Engabreen

Engabreen is an arm of the Svartisen ice cap, whose western part, Vestisen, is the second-largest glacier on mainland Norway. Engabreen reaches lower than any other glacier on the European mainland: its tongue now ends only about 100 to 200 m above sea level (as of October 2026; the glacier is retreating), above the lake Engabrevatnet. It lies in the municipality of Meløy.

Without your own boat, you cross Holandsfjorden on the shuttle boat, which runs several times a day in summer; the crossing to Engen takes about ten minutes. There is parking at Holandsvika. From Engen it is about 4.3 km to the glacier: first 3 km, mostly flat, on a gravel road past the Brestua café, then steeper, with about 190 m of ascent in total. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours each way. The hiking season runs roughly from June to August, with regular boat services until the end of September (as of October 2026). Keep at least 100 m from the glacier edge, as blocks of ice can break off without warning; guides are available for trips onto the ice.