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Iceland Trip 2022

By Mr Dalton

After a two-year break, the Year 11 GCSE Geography pupils were able to visit Iceland. An early start from Barney meant we had plenty of time to explore Reykjavík. We visited Hallgrímskirkja, a church made from concrete, and the much more modern Harpa Music Centre.

The following day we headed off to Þingvellir National ParkGeysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall National Park, a very important location for two reasons. Here it is possible to see exactly why Iceland exists because Lake Pingvellir marks the spot where the North American Plate is drifting away from the Eurasian Plate. Þingvellir is also the place where the world’s oldest parliament, The Althing, was first established in 930AD. The Golden Circle Route then takes in the stunning Gullfoss Waterfall and the spectacular Geysers at Geysir.

The following day we visited the lava Centre for the volcano and earthquake exhibition. We then took in three spectacular waterfalls. We walked behind Seljalandsfoss, we walked into the secret waterfall at Gljufrafoss, and up the 400-plus steps at Skógarfoss waterfall. From there it was off to the beach at Dyrhólaey before our next night’s accommodation at Skaftafell National Park. The appearance of the Northern Lights that evening was an amazing end to the day.

The next day was Ice Day. First a trip out to the Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and a trip around the icebergs in duck boats. In the afternoon we met up with our guides for a hike on the Sólheimajökull glacier.

At the Perlan Centre planetarium, we watched a film about the Northern Light and 2021 volcanic eruptions. We also had the opportunity to walk through an ice cave with the temperatures dropping to minus 15°C. For many, Flyover Iceland was a highlight of the trip, a spectacular audio-visual ride through the amazing Icelandic landscape with smells, sounds and spray. We then visited the sulphur pools at Krysuvik and the stinking Gunnuhver Hot Springs. Perhaps not the best place to stop and eat our packed lunches.

The final stop of the trip was the Blue Lagoon, where we could wallow in the mineral-rich water, pamper ourselves in the sauna and steam room and apply the silica face cream.

This account doesn’t really do justice to the amazing time we had in Iceland and the incredible things we saw.