My husband and I took my son, who is studying visual effects at University with us and we decided to do a self-guided movie location tour of the country, based on this Guide To Iceland article.
Now my son loves science-fiction movies so we decided to choose the Blue Ice tour, hiking the glacier SvÃnafellsjökull situated in the Skaftafell Nature Reserve, where they filmed Interstellar. We paid £88 each for this two and a half hour tour, so this is how we got on.
Mr W and Jake looking mean and moody
We met our tour guide Helkar and she gave us crampons to put on later, which would fit over our boots to help mobility on the ice, a harness and an ice pick each.
So we jumped onto a coach and after a ten-minute ride to the glacier, we were there.
The glacier was more beautiful than I could have imagined, with white ice poking through the black volcanic dust. Helkar explained the name SvÃnafellsjökull meant pig mountains glacier, as the mountain behind is called pig mountain.
Jake kitted out
Coat - Peter Storm and Boots - North Face all from Millets
We were then shown how to fit our crampons and given a safety briefing.
The crampons fitted over our boots easily
Then to hike!
As we walked on the glacier, I felt surprisingly safe, the crampons really dug into the ground. You still had to keep your wits about you and avoid holes in the ice. At certain areas, we were advised to follow Helkar in line closely behind but in other areas, we could walk a little more freely. The ice picks helped us when walking in tricky areas and especially as we climbed up higher parts of the glacier.
Helkar gave us plenty of opportunities to stop for photos and even though she led she constantly checked where our small group was.
The blue we saw in the ice was compact ice when snow falls and is compressed and becomes part of the glacier.
The glacier was used in the film Interstellar and also Batman Begins and Helkar told us that for Interstellar all the tours were bought out for weeks by the film production company.
The glacier tour was fun, not too hard and the tour guide was professional and informative. It was certainly something you don't do every day and we all really enjoyed it and most importantly we all felt safe. If you go to Iceland and find yourself in the South of the country, I would highly recommend the Blue Ice glacier tour.
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Have you been to Iceland? Would you do this tour?
First of all, the photos you captured are stunning! It's truly breath taking when you think about the things we have in our world. Secondly, you've made me want to hike a glacier in Iceland! I hate feeling unsafe or unsure of a tour guide, so the fact you guys felt safe and had fun has definitely given me a bit of inspiration to try it out myself!
ReplyDeleteThank you! The world is such an amazing place isn't it? The tour guide was excellent and we felt really safe with her.
DeleteWhoa - now this is an experience that I need to add to my bucket list. Iceland is already on there {I mean, it's a no brainer, right?} but I had no idea that you could do this sort of expedition. Very cool and great photos!
ReplyDeleteIt was a really cool experience (forgive the pun!)
DeleteI adore Iceland and really want to return. Your photos are gorgeous, love that you hiked a glacier!!
ReplyDeleteWow what an amazing experience! Iceland has been on my bucket list for so long - not sure I'd be brave enough to give this a try though! x
ReplyDeleteHonestly we felt very safe. With the crampons the ice didn't feel slippery at all underfoot.
DeleteOh wow I bet this was an absolutely amazing experience, not often you get such a chance to do something like that.
ReplyDeleteIt was an amazing experience Sarah-Louise!
DeleteI'm loving these photographs - it's my dream to go to Iceland - hopefully I'll get to go next year.
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Wow I'm so jealous that you have done this, this is on my to do list and looks amazing. great pictures btw :) x
ReplyDeleteThank Melanie.
DeleteOMG, that looks incredible! I had no idea you could even do that! One more thing to add to my "to do in Iceland" list!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that taxing either, so suitable for beginner hikers.
Deletewow what an incredible experience! I'd love to do something like this x
ReplyDeleteHope you get the chance one day.
DeleteWOW!! What an experience!! This is something I would love to do but I think it would be physically impossible!! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fairly easy hike.
DeleteI haven't been to Iceland yet, but I'd love to do exactly this when over there!
ReplyDeleteIt's so cool that the glacier was used in Interstellar. I love that the tour was fun as well x
ReplyDeleteThat was one of the reasons we wanted to do this as my son is studying visual effects at university and it's one of his favourite films.
DeleteSuch an awesome experience for you. Iceland is indeed a beautiful country. This is also part of my bucketlist. To see the northern lights is one of my dream.
ReplyDeleteI have visited twice in the last year but haven't seen them. It's an excuse to have to go back though!
DeleteOh man, that's such a cool think to do! One day I'll be able to do stuff like this... I hope...
ReplyDeleteI really want to go to Iceland and I'd love to do something like this, it's a bit different to your usual tours there x
ReplyDeleteThat is what appealed to us, as it was so different.
DeleteOh my goodness, this looks amazing - I don't know what I expected a glacier to look like, but that is just incredible. I so want to visit Iceland...
ReplyDeleteMost people think of glaciers as being white or blue but this is in Iceland with volcanoes and volcanic dust.
DeleteSounds like you had quite the fun experience. That place SvÃnafellsjökull is breath taking, I wonder if the glaciers would twinkle under the moon at night.
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to do this when we went to Iceland, but I just didn't get the time. Something to go back for at least.
ReplyDeleteOh my! That was my first reaction when I read the title. I was just thrilled with your tour. This is something out of the ordinary. Glad you had fun.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit nervous, but shouldn't have been as it was very safe.
DeleteIt really looks a great experience and I wish I can experience hiking someday
ReplyDeleteFair play! The scenery looks like something out of Game of Thrones I bet it was breathtakingly beautiful. What an experience to have x
ReplyDeleteIt was an amazing experience!
DeleteThis sounds like such an amazing experience - I'm off to Iceland in December, though not sure I'll get to do anything this cool! (or should I say "frozen" as it's going to be freezingggggg in December!) x
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to hike a glacier in iceland when we last went... although I was 25 weeks pregnant so it was a total no go. Next time though!
ReplyDeleteHope you get the chance to do this one day.
DeleteOh this is awesome!!! Its something I'd really love to do what a beautiful view!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool. Hiking is one of my family's favorite things to do.
ReplyDeleteHiking a glacier looks like a real challenge. Well done you, guys :))
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that hard to be honest. They said suitable for those from the ages of 8, so I was reassured before I booked it!
Deleteyou are very brave. well done. i don't think i could do it.
ReplyDeleteRead this with interest and a little envy - would love to visit a glacier but I am disabled so wouldn't be able to do this - some stunning photos :-)
ReplyDeletethis looks like a really interesting tour to do, great photos
ReplyDelete