Late in the season it is possible we have some snow. Here, we were on Nigardsbrevatnet in October and had 5-10cm of new snow while on the tour. As we kayaked home the lake had a layer of snow on the surface, making the kayaking harder work. The next morning the lake had frozen for the winter.

The 2 day tour, second day: Emily has found a fantastic cave under Stegaholtbreen, on the way home from our camp on Rundeggi. The ice is blue due to the light rays entering water. Only the longer, blue light wave can stay together in water, all other colours of the spectrum (wavelengths) get split apart as they move through ice (refraction). The majority of light is actually reflected off the glacier surface before it has a chance to enter the ice

Looking down to Styggevatnet off the plateau glacier (Jostedalsbreen). To get the contrasts of kayaking over a lake, walking over a glacier, onto a mountain and then looking down to the west coast valleys and out to sea in only 2 days is not to be missed. This tour gives time for relaxation; in the evening with a drink; in the morning over breakfast. An easy pace and plenty of time to take it all in

Early morning tour on Styggevatnet. After meeting at 0700 at the Breheimsenter, we arrive at the glacier in kayaks at 0900 with a mirror lake! This iceberg has 3 distinctive 'thermal notches' (lines across), which are made by the water surface melting into the ice each day. This iceberg has rolled slightly up on the left. The whole block is also rising slowly up out of the water during the day, as the ice above water is melting quicker than that under-water

Emily is under Stegaholtbreen, looking through a plate of ice as clear as glass, except the bubbles of air trapped in there from hundreds of years earlier. When the snow that formed this ice was compressed, most air is expelled from the snow flakes, leaving the water crystals to mold together in an almost perfect matrix. With no visible crystal to reflect off, the light passes right through the ice.

Children are our favourite guests, either on the day tour kayaking (if Mum and Dad are happy to do the kayaking!) or on the new shorter family Half Day tour with the motorboat.
Early in the season we have snow around the sides of the lake and on the glaciers...it isn't only the young ones who take advantage. Watch your back!

On the 2 day tour, walking down Stegaholtbreen. We have a variety of options on the second day, this is one of the more challenging and popular! We have left the kayaks behind, back on the lake and we are now walking down a completely different glacier toward home. Only river-crossings are in our way, once off the glacier. Sorry, there will be no kayaks for that water!

Kayaking around icebergs to get to the calving Austdalsbreen Glacier. The melting of the ice in the summer air, the action of the water on the iceberg, which is unstable and often rolling, create amazing shapes, each one unique

The glacier walk on the Styggevatnet tour is easy enough anyone can do it. It is what we see when on the tour that is amazing. We will walk near to the front of the calving glacier and around crevasses 30m deep. Use this as a great introduction to glaciers, and be sure to take glacier hikes in
other countries, which are as different as the guides are likely to be!

After Kayaking over Styggevatnet we come to Austdalsbreen Glacier. Here the glacier is 'calving' - which is the same word used to describe an animal giving birth to young, just as the glacier is giving birth to a cute 'little' iceberg

Kayaking over Styggevatnet in early July, before the lake is free of surface ice. These are the
best days in the season, to have a chance of kayaking around and over surface ice and snow before arriving at the Austdalsbreen Glacier. Sometimes hard work is needed to drag the kayak over the snow/ice, but the day is made all the more rewarding for it

Beginning the kayaking on Styggevatnet in the cloud is not unusual. It is certainly the most interesting way to begin the tour, not being able to see anything, with a calving glacier looming in
the distance, and the icebergs...somewhere...

In front of Nigardsbreen.
Early season 2011, working on a route through the middle of the glacier on Nigardsbreen for BBC camera crew to get access. 1 day of 'step-cutting', for 3 guides, created a 200m route under, through, up and onto the glacier, then between pinnacles of ice before reaching the 'easier' walking areas of the glacier