GLOBE TREKKER

Globe Trekker: Iceland and Greenland

Ian Wright goes glacier hiking

Presenter: Ian Wright

Ian Wright's journey to the Arctic takes him through the volcanic landscapes of Iceland and the frozen wilderness of Greenland.

Beginning in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, Ian joins the crew of a replica Viking ship to learn about Iceland's history and Viking ancestors. He then sets out for a plane journey to Vatnajokul, but the unpredictable Icelandic weather proves a major obstacle and the plane is grounded. Travelling east, Ian hitches a lift to the natural wonders of Gulfoss, a 32 metre waterfall and Geysir, where boiling water is shot 20 metres in the air every 3 minutes.

Ian's next adventure is tasting the local delicacy - fermented shark. The shark is left in rock covered boxes for two months and then hanging for several more. As if this isn't enough, the shark is accompanied by Icelandic potato wine, known as Black Death.

A short place trip north-east takes Ian to Greenland, the largest island in the world and the most northerly country. The landscape is rugged, dramatic and at times, forbidding but the Inuit, or Eskimo people have survived thousands of harsh winters. Ian joins an Inuit family in Ammassalik for a dinner of raw seal liver. Ammassalik is also the starting point for the highlight of Ian's trip to Greenland: an action-packed dog-sledding trip across the snowfields.

Children of the Inuit

Dog sledding in Ammassalik

From Ammassalik Ian travels to Isotoq, a small piece of land in the fjords of the south west coast which is the site of Greenland's only reindeer farm. The harsh conditions here mean there is little else to eat, so reindeer is the main source of food. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland is rather more hospitable. Here Ian visits a school in an abortive attempt to learn the native Greenlandic language, then heads for the bay to join local fishermen sea kayaking.

For the final leg of his trip, Ian joins Ono Rasmussen, grandson of the great Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen, on an Arctic safari. They head off from Illulissat cross country skiing and spend the night in an icehole. Ian ends his incredible journey through arctic wonderland on a massive iceberg above the top of the Arctic circle.