2022
It's been a long held "bucket list" item to visit Iceland over the Winter period, to see the delights that The Land of Fire and Ice has to offer. It did indeed have so much to offer, but I can only give some highlights to encourage you to visit too.
Although we didn't see The Northern Lights, as we had hoped (they just weren't doing their thing the time we were there), we did see plenty of fire, ice and thermal hot water springs. We spent time in the beautiful capital, Reykjavik (meaning Smokey Bay), and took some longer distance tours into the more rural and remote parts.
A short distance from the tectonic plate divide and the Althing, geothermal activity pushes water to the surface regularly - hot water springs and geysers being amongst the most amazing. Here's an actual geyser at Geyser, from where all geysers get their name.
And very near to it, there are the spectacular Gullfoss waterfalls - what power and beauty!
And we went bathing in lagoons filled with geothermally heated hot water - the video shows the springs pouring water at 100+ degrees C, but they fed a lagoon of water pleasantly body temperature.
And here's me, beside the pool where I had spent a pleasant 90 minutes...
But it wasn't all cold weather, icy hills and hot springs - we also had some lovely traditional Icelandic lamb soup served in a bowl made of bread!
But we sometimes had much more upmarket meals!
We went whale watching...
We took a minibus safari into the wilds of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, where Iceland lived up to its name, with glaciers, snow drifts, blinding sleet, huge waves and good company with our guide who had once been an international handball player for Iceland.
But we still found a hot water pool to bath our feet - warm feet, cold body!
But it wasn't all wild adventures. We spent a couple of days in the city, where I'd recommend a visit to The Iceland Experience at The Perlan Centre - (website here). It's a superb exhibition centre with Northern Lights Planetarium, an ice cave (real ice) a geological history of Iceland - and a magnificent revolving coffee shop/restaurant in the dome at the top - we spent about 90 minutes with a coffee and cake, went round once, and got a 360degree view of the entire area.
More pictures of Perlan...
We also explored around the city, with visit the House of Parliament, adjacent to City Hall, and the national cathedral which is very small. There's a brilliant huge relief map of the whole of Iceland in City Hall (Radhus) lobby. Well worth a visit.
The city reflects its own growing history with an ancient area, and many modern parts. The oldest house in the city is now a museum - and in a tardis like way (for Doctor Who fans) the entrance to the oldest and possibly smallest house gives way to a massive and extremely interesting museum beneath the streets, where Viking long houses have been excavated archaeologically.
Reflecting Iceland's strong and unwavering support for inclusivity, we find the famous Rainbow Street (which was painted for Pride but kept for ever because people liked it and the principles it stands for.) The Rainbow Street leads directly up the hill to Iceland's tallest building and largest church - the inside of which reflects, perhaps the ribcage of a whale, dwelling on Iceland's traditional trade - now happily being re-thought. It is probably Reykjavik's most recognised landmark, the modern Hallgrimskirkja
But finally, as if to confirm its reputation of Land of Fire and Ice (we'd seen plenty of the latter) a volcanic fissure opened up in the rocks while we were there. Access to it was barred, but as we flew out of Reykjavik on the way home, we could just catch a glimpse of it from the plane windows as we rose above the beautiful island. In the video below, you can just see the strip pf fire, but the black lava flow threatening nearby villages is obvious in its extent.
So all in all, an excellent Icelandic Saga - and It's sparked the desire to visit again, and again. There is so much more I could show you and tell you about, but I hope my post gives you a bit of the flavour. When I've edited my photo album, I may well link to that to show you more - but the better way to see more would be to book a trip: if you're going in March (or any time in Winter) I'd recommend, in fact thoroughly recommend, taking all your thermal underwear - the average temperature was about 4C, with much colder nights, but the warmth of the welcome was just superb.
And if there are any Icelandic Local Guides, I'd love you to comment in the boxes below and maybe we can talk a lot more about your lovely country.
A great post and great photos and videos which brought back memories @PeteMHW. I will add a photo when I get a moment. I've now added a couple of photos from my last trip to Iceland. The photo of the Hallgrímskirkja cathedral shows how big it really is.
Really superb post @PeteMHW i have just seen your post, it superb narrated, every picture is lively....... for me in India, here ongoing festival of colors "Holi" & your post given beutiful morning refresh..... thank you very much for sharing with us 🙏🤝
@PeteMHW What a lovely post!! Colour me green with envy!! Iceland is also on my bucket list and I almost got to tick it off in 2020 when.. well things changed for us all then! Anyway, your trip looks amazing and I'm so glad that you got to experience it all with the missus! 😊
