Day Twenty - the Sun comes out

The wind had calmed and one could almost say it was a beautiful day. We skied back up the ridge (that we had come down two days previously). I felt terrible – in that I didn’t feel I could stand up without falling down, which isn’t a good way to ski! However we packed up and set off. We skied quite hard with a short break for lunch in the brilliant sunshine. Rog carried my fly since I was having difficulty again with my waist strap (bl**dy Karrimor). 

My stuff
(looks like some moisture got in the camera...)

At about 4pm we stopped and were informed that we were at Snofjell! (the nunatak at the top of Heinebjergsjokull)

 The leaders offered a whistle-stop tour up to the top. Sam and Rog went up with Mart and Nick.

John and Rob sat and sunbathed (like the active people they are).

And Philippa, Val and I went further up the ridge for ½ hour. From there we saw right across the icecap from Oraefjokull.

Philippa and Val (I was taking the picture)

The view was quite magnificent with a beautifully clear sky, and cloud enveloping round the lower glacier valleys. We went down in about half the time, although the snow was still very slushy on the lower part and didn’t (combined with the high-tec plank design of the skis, induce a high rate of knots. As the sun began setting the temperature got very much colder, and a brew was made as we awaited the arrival of the others and our dinner.

They arrived back a little later than expected but a ten minute watch-out confirmed us of their continuing life. The sunset was beautiful, and an orange glow settled on the horizon of the ice cap all night, with tall the ski-bindings and metal fittings giving off a fluorescent glow in the blue-ish snow. 

We were asked to inform the others if any of us saw the Northern Lights during the night. Mart called us out at about 11.30pm but the effect was merely a thin moving band of nebulous white across a small portion of the sky/ Well, I HAVE seen them!

I got the shivers really badly that night and my face was burning terribly. John had some calamine which I gratefully borrowed (having rustled around outside with Roger’s rucksack looking for his for about 10 minutes) which helped me sleep a lot better.

Our Leaders Martin and Val taking a well-earned rest