To bathe or not to bathe by the glacier

After a very successful bath in front of Haukafellsjökull, we wanted to repeat the success. So we studied the map again, and found that the glacier in the valley next to it, Hoffellsjökull, (Hof was the Norse temple; i.e the Temple Mountain Glacier) was also marked with a lake at the glacier front. So then it was just a matter of taking another trip the next evening. What could possibly go wrong? We had studied the map, right?

Also at Hoffell, the marked hiking trail goes all the way to the glacier, and again we had a nice evening walk in absolutely brilliant weather, and we envisioned a nice bath at the glacial front.

So very shallow indeed, in front of Hoffellsjökull.

Once at the glacier, a bath was a good…no – this time it was actually not right to bathe in the glacier lagoon. Hoffellsjökull has not dug deep enough. Yes, we found water, but it was so very shallow, brown water and mud all the way. How stupid wouldn’t it be to drown in quicksand here?

Slightly fun moraine bath.

The solution was a puddle up by the moraine. Mud bath at sunset…

An Old Dane (Eddie) is just right after a mud bath.

Well, well, it was kind of fun, and our bathing friend ‘Eddie’ always helps to lift the spirits. But this bath is simply not recommended.

PS: At Hoffell there are actually a couple of hot tubs to visit. However, those were closed during the corona, and we haven’t tested them. But curious, yes we are! The feedback online ranges from very enthusiastic to completely slaughtering. We will very likely come back with more about this some day.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *