By Jacque Lynn Foltyn
Situated on two tectonic plates, Iceland is a geological hotspot, a destination for scientists, filmmakers and travelers attracted to its constantly changing, otherworldly landscapes. I visited in early September, and after several days in the lively city of Reykjavik I headed south.
Since I was traveling alone and my time was short, I booked day tours rather than drive, and I found a variety of tours from which to choose, depending upon the time of year and the weather. There are excursions for backpackers, cavers, rafters, climbers, paragliders, photographers, whale- and bird-watchers, and for people like me who simply want to see the sublime scenery and geological formations for which the island is famed.
The Golden Circle, Iceland's most popular tourist route, is a must for first-time visitors. Our 186-mile tour was headed by an Icelandic guide who traces his ancestry to the original Viking settlers. Affable and well-informed, he talked about Icelandic culture and history, its unique geology, and the ways in which geothermal energy is captured to supply electricity, warm greenhouses and provide hot water. There was a spirit of adventurous camaraderie among us, 16 travelers from around the world who had come to the land of fire and ice. As we drove along steaming fields and stark lava flats, with snowcapped mountains and the ocean in the distance, I sampled Icelandic salmon, smoked lamb and other local treats.
The Golden Circle has three key sights, one of which is the roaring two-tiered magnificence of Iceland's most famous waterfall, Gullfoss ("golden falls"). The river Hvita takes a 105-foot plunge over the falls, and on sunny days its waters appear golden. At the Geyser Geothermal National Park, we walked among spouting geysers, hissing steam vents and boiling mudpots that reek of sulfur, a preternatural experience.
We visited Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 28 miles east of Reykjavik. A rift valley with a large lake, vertical fault lines and subterranean tunnels, Thingvellir is enclosed by stony cliffs that were formed by a volcanic eruption 9,000 years earlier, pushed upward by the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Waterfalls cascaded from their craggy heights, and as I walked on suspension bridges over a gorge, I understood why for nearly a thousand years the Vikings used this central theatrical site to meet for the Althing, the world's first democratic parliament, established in 930. In 1844, after a 45-year hiatus, it moved to Reykjavik.
Beyond the Golden Circle is the South Coast, a landscape of greener-than-green hills and valleys, endless waterfalls, dormant and active volcanoes, glaciers and the ruins of dwellings built by the original settlers.
At Reynisfjara I hiked along a black sand beach and marveled at the basalt cliffs that resemble geometrical columns or a pipe organ. Shaped by lava that cooled when it reached the water, the bluffs inspired the architect who designed Hallgrimskirkja, Iceland's most famous church. Offshore, striking lava structures stand like sculptures in the sea.
With its dreamy tranquility, another of Iceland's natural wonders is the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, situated next to Vatnajokull National Park, Europe's largest glacier. Blue-tinged icebergs and glistening chunks of ice floated in the lagoon as seabirds dove for fish and seals swam. We also visited the Solheimajokull Glacier. An eerie study in white and black, the glacier is splattered with pumice, lava, ash and crystalized ores uncovered from volcanic eruptions eons before. The glacier is melting, which is attributed to climate change.
A slippery walk behind a curtain of water cascading from the 197-foot-tall Seljalandsfoss waterfall is another highlight of the South Coast. The fall originates in the glacier-capped Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano with the unpronounceable name, whose eruption in 2010 caused air traffic to stop for weeks in Europe.
Traditional Icelandic farms dot the South Coast with flocks of Icelandic sheep and herds of long-maned Icelandic horses, some blond, others brunette, red and spotted. Our driver stopped several times to allow these equine beauties to cross the road. The sheep and horses, along with Icelandic cattle and Icelandic dogs, are unique breeds, descendants of those brought by the Vikings in the ninth century. Known for their curiosity and intelligence, the horses are sociable and sure-footed, accustomed to the island's harrowing terrain. To keep them disease-free and the genetic line "pure," no Icelandic horse that leaves the island is allowed to return, and it is illegal to import foreign breeds.
"Don't call them ponies! They may be smaller than your American horses, but they are horses!" scolded an Icelandic woman at the Eldhestar Volcano Horses farm before we set off on a horse-riding trek. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, I forded a river, galloped through meadows, and practiced the breed's unique fifth gait on a mare named Idun in honor of the Norse goddess of apples and youth. We climbed a steep mountain trail with panoramic views of valleys and the ocean below.
Since the weather was unpredictable on the day we set forth, we were wearing foul-weather gear. When we reached the summit, I threw off my clothes, changed into a swimsuit and bathed for a luxurious 45 minutes in a natural hot spring used by the Vikings — Iceland at is best!
WHEN YOU GO
Gullfoss: www.gullfoss.is/about-gullfoss
Thingvellir National Park: www.thingvellir.is/english/aspx
Eldhestar Volcano Horses: www.eldhestar.is/tours
Vatnajokull National Park: www.vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/en
Jacque Lynn Foltyn is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Gullfoss in Iceland's Golden Circle is the country's most famous waterfall. Photo courtesy of Jacque Lynn Foltyn.
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