A number of people celebrated the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, last night by walking and hiking. Meteorologist Thór Jakobsson led a group up Öskjuhlíd in Reykjavík and around 250 people hiked up to Snaefellsjökull glacier.
Snaefellsjökull glacier. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The Snaefellsjökull hike, which was organized by the Iceland Touring Association (FÍ), had a record participation; the youngest mountaineer was 12 and the oldest 72. The glacier rises up to 1,446 meters and is one of the highest peaks in the country, Morgunbladid reports.
“It was an amazing experience. We witnessed how tranquility passed over everything at midnight and then how the country awoke from a slumber when the sun rose again in a magnificent symphony of colors in the Earth’s palette,” described Páll Gudmundsson, managing director of FÍ and one of the guides.
Around 140 people participated in the annual mid-summer walk organized by Útivist across Fimmvörduháls mountain pass in south Iceland.
“The first hikers arrived here around five in the morning and then we welcomed people with a shot of cod liver oil or Gammel Dansk [Danish schnapps],” said Ingi Bragason, the Útivist cabin guard at Básar, a mid-way pit stop.
“Most people chose the cod liver oil because they didn’t need alcohol,” Bragason added. “Everyone was smiling and one might even say that people were drunk on nature after the hike.” The weather and all other circumstances were perfect during the hike.
Click here to read about a summer solstice celebration in Grímsey, Iceland’s northernmost inhabited island.
