New Land, Old Ice

walking on new land

At the end of May I drove south again, but this time to Vestmannaeyjar and later to Sólheimajökull. Vestmannaeyjar is an archipelago of 15 tiny islands and I spent two days on the largest one, Heimaey. In 1973 the volcano Eldfell erupted and the lava flow destroyed part of the town here but increased the size of the island by 25%. Walking on the "new" land at just 41 years old was an incredible experience.

After Vestmannaeyjar, the next stop was Sólheimajökull, a glacier tongue that extends down to the lowlands from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. I walked carefully on the ice in my hiking boots, being thoughtful with each step. I was very much aware of the power of this ancient ice and moved about in a quiet, reverent manner.

Other highlights from the trip included a canyon that looked like something out of a fairytale and a hidden waterfall...

Heimaey harbor

volcano on Heimaey

Sólheimajökull

canyon at the foot of Eyjafjöll mountain near Ásólfsskáli

Gljúfurárfoss

See more pictures on Flickr.

Thanks for reading.