We landed at KEF a bit early, around 0430 (that’s AM) and cleared Passport Control and Customs with no problem. KEF was hopping as many flights from the US land early for connections on to Europe. We picked up our car, which took forever from Hertz and made our way to Reykjavik, almost 50 km away.
Driving in Iceland is a breeze, the roundabouts are a little different and there is no right turn on red. Otherwise, it’s pretty straightforward. I’d printed a map with directions from ViaMichelin and we had no problem finding our Airbnb in the center of the City. We couldn’t check in but they allowed us to store our luggage inside so it didn’t become instant thief bait.
Our excursion today was a glacier hike on the south coast of Iceland and Arctic Adventures picked us up right on time very near where we were staying. I did not know that we were driving to Vik, a town about 150 km from Reykjavik. After not sleeping on the plane, Susan took advantage of the bus time to catch a little sleep, I on the other-hand, did not.
To get to the park, you go through some stark but beautiful country. One minute your in the city, the next, you’re in the middle of nowhere. There are very few trees but there are a lot of wildflowers and lava fields covered with a moss that on minute looks greenish brown, sometimes grey and even a little yellow. There are also fields of a purple flower that looks like a blue bonnet but they’re huge.
Flat lands give way to rocky cliffs and volcanic mountains dripping with waterfalls of all sizes, from trickles to majestic downpours. Because Iceland is basically sitting on at least four active volcanos, steam geysers erupt everywhere and are harnessed for heat and to generate electricity.
Our destination was Sólheimajökull (sun’s home glacier) near Vik, which is a long way from Reykjavik but, it was a beautiful drive. First up was to get geared up. If you needed it, they had rain pants and top, it did not rain but it was all around us and, the glacier is wet as it melts (no global climate change here). We also got a safety harness and crampons, big spikes for your boots.
After a safety discussion, we began our hike to the face of the glacier and through an area that’s prone to rock slides because it’s no longer supported by the glacier. There’s a marker from 2010 that shows where the face of the glacier was then. It’s now about 1/2 mile (1 km) further in. Would anyone like to explain how that may be happening while still denying that it’s happening?
Just before we got to the glacier, we attached our crampons and got a quick briefing on do’s and don’ts. Two biggies: Do make good solid steps to dig into the ice. Don’t spike yourself.
We climbed up and up the glacier, we had an 80 year old Basque man (pictured at the top) with us which slowed us down but, that’s life. He told me he’d also walked the Camino 5 times on different routes. We did not get as far as the blue ice. What you see in the picture is the newer ice (30 years ago) that’s covered with volcanic ash from an eruption. I could have done this all day and, if I ever return, I will.
The glacier from these pictures seems like they’re black which, because they’re covered with ash, they are but, beneath that, solid ice. The ash compounds the melting because of reflecting the suns heat, it’s absorbing it.
As you look back towards where we’d come from, the lagoon that we walked around is 105 meters deep…for the Americans, about 320 feet, all dug out as the glacier moved down the mountain. By the way, our guide, Maria, a Greek woman was incredible.
About 1500, we left the glacier and headed back to Reykjavik but we stopped at 2 waterfalls that we’d passed on the way in. Skogafoss was majestic and is the outlet from 2 melting glaciers, the volume of water was incredible, all running into the North Atlantic (sea rise).
The second falls was Fimmvordufals and while not as impressive volume wise, it had a beauty of it’s own and, if you didn’t mind getting soaked, I didn’t, you can walk behind it, which I did.
I managed to find a beer and, after being awake for almost 31 hours, I really didn’t need that, the ride back was a bit drowsy as we bumped along on our way back.
Dinner was pizza and a glass of wine, some entries into the blog and at 2130, it was lights out! A great day in Iceland if you ask me. Susan may have a different impression.