very well organised re the cruise ships and also usually gives a magnificent sail away with the tourist office's staff and the drivers standing waving you off........ http://www.cruise-norway.no/Ports/Olden/ .................... and http://www.portofolden.com/ .......... and then there is this website, which I think is the one we used : https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/briksdal-glacier/3571/

Thanks again for the excellent info. Much appreciated. :)

Anytime :) .... PS There is a public bus that goes to the glacier car park too, but that only runs from June. It stops at the dock too.... to the left when you get off the ship and head towards the road to a crossing. The bus stop is there. I don't know when you are going, but the bus did not run when we were there in May, so I haven't got personal experience - have just read about it.

We're on Arcadia in July so we shouldn't have a problem with the service running then so a couple of options available to us. We've done the Fjords/North Cape itineraries several times but not been to a few of the destinations offered on this cruise so we're really pleased to be visiting some old favourite ports of call but also really looking forward to seeing some new ones too - and as you can tell I'm gathering info on what to do on those I'm unfamiliar with. Thanks again for your input.

Thank you for the reassurance re the coach drive.

I have a feeling when we went, there were some sort of carriages, it was back in 2003 ish and I remember lots of them carrying oriental tourists covered in rugs and masks. I found it quite amusing because I was in a vest jogging the route (back in super-fit days I couldn't do it now, unless someone rolled me [emoji23]). I was able to climb the glacier, I'm not sure if that's allowed now. What a wonderful cruise that was [emoji4] hope you have a fab time x

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Thank you for the reassurance re the coach drive.

Good luck, I don't recall anything where I felt vulnerable and I'm quite risk averse about such things.

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Hello,

 

Looking at the P&O tours in the Norwegian fjords, can anyone advise on the Briksdal Glacier tour? I like the idea of hiking from where the coach drops you off, but am a bit anxious about the coach ride to get there. I have a very bad fear of heights & vertigo, so need to know whether the coach ride is likely to be manageable for me or not.

 

The website says the drive is through the valley (which would be fine.) Is this correct? If it's actually hairpin bends over the mountains, I would be in a terrible state by the time I got there. I did email P&O through their website a few days ago but haven't had a reply.

 

Thank you.

I really suffer with a fear of heights..and always check with the tour people before I do any coach trips.....did the P & O tour and there was absolutely nothing to worry me. We did the hike up...didnt use the troll car. As a relatively unfit lady with knee problems...I still managed it fine. The coffee and cakes are to die for!

Thank you everyone,,I've been pondering about the troll car version of the glacier trip this very afternoon,,now I shall get it booked!

This is the link you need about the public bus.

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2233136

We did it in July 15 without any problems, I think it starts in June and goes though until the end of August.

We did the P&O tour and the bus journey is very scenic along the lake. The steepest bit is the car park.

We booked the tour with the troll cars, and I have to admit I was glad we did. Lots of people say the Glazier has retreated but as I didn't see it then I was still very impressed.

One tip if you go independently and want a troll car I would check how many ships are in port as when we arrived about 10am they were booked until 1pm. Coaches had also arrived from a different port.

But please don't expect to be near a wonderful bluey white magnificent glacier. It is now quite a poor dirty specimen. Such a shame.

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I was able to climb the glacier, I'm not sure if that's allowed now.

No, you're not allowed to climb on the glacier now, the nearest you can get to it is across a corner of the lake. If I remember correctly the glacier tongue was fenced off.

Please ignore this post and delete if possible. Unintended duplicate. Whoops

No, you're not allowed to climb on the glacier now, the nearest you can get to it is across a corner of the lake. If I remember correctly the glacier tongue was fenced off.

Same when we went . A huge piece of ice fell down about 20 mins after we had been up at the lake. I guess that's why we are not allowed close access to the glacier now.

Hello everyone :)

I see there is some questions about trips to Briksdal Glacier.

There is shuttle bus going from the port,and its possible to book ahead if you like.

http://www.oldenadventure.com/en

Public bus is also possible. best from june 18 to august 19 with 4 daily departures ( 11:35 , 14:35 and 15:50 departure start at Olden school )

http://www.kringom.no/tourist-services.412581.en.html

And dont forget Loen Skylift open may 20 ( 6 min by bus/car from Olden.

https://hovenloen.no/english

Welcome to Olden,i hope you will enjoy your stay and cruise :)

We were there in June 15 on Celebrity Eclipse. We had planned on taking the local bus to the glacier but some cruise friends gave us their tour tickets as they were under the weather.

We were the only ship in port but the troll cars had a sign saying sold out, not that we wanted to take one. The walk is indeed about 45 mins. I wouldn't say it was strenuous as long as you can walk for 90 mins. There is a lovely waterfall about half way.

I have to say we were disappointed with the glacier. I've added a pic I took below this post and you can just see the tip of it over the top. The area below the glacier feels a bit strange, a bit like being in a quarry. We were disappointed and yet it had cost us nothing. We would have been more unhappy had we paid the ships excursion cost. We would have preferred to wander around Olden or indeed the new chair lift looks interesting.

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Hi Galaxy ..... As you see in my earlier Post #3 , I was hoping you would appear ! Hello! :) :) How are you all and how is Port of Olden? We really enjoyed our trip up to the Glacier with your minibuses and also the walk up to the glacier. On our first visit, we rode the little train and walked around the lake and visited the church too. We found it a wonderful place with a wonderful welcome from you all - and also a wonderful, though emotional, goodbye. I've been twice now with P&O and I do hope I will come again. :) :)