Crater near the top of Mount Etna

This morning the weather was not so good. It was cold and windy with a lot of low cloud. We weren’t certain whether we’d be allowed up Etna at all. In the end about a third of our group went up to level 3 which involved a coach journey followed by a 20 minute very windy cable car ride and then a 15 minute trip in a very substantial 4 wheel drive vehicle. When we got out we nearly got blown over. It was extremely cold but we followed a guide up to the rim of the crater that blew from 2002 - 2003. It was absolutely amazing and exhilarating!