The common perception of Spitsbergen is of fur-clad men with frozen beards fighting against driving snow. But this is far from the reality during July and August when the climate relaxes its icy grip and summer rushes by. Still, I didn't expect 'heat' - this is after all the High Arctic - but most of the time it was comfortably above freezing. Twenty four hour daylight, low precipitation, and a total wilderness more than compensated for the cool air.

There are many reasons to visit Spitsbergen: The historical mining and whaling remains, unique flora & fauna, fine mountain walking through pristine glacial scenery ... However, undoubtedly the main attractions are the mighty glaciers, snow fields and nunataks that cover over half the island. On any two week trek, it would be impossible to fully experience all these aspects, but we did get a good taster.

Our base camp was one hour's walk from a fjord shore. We were at a natural crossroads; glaciated mountains to our north and west, an ice cap to our east, and floral tundra around the fjord to our south. During a series of day walks, we explored the north and west. The conditions under foot were often rough, but then probably only a handful of others had ever crossed the same ground. There were never any regrets about the hard foot-work once a ridge was obtained: Magnificent panoramas stretched away in every direction. Particularly impressive was Tarantallen, an improbable double arched pinnacle that formed a natural landmark in our area.

Without trying, I became absorbed by the flora and fauna. At first the environment looked barren, but as I grew familiar with the surroundings, I realised how tenacious life has to be to survive here: The Svalbard Poppy, flowering on the most inhospitable mountain ridge. A family of Ptarmigan, building up the reserves to see them through the long dark winter. A solitary buck Reindeer. The multitude of animals living off the fjord; Fulmar, Arctic Terns, Puffins, Guillemot, Auks, Skua and Seals.

However, my enduring memory of Spitsbergen must be its enormous snow fields and glaciers. Without experiencing this, we would not have got a true feeling for the land. The grand finalé to our trek was a three day route, camping on a nunatak in the middle of a 4 mile wide glacier. From this base we undertook a single day walk into Svalbard's ice-bound interior. Our journey ascended one 1000m summit and traversed four glaciers. It was a long and tiring day, but of such amazing polar scenery and canyon-like glaciers that it must be a candidate for one of the great mountain day walks anywhere in the world.

Our two week trip was unique in so many ways. It had all the challenge and reward of a 'classic' trek in the Himalayas or South America, but was a completely different experience. In many ways Spitsbergen's secrets are too well kept. For the unacquainted, a recommendation to take a trek in Spitsbergen could easily be taken as an insult!