We met our guide for Troll Expeditions in Vik who drove us and a small group up to the Glacier. Our leader is in orange on the right. He is an expert mountaineer and has led numerous scientific expeditions and rescued many people in trouble. Unfortunately, the cave had collapsed before we arrived. They are looking for a new one. It is a race against global warming.
To make up for the lack of an ice cave our guide also drove us to Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave on the shore, also called the Yoda Cave because the opening looks like Yoda. The Yoda Cave is located in between the Gýgjagjá and Rituberg. It is large with echoing. If you have watched the Star Wars movie, you can see that you will recognize the cave’s opening as soon as you arrive. Named after Hjörleifur. “According to historians, Hjörleifur, the first settler in Iceland visited Iceland around the eighth century with his foster brother Ingólfur Arnarson. Both the brothers were sailing in different ships and they drifted apart on the way to Norway. Ingólfur lived at Ingólfshöfði and Hjörleifur landed at Hjörleifshöfði. After some time, the slaves of Hjörleifur turned against him and killed him. Slaves fled with his wife to Westman Islands. As Ingólfur got to know about the killing of his brother, he decided to take revenge and killed the slaves. At the top of Hjörleifshöfði cave, Hjörleifur is believed to be buried.”
Marc (pictures signed Felix are by Marc) photographed a spider catching a fly outside the cave. The flies where enjoying the sticky sap on Angelica.
Sherry by Troll Expeditions’s van, Ice Cave Expedition starting from Vik 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Basalt, Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Sea Campion (Silene maratima), Kartla Ice Cave 7/15/2021 
Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave (Yoda Cave) 7/15/2021 
Creeping Thyme (Thymus praecox), Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave (Yoda Cave), Iceland 5/15/2021 
Spider on Butercups, Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave (Yoda Cave), Iceland 5/15/2021 
Sedum acre (stonecrop), Black Sands Beach, Vik 7/15/2021 
Spider catching a fly on Butercups, Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave (Yoda Cave), Iceland 7/15/2021 
Harebell, (Campenulla rotundifolia), Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave (Yoda Cave), Iceland 5/15/2021 
Katla Geopark 7/15/2021
The ice cave looks more like an ice bridge (probably the result of the accelerated melting of the ice). Yoda is indeed clearly recognizable in the Hjorleifshofdihellir Cave. Such a rough and desolate environment and yet many plants manage to survive there.
The ice cave collapsed before our trip. On a map it is still marked Ice Cave. This was the entry way. I found a site with plants of Iceland that has a huge list.
That Crab Spider catching the fly is tops! 🙂
That is Marc’s prize. Thanks 🙂
The landscape is amazing, especially the ice cave. Great photos!
Thanks Amy. We had a great time.
Stunning landscape!!
It is otherworldly. 🙂
Yes, it seemed so from the photos! 😉