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ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE
own right but also provided the trip’s biggest
challenge: how to pronounce it! Our guide
Ragga gave us a tutorial which led to a whole
day of constant attempts at the tricky – and
lengthy – name. After a quick drive past
the volcano, the black beaches of Iceland
came into view. Famous for their dangerous
waves and black sand thanks to volcanic soil
and dust, the erosional platforms formed in
the rocks created an ideal opportunity for
jumping, photography and enjoying the view.
The black glaciers of Iceland, our next
stop, were a magnificent sight and even
better to climb on. Armed with our snow
shoes and ice axes, we took to the glaciers.
While our guides seemed to prance
effortlessly around the ice, we seemed to
struggle ineptly from step to step. Despite
this, the satisfaction we all had of chopping
blocks of ice with our axes and the fresh
Huw was formerly at Wellesley House
School, and Fergus and William at The
Dragon.
glacier water that we drank ensured an
unforgettable experience for all.
The Northern Lights are something that
many would give much to see. They had
proved elusive during the trip owing to bad
weather, so we decided to look out for them
on the way back to Reykjavik. We were
instructed to shout if we saw any bright lights
in the enveloping darkness. After a few false
calls that turned out to be sightings of the
moon, we spotted the Lights. We stopped in
a busy car park and waited. An hour later the
Lights had all but disappeared. However, as
we got back on the bus in lower spirits than
usual, we discovered that it had broken down
and as we got off to wait for a replacement,
the Lights appeared in all their splendour. The
moving illuminations produced a spectacular
display that was unforgettable – the perfect
end to a perfect trip.