Getting to the Vatnajökull glacier ice cave, the largest glacier in Europe, implied driving through the receded glacier's smooth gravel rocks bed.
Our intrepid ice cave guide Helen decisively trenched the hilly 'paths' leaving us about one km trek away from the caves entrance. Crampons attached and all geared up, we slowly headed for the entrance, right on the front of the huge glacier's edge.
The glacier is truly massive and one only gets a real feel of the size when standing at its tip. Entering the cave was relatively easy, stomping through fresh snow now over a crack in the caves ice. After crossing the stream of water (harness required), we get to the main nave of the cave.
There's blue light everywhere seeping through the ice ceiling. The ice walls were soft and smooth to touch. Snow had delicately piled up from vertical openings on the glacier, leaving several cones inside the cave. The sounds of water flowing around us were reverberated on the ice walls.
The cave goes on across the river bend, behind other snow cones and fading into the darkness. Though icy the cave is inconspicuously warm, even more with the added fire light.
What a magical place!