Sólheimajökull is a glacier tongue that is part of the glacier Mýrdalsjökull. It is one of few places in Iceland where you can easily come near and take a walk on a glacier. It is not recommended that you take a walk on the glacier without professional guidance. At Sólheimajökull, there are companies that offer short hikes on the glacier with all the necessary equipment required to take such a walk. It is an unusual and breathtaking experience.
A glacier tongue from Mýrdalsjökull
The glacier tongue is a glacier falling from the Mýrdalsjökull glacier at a very slow pace. Step by small step, icebergs fall from the glacier and break away from it into the small lake below and melt. In the process, the glacier tongue forms all kinds of beautiful small natural wonders like cracks, holes, ice ravines, and ice caves. Although all this is quite astonishing great caution is recommended.
Easily accessible from the Iceland Ring Road
Sólheimajökull is easily accessible from the Ring Road (1) in the South Region, turning north to the road (221). The drive to the glacier tongue is about 4 kilometers from the main road. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the ice. There are two paths; one is the slope by the lake, which gives a great view of the glacier tongue, and the other path, which is down by the lake and is great if there are icebergs in the water. In winter, you would diffidently want to wear ice grips as both paths are often extremely slippery.