Wendover Scouts Iceland Trip
Having been 18 months in the planning 1st Wendover Scouts set off for Iceland on Friday 21st August. The group of 41 was made up of Scouts, Explorers and Leaders. As we stood waiting for the coach to arrive the excitement was already building of what lay ahead….
Saturday – After an early breakfast we set of to visitGullfoss waterfall the 2nd largest waterfall in Iceland,Geysir Hot Spring Area &Thingvellir National Park rift valley, the only place in the world you can see two tectonic plates.
Sunday – A day’s walking in Iceland. We walked some 20 miles over the day seeing some very spectacular views. By mid afternoon the low cloud and rain was setting in and it turns out low cloud in Iceland looks the same as low cloud in Wales and the Lake District. As we descended the final valley, the promise of a hot spring became more appealing. As we rounded the corner the sight of people lying in a stream on such a day was a little odd, till we got into the stream and felt the warmth of the water. What a way to end a day (apart from the other 2 miles back to the pick up point!).
Monday – We spent the day on the Scout camp site canoeing, climbing and fishing, with the only thing caught being a dead fish! The brave amongst us had a go at the site obstacle course, which was fine untill you fell off into the cold water it was built over.
Tuesday – Having manged to keep it a secret from most of the party the 4 Icelandic jeeps arrived to take us out for the day. After a stop at a waterfall it was off to do a glacier walk. The scouts were kitted up with Crampons and Ice axes and went off to conquer the low levels of Solheimajokull Glacier. Afterwards we visited a American Navy plane which crash landed on one of the local beaches.
Wednesday – We moved from the scout camp site to the YHA in Reykjavik with a stop at a Geothermal Power Station. After settling in, we visited one of the local pools, which is again heated bygeothermals.
Thursday – The Scouts and Explorers went off and explored Old Town Reykjavik. We met up for lunch and then went whale watching, well some of us did. When you are told the sea is rough and handed sea sickness tablets you know you are in for a bad afternoon. Whilst some of us spent the afternoon feeding the fish at the back of the boat, the rest got to see a humpback whale and a pod of dolphins.
Friday – Our final day and after packing up, the coach collected up and took us to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa, for a very relaxing hour or so before flying home with some very exhausted people both young and not so young.
A big thank you to all the people who supported the trip and helped make it such a success.