Susan Solo – Photographer | Traveler | Adventurer

Tag: Iceland

Only in Iceland: Inside the Volcano Tour and the Blue Lagoon

Our fifth and final day on the road! And on that last road trip day we experienced perhaps the biggest highlight of our Iceland trip – the Inside the Volcano tour where we hiked out to Thrihnukagigur volcano and descended 120 meters down inside. Fun facts: Þríhnúkagígur, meaning “three peaks crater,” has been dormant for 4000 years, and it is the only volcano in the world where you can go inside the magma chamber. The opportunity to see the inside of a volcano is fairly new; this is only their third summer running the tours. More people have climbed Mt. Everest than have been inside a volcano, so it’s a very special experience! And for anyone who wants to try saying it, the pronunciation is sort of close to, “three-nuke-a-GHEE-gur” (ghee like the butter, not gee like ohemgee).

The moderate-level hike out to the volcano is about 2 miles/3 km (so 4 miles/6 km round-trip) over lava fields, but there is a path of loose rocks most of the time to mark the way. Sometimes the terrain was uneven and tricky for those of us who are more clumsy, but it’s not particularly strenuous. It might be slightly tiring though if, for example, you’re already sore from horseback riding the day before, and lacking energy from staying up waaay too late photographing the Northern Lights. There is a helicopter ride option as well if you’re not up for the hike and/or if you want what I imagine are spectacular views. I liked being on the ground for this though – Chris and I had fun exploring the cavernous lava tubes along the way that really showed us the extent of the volcano system. Not to mention we easily burned off the calories of the previous night’s meal and the chocolate bar that followed it.

That’s Thrihnukagigur in the background. (I’m squinty because of the bright white sky.)

Built by German engineers, an intricate lift system lowers visitors down into the chamber and more importantly, brings them back up. The tour operators hooked us into the walkway and lift system via carabiner and harness for extra safety which I appreciated since we essentially walked a plank across a hole that plummets over 400 feet below. When Árni B. Stefánsson originally discovered the volcano, he simply rappelled into the crater hole without knowing that it was a volcano or what was below!

Once inside, our guide gave us some additional history and info about the volcano and we were set free to explore. Note that while lights have been added for easier touring and an orange rope marks off the no-access areas, no other amenities have been added to the interior. The paths remain completely natural with loose rocks and there are no stairs. Walking around was tricky, but it felt like a true adventure that way. To add to the adventurous spirit, when I signed up for the tour I didn’t realize that the dormant Thrihnukagigur still has the potential (though very unlikely) to erupt. What an interesting scenario to imagine while we were in the magma chamber! Upon hearing of our upcoming tour, a local in Akureryi told us the day before that if we “start to get hot, go up.” That was good advice and it made us chuckle, but it was a cool 6°C (43°F) inside and also a bit wet and drippy. The colors of the chamber walls, quite simply put, were stunning. And the walls were expansive! It was hard to capture the enormity of the space on camera, but to give you a comparison, the Statue of Liberty would fit comfortably inside the magma chamber with plenty of room to spare.

After the 4-mile hike on top of already-sore muscles from horseback riding, we were ready for some chillin’ out, maxin’ and relaxing in the Blue Lagoon so we headed out to the Grindavík area to get our geothermal spa on. Side note: the Blue Lagoon is about a 40-minute drive from Reykjavik. Grindavík is actually closer to Keflavik airport than it is to Reykjavik, so most people seem to work the spa trip into their itinerary on arrival or departure day. Bus transfers to and from the airport make it easy to do just that. If you’re navigating on your own, the Icelandic spelling and the listing in Garmin GPS is Bláa Lónið and they provide GPS coordinates on their website. The signage on the way there is good though.

Through the cold mist and gray clouds, we were happy to see the milky blue lagoon and steam rising in the distance indicating the warmth of the water. Oh, how I wanted to truly feel warm after our chilly morning!

Upon arrival, the hectic vibe of the locker room left something to be desired, but I think that was due to our timing. We arrived at about 5pm on a Friday evening when there were so…many…people…and the locker room felt pretty packed. I did read that opening hour is the best time to avoid crowds and while that was our original plan, things got shifted when our first flight was canceled. Oh, and if you’re shy or modest, it’s probably best to visit during non-peak hours if possible – you are required to shower in your birthday suit in open shower stalls. After you have washed up with a focus on the parts they deem most important as indicated by signs (!), you can put your bathing suit on and head to the lagoon.

Once we figured out the locker/bracelet system (all purchases and your locker are connected to a bracelet that you wear in the water) and exited the building out to the lagoon, we were able to enjoy the setting. Despite the amount of people at the spa that day, the lagoon itself is so expansive that people aren’t sitting on top of each other. I was also worried that the water wouldn’t be warm enough, but it is, and there are different sections that are warmer than others. We had fun wading around finding good hot spots. Did you know the Blue Lagoon isn’t a natural hot spring? The surrounding land is natural, but the mineral rich water is a result of geothermal run-off from the nearby plant. People just started bathing in it, discovered that the water has healing properties, and a spa was born. I’m not so sure I would’ve been amongst the first people who said, “Hey look! Milky blue geothermal run-off water from the plant…I’m going to get in that,” but I did end up paying 40 Euro to get in now that plenty of other people have tested it out.

Chris took advantage of the in-lagoon bar and I thoroughly enjoyed access to containers of silica mud stationed around the pool. I followed the advice from other bloggers about keeping my hair healthy by combing lots of conditioner through my hair and leaving it in while we soaked in the lagoon (each shower stall provides dispensers of shampoo/body wash and conditioner). I put my hair up in a slick knot and didn’t have any of the issues that can be a result of minerals drying out your locks. I didn’t put my head underwater though, so that might also be part of the equation. As for the effect on my skin, I can report that the silica mask did seem to make my face feel very soft and smooth, though not ten years younger as I had hoped. Maybe we needed to stay longer.

One more thing of note based on our visit – I knew ahead of time that towels weren’t provided so we just planned on renting towels for convenience (though the fee was fairly steep at about $13 for two of us), but someone actually swiped our towels while we were in the water! Our towels were hanging in a designated spot outside as assigned by our locker number, but there really isn’t any method of preventing people from taking each other’s stuff. Thankfully the lagoon provided us a second set of towels at no charge and no one walked off with our flip-flops. For that reason I’m glad we didn’t bring towels from the hotel or our own travel towels – we would have never seen them again. Crowds and logistics aside, this is still a must-do in Iceland and I’m so glad we experienced it.

Whether it’s because I was exhausted from the past few days’ activities or because I was truly relaxed from the lagoon, I slept so great that night. The next day, Chris and I took a Flybus shuttle to the airport just after lunch, and we headed back home. I’m not quite done talking about Iceland though! I have a few more posts coming up including my new tradition of doing a “snapshot” post where I round up the superlative bits of the trip (best meal, funniest moment, favorite hotel, etc.), and I’ll also write some posts with tips to help anyone who is planning a similar trip. So if you haven’t gotten your fill of Iceland from me yet, stay tuned!

Oh! And I also put together this little video from the point-and-shoot clips we took throughout our whole trip. I’ve confessed to you before that I don’t consider videography to be in my wheelhouse at all, but Chris and I enjoy looking back on our trips in video form (even if they’re amateurish in production value) and I might as well share it here, right? Voilà:

Iceland 2014 from Susan Marks on Vimeo.

September 15, 2014
Photo Friday – Dettifoss in the Rearview

Not a lot of words today, just a photo taken at the Dettifoss site in Iceland. The huge waterfall is to my back in this image – I try to remember to look in other directions when I’m looking at “the thing we’re supposed to be looking at” because sometimes there is an equally beautiful photo opportunity waiting behind me.

September 12, 2014
City Mouse and Country Mouse: Akureryi and Varmahlíð

In a crazy whirlwind three days, Chris and I had covered the entire south coast of Iceland and the east, so on Day Four we headed up to Akureryi otherwise known as “The Capital of the North.” We didn’t have any plans for our half-day in Akureryi other than to wander the streets, take photos, and stay for lunch and that’s exactly what we ended up doing. Akureryi holds the title of the second largest city in Iceland, although just 17,000 residents call the city home! We found lots of cute shops and cafes in the city center, interesting museums (though we didn’t have time to visit any), and it seemed like it would be a good jumping off point for seeing the attractions in the north. Just walking around we spotted several tour operators that do excursion trips to the surrounding areas.

After lunch at the hot dog stand pictured above, we promptly hit the road again to make it to our next excursion on time (more on that below), but of course we enjoyed the scenery along the way and ended up stopping a few times for photos. Chris took the sheep trio photo below, and it makes me laugh every time I look at it. I wonder what’s on their minds? They look like a sheep gang. We suspect the one on the left is the leader while the one in the middle is the muscle.

Here’s a hint as to what we spent our afternoon doing…

Did you guess horseback riding? Ding, ding, ding – horseback riding! And this was my first time on a horse ever! It’s always something I had wanted to try, and Iceland seemed like an idyllic backdrop in which to peacefully trot alongside fields, streams, and mountains. Plus Icelandic horses are extra special with a fascinating history. There is only one breed of horse in Iceland due to the ban of importing horses from outside the country, and if a horse leaves (for a show, or for…I don’t know, leisure travel?) he/she is never permitted to return! I can’t imagine a horse wanting to leave Iceland though – they all looked so happy. And so incredibly cute! Icelandic horses have short legs such that their height actually makes them sized more like a pony, but they have strong builds and very full manes. Short legs, strong build, and long thick hair? I can relate! I had to see these magnificent creatures up close.

We booked a two-hour Country Life beginner level tour with Hestasport Riding Tours in Varmahlíð. Their main office is just off of Rt. 1, and the stable is a short 6 km drive from the office. Thinking back on our first two rainy days on the road, I’m glad everything worked out the way it did because this was the day to have perfect blue skies. After being introduced to our horses (Magnusson and Lala) and getting a basic overview from our guide, we followed a trail out across the picturesque farmland I had envisioned. I felt like we were starring in a beautiful ad for the Icelandic Tourist Board. For the first 5-10 minutes though, I admit I was a little nervous. I kept worrying that my horse would know I was scared and he’d toss me off to the side, but he was sweet and gentle. Oh, except the couple of times that I had too much slack in the reins while we were stopped and he swiftly dipped his head down to graze, causing me to suddenly forward-fold without notice. I eventually felt more comfortable and learned not to let Magnusson have control.

We forded a river (!), experienced the tölt – a gait unique to Icelandic horses – and we even galloped, all of which made me giggle both with nerves and joy! Our guide was so nice and accommodating to our level of riding (super duper beginner, in my case). She always asked if we’d like to try going a bit faster before just taking off, and by the second half of the tour I enthusiastically agreed every time. But oh my gosh I was sore afterward! I had no idea how much human physical effort goes into riding. I thought I would just sit there, but no, a lot of stabilization work goes into staying balanced. My thighs especially were screaming at me the next day. Ooouch! All-in-all it was a really neat experience though, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. I highly recommend Hestasport if you’re in the area and have a hankering for the most scenic ride ever.

And just to finish the day in a ridiculously amazing fashion, we were treated to a brief Northern Lights show at 1:30am during our overnight stay in Borgarnes on the west coast. I had no expectation whatsoever of seeing them on this trip and I wrote more about it in this post, but it happened for us and here are the two images that turned out best. I love the first one; the second one is a little weird to me because of the longer star trails making it look blurry (I was trying out some really long exposures), but it’s still awesome to see the colors of the Aurora Borealis and to unexpectedly cross it off my bucket list.

We were nearly to the end of the road trip at this point! Our last day on the road took us full circle to Reykjavik where we went on a very unique tour of the inside of a volcano, and then we ended our day by relaxing in the Blue Lagoon. That post is coming up next!

September 10, 2014
From Höfn to Húsavík: The Eastern Fjords and Mývatn

So far on our road trip we were treated to an incredibly rich variety of landscapes including farmland, lava fields, glaciers, mountains, a black sand beach, and terrain that I can only describe as spongy moss-covered hills. On Ring Road Day Three, we spent the morning weaving in and out of the eastern fjords along the Atlantic, and in the afternoon, the mysterious landscape of Mývatn couldn’t have looked any more different than if we were actually on another planet. I’ll get to that, but first the east coast.

This was the longest day of driving for us with over 400 km between our overnight stays in Höfn and Húsavík, so we didn’t get out to stop as much. Not as much just means every half hour or so instead of every ten minutes. Actually for the drive through the eastern fjords we mostly just enjoyed the view from the car, and what a gorgeous view indeed. You can also see from the photos below that we were gifted with perfect weather! I even had to wear my sunglasses that day.

It did take several hours to trace along the edges of the fjords, so we stopped mid-day for lunch in a cute harbor town called Reyðarfjörður (population: 1102). And as I mentioned, in the interest of time we were really trying not to stop too often so that we would arrive at Mývatn with plenty of time to explore, but when I saw this waterfall shortly after lunch we had to stop. I didn’t feel like I had a truly solid waterfall photo that I loved at this point, and with the weather behaving so nicely I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try a long exposure waterfall shot one more time! The photo below of the lower part of the falls is one of my favorite images from the trip. I have no idea what the name is (probably something “-foss” right?), but it’s somewhere between Reyðarfjörður and Dettifoss and easily spotted from the road if that helps. It’s a very picturesque little place, and one or two other cars pulled over to join us while we were checking it out.

Speaking of Dettifoss (or “dental floss” as Chris kept calling it), that was our next planned stop only we weren’t sure we’d be able to see it. Just days before our trip, Bárðarbunga showed signs of imminent eruption and the road to Dettifoss was closed as a precautionary measure. For that reason, I had mentally crossed the waterfall off of our list until we approached an open road with a sign pointing to Dettifoss! We figured if it wasn’t safe it wouldn’t be open, so we turned off Rt. 1 onto an unpaved very bumpy road and off we went to see the most powerful waterfall in Europe.

Dettifoss might be the most powerful, and it is pretty, but it perhaps it’s not THE prettiest waterfall on account of the muddy water. The massive amount of midge flies in attendance didn’t help either. I do like the shot below that Chris took of the spray with a few people in silhouette. I think if we had been on the other side, there was probably enough sun to result in a rainbow over the falls, but we were short on time. We were glad to see Dettifoss, especially since it played a prominent roll in the opening scenes of Promethius (a movie that Chris enjoyed; I did not), but the amount of time it took to get there might not be worth it to everyone. I suppose it just matters how much time you have to spare. The road on Google Maps looks like it’s about 20 minutes, but because of the pothole-y-ness of the road, it took us about 45 minutes. We kept driving and driving and wondering where in the world the waterfall was and if we were even going the right way. So if you go, just know that it takes a while to get there and that it’s slow going even in an SUV, but a fun ride nonetheless!

Once we were back on Rt. 1 after our ~~dental floss~~ Dettifoss visit, we immediately came across the road that leads from the north to Vatnajökull, the huge ice cap that sits on top of Bárðarbunga. F88 was definitely closed and is still closed at the time of writing this post. We spent some time there taking photos and I also used it as an opportunity to send some please-don’t-ash-up-the-sky vibes to Bárðarbunga.

As the day slowly transitioned into evening, the landscape changed as well albeit quite dramatically. We arrived in the Mývatn area around 7pm, but no matter – we still had plenty of sunlight thanks to the cooperative weather and clear skies. We smelled our first Mývatn-area stop well before we spotted it. The geothermal area of Námafjall Hverir provides a close-up view of steaming fumaroles and bubbling mud pots, as well as an olfactory experience I’ll never forget. The combination of a strong sulfur smell and the hoards of midge flies didn’t encourage us to stay very long, but I found the area incredibly fascinating and almost not-of-this-world. It was there that I felt like I was walking around on Mars! This spot is another must-see for anyone with a passion for geology.

The last stop of the day before hitting the hay in Húsavík was this dark hole that I actually climbed into if you can believe it. Do you recognize it, Game of Thrones fans? It’s Grjótagjá, the small lava cave that was used in the Jon Snow & Ygritte cave scene. If you watch the show, you know the one. The cave houses a geothermal hot spring and my original plan was to take a quick dip here for posterity, but the sign outside the cave indicated that visitors are not allowed to bathe in there, and I am typically a sign-obeying kind of tourist. That, and once I was inside I pretty much wanted to get out right away. As you can probably guess, I am not all that fond of sitting in small, dark, enclosed spaces. We spotted some discarded undies inside the cave, so we do know that some rule breakers were here!

And just about twelve hours after our day on the road started, we ended it in Húsavík. The photo below was taken around 9pm with plenty of sunlight to spare! Gotta love those long daylight hours. Coming up: our fourth day on the road with a visit to Akureryi, nicknamed the Capital of North, and my first time ever horseback riding in Varmahlid!

September 8, 2014
Photo Friday – Aurora Borealis

I haven’t gotten to this point in my Iceland adventure coverage yet, but I thought this image deserved its own post just because of the fun little story behind it.

I took this photo on the night before our last road trip day. We stayed in Borgarnes, and I shot from the patio outside our hotel room. When I booked the trip, I didn’t have any expectation at all of being able to see the Northern Lights while we were in Iceland because they usually aren’t visible until at least September. But before we left the States, I read on a message board that the lights were visible as early as the week before our trip! So while I tried not to get my hopes up, I had also been following the forecast all week, and on Thursday night the Aurora Borealis forecast was marked as “moderate,” meaning there was a decent chance of seeing them. And as a bonus, our hotel was in a perfect dark area where we’d have very little light pollution to compete with the lights. When we checked in, I asked if I could please be placed on the wake-up call list for the Northern Lights and the concierge wrote my name down. Once we were in our room, I immediately set up my camera on the tripod and I dialed in a guess at what exposure settings might work (although I ended up changing them – this image was shot at ISO 200, f/2.0, with a shutter speed of 30 seconds).

Chris and I went to sleep around 10:30pm hoping to either get a good night’s sleep OR get the call for the light show. As you can guess, it was the latter! When the phone rang at 1:30am I was SO EXCITED that I scraped my arm somewhere on the bed and had a weird wound on my elbow the rest of the week. I threw on some warm clothes and my shoes, and popped out the door to our patio. All of the rooms had their own exterior access (in addition to interior access), so that made it super easy to duck outside in the middle of the night. I was surprised to see that no one else was outside! It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, but once they did, I could see the lights and I started making images. Shorter exposures didn’t really seem to capture the vivid colors, so I ended up trying 30-second exposures and even longer. Unfortunately with the really long exposures, I have some tiny star trails that aren’t long enough to be interesting, and they’re just short enough to look blurry so the photos are just okay. But this image below is the one that worked out, and I’m happy to have it even though it meant I was very (very very) tired the next day. After the excitement of seeing the lights and taking pictures, I couldn’t fall asleep again until after 4am.

I’d love to see the Northern Lights again someday (maybe in Norway or Sweden?) especially since I think this was a small/short show, but for now I can officially cross it off my bucket list!

September 5, 2014