An Icelandic Adventure: A World of Ice

Trips

A bit further along and you find the landscape begins to change; lush greens and waterfalls give way to black and in the distance almost inching towards you, your first glimpse of a glacial tongue. Skaftafell is Iceland’s premiere glacial national park and since ice accounts for about twenty percent of the island’s surface – a huge portion – this ice is not to be ignored, and Skaftafell is a great, albeit crowded, place to kick off.

A quick stroll brings you from vibrant brush and floor to the forefront of Falljökull glacial tongue, and the lagoon it melts into. It’s immensity, at one time creeping towards us, now recedes, continually gaining momentum and disappearing faster and faster as time trudges forward and our kind does little to reverse the mistakes we’ve made that have brought us to this point. A conversation for another day.

The chunks bobbing in the lagoon range from baseball size and crystal clear to car size and blue, to pure white and the size of a bus, all from the same place and all ever so slowly getting smaller to feed the lagoon.

As you take this all in, reflect on scale, time, politics, etc… the whipping wind coming off the ice chills you to the bone and through layer and layer you begin to feel it; noticeably fifteen or twenty degrees cooler and somehow fresher than the rest of the air, a bit more pure, a bit more free. Or maybe it’s just cold and that’s how you justify it. Regardless it’s time to get back to the car.

Photos in this post taken on Canon Rebel SL1

An Icelandic Adventure: The Ring Road’s Not-So-Secret Treasures

Trips

Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss, and the Road There

Now sometimes you have to go to great lengths and distances to be able to find what you are looking for, be it solitude, beauty, immensity, challenge, adventure, etc… Sometimes, it’s right under your nose, right off the road and you knew it, or you didn’t. These places, these things, sometimes they are crowded by throngs of tourists, but sometimes, sometimes they are yours and yours alone for that moment.

Iceland is gaining ground in the tourism industry, just about every person we ran into before and after was going, had been, or knew someone who was going or had been; this doesn’t detract from an adventure. Folks say that if it’s crowded, it isn’t worth it or at the very least imply this, we ourselves have done so and it is a constant struggle to not be negative in this way. Yes, Iceland is busy, there are loads of people around most corners, but it doesn’t take away from the validity of beauty, immensity, challenge, adventure of these sights; they are popular for good reason.

Many things we saw on our trip were right off the ring road, Iceland’s main drag that loops around the island, and they were all gorgeous. Waterfalls more powerful than you can dream, so strong and rushing down so fast that you can feel their immensity in the blast of mist that hits your face as you approach. They are surrounded by lush green whose contrast illuminates just how impressive and otherworldly they are.

To every gorgeous waterfall though, there are everyday sites right off the road where, if you pull over, get out, and take a look; you can find the same impressive beauty, the same history, the same country. So yes, in the end, some places are busy and some places are unknown and under-appreciated, a huge amount right off the road, but they’re all worth your time even if you need to say “excuse me” to get through (or “pardon me” for trespassing).

Cramped Up Iceland Ring Road Farm Turf Roof

Photos in this post taken on Canon Rebel SL1

An Icelandic Adventure: Reykjadalur Hot Springs

Trips

Reykjadalur – 4 miles in and out

Just a few minutes off the Ring Road and a 2 mile hike in you’ll find Reykjadalur, a natural hot spring fed creek, prime for a leisurely soak. The hike is gorgeous, up, up, up into the hills and then meandering through valley, the greenest of scenery, past bubbling mud pots and steaming holes in the ground ripe with the eggy sulfuric scent that would send some running; all the while the Icelandic sheep just stare, as if to say, “we’re annoyed, but don’t care enough to say something.”

For sure, this place is popular, but not like it should be, not like it would be here in the states. We arrive and stroll down the boardwalk pathway to the top of the stream, where, we correctly assume it’d be hottest. Past the Germans, the French, the locals, and of course other Americans; but it’s different than being at other sites surrounded by the same folks, there’s a camaraderie here that isn’t found with the folks using pervert lenses at the waterfalls.

We soak, trying different spots high up and down low on the stream, the natural temperature adjustment; to get up and move. This place is magical, deep green hills, sheep grazing, blue skies and the sun kissing us the whole time. No wonder the Icelandic folklore centers on elves, fairies, and trolls; why wouldn’t it, the magic of this country is palpable and this is only our first day.

Photos taken on Canon Rebel SL1 and GoPro Hero4.