Blog

Crossing the Waal river bridge in Nijmegen on the first day of the Vierdaagse Walk of the World, The Netherlands.
Vierdaagse of Nijmegen – Four days of long distance trials & tribulations

Vierdaagse of Nijmegen – Four days of long distance trials & tribulations

Comments 10 Comments

The epic trial & tribulation that is the Vierdaagse of Nijmegen. This long distance walk is internationally known as the Walk of the World. Four days of walking 40 kilometers per day. Why do people even want to do this? It’s hard to explain, or even understand, if you haven’t experienced it for yourself. As you crawl along the Via Gladiola on the final stretch of the last day, the euphoria that comes over you causes a natural high that may well turn into a recurring virus. You get itchy feet, and you’ll want to do it again. The Vierdaagse virus is real.

Solar eclipse, vortex of the universe.
Solar eclipse – A mind-blowing experience

Solar eclipse – A mind-blowing experience

Comments 2 Comments

Nothing can prepare you for what it’s like to see a total solar eclipse in all its mind-blowing glory. It’s one of the most overwhelming natural phenomena I’ve ever witnessed. It leaves you in total awe, wanting to see more. Wanting to see another one. It is as if you’re staring directly into the vortex of the universe. And yes, eclipses are highly addictive too. Read about chasing the fascinating solar eclipse in this article, and find out where & when the next one is!

Row of torches at the Þjóðhátíð Festival on Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland.
Vestmannaeyjar – Þar sem hjartað slær…!

Vestmannaeyjar – Þar sem hjartað slær…!

Comments 5 Comments

This title may look a bit bewildering… It’s Icelandic for ‘Where the heart beats’, the anthemic song of Vestmannaeyjar. I was drawn to the islands of Vestmannaeyjar at first sight. Their mysterious shapes were shimmering on the horizon, beckoning like a fata morgana. Heimaey is a spectacular island of volcanic peaks and jumbled rocks and the landscape is out of this world. Vestmannaeyjar is also home of the Þjóðhátíð festival in August. ‘Þar sem hjartað slær’ is the ultimate Þjóðhátíð song that captures the atmosphere of the Iceland National Festival like no other.

Thórsmörk hiking routes, Iceland.
Thórsmörk – The fabled valley

Thórsmörk – The fabled valley

Comments 4 Comments

The fabled valley of Thórsmörk is the stuff of fairytales and epic sagas. Nestled behind Eyjafjallajökull in the land of the gods, it’s so beautiful that it almost seems unreal. Thórsmörk is full of folded valleys and convoluted gorges, glaciers with volcanoes underneath and bizarrely shaped mountains. You have to see it for yourself to believe it’s real. In this article you can find different options and practical information for spectacular hiking adventures in Thórsmörk.

Candles on mountains, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland.
Candles on mountains – An enchanting ritual of fire

Candles on mountains – An enchanting ritual of fire

Comments 2 Comments

People on Vestmannaeyjar like to light candles on mountains. In the darker months of the year, you can often see candles on Heimaklettur, the iconic Home Rock of the island. The first one usually appears at the beginning of August, when the midnight sun is slowly fading. The flickering candles are clearly visible from the town and for people who come in on the evening ferry. I was fascinated by this unique tradition and became one of those candle lighters too. If you are wondering what this is all about, you can read it here.

Heimaey harbour and lava fields, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland.
Vestmannaeyjar walking tracks – The best hikes on Heimaey

Vestmannaeyjar walking tracks – The best hikes on Heimaey

Comments 6 Comments

An overview of the best walking tracks around Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar. With its incredible density of spectacular sights and features, this stunning island just off the south coast is a must-see if you’re visiting Iceland. There are steep and craggy mountain ridges, dramatic sea cliffs, hidden beaches, a couple of volcanoes, mossy lava fields and a magical valley. Vestmannaeyjar is also home to the biggest puffin colony in the world. Find out more in this article.

Midnight sunset on Heimaey, Iceland.
Vestmannaeyjar – A force of nature that can’t be denied

Vestmannaeyjar – A force of nature that can’t be denied

Comments 0 Comment

When I saw the volcanic island shapes of Vestmannaeyjar shimmering on the horizon, I felt immediately drawn to them. It was like a force of nature that couldn’t be denied. I just had to go there. Sailing into Heimaey harbour, through a narrow opening between a jumbled chain of steep cliffs and a huge field of lava flows, is mind-blowing. Vestmannaeyjar – also known as the Westman Islands – contains the youngest volcanic island and (until recently) the newest volcano in Iceland.

Hveradalir geothermal valley, Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland.
Kerlingarfjöll – Steaming valleys and surreal landscapes

Kerlingarfjöll – Steaming valleys and surreal landscapes

Comments 2 Comments

The hot spring valley of Hveradalir in the Kerlingarfjöll mountains is something out of this world. Breathtaking views unfold into a steaming geothermal valley padded with snowfields clinging to the slopes, and shapes and colours so magnificient that you wonder if it’s even real. It’s like you’ve stepped into a surrealistic painting. Find out how to get to this otherworldly landscape and hike around the steaming valleys in the Icelandic highlands.

Reynisfjara beach near Vík, on the south coast of Iceland.
Blown away big time – The overwhelming beauty of Iceland

Blown away big time – The overwhelming beauty of Iceland

Comments 2 Comments

What is it with this spell that Iceland does to you? My first visit was a sponttaneous short trip to see a concert of Sigur Rós in Reykjavík. Little did I expect to be blown away in more ways than one… I got lost in some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. It was full of steaming fields and craggy mountains with countless waterfalls tumbling from their hallucinating green edges. The overwhelming beauty of Iceland just keeps you coming back for more.