In July and August 2024, Jill and I journeyed through Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice. We spent two days in Reykjavik and then sailed around the island on a 7-day cruise aboard the Windstar Star Pride. Iceland, a bucket list cruise, was everything we had hoped for and more!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our adventure.
This story, part of a series, is about our tour of the famous Iceland Golden CIrcle.
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our adventure.
This story, part of a series, is about our tour of the famous Iceland Golden CIrcle.
Reykjavik, Iceland (August 1, 2024) Jill and I spent our first day in Iceland in the historic center of Reykjavik. In the afternoon, we went on a walking tour--Walk with a Viking—of the city’s top attractions. And, in the evening, we went on a food walk--Local Foodie Adventure—which introduced us to Icelandic cuisine from mainstream fare to national delicacies.
This day, we welcomed the opportunity to venture into the countryside west of Reykjavik on a Golden Circle tour of four different and distinct natural wonders—an amazing crater lake, a breathtaking waterfall, an extraordinary waterspout, and a magnificent national park.
This day, we welcomed the opportunity to venture into the countryside west of Reykjavik on a Golden Circle tour of four different and distinct natural wonders—an amazing crater lake, a breathtaking waterfall, an extraordinary waterspout, and a magnificent national park.
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Early morning, we boarded a minibus—this was a small group tour of 20 or so fellow travelers—near The House of Collections, which was built in 1906-1908 to house the National Library and National Archives of Iceland. The building itself, designed by Danish architect Johannes Magdahl Nielsen, is “considered one of Iceland’s most beautiful.” It certainly looked grand to me!
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“Hello everyone. My name is Thor. I’m your driver and guide on this Golden Circle tour. I’ll do my best to share the history and geology of the sites we will see and tell you a bit about the countryside as we drive from stop to stop.”
In mythology, Thor was the fiercest of Norse deities—the god of storms and rain who brought lightning and thunder. He represented the ideal Norse warrior—"strong, brave, and fiercely loyal.” |
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Our Thor may very well have possessed these same attributes—although I doubted he could conjure up lightning and thunder!—but on this day he was friendly, helpful, professional, and a fount of knowledge who freely shared relevant, interesting, and sometimes funny information throughout the day.
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Here is a map of the route we followed. The distance we traveled was about 160 miles, and had we driven straight through, we would have completed the drive in just under four hours. Of course, we didn’t, as we spent 30 to 60 minutes at each stop, plus a half-hour for. All in all, this made for a full day—just shy of eight hours. But the time went by fast because I was fascinated with each site AND by the countryside I saw.
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I’ll have more to say about the countryside later in my story, but for now, let me share this with you: Iceland has a lush verdant landscape, green with grass and other vegetation…but remarkably, there were few trees.
I wondered why…but not for long.
Soon after we left the city, Thor said, “Centuries ago, before the Vikings came here, Iceland was densely forested with tall trees that covered forty percent of the land. But the Norsemen needed clear space for grazing pastures and farming and timber for energy and building, and so they burned and razed Iceland’s forests. Today, only two percent of Iceland’s surface is covered with forests, and most are small.”
Then Thor asked, “Do you know how to find your way out of an Icelandic forest? Just stand up!”
Ba-dum-CHING.
Soon after we left the city, Thor said, “Centuries ago, before the Vikings came here, Iceland was densely forested with tall trees that covered forty percent of the land. But the Norsemen needed clear space for grazing pastures and farming and timber for energy and building, and so they burned and razed Iceland’s forests. Today, only two percent of Iceland’s surface is covered with forests, and most are small.”
Then Thor asked, “Do you know how to find your way out of an Icelandic forest? Just stand up!”
Ba-dum-CHING.
Kerið
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Iceland is known for its breathtaking natural wonders, and the Kerid Crater is no exception. This volcanic crater lake located in the Grímsnes area in south Iceland is an amazing sight to behold.
~ kerid.is
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“Kerið Crater was created about 6,500 years,” Thor remarked on our drive there. “I know that sounds old, but it is one of the youngest volcanic craters in Iceland.”
(By the way, the Icelandic word ‘Kerið’ is pronounced ‘Kerid.’)
“The crater, which is 180 feet deep, was formed when a cone volcano—one of the simplest volcanic landforms—collapsed into its empty magna chamber,” he continued. “The lake in the middle of the crater is fed by an underground rain source. We will spend 30 minutes there, which should be more than enough time for you to walk around the rim of the crater or follow the path down to the edge of the lake.”
(By the way, the Icelandic word ‘Kerið’ is pronounced ‘Kerid.’)
“The crater, which is 180 feet deep, was formed when a cone volcano—one of the simplest volcanic landforms—collapsed into its empty magna chamber,” he continued. “The lake in the middle of the crater is fed by an underground rain source. We will spend 30 minutes there, which should be more than enough time for you to walk around the rim of the crater or follow the path down to the edge of the lake.”
Jill and I opted to walk the perimeter. I was glad, because our views of the crater and surrounding countryside were spectacular!
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In every direction, we saw multi-colored scenes: The walls of the crater were made of red volcanic rock not found in other parts of Iceland. The lake itself—described as “vivid blue” by one blogger, but closer to teal this day—derived its color from minerals in the soil that dissolved in the water. And here, there, and all around was grass and leafy groundcover in many shades of green.
Kerið, which is 886 feet across and 558 feet wide, is shaped like a human eye. So, it was no wonder to learn its nickname—‘The Eye of the World.’
“It’s soooo beautiful,” Jill remarked.
It WAS a beautiful formation—a colorful masterpiece—in a serene setting, and a wonderful start to our tour of the Golden Circle.
Kerið, which is 886 feet across and 558 feet wide, is shaped like a human eye. So, it was no wonder to learn its nickname—‘The Eye of the World.’
“It’s soooo beautiful,” Jill remarked.
It WAS a beautiful formation—a colorful masterpiece—in a serene setting, and a wonderful start to our tour of the Golden Circle.
As Thor drove to our second stop, he shared a quaint story about how Iceland was named.
“The 9th century Norsemen who discovered this island’s beautiful green landscape,” he began, “wanted it for themselves, so they devised a way to keep other settlers away. They called this land ‘Iceland,’ and named the land to the west, which they had also explored, ‘Greenland’—even though it was mostly ice. And in this way, these first settlers ensured only the heartiest and most able Vikings would colonize Iceland, while the less intrepid Norseman would go to Greenland.”
He paused for a moment—a drumbeat, if you will—before he said, “Not true.”
The ‘truth,’ as Thor then shared it, might have been another tale…but it sounded plausible.
“A 9th century Norseman named Hrafna-Flóki climbed a mountain when he first reached this land, and there he saw a fjord full of ice and icebergs. ‘I will name this land ‘Ísland,‘ he said, and this was how Iceland got its name.
(The Old Norse word ‘Ísland‘ is pronounced ‘Íst-lant.‘)
I liked both versions of the naming story, but perhaps favored the former a bit over the latter because it spoke to something I observed on tour this day: The countryside WAS a lush green landscape dotted with rolling hills and mountains. I LOVED this country’s natural beauty!
“The 9th century Norsemen who discovered this island’s beautiful green landscape,” he began, “wanted it for themselves, so they devised a way to keep other settlers away. They called this land ‘Iceland,’ and named the land to the west, which they had also explored, ‘Greenland’—even though it was mostly ice. And in this way, these first settlers ensured only the heartiest and most able Vikings would colonize Iceland, while the less intrepid Norseman would go to Greenland.”
He paused for a moment—a drumbeat, if you will—before he said, “Not true.”
The ‘truth,’ as Thor then shared it, might have been another tale…but it sounded plausible.
“A 9th century Norseman named Hrafna-Flóki climbed a mountain when he first reached this land, and there he saw a fjord full of ice and icebergs. ‘I will name this land ‘Ísland,‘ he said, and this was how Iceland got its name.
(The Old Norse word ‘Ísland‘ is pronounced ‘Íst-lant.‘)
I liked both versions of the naming story, but perhaps favored the former a bit over the latter because it spoke to something I observed on tour this day: The countryside WAS a lush green landscape dotted with rolling hills and mountains. I LOVED this country’s natural beauty!
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Gullfoss
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Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most iconic and beloved waterfalls, found in the Hvítá river canyon in Southwest Iceland.
~ Guide to Iceland
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“Soon, we will reach our second stop,” Thor said. “It’s a spectacular waterfall with a double drop that cascades through a canyon on the Hvítá river—a canyon carved by a glacier more than 5,000 years ago.”
The name of the glacier is Langjökull, and we could see its face—25 to 30 miles away—when we reached the upper lot for the visitors’ center.
Before we left the bus, Thor explained, “Gullfoss is an Icelandic name that means Golden Falls—a name inspired by the golden hue of the glacial water under sunlight. It was for Gullfoss that the Golden Circle was named.”
We had 30 minutes to explore Gullfoss—ranked within the ‘Top 10 Waterfalls of the World’ by world-of-waterfalls.com—and I was determined to make the best use of my time. Which, for me, meant ‘getting up close and personal.’
“Jill, let’s follow this walk to see where it leads.”
The name of the glacier is Langjökull, and we could see its face—25 to 30 miles away—when we reached the upper lot for the visitors’ center.
Before we left the bus, Thor explained, “Gullfoss is an Icelandic name that means Golden Falls—a name inspired by the golden hue of the glacial water under sunlight. It was for Gullfoss that the Golden Circle was named.”
We had 30 minutes to explore Gullfoss—ranked within the ‘Top 10 Waterfalls of the World’ by world-of-waterfalls.com—and I was determined to make the best use of my time. Which, for me, meant ‘getting up close and personal.’
“Jill, let’s follow this walk to see where it leads.”
The walk led to a point where we could see both the upper and lower falls, which dropped 36 feet, and 69 feet, respectively. The view was dramatic, and we could feel the spray from the falls…but I wanted a closer look yet.
“You’re on your own,” Jill said as I continued down the walk, which soon gave way to a rocky and sometimes slippery terrain that gently fell away towards an observation area made of bedrock between the upper and lower falls.
“You’re on your own,” Jill said as I continued down the walk, which soon gave way to a rocky and sometimes slippery terrain that gently fell away towards an observation area made of bedrock between the upper and lower falls.
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While Gullfoss is a gentle-sounding name, there was nothing gentle about the mighty power of the twin falls. As I stood on the outcrop, I experienced the force of the falls as it filled the air with a cold mist and a deep, rumbling sound, and even though I got wet, I was glad to have trekked along the path from top to bottom.
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We backtracked from Gullfoss to our third stop, and as he navigated our route, Thor called attention to a small herd of horses that grazed near the side of the road.
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“Those are Icelandic horses,” he said. “They are a breed that was developed in Iceland, most likely from horses that had been brought here by the Vikings in the 9th and 10 centuries. Icelandic horses are smaller compared to other breeds—at times, pony-sized—and are hardy and long-lived.
“There are roughly 80,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland,” he continued, “and 100,000 in other countries.” |
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Here was an interesting fact: Once an Icelandic horse leaves Iceland, it cannot return…nor can any other breed of horse be brought into this country.
Why?
“It is to preserve the genetic purity of the breed,” Thor explained. “This means every horse in Iceland can be traced to a Viking ancestor.”
Fascinating, I thought.
Why?
“It is to preserve the genetic purity of the breed,” Thor explained. “This means every horse in Iceland can be traced to a Viking ancestor.”
Fascinating, I thought.
Strokkur
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Strokkur, Iceland’s most visited active geyser, is found in the Geysir Geothermal Area. It is the greatest active geyser on site, blasting water to heights of around fifteen to twenty meters.
~ Guide to Iceland
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“There are two geysers in the area we will visit,” Thor said on the road to Strokkur. “The first is called Geysir, an Icelandic word that means ‘to gush.’ It is Geysir that all geysers are named for.”
Imagine that!
“Geysir is unpredictable,” he continued, “but nearby is a geyser called Strokkur, which means ‘to churn,’ and it erupts every five to ten minutes. I encourage you to make your way to Strokkur, as you won’t be disappointed.”
Imagine that!
“Geysir is unpredictable,” he continued, “but nearby is a geyser called Strokkur, which means ‘to churn,’ and it erupts every five to ten minutes. I encourage you to make your way to Strokkur, as you won’t be disappointed.”
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There was a bubbling, hot pool of water just on the other side of the road.
“Could this be Strokkur?” Jill asked. “I haven’t a clue,” I replied. We stood and watched…and watched…and watched some more, as did others. Nothing of consequence happened during the ten minutes we stood there. “This must be Geysir,” I said, “Let’s see what’s up ahead.” |
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And that was how we found Strokkur, smack dab in the middle of a large pool of water.
We must have just missed an eruption, because there was a cloud of water droplets, several feet high, that lingered along the far edge of the pool.
We stood and waited…and waited, and in less than 10 minutes, Strokkur erupted. I snapped a series of photos as quickly as I could.
We stood and waited…and waited, and in less than 10 minutes, Strokkur erupted. I snapped a series of photos as quickly as I could.
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This was the first time I had witnessed a geyser, and I was stoked.
“That was spectacular!” I gushed.
(You got me…pun intended.)
I walked to the south end of the pool and waited, and in six or seven minutes, Strokkur erupted again, shooting a spout of geothermally heated groundwater and steam 60 feet or more into the air.
“That was spectacular!” I gushed.
(You got me…pun intended.)
I walked to the south end of the pool and waited, and in six or seven minutes, Strokkur erupted again, shooting a spout of geothermally heated groundwater and steam 60 feet or more into the air.
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The first thing I sensed was the smell of sulfur, and then I felt warm water—a mist—wash over me, as I was downwind from the geyser.
Later, I read that the temperature of the water from Strokkur could reach more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but the cool air—it was in the mid-50s—ensured the water was a comfortable temperature by the time it reached me.
Afterwards, Jill and I had time for lunch at Geysir Restaurant. It was a cafeteria style eatery, and while the food was filling—I had lamb and vegetable soup and a salad—the quality was nothing to write home about.
Soon, we were back on the bus, and on our way to our fourth and final stop.
Later, I read that the temperature of the water from Strokkur could reach more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but the cool air—it was in the mid-50s—ensured the water was a comfortable temperature by the time it reached me.
Afterwards, Jill and I had time for lunch at Geysir Restaurant. It was a cafeteria style eatery, and while the food was filling—I had lamb and vegetable soup and a salad—the quality was nothing to write home about.
Soon, we were back on the bus, and on our way to our fourth and final stop.
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Along the way, I saw volcanic fields, rivers and small lakes, waterfalls—many, many waterfalls!—and something I had not seen before: Steam from geothermally heated water that rose from a fissure in the earth.
“Iceland is located on two tectonic plates, and the volcanic activity as they pull apart from one another creates an abundant source of hot underground water,” Thor said. “This is geothermal energy, and we use it to heat our homes and generate electricity.” Later, I read that “geothermal provides more than half of all the primary energy used in Iceland.” (For the record, we were about to learn more about these tectonic plates.) |
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Þingvellir National Park
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No single place epitomizes the history of Iceland and the Icelandic nation better than Þingvellir by the river Öxará. At Þingvellir - literally "Assembly Plains" - the Alþing general assembly was established around 930 and continued to convene there until 1798. Today Þingvellir is a protected national shrine.
~ Thingvellir National Park
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“I think you will find our last stop, Þingvellir National Park, unique and exceptional,” Thor began. “It is the site at which the first assembly of Iceland, called the Alþing, met in the first half of the 10th century.”
(Try as I might, I could not catch the pronunciation of ‘Þingvellir’ and ‘Alþing.’ Later, I learned the English version of these words—‘Thingvellir’ and ‘Athling,’ respectively. Much easier to pronouce…right?!)
“This park is also a geological marvel,” Thor continued, “as it lies in a valley that marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.”
The plates, which sit on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—the world’s longest undersea mountain range—drift apart from one another at an average rate of 2.5 centimeters per year. This drift creates seismic activity—on average, more than 500 earthquakes each week. And in turn, the seismic activity produced the crevices, vents, and unusual rock formations this park is known for.
(Try as I might, I could not catch the pronunciation of ‘Þingvellir’ and ‘Alþing.’ Later, I learned the English version of these words—‘Thingvellir’ and ‘Athling,’ respectively. Much easier to pronouce…right?!)
“This park is also a geological marvel,” Thor continued, “as it lies in a valley that marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.”
The plates, which sit on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—the world’s longest undersea mountain range—drift apart from one another at an average rate of 2.5 centimeters per year. This drift creates seismic activity—on average, more than 500 earthquakes each week. And in turn, the seismic activity produced the crevices, vents, and unusual rock formations this park is known for.
It would be an understatement to say that the landscape within Thingvellir National Park was dramatic.
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Before we left the bus, Thor stated, “Many of the scenes in Game of Thrones were filmed in Thingvellir. One of the most memorable was the battle between Brienne of Tarth and The Hound over Arya in the 10th episode of Season 4.”
This was lost on me, as I had never watched Game of Thrones. But Jill had, and she recalled the battle and recognized the rock formations we saw.
This was lost on me, as I had never watched Game of Thrones. But Jill had, and she recalled the battle and recognized the rock formations we saw.
We had one hour to explore the park, so we set out on a circuitous path to see what we could see. Here are a few of the other photos I took.
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There were several places along the path where it split—forks in the road, if you will—and at one fork we veered to the left because it led to a church I spotted on the other side of a creek.
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The church was named Þingvallakirkja —‘kirkja’ is the Old Norse word from church—and it looked like something from a simpler time. In fact, it was, as the main structure was built in 1859. (The tower was added in 1907, and the pulpit dated to 1683—likely from a prior iteration, as there has been a church at Thingvellir from the early 11th century forward.)
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There was a small parish cemetery near the church, which continued to serve the local community. From a nearby storyboard, I learned “the last church priest buried here was Heimir Steinsson, who died in 2000.”
I readily admit I lost track of time as I read the names and dates on one tombstone and then the next, and so I wasn’t surprised to hear Jill say, “Dad, we’ll have to hustle to the parking lot if we don’t want to be left behind.” And so, we did. |
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Thingvellir National Park, one of three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iceland, was (likely) a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Why? Because I was able to walk between two continents—North American and Eurasian—with ease, and this made our tour stop a singular success for me!
But for our return trip to Reykjavik, this was our Golden Circle tour—an amazing day in which we saw four natural wonders, each one magnificent, in the Southern Region of Land of Fire and Ice.
But for our return trip to Reykjavik, this was our Golden Circle tour—an amazing day in which we saw four natural wonders, each one magnificent, in the Southern Region of Land of Fire and Ice.
I have something else to share with you before I end this story.
Yesterday, at the end of our ‘Walk With a Viking’ tour, Jill and I stopped in a couple of shops as we made our way to Radisson Blu, our home away from home for two nights. She tried on a pretty knitted woolhat at a boutique named MJUL Iceland (‘MJUL’ means ‘soft’), but did not buy it.
So, as we walked to dinner, she said, “Dad, I’d like to buy that knit hat. Will you go with me after dinner?”
How could I say ‘no’ to my little girl.
We had another delicious meal at Fjallkonan, and then made the trek to MJUL Iceland. We arrived just before closing.
Yesterday, at the end of our ‘Walk With a Viking’ tour, Jill and I stopped in a couple of shops as we made our way to Radisson Blu, our home away from home for two nights. She tried on a pretty knitted woolhat at a boutique named MJUL Iceland (‘MJUL’ means ‘soft’), but did not buy it.
So, as we walked to dinner, she said, “Dad, I’d like to buy that knit hat. Will you go with me after dinner?”
How could I say ‘no’ to my little girl.
We had another delicious meal at Fjallkonan, and then made the trek to MJUL Iceland. We arrived just before closing.
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Jill must have looked at a half dozen hats before she settled on one in pink.
And guess what? I looked, too. My color of choice? Maroon. Don’t we look marvelous! (By the way, our knit hats WERE soft!) |
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Tomorrow we will board the Windstar Star Pride to begin our seven-night cruise around Iceland. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you.