Today was a full day tour that took in Iceland’s famous Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon. Pick up was at 8.30am at my usual Bus stop. There are always lots of pickups for these tours, so it’s important to make sure that you have your booking confirmation handy, as not all the drivers read out the names of the people they are collecting; so best to check with each one as they arrive to ensure that you get on the correct bus!
This time I didn’t have to change buses and just continued on the journey in the minibus. We headed for the Thingvellir National Park, which is part of the Atlantic ridge that runs through Iceland and is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Icelandic mainland. It is also known as being the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th – 18th Century, where it houses the church and old stone shelters.
We stopped off at the first Visitors Centre which is by a boardwalk that winds between the two tectonic plates. The boardwalk is a nice walk, offering some superb views. It was extremely windy again and it was difficult trying not to get blown away whilst taking photos!
The next stop was Haukadalur which is a geothermal valley that lies to the north of Lake Laugarvatn. This area houses geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. This is also home to the Great Geysir, and active Strokkur Geysir that erupts regularly. So, with a bit of patience, you should be able to witness a few magical displays. I did manage to get some photos and a couple of videos, but it was cold and windy throughout. Afterwards, it was time to pop into the neighbouring Visitors Centre for something to eat and drink. I decided on some soup, as that was just what I needed after standing out in the freezing cold for so long. I had read about Icelandic meat soup, and there is a lamb one called Kjotsupa, that is made from lamb or mutton and root vegetables. I don’t think the one I had was the real McCoy, as it was watery and didn’t have much taste, but at least it warmed me up. I then ventured into the souvenir shop where I found my cheapest purchase yet: a bar of Icelandic chocolate for the equivalent of £3.50!
Gullfoss Waterfall was the following stop on our Golden Circle adventure. This waterfall was pretty spectacular, but a scary climb up in the strong winds. The lower level turned out to be even scarier, as a handful of people were suddenly blown past me on the path as I reached it. Water from the waterfall was apparently landing on the path and freezing and then the strong winds were making it virtually impossible for people to keep their footing. I decided to give this viewing level a miss having already battled in the wind to view it from the top.
Our penultimate stop was the Kerid volcanic crater, which is a volcanic lake in southern Iceland. The crater has steep moss covered walls, and the water has a beautiful aquamarine hue due to the minerals in the soil. I managed to battle the current of the wind and get a great panoramic shot of the crater, which I was pleased with.
The final destination on our trip was a relaxing visit to the Blue Lagoon at Grindavik, where we spent a couple of hours in the hot springs. I found it to be clean and really organised here, and it has great changing facilities with free shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and towels. You also get free face packs and a drink in the lagoon area. You get an electronic tag on entering the lagoon and this enables you to use your locker and pay for any other goods you purchase in the lagoon area. You then pay anything you owe on your way out after scanning your tag.
Getting into the lagoon was freezing as you first ventured outside, but once in there the water was amazingly hot and relaxing and it isn’t deep for anyone who may be concerned about that issue. I could have easily stayed in there for hours, as once in I really didn’t want to get out again. The only regret I have from this trip is that I didn’t purchase a waterproof phone protector before travelling to Iceland, so I couldn’t easily take any photos inside the lagoon – so remember this tip if you go!
