Page 14 - AMA Summer 2023

GUESTWRITER
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Simon Yates
In this article, Simon Yates sells the virtues of yacht supported expeditions as he explores new frontiers and
Ifirst ascents in Greenland
first met Ingvar in 2005 on an early way. One contact to lead to another and spring visit to the Icelandic capital a barrage of experiences and events. In – Reykjavik – to give a talk for the 2007 Ingvar came with a small group of
few kilometres we turned off the main road to Reykjavik and headed south into lava field hills, where after a few further minutes of travel we arrived at a large hastily levelled car park packed with vehicles, which an entrepreneurial farmer was charging 1000 Kroner to use. We paid our money and followed the stream of people heading up a nearby hillside. The scene was surreal, as we climbed steeply above the car park with the rag-tag army of tourists, intent on seeing the volcano. Some were suitably dressed for a rather cold and windy August day in Iceland, others for a day on a Med- iterranean beach. We quickly passed a mini-digger extending the new path from the car park. There was little danger of getting lost – we simply followed the crowd along a ridge line heading towards
Icelandic Alpine Club, who not only hosted the event but arranged places to stay and a variety of daily activities. Of course, I got to climb, but more unusual days included caving in lava tubes and exploring the geothermal energy fields outside the capital.
The volcanic landscape was compelling being both visually stunning and unlike anything I had seen before. However, what made the place really special were the Icelanders themselves. They were a warm, quirky and friendly bunch who
networked with each other in a simple and seamless
Icelanders to join a group I was leading to Ama Dablam in Nepal, and when in 2008 I began what turned out to become regular visits to Greenland which transited through Iceland, our friendship grew. I have come to relish our time together and the key that he provides to many special places in Iceland.
In mid-august 2022 Ingvar kindly picked me up at Keflavik Airport. “We’ll have to go and see the volcano ‘’ he announced, as we started the journey into town. There had been some reports of an eruption in the media at home, but I had thought little about it as they are common in Iceland, but often remote and difficult to visit. After just a
14 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER
Lemon Mountains from the head of Jacobsen