Day 2 – Thurs 16th Feb: the Secret Lagoon, Gulfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir National Park.
We set out for the Secret Lagoon first thing after a breakfast of cereal, waffles and juices. We spent an hour bathing in the geothermally heated waters. Parts of it were very, very warm so we had to pick our bathing spots carefully. Nearly everyone tried some ‘snow bathing’ too for the true Icelandic experience; getting really, really cold before submerging themselves in the warm water.
Next we drove to Gulfoss, a huge waterfall where thousands of litres tumble over two-tiers into a narrow canyon. In the past British investors planned to divert the river for energy production but were unsuccessful after a protest by a local farmer’s daughter, Sigridur Tomasdottir, who walked to Reykjavík bare foot to draw attention to the issue. Also en route was a pool used to drown suspected witches in
A few miles further we stopped at Geysir, another geothermal area with bubbling springs and geysers. We walked a short distance, past a number of steaming fumaroles that bubbled away with a smell of rotten eggs. We then reached Strokkur, the most impressive geyser in the area which constantly bubbles away then blasts water 20m in the air every 5 minutes or so. We saw a series of four or five steam eruptions, each more impressive than the last. Pupils then had time to buy souvenirs and extra food in the shopping area nearby.
Our last visit of the day was to Thingvellir National Park. We stopped at at a number of viewing platforms with impressive panoramas over the rift valley that runs south-west to north-East through Iceland. We then walked about a mile through the Rift Valley alongside the edge of the North American Plate which towered to our right hand side. Looking east we could see braided streams running into Lake Thingvellirvatn and volcanoes framing the horizon. En route Stephen stopped us at Logberg ‘the law rock’. Here Iceland’s Viking leaders formed the world’s first democratic parliament and would meet annually to recite existing laws and resolve judicial matters. We also stopped along the way at a footbridge to admire the gurgling water below. But this was the Drekkingarhylur (Drowning Pool) a place where, between 1602 and 1750, at least 18 women were executed for suspected witchcraft.
Evening meal of bbq chicken, rice and chips followed by apple crumble.
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