JOSTEDALSBREEN - Miljødirektoratet · The largest glacier in mainland Europe Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier with many branches extending from about 300 to 2000 m a.s.l. When

JOSTEDALSBREEN

Moulded by ice and water

Jostedalsbreen National ParkJostedalsbreen National Park2°

Early purple orchids above the glacier (TD)

The Jostedalsbreen National Park has an

enormous variety of habitats, ranging from lush,

broad-leaved deciduous woodland in the lowlands

to glaciers and towering peaks with an Arctic

climate. The Jostedalsbreen Ice Cap extends

unbroken for more than 60 kilometres. Covering

an area of 487 km2, it comprises about 2/5 of

the national park. The natural assets linked with

glaciers, glacial rivers, moraines and vegetation

are important protection qualities. The cultural

landscape in valleys where transhumance summer

dairy farms are located is also highly valuable.

U-shaped valleys, moraines, glacially smoothed

mountainsides, fluvioglacial plains and screes;

over time immemorial, ice and water have

moulded a constantly changing landscape.

Bubbling becks, streams, rivers and waterfalls

on mountainsides and in valleys characterise

the area. An abundance of water provides good

conditions for plant life and gives the valleys in

the area unusually lush vegetation.

Landscape moulded by ice and water

Looking down on the Tunsbergdal glacier (AR)

Beneath the glacier (GDB)

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ENJOY BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

Skiing on Snøsnipa (AR)

Easy walks or demanding treks on glaciers

The Jostedalsbreen district has been an attractive hiking

area for very many years, especially for glacier trekking

and climbing peaks. Recently, particularly taxing trips

like skiing the length of the ice cap in spring, preferably

making a detour to Lodalskåpa, the highest peak, have

become popular. Glacier trekking, however, is hazardous

without proper knowledge and appropriate equipment.

Guided treks are offered.

The ancient tracks linking the valleys around the ice

cap, such as through the passes of Oldeskaret and

Supphelleskaret, offer thrilling walks. The Jostedal Ice

Cap, particularly its outlet glaciers stretching down to

Briksdalen and Fjærland, as well as the Nigard glacier,

has been a cherished goal for ordinary tourists for

many years. Paths can be followed along the valleys

of Krundalen, Kjenndalen and Austerdalen right up

to the glacier, fairly easy walks with plenty to enjoy.

The ascent of Lodalskåpa (2083 m a.s.l.), also called

Vestlandsdronninga (the Queen of West Norway), is a

long day’s trek and requires glacier-trekking equipment

and a high level of fitness.

Bøya glacier (GDB)

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Hiking at Sunndalssætra (AR)


LANDSCAPE

The largest glacier in mainland Europe

Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier with many branches

extending from about 300 to 2000 m a.s.l. When several

smaller glaciers are included, about half of the national

park is covered by glaciers. Much of the national value of

the area for nature conservation and outdoor recreation

stems from it being one of the largest, continuous

areas of undisturbed countryside remaining in southern

Norway.

Glaciers form as a result of a surplus of snow falling in

winter relative to its thawing in summer. It may be cold,

cloudy and windy up on the glacier at the same time

as it is warm, sunny and calm in the valleys. Frost and

snowfall may occur on the glacier throughout the year.

Recent research indicates that Jostedalsbreen had melted

completely about 8000 years and began to form again

some 5000 years ago to reach a new maximum in the

Little Ice Age around 1750, when farms were over-

whelmed by advancing glacier arms. The Brenndal glacier

calved as far down as Tungøyane farm in the Oldedalen

valley, and Nigard farm was overrun by the Nigard

glacier.

Some of the highest waterfalls in the world cascade from

the Jostedal Ice Cap and its tributary glaciers. Strupen in

Myklebustdalen (Gloppen) and Utigard (or Ramnefjell)

in Lodalen, with their total drops of more than 800 m, are

nos. 10 and 11 on the list of the highest waterfalls in the

world. Other well-known waterfalls in the national park

are Våle and Kjøta, both in Oldedalen.

Austerdal glacier (AR)

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Waterfall on Tverrelvi in Sunndalen (AR)

Vetledalssetra

Slæom

Flatbrehytta

Vigdalstøl

Sprongdalshytta

Navarsete

Bødalssetra

Fivla

Loen

StrynFaleide

InnvikOlden

Oppstryn

Karistova

Utvik

Byrkjelo

Skei

Briksdal

Lunde

BrevasshyttaHøgebru

Tungestølen

Fåberg

Gjerde

GaupneLuster

Marifjøra

Fjærland

Breim

Haugen

Nes

Mjølver

Fåbergstølen

Befring

Befringstølen

Sunndalssetra

LeirdalVeitastrond

Gaularfjellet

Grøneng

Dvergsdalsstølen

Flatsteinbu

Berge Ånestølen

Bjørga

Snønipa

Kvitekoll

Supphellenipa

Ramnane

Kjenndalskruna

Skålatårnet

Havald-trede

Lodalskåpa

Brenibba

Vongsen

Skardstein-

�ellet

Grova-breen

Myklebust-breen

Briksdalsbreen

Brenndalsbreen Høgste

Breakulen

Bergsetbreen

Tunsbergdalsbreen

Austerdalsbreen

Bingsgryte

Bøyabreen

Kjenndalsbreen

Fåbergstølsbreen

Spørtegg-breen

Erdalsbreen

Sognskards-breen

Tystigbreen

Stegholtbreen

Lodalsbreen

Svardals-breen

Steindals-breen

Jostefonn

Nigards-breen

Jølstravatnet

Kjøsnesfjorden

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NATIONAL PARK

JOSTEDALSBREEN

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Breheimen NP

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PLANT LIFE

From lush, transhumance valleys to glaciers and barren peaks

The enormous range of habitats over short distances is

caused by great variations in local climate, sharp differ-

ences in altitude and the influence of the glaciers. Lush,

broad-leaved deciduous woodland with wych elm and

small-leaved lime, and warmth-demanding plants like

broad-leaved helleborine and spring pea are found in the

lowlands, while 1500 m above is alpine vegetation with,

for example, glacier buttercups and trailing azaleas.

In front of the glacier snouts in the lowlands, pioneer

plants like purple saxifrage and starwort mouse-ear put

colour into the grey landscape. The natural immigration

of these plants when the glaciers retreat up the valleys

was an important reason for protecting the area as a

national park.

Swamp woodlands on the gently sloping fluvioglacial

plains are adapted to the changeable discharge and

shifting course of the rivers, and form a particularly out-

standing quality in the national park. Fåbergstølsgrandane

is the largest active fluvioglacial plain in Norway.

ANIMAL LIFE

The great variation in the plant life is reflected in the

animal life. The glaciers have little animal life, just red

deer and large predators like lynxes, brown bears and

wolverines occasionally roam over the ice cap. The

handsome snow bunting may be seen on the peaks

surrounding the ice cap. Wild reindeer live furthest north

in the park. You may also be lucky enough to see large

birds of prey like golden eagles and rough-legged buz-

zards in the nearby mountains and valleys.

Many red deer live in the valleys surrounding

Jostedalsbreen, and birdlife is rich in the lush, deciduous

woodland and on farmland. You may also see and hear

the rare white-backed woodpecker. There is a potential

for recording undiscovered species, too. In the 1970s,

two new species of non-biting midges (chironomids),

not known anywhere else in the world, were found in

a lake (Vivavatnet) in Sprongdalen (Jostedalen), just

outside the park.

Few lakes in the national park offer good fishing, and the

high content of mud in the rivers means that conditions

for fish are on the whole not good in the park.

Trailing azalea (ABH) Foxglove(AR) Snow bunting (AL) Red deer in Bøyadalen (GDB)

Ptarmigan on the glacier (TD)

11°


HISTORY

Jostedalsbreen – an important artery in the old days

The Jostedal Ice Cap used to be an important route for travellers and livestock drovers journeying from the western valleys and fjord districts to inner Sognefjord and southeast Norway. Cattle and horses were led over the glacier to be sold at markets in southeast Norway, a long, hazardous journey. Nowadays, it would be diffi-cult to use the ice cap and glaciers for such a purpose because they have shrunk and thus become steeper and more crevassed.

The cultural landscape, with its farms, transhumance farms, birch groves and so on, shows that man has been eking a living by the glaciers for many centuries. Farming is carried on in the settlements around the national park, and a few transhumance summer dairy farms are still being worked in the traditional manner.

Modern tourism came to the Jostedalsbreen area in the latter half of the 19th century when the fjord landscape and glaciers in Norway were “discovered” by people in other European countries. The tourists particularly came to Fjærland and Olden with cruise ships. From the quays there, they were mostly taken by horse and trap to two glaciers, Bøya and Briksdal. Today, the outlet glaciers from the ice cap are the most visited tourist desti nations in Norway, and more than 250 000 people visit the Briksdal glacier each year. Other glaciers that are popular among tourists include Nigard, Bøya and Kjenndal.

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Research

Glaciers can provide information on past changes in climate, and their movements reveal trends in the present-day climate. Glaciological research on the Jostedal Ice Cap goes back as far as the mid-19th century, and both foreign and Norwegian teams have put in a great deal of effort here. Since the glaciers are able to reveal a great deal about the history of the climate, Jostedalsbreen is a particularly valuable climate archive.

Norwegian universities and the Norwegian Polar Institute have undertaken a number of programmes that particularly aim to trace the retreat and advance of the outlet glaciers. In the early-1960s, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate began detailed, long-term investigations of mass balance and various glacial processes at several sites on the glacier.

The Norwegian Glacier Museum and a number of other Norwegian and foreign research institutions are also undertaking more minor programmes at several sites on and around the ice cap.

Skåla Tower (AR)

Bødalseter (AR)


In a national park, you are one of Nature’s guests

Jostedalsbreen National Park in brief

WhereThe boroughs of Luster, Sogndal, Balestrand, Førde, Jølster, Gloppen and Stryn in the county of Sogn & Fjordane

Foremost characteristicsExtremely varied and spectacular scenery, ranging from lush, U-shaped valleys to glacial alpine landscape; Jostedalsbreen is the largest ice cap on the European mainland, surrounded by peaks reaching above 2000 m.

Outdoor recreationMarked paths follow the valleys leading to the ice cap and cross some passes between the valleys. Glacier trekking and spring skiing trips. Walking or skiing on or near the glaciers may be dangerous. Glaciers are always on the move and there is a constant risk of falling ice and flash floods at their snouts. Never go near steep glaciers or beneath a glacier. Do not venture onto a glacier without a guide who knows the local conditions. You can take part in organised glacier treks, or hire a guide from Jostedalen, Fjærland or Stryn, for example.

How to reach Jostedalsbreen National ParkRv 604 Jostedalen, E 5 Fjærland, E 39 Jølster, Rv 60 to Oldedalen and Lodalen, E 15 to Erdalen. Branch roads continue some way along many of the valleys leading towards the park, such as Jostedalen, Veitastrond, Fjærland, Stardalen, Oldedalen, Lodalen and Erdalen.

Information on accommodation and other servicesEvery borough has a local tourist information office. Two large, informative websites are: www.nordfjord.no and www.sognefjord.no

MapsJostedalsbreen (1:100 000), ten maps in the 1:50 000 series, Breheimen (1:100 000). The glacier trek map, available free at information offices, shows routes for which guiding is available and where you can find accommodation, and so on.

Designated in 1991, extended in 1998

Area 1315 km2

Adjacent protected areasBreheimen National Park and Nigardsbreen Nature Reserve

National Park CentresBreheim Centre, NO-6871 Jostedal, phone +47 57 68 32 50Jostedalsbreen National Park Centre, NO-6799 Oppstryn, phone +47 57 87 72 00Norwegian Glacier Museum, NO-6848 Fjærland, phone +47 57 69 32 88

Management and supervisionJostedalsbreen National Park Board, [email protected], phone +47 57 64 30 00, www.nasjonalparkstyre.noNorwegian Nature Inspectorate, Sogndal, PO Box 88, NO-6851 Sogndal, phone +47 57 67 56 30

More informationwww.norgesnasjonalparker.no

• You may go wherever you like, on foot or on

skis, but anything with an engine is basically

prohibited.

• You can stop wherever you like and pitch a tent.

Always tidy up afterwards and take your rubbish

with you.

• You can light a fire, but remember the general

ban on fires in woodland from 15 April to

15 September. Show consideration when

collecting firewood.

• You can pick berries, mushrooms and common

plants for your own use. Show consideration for

cultural heritage sites, vegetation and animal

life. Take extra care in the breeding season.

• Hunting and fishing are permitted. Remember

to buy hunting and fishing licences. Never use

live fish as bait, or transfer live fish from one

river or lake to another.

• You can take your dog with you, but remember

to keep it on a lead from 1 April to 20 August.

Camping on the ice cap (AR)

M217/2014Layout: Guri Jermstad AS. Photo: Anne Rudsengen (AR), Tom Dybwad (TD), Pål Gran Kielland (PGK),

Arnt Flatmo (AF), Gaute Dvergsdal Bøyum (GDB), Astrid Bakke Havik (ABH) og Arild Lindgaard (AL)

Front cover: Towers of ice on Supphellebreen (GDB), The diversity of Nature (AF).

Back cover: Walking beneath the glacier (PGK)

Print: GRØSET™

15°

N O R W A Y ’ S

NATIONAL PARKS

www.environmentagency.no

Norwegian National Parks are our common natural heritage

We set up national parks to safeguard large areas of countryside – from the seashore to the mountaintops. For Nature’s own sake, ourselves and future generations. National parks boast magnificent scenery with varied animal and plant life, waterfalls, glaciers, lofty mountains, endless plateaus, deep forests and lush wood-lands, and beautiful fjords and coasts. You will also find cultural heritage remains showing how the areas were used in the past. The national parks offer a multitude of opportunities for thrilling encounters with natural history.

Make use of our magnificent nature – on its own terms.

Welcome to Norwegian national parks.

Documents

JOSTEDALSBREEN - Miljødirektoratet · The largest glacier in mainland Europe Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier with many branches extending from about 300 to 2000 m a.s.l. When