Olden is one of my favourite ports on a Norwegian fjords cruise. Surrounded by mountains and beautiful glacial scenery, it is somewhere you can have a wonderful day ashore without necessarily booking an excursion.

While many visitors head to attractions such as Briksdal Glacier or the Loen Skylift, one of my favourite things to do in Olden is much simpler.

I go for a walk.

I’ve visited Olden several times and walking from the cruise port towards Olden village and Floen is a lovely way to see more of the area at your own pace. It combines two things I love, cruising and walking, and there seems to be a beautiful view around almost every corner.

Can you walk from Olden cruise port?

Yes. Olden is a very easy cruise port to explore independently on foot.

After leaving the ship, I turn right and walk towards the centre of Olden. The village itself is small and it doesn’t take long before the scenery begins to feel wonderfully rural.

Continue through Olden and, after passing the local school, turn left and follow the road uphill towards Olden Church.

This first part of the walk has a gentle incline, however I never feel the need to rush it. In fact, stopping regularly is part of the enjoyment. There are plenty of opportunities for photographs along the way, particularly as you begin to gain a little height and look back towards the fjord.

Olden Church

The pretty Olden Church makes a lovely point to pause during the walk.

From here, continue along the road towards Floen. The scenery becomes increasingly peaceful as you leave the busier cruise port area behind.

This is one of the things I particularly enjoy about walking in Olden. You don’t have to travel very far from your ship before you are surrounded by mountains, water and classic Norwegian scenery.

Walking around Floen

Eventually you reach Floen, a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains.

I follow the route around the lake, taking my time and stopping frequently for photographs. On a clear day the reflections on the water can be beautiful, although I’ve enjoyed walking here in all sorts of Norwegian weather. There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.

The route follows the edge of the lake before eventually bringing you back around towards the point where you joined it.

From there, I retrace my route towards Olden and the cruise ship.

How long is the walk in Olden?

My usual route from the cruise port, around Floen and back is approximately 11km.

There is a gentle uphill section on the way towards the lake, however much of the walk around Floen itself is relatively flat. The return towards Olden is then a pleasant gradual downhill walk.

You don’t need to complete the entire route to enjoy it either. If you only have a couple of hours available, you could simply walk from the ship through Olden and towards the lake before turning back when it suits you.

As with any independent day ashore, make sure you allow plenty of time to return to your ship before departure.

What if you don’t want to walk?

If walking this distance isn’t for you, Olden also has sightseeing transport available from the cruise port, including a little road train which takes the same route as this walk.

This can be a useful alternative if you would like to see some of the scenery without covering the entire route on foot.

Availability and routes can change, so I would check what is operating during your particular visit rather than relying on information from a previous seasons.

Exploring Olden without an excursion

One of the reasons I love this walk is that it proves you don’t always need an organised shore excursion to enjoy a Norwegian cruise port.

It also costs nothing.

You can stop whenever you want, take as many photographs as you like and enjoy the scenery without watching the clock for a tour departure.

On the way back, you can also stop in Olden village before returning to the ship.

Is it worth walking in Olden?

Absolutely.

Some of my favourite cruise port days aren’t necessarily the ones involving elaborate excursions. Sometimes it’s simply being outside, surrounded by extraordinary scenery, with nowhere in particular that you need to be.

Olden is particularly good for this.

If your idea of a lovely day in Norway involves fresh air, mountains, a beautiful lake and a camera in your hand, this is a wonderfully simple way to spend a few hours ashore.