Icy Lands

1957: Glaciers

Oraefajökull is an ice covered volcano in south east Iceland of 6870 ft (2110m) whose height varies with the seasons with Spring being the time the ice is at its thickest and it is at its highest.  The area is a national park and popular skiing and climbing area.

1972: Herðubreið

Another volcano but this time a flat topped one which are called tuya. Herðubreið in the highlands of Iceland is considered the most beautiful mountain by Icelanders but because of its steep and unstable sides its first ascent was only in 1908.

1986: Europa - Protection of Nature

The Skaftafell National Park whose landscape has been compared to the Alps but of course its geology is very different. It is popular for it is an area of sunny days and I quote "an agreeable climate" and more importantly "a breathtaking collection of peaks and glaciers", waterfalls, rivers and birch woods.

I thought I would have more Iceland stamps featuring ice but there were not as many as I expected however some icy peaks came from an unexpected direction

1975: 5th Series of Definitive Stamps 1974-76

with this Indian stamp featuring the Himalayas.  But lets head to the high seas

2013: 50 Years of Tarmo

and the ships that keep them open in the icy north. Estonia celebrated the Tarmo reaching 50 with this stamp and a Maximum Card.  Built in Finland by Wärtsillä in 1963 it served under the Finnish flag until Estonia acquired it in 1993 when it was the only icebreaker in Estonia. The quote on the front of the card is from Lennart Meri, writer, filmmaker and politician who served as the 2nd president of Estonia in 1993 and seems to translate as "Breaking the ice and sea lanes for the ships and the states of Europe. Take care every Estonian sailor will be proud to act: Farmo!"

I rather like the linking chains cancel. Estonia bought another icebreaker in 2012 so now both the Botnica and Tarno keep the sea lanes open.

We don't need icebreakers in the Irish Sea and indeed if the sea freezes it only does so at the edges and on those rare occasions everybody goes out to have a look at it. 

2012: Christmas Scenes. A Time Gone By

I wonder what this winter will bring?  The artist of the Isle of Man stamp Michael Starkey "works from old black and white photographs of old buildings and streets that no longer exist and brings them back in colour with memories and research".  This set of stamps featured lots of snow and ice but of course my favourite includes a postie, van and postbox.

An entry to Sunday Stamps II this week's letter is I for - Iceland, Ice, India, Islands and Isle of Man -  See It On A Postcard