'Iceland: Good weather and cheap beer. What more could you want?" The slogan was printed across the front of a T-shirt in the window of a Reykjavik store.

As I huddled into my waterproof jacket, it became obvious that the souvenir offered more of an insight into the Icelandic ironic sense of humour than any of the real reasons why a tourist should come to the country.

Icelanders say that they can get all four seasons in one hour - a slogan that certainly is no joke. Wind, rain, hail and snow can all waylay the ill-equipped tourist in the space of an afternoon.

However, when the sun comes out, which it frequently does, it is immediately apparent why the trip to Iceland was one of the most sought after in The Northern Echo office.

It is a strikingly beautiful country.

Iceland was only recognised as a sovereign state after the Second World War and 50 years ago its capital, Reykjavik, which nestles in a bay between snow-covered mountains, was little more than a small fishing port. Even now, it is still not much larger than many British towns - a population of 117,000 in a country of around 310,000. However, it retains a unique ambience.

At night people flock to the capital to take advantage of the famous nightlife.

But, again, the T-shirt was not being strictly truthful about the price of beer. Beer was only legalised in the country in 1989 and a pint in the city centre bars can cost around £5. But this should not deter people from sampling some of the 100 different bars and clubs.

Many feature live music and will stay open well past 3am, especially in summer when it stays light for most of the night.

And one positive effect of the high price of alcohol is that the city is not a popular destination for loud British stag parties, which can often be found desecrating other European capitals.

During the day, Reykjavik offers a great base from which to explore the country. Whale-watching is one popular activity and the spot rates for species such as minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, humpback whales and, occasionally, killer whales are some of the highest in Europe.

Once again with the unpredictable nature of Iceland's weather, it is always advisable to take warm waterproof clothing and sea-sickness tablets.

It is, perhaps, Iceland's natural landscape which provide the country's main attractions. Iceland was to be the main location for the filming of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, before director Peter Jackson opted for his native New Zealand. Ironically, JRR Tolkien, who never visited the country, based his novels on Icelandic sagas.

With its waterfalls, snow-capped peaks and black volcanic landscape, it certainly resembles his Middle Earth. And as I set off a glacier walk, with crampons and ice axe, I almost felt as though I was about to bump into Frodo and company.

While a snowmobile ride might appeal to adrenalin junkies, I discovered an ice walk the most stimulating way to enjoy the glaciers of Iceland. Once the crampons are mastered - an experience which only takes a few minutes - you can enjoy the peace and the peculiar shapes and sounds of the glacier at your own pace without the noise and fumes of an engine.

Unlike the striking blue of their European counterparts, Iceland's glaciers are covered with deposits of volcanic ash. As the meltwater creates fissures and ravines in the ice, these ash deposits are swirled around in layers, creating a striking effect as if a giant paintbrush has made psychedelic strokes on the surface of the glacier.

Unless you are an experienced ice walker, a guide is essential.

Peering down into a crevasse or water cauldron which drops several hundred feet into blackness is an exhilarating experience, but also a dangerous one, especially when the surface is covered with snow.

"The way to spot them," said our guide, "is the snow is a different shade of white."

Needless to say, I found it easier to follow in his footsteps.

However, the enjoyment of the glaciers may be limited. Our guide pointed out how much the Solheimajokull glacier had retreated in only a few years.

The glacial tongue, which crept down from between two mountain sides, was now well over 100 yards shorter as a result of climate change.

Iceland's volcanic landscape has resulted in a number of natural phenomenon - perhaps most famously its geysers. The sight of boiling water, bubbling and then shooting out of the ground to fall, steaming on the ground, is almost unbelievable.

Much of Iceland's power comes from geothermal sources. And at the Blue Lagoon Spa, geothermal seawater left over from one power plant is piped into the treatment areas, where its unique minerals and algae provide a welcome relief to muscles left aching from a day's adventure on the glacier.