ACTIVE TRAVEL
Writer Ruby Deevoy spent four days in and around the capital of Reykjavik and experienced once-in-a-lifetime wonders, including trekking into a 1,000-year-old ice cave, bathing in a natural hot lagoon, and taking in the ancient Viking culture
Whatever your age, awe-inspiring bucket-list adventures await just a two-hour-flight away, in the striking natural landscape of Iceland. Touching down in Iceland in early January already feels like you’re on another planet. Minus 16°C temperatures, vast, snowy fields, towering mountains, distant steaming geysers and the distinct smell of sulphur in the air from nearby active volcanoes. This is a place where the raw power of nature is inescapable, and breathtakingly beautiful.
After settling into our hotel and checking out some local cuisine – we tried the lamb soup and “fisherman’s favourite”, which was rustic, delicious and, I’m afraid to say, extremely expensive despite being a “budget eats” destination – we set off to the south coast on our first day of exploring.
PERFECT FOR ACTIVE ADVENTURERS
TREK TO AN ICE CAVE
With a five-year-old in tow, I had reservations about how the day would go. It was a long drive (about six hours in total, with stops along the way), and I was unsure about how easy trekking into an ice cave was going to be.
I needn’t have worried. Waiting outside our hotel, a Superjeep pulled up. A tank of a car, it’s exactly what you want when speeding down icy roads and crossing deep snow fields. We climbed in and were instantly put at ease by our driver (“Call me Biggie”, he said – his Icelandic name was quite a mouthful!) and made friends with the other six other passengers.
On our way to the ice cave, we stopped off at two of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, as well as a stunning black sand beach, etched with the history of past volcanic eruptions.
When we reached our destination, we were all kitted out with helmets and ice grips to attach to our boots. Then we made our journey across the deep snow, until we came face to face with a true natural wonder of the world. The entrance of the ice cave alone was enough to blow our minds – with a great mouth looking as though it were made of crystal, surprisingly dry and warm to the touch. Heading into the glacier was an unbelievable experience, which, with a bit of hand holding, even my five-year-old managed just fine. The sparkling walls and deep tunnels we ventured into will stay in our minds forever. If you’re looking for a way to get a terrific dose of awe, which studies have shown delivers a raft of long-lasting wellbeing benefits, this is it. South Coast & Katla Ice Cave, £443 per adult, £225 per child, di
