Iceland lived up to the dream of ’land of fire and ice’
The stark bleakness is at once overwhelming and inspiring — a landscape of rock and lava formed from violent explosions deep underground.
It is a countryside that inspires thoughts of trolls and elves, and admiration for a people that have survived and thrived in such a place.
There are places in the world that we long to visit, only to suffer a let-down when we eventually make it to our dream destination.
For me, Iceland, the ‘land of fire and ice’, was where I had always wanted to go. Thankfully, the country that lies just inside the Arctic Circle not only lived up to those expectations, but far exceeded them.
Keflavik Airport was bathed in sunshine when I landed in mid-August, and that fine weather was to stay with me for my week there.
The goal was to head into the interior to walk in one of the last unspoilt wildernesses in Europe, but to get there required a sturdy 4x4 vehicle, as it is located well beyond where the paved roads ends.
The journey there took in much of the Golden Circle, a popular tourist route, taking in Geysir, which as the name suggests, is a geothermal zone with geysers that sprout with impressive regularity.
Nearby Gullfoss (Golden Falls) waterfall is a spectacular show of hydro power, with a mighty river seemingly vanishing into the earth as its roars into a crevice obscured from view.
Back into the car, the smooth road soon gave way to rough, rock-strewn and heavily potholed track.
First stop was Hveravellir which stands at the northern edge of a large lava field.
The site introduced me to the luxury of a geothermal bathing pool. The man-made pool provided a welcome end to a day’s walking, or indeed, could provide a refreshing start to the day.
Next to the site is a hot spring area, with boardwalks used to keep visitors off the fragile landscape while enjoying the views across. Smoking fumaroles and bubbling water holes give a glimpse of the powerful forces at work beneath our feet.
One of the walking routes encompassed part of the ancient main route marked by stone kilns over the Kjolur Highlands that passes between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers.
A notable feature was The Bony Mound. The story was recounted by my guide Oscar, a banker by trade, but one whose heart was definitely in the great outdoors.
The tale dating from 1780, involved five shepherds who died after being caught in a blizzard while returning to a farm with a flock of sheep. When a trip was made to fetch their bodies, the remains of two brothers had disappeared. They were not found until 66 years later.
The return journey to camp involved a difficult trail over hard rocks that could shred most hiking boots, but the walk did ensure that the dash to the hot pool that evening felt even better than usual.
The second day of hiking started out with a welcome contrast along a green valley, populated by a lone shepherd’s hut maintained as a refuge for anyone caught out if the weather charged.
However, this landscape was to change as I headed uphill, meeting the now familiar scree and rock. The backdrop of the immense glacier provided an awe-inspiring sight even as the wind made standing upright quite difficult.
The next destination was Kerlingarflöll, about two hour’s drive away to the south-east. Here the mountains were more dramatic, and the name, Kerling means woman, and Kerlingarfjöll (woman mountains), is believed to have been named after troll woman, according to ancient folk tales.
On a truly memorable day’s walking, we tackled a route over hills including Lodmundur, Snaekollur, and Fannborg.
The route contained steep ascents and precipitous descents across a mixture of hard, volcanic rock and soft sandy dust.
It also involved traversing a glacier or two, which had some heart-in-mouth moments but ultimately provided the undoubted highlight of the trip.
A stop at the highest point on the route provided a perfect view of the Bardarbunga volcano.
The volcano is sited on the northern edge of Vatnajokull ice sheet, the largest and most voluminous glacier. The volcano had begun to rumble while we were there with eruptions starting just a day after we left the area.
Interestingly, the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull (or The Big E) which famously closed airspace over Europe for days, has had some positive affects. Farmers have experienced higher yields from the lands that were covered in volcanic ash, while Iceland has also experienced a tourism boom.
That night provided an unexpected bonus with the sight of the Northern Lights flittering across the sky. Their early appearance meant they lacked the colours often associated with them. Nevertheless, it provided a magnificent sight to end a fantastic day.
On the second day, a long walk across rock and moorland ended at yet another other-worldly place.
There was little inclination of what was ahead as I approach the valley, but from the ridge, the sign of countless plumes of smoke gushing from the ground is extraordinary. The area, which is virtually untouched, bar a couple of bridges and walkways, also has areas of boiling mud and smoking fumaroles but the overall effect is truly extraordinary.
I returned to Rejkjavik on a day when it seemed the entire country’s 330,000 population was present. The Rejkjavik marathon, which also includes a half-marathon, a 10k run and a 3k fun run, attracts thousands. I entered the 10k (the sulphuric air of the hot springs must have taken some effect) and enjoyed a fantastic route around the city, as it headed out to the harbour, passing Bjork’s house, apparently, before making its way back into the city centre.
The enthusiasm of the people was thrilling, with music from trumpeters as well as the lids of pots, and cheers across the route.
The run was followed by yet another trip to a thermal pool, this time in a beautiful baths frequented mainly by the locals. For a very reasonable €4, there were two outdoor thermal pools, one hotter than the other, with strong underwater jets to ease weary muscles.
The marathon day led into Rejkjavik’s culture night and the streets buzzed with music and theatre. Unexpected delights, such as a young lad playing jazz piano at an outdoor cafe, under the eye of his father, further enhanced the enjoyment of this vibrant city.
All too soon, the trip was over but a return was being planned even before the flight home — Iceland is a unique destination that begs another visit.
Ireland now has direct flights to Reykjavik via Belfast, although flights only operate on Mondays and Fridays. WOW air will start flights from Dublin in June, operating on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Promotional fares start at €150 return, if you’re flexible when you fly, although €250 is more realistic.
Right in the city centre, Hotel Reykjavik Centrum is one of the best value hotels in town. Set in a renovated wooden building near the port, the hotel is modern and rooms well appointed. Doubles from €150. ( www.hotelcentrum.is )
If the price tag is more important than an in- house gym, you might want to try an airbnb apartment ( www.airbnb.com ). I was able to stay just minutes from the main street in a studio apartment for less than €90 a night.
The many ‘tourist information’ booths around the city are just hired guns for the tour agencies and won’t offer impartial advice. Instead, check out tripadvisor to see which tour agencies get the thumbs up. After much research, I used GeoIceland (www.geoiceland.com)for my Golden Circle tour and Time Tours ( www.timetours.is ) for my Northern Lights excursion.
The English language Reykjavik Grapevine newspaper ( www.grapevine.is ) is an excellent source of local listings.
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