Towering over the tiny town, the Britannia tied up in the Nordic port of Olden.

Olden turned out to one of the best stops of our tour of the fjords. There is no need to go far to enjoy the towering mountains, lakes,  typically Norwegian farms and the tranquil beauty of this small settlement. In the morning we enjoyed a walk around Olden. There is not a lot to do but the Old and New churches are worth a visit. They are quite different from each other but both exhibit a distinctly Norwegian flavor. The Old church, built in 1759 has interesting pews complete with wooden doors with family initials on them. The interior of the New church (1934) is lined in glowing timber and while small and simple in style, it is truly beautiful.

The “Old” Olden church

Pew doors in Old church

The “New” Olden church

Interior of “New” church

While I went back to the ship for a break Jim took a longer hike out of town along the pretty river to a waterfall.

Lovatnet Lake and the Kjenndalen Glacier.

After lunch on board we went on a coach trip along the Lovatnet Lake to visit the Kjenndalen Glacier. Fortunately, we had good weather and were rewarded with spectacular views. There were a couple of photo stops on the way to the glacier, which we reached after travelling for about an hour. I have experienced some pretty narrow and winding roads but in a large coach, with the side we were on seemingly suspended 200 metres over the lake, I had to close my eyes.  Then open them again quickly unless I missed any of the incredible view!

We stopped at a memorial marking the loss of many lives and property in successive avalanches and tidal waves. Massive waves were generated by gigantic chunks of rock breaking off the mountains above the lake. It is a fascinating story of heartbreak and loss over centuries of human habitation in this challenging environment. If you are interested in the tragedy of the Lovatnet and some stunning photos please follow the link.                                                                                                                                                     The tragedy of the Lovatnet : Where you find peace and beautiful nature now, the most spectacular landslides in Norwegian history have taken place.

During the coach journey, our Norwegian guide Sigrid entertained us with fascinating stories from the area and our driver kept us safe from tumbling over the edge of the narrow road. Oncoming cars and coaches performed amazing feats of  precision driving, backing up to allow us to pass.  It was reminiscent of our lane but much scarier!

Kjenndalen Glacier did not disappoint. Arriving at the glacier, an easy 10 minute walk took us to the viewing area.   I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Olden has to be one of the most beautiful places we have seen. The air is fresh and the landscape a photo opportunity at every point. I can’t, however, even begin to imagine what it must be like to live there in winter when there is barely 3 hours of daylight each day.

Our last memory of Olden is of the “traditional” send-off provided by the locals to all cruise ships. Complete with flags appropriate to the ship.  In our case the Union Jack was waved by all on shore and appropriate music played at full volume. Think Rod Stewart ‘We are sailing” and Andrea Bocelli “Time to say goodbye”. It was hilarious.

Up next we sail to the quaint and historic city of Bergen. Don’t miss the boat!