Iceland: Land of Fire and Ice

Glaciers and Waterfalls

After the clouds slowly lifted, the mammoth ice cap of Snaefellsnes Glacier appears to us just as it was viewed by Jules Vernes who used it as the setting for Journey to the Center of the Earth.

   
Snaefellsnes Glacier

Our guided glacier walk was across the tongue of Solheimajokull (Solheima Glacier), a part of the massive Myrdalsjokull Icefield.

   
Gearing Up                                                                         Thor our fearless leader

   
Up the ravines

   
At the plateau                                                                Melting glacier

 

Melting glaciers, snowfields and underground springs fuel numerous, enormous waterfalls. Channels were carved out through hard basalt and soft sedimentary rock by flooding at the end of the Ice Age.

   

Gullfoss                                                                                    Gjain Ravine

        
Haifoss                                                                                     Gljufrabui

   
Seljalandsfoss

Skogafoss in the rain

Sellfoss – the giant of them all

Glaciers commonly have a lagoon at their toe. One of many such lagoons is Jokulsarlon, a stunning place to see huge icebergs.

 
Iceberg lagoon

   

Walking among the beached iceberg

Return to HOME page