Looking for truly original incentives activities and team-building ideas? At only three hours from the UK, Iceland is ideal all year round, says Annabelle Hood

When you think of Iceland, what springs to mind? Eccentric singer Bjork? All day darkness or sunlight? Or maybe that the country was so named to divert tourists to the more appealing-sounding Greenland?

These were the only preconceptions I had as we set off to this intriguing country just three hours' flight from the UK. But on landing, I discovered these factors are only the tip of the iceberg (if you'll excuse the pun) of what Iceland has to offer.

Two things that struck me were Iceland's extraordinary lunar landscape and the purity of its air (ironically, Reykjavik means, 'smoky bay'). The good news is, if you've only got a couple of days to spare on a business trip in Reykjavik, most excursions can be done in a day. The expansiveness of Iceland is great news for those seeking elbow room on an incentive trip. And in peak summer, when Iceland gets 24 solid hours of daylight (that's right, no nightfall), you don't just have space, but endless hours for team play too!

Incredible Incentives

It came as no surprise to learn that NASA astronauts often acclimatise themselves, prior to space missions, on Iceland's volcanic moon-like landscape. At just five hours' flight from New York, Iceland is also handy for US tourists wanting a short break.

A fun way of exploring these lava fields is by Icelandic pony - a special breed of horse famed for its strength, stamina and unique five 'gaits' of movement. If you're a bit scared of horses, you will be glad to know the ones at Ishestar Riding School are small, friendly and don't kick or bite humans - a far cry from their British equine cousins!

Another fun activity is to shimmy up a glacier, James Bond-style, in a 'Super Jeep' for an hour of snow-mobiling (a motorbike on skis instead of wheels). This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (tip: share a snow-mobile for two people and ride on the back if not overly confident). Our snow-mobiling trip was nowhere near as kamikazi as I had feared, even if we were caught in the blinding grips of a snow blizzard on the day of our tour. We didn't complain, knowing it could have been much worse - Iceland, studded as it is with volcanoes - is due for another earthquake! Mount Hekla, Iceland's most active volcano, last erupted in 1980...

Blue Lagoon

Most tourists head straight to the natural geothermal waters of the outdoor Blue Lagoon on the way to, or from, Kefavik airport, as it is only a 15-minute drive away. Dip into its steaming, fluorescent blue waters naturally rich in sea minerals, silica and algae (these give the water its colour), and your skin will thank you for it (it's great for psoriasis and eczema). It's a real laugh to cake your face with skin-purifying white silica-rich clay (provided in buckets)!

The Golden Circle

The famous 'Golden Circle' day tour is popular, encompassing a visit to the famous 'Geysir' hot spring - a hot jet of thermal water that bubbles up and spouts high in to the air every few minutes (it's the Big Daddy of geysers, after which all others are named). The tour also includes a visit to the mighty Gullfloss ('Golden Waterfall'), and Pingvellir National Park - home to Iceland's first parliament (930AD) and also where the earth's tectonic plates 'join' Northern America with Europe. The earth's crusts move apart here at about 1cm a year, so be quick!

Myth or fact?

They love their elves and folklore, the Icelanders, but what is not a myth is the expense of dining out in Reykjavik. (If you hail from London, prices are pretty comparable!) However it's worth at least one blow-out, because a typical traditional Icelandic menu is festooned with fresh fish, lamb and more fish (because of the rocky terrain and harsh weather in winter, vegetables are grown in green houses). We braved a slither of traditional cured/rotten shark meat (hakarl) - not for the faint-hearted!

One popular myth is that if you roll naked in the dew on Midsummer's day, your ailments will be healed and dreams will come true. Best not test this out on a business trip with a grumpy boss...

One geyser blowing up is enough!