When travelling, I always make my best effort during the planning stage to avoid driving back on the same road I arrived upon. My preference is always to do a loop or find another road back, which may offer a variety of different things to see and hopefully admire. In the case of this Iceland adventure this will not happen. Months ago, my initial idea was to drive around the whole island which is just over 1300Km (or 830 miles), I actually worked on this plan for a while, but eventually found that I would be spending far too much time driving, and not enough exploring with my camera, and hiking boots the many sights and hidden corners this country has to offer.
So, yesterday I drove west for 409Km from Höfn along the same Route 1 in the direction of Reykjavík, for a one night stay just north of Selfoss at a horse farm in Langholt.
It actually turned out to be an excellent day for this drive, with heavy rain and gale force winds.
After my morning goodbyes to the horses, I was off drive around Iceland’s famed Golden Circle, the country's most famous scenic route, a sightseeing tour that combines stunning landmarks and historically significant locations.
I will not
actually be doing the complete “circle”, which officially starts and finishes in Reykjavík,
I will starting the route from the town of Selfoss. I will however get to
capture and experience all the circles sights before heading to Reykjavík for
my final three nights in Iceland.
Kerið
Crater
My first
stop was at the 6500 years old Kerið Crater, which is noted as one of the most
visually stunning geological wonders in Iceland. It forms part of the Western
Volcanic Zone that includes the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Langjökull Glacier.
The caldera is made up of a unique red volcanic rock approximately 55m deep,
170m wide, and 270m across.
Faxafoss
The name
Faxafoss comes from the Icelandic word “fax,” meaning “mane,” referring to how
the water flows smoothly over the rocks like a horse’s mane. This waterfall which
sits along the Tungufljot River, is relatively small compared to some of
Iceland's giants, standing at about 7m tall and 80m wide. The salmon ladder
immediately adjacent to Faxafoss was built to help the salmon make their
upstream migration during breeding season.
Gullfoss
Gullfoss,
which translates to the "Golden Falls” is a powerful cascade of water. Gullfoss
was formed during the last ice age when glacial runoff carved out a deep canyon
in the Hvita River. The river originates from the Langjökull Glacier, flowing
through rugged landscapes before dramatically plunging over the two-tiered waterfall.
The first drop is 11m, followed by a second much larger plunge of 21m. In the
summer, around 140 cubic meters of water rushes over the falls per second,
while in winter, this flow reduces to about 109 cubic meters.
Strokkur
Geyser
Strokkur (The
Churn) Geyser is found in the active Geysir Geothermal area, located in the
Haukadalur Valley near Hvítá River. First mentioned in 1789, it has likely
existed since the 13th century alongside other nearby geysers. Over time, its
eruptions varied in strength and frequency, by the early 1900s it had stopped completely
becoming a steaming pool. This changed 63 years later when locals began to
unclog its vent, reviving the powerful fountain like jets that now occur every
5 to 10 minutes, reaching heights of up to 40m. At the surface, Strokkur Geyser
temperatures reach around 90 to 95°C, while deeper, the water can be 112°C, and
has been recorded at 130°C.
Brúarfoss
Brúarfoss
(Bridge Falls) is a relatively small waterfall which is known as
"Iceland’s Bluest Waterfall”. Located along the Bruara River, which
originates in the Hvita River from the Langjokull Glacier, the waterfall drops 2-3m
into a dark volcanic rock crevice. The riverbed's colour and the clear water
running along it, creates the beautiful sky-blue rapids that contrast with the
surrounding flora.
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park
At Thingvellir on the Golden Circle, I got to walk between two continental plates. A location that has dramatic cliffs, wide valleys, the Öxarárfoss waterfall, and home to Iceland’s largest natural lake. The landscape was shaped by the visible Mid-Atlantic Rift, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly moving apart at about 2cm each year, constantly creating cracks and fissures.
Over
thousands of years, the movement formed larger cracks such as Almannagja Gorge.
It also created the submerged rift of Silfra Fissure, where glacial water
filtered through lava rock becomes crystal clear before flowing into the lake. Thingvellir
sits in a volcanic zone resulting in lava fields that were formed by past
eruptions.
Thingvellir National Park is one of the most important sites in Iceland’s history. It is best known as the birthplace of the Althing, the national parliament founded in 930 A.D., recognized as one of the oldest parliaments in the world. For centuries, Viking chieftains and their followers gathered each summer within Thingvellir at Law Rock (Lögberg). Here they created new laws, resolved disputes, and forged alliances that shaped the culture and governance of early Iceland. This tradition continued for more than 800 years, with Thingvellir standing as the centre of Iceland’s political and legal history. Another defining moment came in the year 1000 A.D., when the Althing declared that Iceland would adopt Christianity. Centuries later, on June 17, 1944, the park hosted Iceland’s independence celebrations, when thousands gathered to mark their independence from Denmark, and the founding of the republic ~ at this time during WWII, Denmark was under German occupation.
Þórufoss (Thorufoss)
Finishing
up my Golden Circle tour with a stop at the 19m high Þórufoss waterfall forms
part of the 25Km Laxá í Kjós River, which is known for its Atlantic salmon
fishing. The word Laxá rather fittingly means Salmon River in Icelandic.
