Folgefonnen

Folgefonnen

Bondhusvatnet, or Bondhus Lake, is a picturesque lake in Vestland county, Norway, within the Hardangerfjord region, specifically in Kvinnherad municipality. Nestled at the foot of Bondhusbreen. | Sannedeboerx

🏔️ Overview

Folgefonna is a vast glacier complex in the Hardanger region of western Norway, occupying high ground on the Folgefonna Peninsula between the Hardangerfjord and Sørfjorden. The name refers primarily to three separate plateau glaciers—Søndre Folgefonna, Midtre Folgefonna, and Nordre Folgefonna—along with a number of smaller ice bodies.

The spelling Folgefonnen can be encountered in older historical usage, but modern Norwegian reference works, mapping, and national park authorities use Folgefonna as the standard name. The glacier is one of the defining natural features of the Hardanger landscape.

Søndre Folgefonna, the largest of the three main ice caps, covers about 154 square kilometers (59 square miles) in the current Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate glacier inventory. This makes it the third-largest individual glacier on mainland Norway, after Jostedalsbreen and Vestre Svartisen.

All three main parts of Folgefonna lie within Folgefonna National Park, a 545-square-kilometer protected area established in 2005. The surrounding landscape is a dramatic mixture of ice, high mountains, waterfalls, glacial rivers, deep valleys, forests, and fjords.

⚡ Fast Facts

Fact	Details
Continent	Europe
Country	Norway
County	Vestland
Municipalities	Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne
Region	Hardanger / Folgefonna Peninsula
Mountain System	Scandinavian Mountains
Feature Type	Plateau glacier complex
Main Glaciers	Søndre, Midtre, and Nordre Folgefonna
Combined Area of Main Three	About 187 km² (72 sq mi)
Søndre Folgefonna Area	About 154 km² (59 sq mi)
Midtre Folgefonna Area	About 9 km² (3.5 sq mi)
Nordre Folgefonna Area	About 24 km² (9.3 sq mi)
Length of Glacier Complex	About 36 km (22 mi)
Highest Ice Surface	About 1,645 m (5,397 ft)
Largest Section	Søndre Folgefonna
Main Outlet Glaciers	Buarbreen, Bondhusbrea, Juklavassbreen, Svelgjabreen, and others
Protected Area	Folgefonna National Park
National Park Established	2005
National Park Area	545 km² (210 sq mi)
Approx. Coordinates	60.00° N, 6.33° E

Current Norwegian sources give approximately 154 km² for Søndre Folgefonna, 24 km² for Nordre Folgefonna, and 9 km² for Midtre Folgefonna, for roughly 187 km² across the three principal ice caps. Older publications frequently give larger figures such as 203–207 km² because they reflect earlier glacier extents, different survey dates, or the inclusion of additional small glaciers around the main ice caps.

📍 Location

Folgefonna lies on the Folgefonna Peninsula in Vestland County, in western Norway. The glacier occupies mountainous terrain between the Hardangerfjord to the west, Sørfjorden to the east, and Åkrafjorden to the south.

The glacier complex crosses the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne.

Two major valleys or gorges, Blådalen and Kvitnadalen, divide the main ice into three distinct parts:

Søndre Folgefonna — the large southern ice cap
Midtre Folgefonna — the much smaller central glacier
Nordre Folgefonna — the northern ice cap

From the southern end of Søndre Folgefonna to the northern end of Nordre Folgefonna, the entire system extends for approximately 36 kilometers (22 miles).

The glacier’s position close to the fjords produces one of the most characteristic landscapes of western Norway: enormous expanses of snow and ice rise more than a kilometer above valleys that can be green and heavily vegetated.

🧊 Søndre, Midtre & Nordre Folgefonna

Søndre Folgefonna

Søndre Folgefonna is overwhelmingly the largest component of the glacier complex.

NVE’s modern glacier inventory gives it an area of approximately 154 square kilometers, ranking it as the third-largest glacier on mainland Norway. Its ice surface reaches approximately 1,645 meters (5,397 feet) above sea level near the northern part of the ice cap, southeast of the Fonnabu mountain hut.

Many of Folgefonna’s best-known outlet glaciers—including Buarbreen and Bondhusbrea—flow from Søndre Folgefonna.

Midtre Folgefonna

Midtre Folgefonna is considerably smaller, covering approximately 9 square kilometers (3.5 square miles).

Its ice surface reaches roughly 1,550 meters (5,085 feet) above sea level.

Nordre Folgefonna

Nordre Folgefonna covers approximately 24 square kilometers (9.3 square miles), making it large enough to rank among Norway’s notable individual glaciers in its own right.

Its highest ice reaches approximately 1,631 meters (5,351 feet) above sea level.

📏 How Large Is Folgefonna?

The size of Folgefonna can be confusing because published figures vary considerably.

Some older sources list Folgefonna at approximately 203–207 square kilometers, while still older measurements placed Søndre Folgefonna alone at about 167–168 square kilometers.

More recent figures are smaller.

NVE’s glacier inventory, based on Sentinel-2 imagery from 2018–2019, lists Søndre Folgefonna at 154 km² and Nordre Folgefonna at 24 km². Store norske leksikon gives Midtre Folgefonna as approximately 9 km², placing the current combined area of the three principal ice caps at roughly 187 km².

This difference is important because glacier measurements are not permanent geographical statistics. As glaciers retreat, their mapped areas and elevations change.

🪨 Geology & Formation

The landscape surrounding Folgefonna preserves evidence of an extraordinarily long geological history.

Rocks within Folgefonna National Park record geological processes extending back approximately 1.5 billion years. Sedimentary rocks were subjected to heat and pressure, transformed into metamorphic rocks, folded, faulted, and uplifted through ancient mountain-building events.

Glaciation then became one of the dominant forces shaping the modern landscape.

During repeated Ice Ages over the last several million years, far larger ice sheets covered most of Scandinavia. Moving ice deepened valleys, polished bedrock, transported enormous quantities of sediment, and helped carve the troughs later occupied by Norway’s fjords.

Importantly, the modern Folgefonna should not simply be considered a surviving fragment of the enormous ice sheet from the last Ice Age. Evidence summarized by Folgefonna National Park authorities suggests that the area became largely or completely ice-free during part of the early Holocene, several thousand years after the last Ice Age, before glaciers later developed again as climatic conditions changed.

🧊 Outlet Glaciers

Folgefonna behaves like other plateau ice caps: snow accumulates across the high interior while ice slowly flows outward under gravity into lower valleys.

These flowing sections form outlet glaciers, or glacier tongues.

Buarbreen

Buarbreen descends eastward from Søndre Folgefonna toward Buardalen near Odda.

Historically it formed a single glacier tongue, but retreat has divided it into Øvre Buarbre and Nedre Buarbre, or Upper and Lower Buarbreen.

The Buer Valley is now one of the better-known hiking approaches for seeing Folgefonna from below.

Bondhusbrea

Bondhusbrea flows westward from Søndre Folgefonna toward Bondhusdalen and the Maurangerfjord area.

The glacier has an important place in Norwegian glaciological history. Early measurements made here by clergyman and naturalist Nils Hertzberg are regarded among the first systematic glacier measurements conducted in Norway.

Bondhusbrea once extended much farther down the valley. Moraines and ice-scoured terrain below the modern glacier preserve evidence of its former extent.

Juklavassbreen

Juklavassbreen is one of the glacier areas commonly used for professionally guided trips onto Folgefonna. Its ice terrain can include relatively gentle surfaces as well as crevassed sections suitable for more technical glacier experiences.

Svelgjabreen

Svelgjabreen is a southwestern outlet from Folgefonna and is one of the glaciers monitored by NVE.

NVE’s measurements show that its front retreated approximately 21 meters during 2025, with a cumulative measured length reduction of about 225 meters since 1959.

🌡️ Glacier Retreat & Climate Change

Folgefonna has experienced substantial changes over the last century.

Like many Norwegian glaciers, some of its outlets advanced during periods of favorable snow accumulation, including portions of the 1990s. The longer-term modern trend, however, is toward glacier retreat and thinning.

In 2023, NVE recorded a 92-meter retreat at Bondhusbrea, the largest annual retreat among the Norwegian glacier fronts measured that year.

The changing ice surface has also affected human activity on Nordre Folgefonna. A summer ski center operated beside the northern glacier from 1989 until 2024, but continued lowering of the glacier surface ultimately made continued operation impossible.

Because the surface and margins of Folgefonna continue to change, older measurements of glacier area, elevation, thickness, and outlet positions should not automatically be treated as current values.

🌿 Flora & Fauna

Although the glacier itself is a severe environment, the enormous elevation difference between Folgefonna’s ice and the surrounding fjords creates an exceptionally wide range of habitats.

Near the ice margin and across the high mountains, vegetation must tolerate low temperatures, strong winds, long-lasting snow cover, and short growing seasons.

Characteristic plants include dwarf willow, common heather, three-leaved rush, and mountain birch. Near the glacier edge, species adapted to cold and wet environments include Arctic cotton-grass, moss bell heather, and various sedges.

Lower valleys and western forests become considerably lusher under the maritime climate.

Wildlife in Folgefonna National Park includes red deer and pine martens, while golden eagles and rough-legged buzzards patrol the skies. Higher elevations support birds such as ptarmigan, snow bunting, and meadow pipit. Forest habitats support black grouse, capercaillie, and the uncommon white-backed woodpecker.

The extraordinary contrast between ice cap, alpine terrain, woodland, and fjord is one of Folgefonna National Park’s defining ecological features.

🏞️ Folgefonna National Park

Folgefonna National Park was established in 2005 and encompasses approximately 545 square kilometers (210 square miles).

The protected area surrounds all three major sections of the glacier and extends across high mountains, valleys, rivers, and glacial landscapes in Kvinnherad, Etne, and Ullensvang. Four landscape conservation areas also border the park.

The national park was created not only to protect the glacier itself but also the surrounding landscape and geological features associated with thousands of years of glacial activity.

Folgefonna is unusual in offering enormous environmental contrasts over relatively short distances. Travelers can move from temperate fjordside vegetation through mountain birch woodland and alpine terrain to an extensive ice cap.

🥾 Hiking & Glacier Travel

There are numerous hiking opportunities around Folgefonna, ranging from valley walks to demanding mountain routes and full glacier crossings.

Popular areas include:

Buardalen and Buarbreen
Bondhusdalen and Bondhusvatnet
Fonnabu
Holmaskjer
Juklavassbreen
Historic routes between the Maurangerfjord side of the peninsula and the Sørfjord side

One of the traditional glacier routes crosses the region between Sunndal and Odda, passing the Fonnabu and Holmaskjer areas before descending toward Sørfjorden. Routes over the glacier have been used by travelers since the early era of tourism in Hardanger.

Glacier travel itself is fundamentally different from ordinary mountain hiking.

Crevasses may be hidden beneath snow bridges, glacier fronts can shed large pieces of ice without warning, and streams beneath or beside glaciers can change rapidly. NVE recommends that people traveling onto glaciers have the necessary glacier skills, route-finding knowledge, ropes, harnesses, and rescue equipment. Less experienced visitors should use a qualified glacier guide.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: You do not need to walk onto the glacier to experience Folgefonna. Valleys such as Bondhusdalen and Buardalen provide excellent views of glacier-carved scenery and outlet glaciers. If you want to travel on the ice itself, join a professionally guided glacier trip rather than treating it like a normal hiking trail.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

June through September is generally the most practical period for hiking around Folgefonna, although snow conditions and weather vary substantially from year to year.

July and August usually provide the longest daylight hours and the broadest range of hiking opportunities.

Even in midsummer, visitors should be prepared for:

Rain
Strong wind
Fog and poor visibility
Rapid temperature changes
Snow at higher elevations
Cold conditions on the glacier

Folgefonna lies in one of Norway’s wettest mountain regions. The high ice cap receives extremely heavy precipitation, much of it falling as snow at elevation.

Spring is traditionally an important season for ski touring, while winter travel requires considerably greater experience with mountain weather, snow conditions, avalanche terrain, and navigation.

🧭 Nearby Mountains & Attractions

Hardangerfjord

The Hardangerfjord surrounds much of the Folgefonna Peninsula and is one of Norway’s great fjord landscapes. The contrast between blue-green fjord water, green valleys, high mountains, and glacier ice is especially striking around Folgefonna.

Bondhusvatnet

Bondhusvatnet is a picturesque lake below Bondhusbrea. The surrounding valley displays classic glacial features and is one of the best-known accessible landscapes associated with Folgefonna.

Odda

The town of Odda lies east of Søndre Folgefonna near the head of Sørfjorden and provides access to Buardalen and other mountain areas.

Hårteigen

Farther east, Hårteigen rises prominently above the Hardangervidda plateau. Its distinctive steep-sided profile can be seen across considerable distances in clear weather.

Hardangerjøkulen

North and east of Folgefonna lies Hardangerjøkulen, another of southern Norway’s major plateau glaciers.

Melderskin

The mountain Melderskin rises above Rosendal southwest of the glacier and provides extensive views toward the Folgefonna landscape.

🧭 Human History

Folgefonna has fascinated travelers for centuries.

One of the earliest known written descriptions of the region appeared in the work of Norwegian clergyman and historian Peder Claussøn Friis, published in the early 17th century.

By the 19th century, the glacier had become an attraction for early tourists visiting Hardanger. Folgefonna National Park authorities trace organized tourist interest in the glacier to at least 1833.

Historic trails crossed the mountains and ice between communities on opposite sides of the peninsula. These routes existed long before modern roads and tunnels made travel around Hardanger easier.

The glacier also played an early role in Norwegian scientific history through measurements at Bondhusbrea, helping lay foundations for the country’s long tradition of glacier monitoring.

💡 Fun Facts

Folgefonna is not one continuous glacier today—it consists principally of three separate plateau glaciers.
Søndre Folgefonna is currently the third-largest glacier on mainland Norway.
The three main glaciers together cover roughly 187 square kilometers using recent published measurements.
The entire complex stretches approximately 36 kilometers from south to north.
The highest part of Søndre Folgefonna’s present ice surface is approximately 1,645 meters above sea level.
Folgefonna National Park covers 545 square kilometers, considerably more than the glacier itself.
The present-day glacier is probably not simply leftover ice from the last Ice Age; evidence indicates that Folgefonna disappeared or became extremely reduced during part of the early Holocene before reforming.
Bondhusbrea was the site of some of Norway’s earliest glacier measurements.
Tourism around the glacier dates back to the early 19th century.
Modern NVE observations clearly document substantial retreat of several Folgefonna outlet glaciers.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Folgefonna?

Folgefonna is located on the Folgefonna Peninsula in Vestland County, western Norway, between Hardangerfjord, Sørfjorden, and Åkrafjorden.

Is it Folgefonna or Folgefonnen?

Folgefonna is the standard modern name used by Norwegian government agencies, reference works, and the national park. Folgefonnen can be encountered in older historical usage.

Is Folgefonna one glacier?

Not exactly. Folgefonna is a collective name for three principal plateau glaciers—Søndre, Midtre, and Nordre Folgefonna—along with smaller surrounding glaciers.

How large is Folgefonna?

Recent published measurements give approximately 187 square kilometers for the three main ice caps combined: about 154 km² for Søndre Folgefonna, 9 km² for Midtre Folgefonna, and 24 km² for Nordre Folgefonna.

Older sources commonly give larger totals of around 203–207 km² because glacier size has changed and different inventories were produced at different times.

Is Folgefonna Norway’s third-largest glacier?

More precisely, Søndre Folgefonna is Norway’s third-largest individual mainland glacier according to NVE’s current glacier inventory, at approximately 154 km².

How high is Folgefonna?

The highest part of the current ice surface on Søndre Folgefonna reaches approximately 1,645 meters (5,397 feet) above sea level.

Is Folgefonna shrinking?

Yes. Several outlet glaciers have retreated significantly in recent decades. NVE measurements recorded a 92-meter retreat at Bondhusbrea during 2023 alone, while other monitored outlets also show long-term losses.

Can you hike on Folgefonna?

Yes, but traveling directly onto a glacier requires specialized knowledge and equipment because of crevasses, snow bridges, unstable ice, and other hazards. Visitors without glacier-travel training should use a qualified glacier guide.

Can you see Folgefonna without walking on the ice?

Yes. Areas such as Buardalen, Buarbreen, Bondhusdalen, and Bondhusvatnet provide opportunities to experience the glacier landscape without undertaking a glacier crossing.

When was Folgefonna National Park established?

Folgefonna National Park was established in 2005 and protects approximately 545 square kilometers of glacier and surrounding mountain terrain.

🔗 Related Articles

📚 Sources

Rate this post