The River from the Ice

Do you see the river running alongside us? That is the Olde River, and what it carries is far from ordinary water. The Olde River flows directly from the glaciers high up in the mountains and down through the valley to the Innvik Fjord. It is so pure it is almost difficult to comprehend. Below us, in Lake Oldevatn – the lake the river flows from – the water is up to 300 feet (90 metres) deep and as clear as glass. This is where Norsk Brevat AS collects the water bottled and sold as Olden mineral water, straight from the source. Early in the summer, the river changes colour. The water takes on a greenish hue – and the reason for this is what is known as glacial silt: microscopic particles of clay and stone that the glacier scrapes loose from the bedrock and sends downstream with the meltwater. It is a natural and beautiful phenomenon, a reminder that everything here is connected: the ice above, the water below. The river is protected as a national waterway. No pollution is permitted, and construction along its banks is forbidden. This makes the Olde River one of Norway's best-preserved river environments – and a paradise for those who love to wade in with boots and a fly-fishing rod.