ACTIVITIES
Adventure guide
Season to taste
If you’re visiting Iceland this winter, you might have planned on catching culture or wandering through the wilderness. To give you some inspiration, we’ve collected adventure ideas to fit any level, because we know that adventure ranges from scaling a precipice or braving a five-day hike, to sitting with a cuppa in search of the northern lights.
TEXT: Sarah Dearne
So, which appeals to you most? Calm, curious or exhilarating?
PHOTO: Pixabay
PHOTO: Visit Akureyri
PHOTO: Viking Heliskiing
Calm
Curious
Exhilarating
After a refreshing stroll on a crisp snowy day, slip into the nearest bakery café and warm up with some delicious baked goods. Traditional treats include kleinur, a kind of diamond-shaped fried pastry, and hjonabandssaela (“wedded bliss”), a perfect marriage of oats, butter and rhubarb jam.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just looking to learn the basics, you’ll find excellent opportunities for skiing and snowboarding all over Iceland. If you’re in the capital, make the 20-minute drive to the country’s biggest ski resort, Blafjoll, whose easily-accessible slopes are ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers. However, the most popular ski area in the country is Hlidarfjall in Akureyri, known for its quality snow and breathtaking views of the fjord. Other top spots include Tungudalur in Isafjordur in the Westfjords, and Oddsskard close to Eskifjordur in the East.
For thrill-seeking skiers, few experiences can compare to heli-skiing and snowboarding – flying to pristine peaks in a helicopter. The Troll Peninsula (Trollaskagi) in North Iceland is the place to go, with over 4,000 km2 (1,544 sq mi) of spectacular terrain and vertical descents of up to 1,500 m (4,921 ft).
Nearly every town in Iceland has at least one bakery café, with some of the most popular including Bernhoftsbakari and Sandholt in downtown Reykjavik, Gamla bakariid in Isafjordur, and Bakariid vid bruna in Akureyri. Although technically not a bakery, Pallett café in Hafnarfjordur also gets an honourable mention for its baked-from-scratch goodies and supremely cosy ambience.
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No worries if you didn’t bring equipment; you can rent skis, snowboards and other gear at most major resorts.
A particular highlight are the summit-to-sea runs, where you can ski all the way down to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. And, because this is Iceland, there are no pesky trees to get in the way. Heli-skiing season on Troll Peninsula runs from the end of February to around late June, and peak season is April to May.
