Sunlit ridges against volcanic scree on Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland

© Erlend Haarberg/Minden Picture

Sunlight sets Eyjafjallajökull aglow. Sunlight sets Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull aglow

This is the sun-soaked ice cap of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull. Remember the name? It's that unpronounceable volcano which disrupted flights back in 2010. That eruption and the vast ash cloud it belched over the North Atlantic was the biggest disruption to air traffic since World War Two. Eyjafjallajökull is a lightweight among the 32 active volcanic systems dotting the Land of Fire and Ice, its much larger neighbour Katla has been closely monitored since the 2010 incident.

Today, the Friday of winter's 13th week, is the first day of the old Icelandic month of Thorri and the beginning of Thorrablot, a quintessentially Icelandic celebration adapted from the country's pagan roots. Throughout the month, Icelanders revel in traditional songs, poems and stories while enjoying platters of cleverly preserved foods including, erm… rotten shark, boiled sheep's head, lamb's-blood pudding and other dishes which, for non-Icelanders, may prove a culinary adventure too far.