Every time we have a crisis in Iceland, a volcano erupts and saves us, he adds, referring to the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, which followed Icelands banking crisis. Now is a good time to visit Iceland, not just because of the volcano, but there are fewer crowds at the major attractions.Indeed, attaching crampons that afternoon, we hike onto Solheimajokull, a glacial tongue emanating from the countrys fourth largest ice-cap. Usually, its one of Olaffsons biggest selling tours, yet theres just one other group on the chaotic icy outflow, an Eton mess of angular peaks and crevasses, shadowy with sooty ash scatterings, dichromatic like a charcoal etching. The guides call this Mordor, says Olaffson, heaping on the Tolkienism. Its dark and mysterious. Yet throughout this hike, my mind is still with Fagradalsfjall. I can still smell a cindery residue on my jacket from the volcanos ash fallout. A smell, no doubt, of a successful summer ahead for Icelandic tourism a green light destination most definitely in the red zone.Mark Stratton travelled as a guest of the Iceland Tourist Board (visiticeland.com)