We are two relatively experienced mountaineers who have never climbed vertical ice before. We decided to book a private ice climbing tour with South Coast Adventure.
We were met at the parking lot by Erik, our cheerful and knowledgeable guide for the day. After a ten minute wander, we were at the snout of the glacier. A nice treat for people more used to 6 hour approaches on foot!
Solheimajokull glacier is quite different to the other glaciers in the near area. While smaller, it has beautiful geography and you can see icebergs calving into the lagoon if you are lucky. The whole glacier is rippled with lines of volcanic ash which make for a spectacular sight.
As two people with a lot of experience of staying safe on glaciers it was obvious to us that Erik knew what he was doing and after a short wander around to get our bearings we chose the perfect piece of ice to play with. If you are a total beginner we could not recommend him enough...he took the time to ask about our experience levels and chose the perfect ice for us. He was safety conscious at all times and also very knowledgeable about techniques and ways to improve. Always encouraging, never distracted...you could tell that he loves what he does.
There's ice on Solheimajokull for nervous beginners to confident ice rookies like ourselves. Even though it was tipping down with rain we loved every moment.
If you want to give ice climbing a try without having to share with lots of other people in a group, this is the tour for you.