Fire and Ice

Posted: October 04, 2008

For a holiday destination that’s geographically and climatically remote from the Australian experience, Iceland and Greenland would have to be high up on the list.

The first tourists, the Vikings, arrived by sea, and ships remain a comfortable way in which to explore these countries of fire and ice.
Iceland was settled in the ninth century and for most of its history it was one of Europe’s poorest countries. However, after the Second World War it transformed itself into one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

The early European settlers of Greenland were not so fortunate. As their world went into a cooler phase and ships from Europe gave up the perilous voyage, the descendents of Eric the Red died out early in the fifteenth century. Denmark re-established claims in the 18th century, but most Greenlanders today are descended from the Inuit, and the country is heading towards complete independence.

Less than 60,000 people occupy Greenland’s two million square kilometres, and 81% of the island is under ice. That makes Greenland a place to truly get away from it all. Natural wonders abound, and world heritage-listed Ilulissat Icefjord on Greenland’s west coast is a must-see destination. Fed by Greenland’s most active glacier, 70 cubic kilometres of ice a year flow into the fjord producing spectacular icebergs. Unfortunately the glacier is in rapid retreat and has become a key marker of global warming.

History buffs can explore the ruins of the original Norse settlements. One example is the walls of the Hvalsey church at the Eastern Settlement that remain in good condition after 700 years. The northern lights play all year round, though winter offers the best prospects of seeing them. With most of Greenland inside the Arctic Circle, the aurora borealis is obscured by the midnight sun during the summer months.

Parts of Greenland are ancient, dating back nearly four billion years. In contrast, Iceland is a country still taking shape before our eyes. Surtsey, an island just to the south of the mainland, only emerged from the sea in the 1960s.

With its larger population and closer proximity to Europe, Iceland has a more developed tourist industry. A wide range of accommodation is on offer, along with a wealth of outdoor activities. Skiing, white water rafting, mountain biking, glacier tours and bird watching are just a few of the options. Thermal springs allow for outdoor swimming year-round.

Or how about golf? Iceland is another land of the midnight sun, and each June it hosts an international tournament. Tee-off is at midnight!