Iceland

Hello dear readers and future travellers. Winter is coming. It has certainly arrived in North East England where I live; it has snowed already! Most of the time, Northern England is damp and wet in the winter, so a bit of snow is a welcome change, especially in the run up to Christmas. The snow and frost transform the gloomy grey dullness into a crisp white winter wonderland.

With the winter season now upon us, I was left wondering what my next article should be. I then remembered the perfect destination: Iceland! The land of ice and fire. I visited here in 2014 as a 13-year-old, before the island nation became too touristy. I left with incredible memories of stark landscapes and the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Iceland in the winter is the perfect destination to see this phenomenon. When I visited over a decade ago, I had to fly from Manchester. Nearly every UK airport flies to Iceland now, highlighting its newfound popularity as a travel destination. Air travel is the best way to get to Iceland, with Keflavik Airport serving the capital Reykjavik, where I stayed. Cruise ships from UK ports also sail around the whole of Iceland, an expensive but leisurely way of seeing the dramatic coastline. Iceland is also served by a ferry which connects it to Hirtshals in Denmark, with a stop-off in the Faroe Islands’ capital Torshavn. The two-day crossing on the M/S Norröna runs only from mid-March to late November and docks in Seyðisfjörður, East Iceland. The ferry is suitable for those travelling with their vehicle and who want to enjoy Iceland at a slower pace.

Iceland is the 18^th largest island in the world and straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. With a population of just 390,000 people, according to the 2025 census, it also has one of the lowest population densities in the world (3.9 people per km²). If you fancy becoming a hermit, Iceland is definitely for you. If you are just visiting, here are some of its attractions that I explored.

The Golden Circle – Geysir, Gulfoss and Thingvellir

This is the must-see attraction for anyone visiting Iceland. It shows the land of ice and fire in action. The Golden Circle is the name for the range of stunning natural features located in the south-west of Iceland. These are Geysir, Gulfoss Waterfall, and Thingvellir National Park. I went in a minibus – practically the same size as the tin can one my former school had. This was much cleaner though and our driver, although gruff and giving his thoughts on Iceland’s then-political situation, was pleasant and informative. He even drove us through a snowstorm; I have attached a shaky/shivery picture from my iPod touch (oh so 2010s).

Returning to the Golden Circle tour itself, many operators run trips to the three attractions. First stop was Geysir, where as you might guess, there are geysers; volcanic hot springs that shoot water up into the air. The word geyser itself is named after this location and derives from the old Norse ‘geysa’ which means ‘to gush’. I got splashed by Strokkur, the giant geyser, but it was worth it. 

Our tour’s next stop was then Gulfoss waterfall. Visiting in February 2014, the waterfall was mostly frozen, though some water cascaded down. I felt like I was in the Ice Age upon viewing this natural wonder. A blast of Arctic air nearly turned my face into a block of ice itself. My eyes however braced the cold wind to marvel on this stunning feature.

I defrosted back in the bus and our whistle-stop tour embarked on towards Thingvellir National Park. Here you can see the mid-Atlantic ridge for real. On one side of a valley walk is the Eurasian tectonic plate, on the other is the North American plate. I was walking on two continents! Geologically speaking that is. These plates move apart by 2cm every year, meaning Iceland is growing larger.

The final part was an icy climb up a slope which to 13-year-old me was the equivalent of an iron man challenge. I made it and was rewarded with views over Thingvallavatn lake, the largest in the whole country.

Thingvellir is notable for its history as well its geography. The National Park was home to the Althing, Iceland’s National Parliament. The Althing was inaugurated in the year 930, making it the world’s oldest surviving parliament. Iceland itself was only settled in AD 870 by the Vikings and Celtic peoples. The Viking settlers gathered in Thingvellir (‘Assembly Fields’ in Icelandic) to settle disputes and provide an assembly for the chieftains and their people. It also doubled as a social event, where people could exchange news, eat, drink and be merry.

The Althing continued at Thingvellir over the ages, even when Iceland became part of the Norwegian Crown in 1262 and Denmark-Norway in 1523, although it lost some of its legislative powers. This changed in 1904 when Denmark granted Home Rule to Iceland which became fully independent in 1944 – the Althing is now based in Reykjavik.  

The Blue Lagoon

The other attraction I visited was the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s famous geothermal spa. Located on the Reykjanes peninsula and just southwest of Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon has become one of Iceland’s most visited attractions. It was stunning, surrounded by volcanic lava fields and azure waters caused by the high silica content. It was also very crowded. It felt like jostling with a load of elephant seals, similar to Sunderland’s old Crowtree Leisure Centre. Whilst I was amazed, I didn’t feel relaxed. The restaurant however was great, in a contemporary setting and the food was excellent. I also perused the gift shop and purchased some very nice bath and shower gels that were made in Iceland itself. If you fancy an alternative spa or swimming experience, try Reykjavik’s numerous geothermal public pools which tourists can use to relax and swim in.

Reykjavik

Colourful houses, Nordic charm, Reykjavik is one of the world’s smallest yet most pleasant capital cities. Wrap up warm though! Blasts of arctic air sweep through here in winter. This is not surprising as Reykjavik is the world’s most northerly capital. Reykjavik and the Capital Region are home to nearly 64% of Iceland’s total population. There are plenty of shops and restaurants if you are self-catering, although it can be pricey with the Icelandic Krona – try getting bed and breakfast, or half-board at your hotel.

Despite it being a small city, there’s plenty to do in Reykjavik. Walk to the harbour to admire the modern Harpa concert hall, built in 2011. The Sun Voyager sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason offers a great a photo opportunity by Reykjavik’s seafront. For a taller structure, visit the Hallgrímskirkja, Iceland’s largest church at 74.5 metres. The church was consecrated in 1945 and finished in 1986 and has since become a landmark for both the city and the country. Outside the Hallgrímskirkja is a statue of Leif Erikson (b.970 - d.1020s), an Icelandic explorer who created the Norse settlement of Vinland in North America. Erikson’s Vinland was documented in Iceland’s sagas, and was the first ever European settlement established in North America (for there were indigenous civilisations already present on the continent). Archaeological evidence at Canada’s L'Anse aux Meadows substantiates the presence of Vikings in North America, predating Christopher Columbus’ voyage of 1492 many centuries later.

Reykjavik also has a Zoo which was not far from my hotel – Reykjavik Grand Hotel which was a tall, modern and comfortable place to stay. The nearby Zoo was more like an inner-city farm, but 13-year-old me was easily pleased, having seen the seals and reindeer in the snow. On the walk back to my hotel, I had to meander past a large flock of Canada geese who were nesting on the roadside verges. I felt like I was in Hitchcock’s The Birds, as they all started to honk and waddle closer. Luckily I escaped. The other strange experience I had in Reykjavik was that my legs started to tremble and wobble like jelly. I felt like I was about to topple over, but I didn’t feel dizzy. The sensation stopped and my walk resumed. Hours later, I saw on a TV report that there was a mini earthquake in the Reykjavik area which was the cause of my strange shimmying.

You may experience geese and earthquakes dear readers and future travellers. What I hope you experience in the winter months are the fantastical and magical Northern Lights. You may be lucky to see them in Reykjavik itself, but your best bet is booking a tour excursion to travel inland or along the coast. Caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in Earth's atmosphere, the Northern Lights lit up the Icelandic night sky. My iPod Touch was rubbish at getting a picture, but a friendly American couple allowed me to take a photo from their super-duper camera (thank you!). I left wanting to perfect my photographic skills, but most of all with unforgettable memories.