a few faraway farm buildings. Searching for the elusive northern lights, we didn’t need to venture far from town. Light pollution here is minimal, and if the lights are bright enough you can sometimes spot them from your own bed. At Hotel Laxa, set on the quiet shores of Lake Myvatn, you can pop your name on the list at reception and they’ll ring your room if the aurora comes out to play. At luxurious Siglo Hotel, in the tiny hamlet of Siglufjörður, you can regularly spot the lights from the harbour- side hot tub.


w SNOWY ADVENTURES Siglufjörður is where I get to try the latest wintry craze to hit Iceland. Here, fat bikes with five- inch-wide wheels don’t merely keep mountain bikers cushioned from off-road bumps in the summer. In winter, with the tyres slightly deflated, you


can pedal them through powder. We make a slow but steady


ascent along the side of the fjord, enjoying the unique huffing sound of the tyres on snow, but then it’s time to venture through some really deep drifts, so we swap two wheels for two legs. Snowshoeing is a wonderfully


inclusive activity. It requires no special skill – if you can walk, you can snowshoe – and guides can choose gentle routes to suit less able guests.


Need something more thrilling? That’s doable too. We puffed up a hill, pushing our way through thick tree branches, then slid down a vertiginous descent, landing giggling in a pile of silky powder at the bottom. All you need for beginner’s


husky sledding is a similar have- a-go attitude. Perched on the slim runners of the sled, I hung on for dear life as the team of six eager dogs shot across the


snow. Once I got the hang of the braking system – huskies seem to have just one speed, and that’s ‘as fast as possible’ – I fell in love with the sensation of skimming over the snow. When it came to another form


of snowy transport, I was glad not to be driving. Superjeeps – souped-up 4x4s with 46-inch tyres – are the ultimate winter off-road vehicle, but as we alternately slid and bumped through metre-deep drifts, I was relieved we had an expert at the wheel. Our guide Halldor showed us steaming geothermal springs, dramatic wind-carved canyons and half-frozen, horseshoe- shaped waterfalls in the -4C chill.


NORTHERN LIGHTS, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR


BOOK NOW FOR


w TAKE TO THE WATER The cold doesn’t scare off Iceland’s biggest swimmers, so whale-watching trips run year- round. Clients can tog up in the supplied overalls and watch from the boat as resident humpback whales put on a show in the sheltered Eyjafjörður fjord. If they’re lucky, they might even see a visiting VIP – a blue whale. The sea may be freezing,


but Iceland’s warm heart keeps its swimming pools toasty throughout the year. Splash into the geothermal waters of the spa-style Myvatn Nature Baths and visitors can float around, beer in hand, for around £30 a


visit. If that sounds steep, send clients to the nearest municipal swimming pool. While this might not appeal in the UK, in Iceland these centres have alfresco hot tubs. At Hofsos, they won’t believe a visit to the sleek, architect-designed pool with panoramic sea views comes for the bargain price of £6.35. If the beer was the main


attraction, they should head for Bjórböðin Beer Spa. Not only can they drink beer in the bath,


INFORMATION FOR AGENTS CALL: 020 3630 1340 or e-mail: memo@icelandprotravel.co.uk All tours: www.icelandprotravel.co.uk


Y6096 104 travelweekly.co.uk 6 September 2018


LEFT: Bjórböðin Beer Spa


OPPOSITE: Husky dog sledding


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