Hike through Iceland: my commune with a glacier
Website design By BotEap.comFor me, there is nothing better than getting outdoors and taking a nice long walk. I love adventure, physical challenge and exploring new places. I also have a certain propensity for glaciers. I think they’re amazing, although I’ve never actually seen one up close. Last month I had the opportunity to do just that.
Website design By BotEap.comI didn’t go to Iceland just for hiking, I was there on business. But over the weekend, I decided to book a tour. There are several hiking and trekking tour companies in Iceland, so it wasn’t difficult. With the help of the receptionist at the hotel I was staying at, I got in touch with a company that offers tours from Reykjavik; It turns out that you don’t necessarily have to travel far to get out into nature or commune with a glacier.
Website design By BotEap.comAnyway, I chose the tour operators and told them what I wanted to do. They suggested a tour that fit my time frame and desire to explore a glacier, in this case Sólheimajökull Glacier. I think this translates to ‘glacier home of the sun’, at least I think that’s what it translates to with my rough knowledge of Icelandic. This particular glacier is located about two hours from the capital city.
Website design By BotEap.comThe tour company picked me up at my hotel in the morning and we were off. I was surprised how quickly we got to the country: Reykjavik is not a very big capital and most of Iceland is uninhabited. When we got to the glacier, I fell in love instantly. The weather was perfect and the contrasting colors of the blue sky and the white glacier were outstanding.
Website design By BotEap.comWe took a few minutes to go over a safety briefing, donned our extra clothes and crampons, and then off we went. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and filled us in on all sorts of facts about Iceland, the glaciers and what not. But, what I liked the most was when everyone stopped talking. Rarely in our busy lives do we experience utter silence and that was one of the first pleasures of this glacier tour: we all stopped walking and talking and there it was, utter silence. I turned my face towards the sun and soaked in this moment.
Website design By BotEap.comLater, we were able to explore some crevasses and beautiful bluish-white ice sculptures. When you touch this kind of ice, you are surprised how smooth it is, like polished glass. We got to walk through long ridges that were like narrow corridors of ice.
Website design By BotEap.comWhat impressed me about this glacier was that it seemed to have a positive effect on everyone’s mood. It’s like the glacier is pumping out negative ions and it helps you feel content and grounded at that moment. I also think that the glacier, because it has been around for so long, imparts a certain sense of history and almost embodies a wise personality. Maybe it was just me, I tend to anthropomorphize everything.
Website design By BotEap.comOn the way back to the city, our guide also stopped at two beautiful waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Being from the western US I am not used to seeing this much water and I was blown away by the power and beauty of these falls. Raw power and beauty are a good analogy for Iceland in general.
Website design By BotEap.comOverall, I was very satisfied with my experience on the Iceland hiking tour. This particular trail was not very strenuous, so if you want something more physical you may want to choose a different trail. I think one day I would like to come back here and do one of your multi-day tours.