Volcanic vortex rings, Mt Etna

Visit an active volcano

I love volcanoes! My life long interest was sparked by a book on the 1883 Krakatoa volcano explosion that I read as a child; I can still vividly remember the illustrations and facts. Yet, despite visiting plenty of extinct and dormant volcanoes I’d never seen an active one. Hence the reason it appeared on my list of 60 things to do before I’m 60.

Mt Etna is the most active volcano in Europe, so it was no coincidence we were off to Sicily on holiday. I’d booked an apartment in Catania, a city of more than 300,000 inhabitants whose lives are shaped by the volcano that simmers close by.

Etna from Catania
Etna from Catania

We arrived at night so our first view of Mt Etna was the following day, when we climbed 170 steps to the terrace on the Abbey of Sant’Agata. I hadn’t appreciated just how much the volcano dominates the skyline of Catania. A wisp of smoke curled up from one of the summit craters, it was definitely active! It made me even more excited about the trip I’d booked for the following day.

The next morning we were picked up early, ready to hike Mt Etna. We drove for about half an hour towards the volcano, stopping en route to purchase parmigiana sandwiches for lunch. At this point our guide, from Etnaround, showed us photos of a brief eruption from the previous day which happened just as they returned to the minivan. But don’t worry, he added, Etna is a safe volcano.

Strictly speaking, he’s right. Whilst Etna erupts frequently it’s closely monitored by scientists and they advise tour groups daily on safety. Our guide told us to run if we saw brown smoke, but I don’t know if he was serious or not!

Walking up Mt Etna
Walking up Mt Etna

After another 15 minutes or so drive up winding roads, we stopped at a lay-by where we kitted out with boots, hiking poles and wind breakers. I wasn’t sure about borrowing boots at the time but it turned out to be a good decision – the sharp rocks and black ash can wreck footwear.

The first part of the walk was the steepest. Walking in ash is similar to walking in sand; your calves get a good workout. From time-to-time our guide stopped to explain the plants that had colonised the slopes, the different types of rocks and volcano geology. I was excited to see a lava bomb, although rather unnerved by the size of it.

Walk up Mt Etna

We had a short break near the site of the 2001 eruption. From here, we could see over to Monti Silvestri and some large school groups that were on it. Our guide also pointed out other volcanic cones on the flanks of Mt Etna. These were a surprising distance away from the summit and reinforced how large the potential eruption area is. These flank eruptions are more dangerous to the local population as they can pop up anywhere on the populated slopes of Etna.

View to Monti Silvestri
View to Monti Silvestri

We continued our walk uphill until we reached Valle del Bove. This was the highest point of our walk, at about 7500 feet. Whilst it’s possible to visit the summit craters these trips are more expensive and require a specialist guide. I was happy just to be standing on Etna!

Valle del Bove is a huge lava covered caldera, once a forest oasis but nowadays a black desert. It had a great view towards the summit, and we ate lunch watching vortex rings floating into the sky, and listening for the booms that preceded them. One of the best picnic spots ever.

Mt Etna – and me – from Valle del Bove

After lunch it was all downhill. When the guide said we’d run down the slopes I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. We ploughed straight down, our feet sinking into the ash. Exhilarating, and a super quick way to descend, albeit very dusty. We regrouped about halfway down to visit a lava tunnel and, more importantly, to empty the ash from our shoes. It had got everywhere; our feet were black even inside our socks.

We reached the van a while after and emptied our shoes once more, before driving on to Rifugio Sapienza. This was tourist central, with a large car park, cafe, chairlift and summit tour agencies. It reminded me a little of the commercialisation around Lands End. Still, it served a purpose and we all had a drink in the cafe.

Descending Mt Etna
Descending Mt Etna

Our group returned to the van for the drive home. Heading downhill we spotted buildings impacted by previous eruptions, including one with solidified lava up to its roof. I wonder if it had insurance?!

The day ended back in Catania, where we headed back to our apartment to wash our blackened feet, change out of our dusty clothes and reminisce about our fantastic day out.

Challenge complete!

Visit an active volcano – completed April 2024. Pop over to see the rest of my 60 things to do before I’m 60 list.

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