Fall in love with lava in wild and woolly Iceland
THIS year Iceland became infamous for the deeply inconvenient glacial eruption of “that” volcano – Eyjafjallajökull (pronounced “AY-uh-fyat-luh-YOE-kuutl-uh”).
Its extraordinary qualities as a country were overshadowed by the chaos of grounded planes. Yet it is starkly beautiful and untamed, overflowing with adventure, history and plenty of volcanic action (brilliant to watch when it doesn’t spoil your holiday). Better still, it is only a two- and-a-half-hour flight from London.
The road leading from Keflavik international airport passes along the Reykjanes Peninsula, winding its way between a hardened black volcanic lava bed, the evidence of an early 13th century eruption.
The landscape is desolate and rugged, with barely a sign of plant life. Only 2 per cent of the country is covered with vegetation – approximately 31 per cent is covered with glaciers, hardened lava and volcanic ash. Due to the lack of trees, Icelanders joke that if you see a cluster of four or more trees, you can call it a forest.
A few miles from the airport I stop to see The Bridge Between the Continents, where a bridge spans a large fissure or opening in the ground. The site is known as the Reykjanes Ridge, the meeting place of two continents – the North American tectonic plate to the West and Eurasia tectonic plate to the East. The plates meet right under Iceland and expand 2cm every year, slowly splitting the country in half. In some places the crack is approximately 30 metres, wide enough to drive a car through.
I was well advised to pack my bathing suit in my hand luggage. Half way between the airport and Reykjavik is the famous Blue Lagoon (the one seen on Tube posters) – a natural geothermal spa. The milky-blue water stands out against the surreal black lava bed setting, and vast amounts of rising vapour are a sure sign you have arrived.
The water originates 2,000 metres beneath the ground, where the earth’s natural forces heat it. The lagoon water is cooled and kept at a controlled and comfortable 38 degrees for bathers.
When the steam lifted, wallowing bathers who resembled tribal warriors were revealed. Their bodies and faces were covered with white mineral-rich mud, which is great for the skin and found on the bottom of the lagoon. The lagoon entrance fee is high (€28) but it’s worth it. It clued me in to the fact that despite the 2008 financial crash, the country is still expensive. Be prepared to pay more than usual for most things.
ON MY PLATE: SMOKED PUFFIN
I drive east along Route 1 towards the south coast, passing pools of bubbling mud and green fields with grazing stocky-looking ponies. I’m soon corrected and told there are no ponies in Iceland, only horses. The Icelandic horse is a tough breed and due to its isolation, it is one of the most pure-bred horse breeds in the world and also famous for having a fifth gait called a tölt. In action, the tölt feels a little like speed walking for horses, but comfortable for the rider.
Despite being late at night, it was still light outside when I arrived at the Hotel Ranga – that’s a northern summer for you. At the entrance to the hotel I was greeted by a huge adult polar bear – stuffed – standing on its hind legs. Polar bears are not native to Iceland, but they have been known to enter the country illegally on the back of drifting icebergs all the way from Greenland.
The Hotel Ranga is located between the towns of Hella and Hvolsvöllur, about an hour’s drive from Reykjavík. It’s perfectly placed in the middle of Iceland’s scenic south and the hotbed of recent volcanic action. On a clear day, you have views of the Westman Islands, the famous Mt. Hekla and the infamous Eyjafjallajökull (which means island-mountain-glacier).
At dinner, many interesting local delicacies landed on my plate, including slices of smoked puffin. I plucked up the courage to sample the country’s usually cute bird, which I found fishy-tasting, but pleasant.
JAGGED LAVA
The following morning I joined SuperJeep Land Rover tours for a trip through the Landmannalaugar National Park. It was late June, but it was cold and grey clouds filled the sky – Iceland’s weather is unpredictable to say the least.
Our Land Rover Defender was fitted with giant “Super Swamper” tyres, tough enough to drive over jagged dried lava. The tyres have half-inch treads and stand 17 inches from the ground to the axle. I managed to clamber into the 4×4 without the aid of a ladder. Laden with fuel (£1 per litre), we drive towards the Landmannalaugar National Park. Potentially extreme weather and harsh driving conditions mean that only 4x4s are allowed to enter the park.
En route to the national park we stop to see Seljalandsfoss waterfall, walking behind its flow of water as it tumbled 40 feet over a rocky scarp into a deep pool. A few miles down the road (100 km from Reykjavik) is Þorvaldseyri farm, surrounded by thick black ash from the recent eruption. Eyjafjallajökull glacier literally sits right above the farm. My view of the volcano was obstructed due to low cloud, but I could see evidence of the eruption all around. Looking on in frustration, unable to see a thing, I wondered if the still smoking volcano might erupt anytime soon.
We continued on to Skógarfoss, another stunning waterfall, and Sólheimajökull glacier, then drove the Land Rover along the black sand beach at Reynisfjara, where we came across the carcass of a beached Minke whale.
WORLD-CLASS DIVING
The landscape in Landmannalaugar is breathtaking. It’s an isolated place; cars are few and far between. We pass over high mountain tops crowned with shimmering crater lakes. We drive along rough unsealed roads, cross streams and deep rivers and pass through valleys full of rocky wonders that would make any geologist dizzy with excitement.
The stunning valley is strewn with large boulders covered in various types of moss. I jump down from the Land Rover onto a mattress of deep, soft moss to take in the view. The setting resembles a scene from Lord of the Rings. I expect a hobbit to appear from behind a boulder at any moment.
That night we stayed at a mountain hut in the heart of the park, drinking cold beer and bathing in thermal pools under the midnight sun. I turned down the offer of another local delicacy – fermented, rotten shark meat. As tempting as it was, the putrid smell was slightly off-putting.
The natural thermal pools form when water comes up through hardened lava and then mixes with cold mountain stream water. You have to wade about to find a warm spot, then immerse yourself and take in the unspoilt wilderness.
With the constant light, the days start rolling into each other. We drive west along Route 26 and pass Mt. Hekla, the “Hooded” mountain. It’s a beautiful cone-shaped volcano and rumoured to be the next to erupt.
The area known as the Golden Circle is famous for its geysers, waterfall and national parks. Gulfoss is the country’s most famous waterfall, a spectacular double cascade with a 32 metre drop, which throws out a wall of spray creating a rainbow on sunny days. At Geysir you can watch Strokkur, a hot blow-hole that blasts out a 100 ft tower of steaming water every five minutes, an amazing site if ever there were one.
In Silfra, I throw on my thermals, a dry suit and huge wet-suit before descending into the freezing glacial streams to snorkel over the Silfra Rift. The water is very cold, 2°C all year round.
Silfra is a famous snorkel and world-class dive site. Under water, you can dive in a crack between the American and Eurasian plates that are drifting apart by 2cm each year.
Visibility is amazing, due to the melting water from a glacier 50 km away. The water travels through lava fields for years before emptying into the lake. There are no fish below the surface, some plant life, but the rock formations are stunning, with huge bottomless cracks leading deep into the earth.
PARTY TIME
The low-rise capital city of Reykjavik, is full of funky bars and cafes and with plenty of good dining options. The average cost of a beer is around £4 and upwards. Due to the high cost of alcohol, locals tend to entertain at home before heading out late to party – which they do well. It has been said that an average night out for Icelanders, is like the last night on Earth for the rest of us. The popular Kaffibarinn bar (owned by Damon Albarn, from the band Blur) has a good selection of Icelandic beers.
The best time to visit Iceland is from June to August, when days are incredibly long, roads accessible and the weather is cool. Average summer temperatures are between 12°C to 15°C and around 5°C at night. Winter temperatures drop below -20°C, with short days. Be prepared for rain and cold temperatures and pack a rain jacket and some warm layers, as the weather can change in a flash.
Iceland is a relatively young country. It is still forming, with regular eruptions and earthquakes. The earth is constantly shifting and is capable of throwing out 300 earthquakes a day – although they are so small you may not notice them. With its accessible lava fields, glaciers, erupting volcanoes and deep history, Iceland is the perfect place to see Mother Nature hard at work, continuously creating more of our planet. Iceland is full of surprises at every turn – you will not be disappointed.
ICELAND: ITINERARY SUGGESTION
DAY 1: Arrive in Reykjavik. En route from the airport visit The Bridge Between the Continents and the Blue Lagoon (remember to pack your swimsuit in your hand luggage). Private airport pick-up through Snæland Grimsson stops at the above places www.snaeland.is. Stay at the Hilton: www.hilton.co.uk/reykjavik.
Day 2: Visit Reykjavik, relax in a funky café, take in a whale-watching tour (www.elding.is) at £42 per person and dine at the Café Paris (ww.cafeparis.is). On the way back to your hotel, stop at the popular Kaffibarinn for some good Icelandic beers (owned by Damon Albarn of Blur) – www.kaffibarinn.is.
Day 3: Drive to the south shore, play on the black sand beaches, visit Seljalandsfoss, Skogarfoss, Eyjafjallajökull and stay at Hotel Ranga (www.hotelranga.com).
Day 3: Explore Landmannalaugar National Park with www.superjeep.is. Spend a night in a mountain hut – book through Ferðafélag Islands (www.fi.is/forsida).
Day 4: With a rental vehicle or a tour, explore the Golden Circle (Geysir, Gulfross and Thingvellir National Park) and try diving or a half-hour snorkelling trip in the Silfra Rift with www.dive.is.
Day 5: Take a half-hour flight to the nearby Vestmannaeyi (Westman Islands). Explore the island; take a boat tour or do some bird and whale watching – it’s a good place to see killer whales. www.boattours.is
Day 6: Explore Reykjavik or try a horse-riding tour with www.ishestar.is before heading to the airport.
PACKAGES AND INFO
Regent Holidays offers a five-night break to Iceland from £1,300 per person which includes three nights at the Hilton Nordica in Reykjavik (www.hilton.co.uk/reykjavik), two nights at the Hotel Ranga (www.hotelranga.is), full day SuperJeep sight-seeing tour of the Golden Circle including snorkelling in the Silfra Rift, full day SuperJeep sightseeing tour to Landmannalaugar, three days’ car hire and return Icelandair flights from London (www.icelandair.co.uk), including all taxes. To book call 0845 277 3301 or visit www.regent-holidays.co.uk.
For more information on Iceland check out www.visiticeland.com and www.inspiredbyIceland.com.
For day trips to the Westman Islands visit www.visitwestmanislands.com.
Iceland Express: Iceland Express flies daily from London Gatwick to Reykjavik and prices start from £89 one-way including taxes. For reservations, go to www.icelandexpress.com or call 0118 321 8384.
The Lonely Planet guide book to Iceland is also an invaluable companion and costs £14.99. www.lonelyplanet.com/Iceland.
To check the local weather forecast go to http://en.vedur.is