Engabreen glacier in Meløy – Svartisen on the Helgeland Coast

Engabreen, also known as Engenbreen, is a glacier arm of Norway’s second-largest glacier, Svartisen, reaching down towards the Helgeland coast and Holandsfjorden in Meløy. With a shuttle boat crossing the fjord and a short walk to the glacier front, this is one of Norway’s most easily accessible glaciers. It’s a striking encounter, with the glacier climbing more than a thousand metres up the mountainside. Here, you can feel the cool breeze from tons of ancient ice, hear the trickle of water flowing through grooves and potholes carved by the glacier, and watch the play of colours as sunlight dances across the sapphire-blue ice and the emerald-green glacier lake below. You might even hear the deep rumble of ice blocks breaking off and crashing down the mountainside – nature’s own thunderous voice.

From the quay at Engen, it’s an easy walk up towards the glacier, and you can rent a bike to make parts of the journey even easier. Guided tours are available, both to the glacier and onto the ice itself, offering insights into life around the glacier and how this landscape is constantly changing. Or simply enjoy a peaceful day at Brestua – the summer-open café overlooking the glacier, right by the shores of Engabrevatnet. Here, you walk in the footsteps of Sámi reindeer herders, ancient hunters, early mountaineers, emperors, and curious explorers.

A visit to the glacier is best planned for the summer months, when the snow has melted and the blue ice reveals itself in full splendour. The shuttle boat usually operates from June to September, and spending a few summer days at this truly special place is highly recommended.