Visiting Olden with a Baby from P&O Iona: The Day Norway Completely Blew Us Away

After visiting Haugesund and Ålesund, I genuinely thought we'd already seen the best of what Norway had to offer.

I was wrong.

Very wrong.

Olden ended up being one of the highlights of our entire cruise and somewhere that still doesn't quite feel real when I look back through the photos.

Before our cruise, we'd booked the return glacier bus with Olden Adventures. I'd actually called them before travelling to ask about Norway's rules around babies on coaches because, as any parent knows, these are the sorts of things you suddenly find yourself worrying about when booking excursions.

The lady I spoke to was really helpful and explained that our little boy could sit on my knee during the journey, which is normal practice in Norway, or I could request a child seat from the driver if I preferred. I thought that was really accommodating and it immediately put my mind at ease.

We'd booked the 11am bus, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy breakfast on Iona before heading ashore. One thing travelling with a baby has taught us is that rushing rarely ends well, so a slower start to the day suited us perfectly.

As soon as we stepped off the ship, I knew Olden was going to be special.

The scenery was ridiculous.

Everywhere you looked there were towering mountains with snow still clinging to the tops, crystal-clear water and little pockets of scenery that looked like they belonged on a postcard.

The coach journey to Briksdal Glacier took around 45 minutes each way and honestly, I could have spent the whole journey staring out of the window. The driver pointed out different landmarks as we travelled through the valley and every few minutes there seemed to be another waterfall tumbling down the mountainside.

At one point I turned to my husband and said that it felt like somebody had taken the Lake District and turned the volume all the way up.

And that's probably the best way I can describe Olden.

The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places in the UK, but the scale in Norway is something else entirely. Everything feels bigger, taller and more dramatic.

When we arrived at the start of the glacier walk there was a café, gift shop and toilets, so we stopped for a quick nappy change before setting off.

Our original plan was to do the walk with the pram.

Our son had other ideas.

Within about five minutes it became very clear that he had absolutely no intention of sitting in it, so out came the carrier and that was pretty much that for the rest of the day.

Thankfully, the walk is stunning enough to distract you from the fact you're carrying a baby uphill.

One of the things I loved most about the walk was that it never felt repetitive. Every corner revealed something different, whether it was another waterfall crashing down the mountainside, glacial rivers rushing underneath the path or views across the valley that made everyone stop for photos.

The waterfalls were probably my favourite part.

They were everywhere.

The closer we got to the glacier, the more incredible the scenery became until eventually we reached the viewing area and got our first proper look at it.

And wow.

The photos are beautiful, but they don't really capture what it feels like standing there in person.

This is still the photo I show people when they ask why they should visit Norway.

The glacier itself was impressive, but what really caught my attention was the water below it.

I've genuinely never seen water that colour before.

The glacial water was the most incredible shade of turquoise... this is not edited in any way!

It almost looked fake.

The sort of colour you'd normally expect to see after someone has edited a holiday photo, not something that's sitting right in front of you.

We spent a while just taking it all in before making our way back down to meet the coach. Thankfully we'd allowed plenty of time because the last thing we wanted was to be clock-watching and rushing back to the ship.

Looking back, Olden was everything I imagined Norway would be and more.

The glacier was incredible.

The waterfalls were unforgettable.

The scenery was on a scale I'd never experienced before.

If you're cruising the Norwegian Fjords and you're wondering whether Briksdal Glacier is worth doing, my answer would be yes without hesitation.

It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.

Next up on our Norwegian adventure was Stavanger, our final port before heading home and a completely different way to end an unforgettable cruise.