Beerenberg

Beerenberg rises to 2,277 metres at the northern end of Jan Mayen, a stratovolcano capped by an ice field with glaciers running down to the sea on several sides, and it is the northernmost active volcano above sea level anywhere. It last erupted in 1985. Climbing it means a glacier expedition on an island with no infrastructure, and it is done rarely, by parties who have arranged both permission and their own transport.

What you actually see

• The summit - 2,277 metres, the northernmost active volcano above sea level.
• The ice cap - the glaciers running from the summit down to the sea.
• The 1985 eruption - the most recent activity recorded.
• The sea approach - the volcano rising straight out of the Norwegian Sea.

When to go

June to August is the only practical window. Fog shrouds the mountain most of the time. Weather can close in within the hour.

Honest expectations

Climbing requires permission, glacier skills and self-supported transport to an island with no scheduled service. Fog means the mountain is often not even visible. Rescue is effectively unavailable.

Nearby

Olonkinbyen is south on the island, and the Norwegian Sea surrounds it.