Top 5 Travel Destinations: Number 2, Iceland

Iceland has become very popular and familiar with travellers since it was named the number one place to visit by Lonely Planet. Instagram and other social media in combination with cheap flight deals have also helped advertise the amazing scenery. Iceland has a population of around 365,000, which is staggering in comparison to the number of tourists visiting each year (shown below), and has been both a boost to the economy and a source of frustration for locals.

Icebergs wash up on a black sand beach near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Number of international visitors arriving in Iceland from 2010 to 2017(in 1,000s). Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/694114/number-of-international-tourists-iceland/

My first visit to Iceland was only a short stop over on the way home from Greenland in 2010 and I didn't get to explore much. I returned in June 2015, on what was my first trip travelling solo. I based myself in Reykjavik and made as many day trips as I could. There is plenty do to within a few hours drive of Reykjavik, including the famous Golden Circle, which includes waterfalls, geysers, Blue Lagoon and other thermal pools, geothermal areas and lava tubes.

Seljalandsfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Golden Circle

Skógafoss Waterfall is another popular waterfall not too far from Reykjavik

Walking through a lava tube near the Raykjanes Peninsula

Blue Lagoon is located between Keflavik international airport and Reykjavik

Snorkelling through the crystal clear (and freezing) water in Silfra, in the main spreading zone of tectonic plates (scuba diving is also available for those qualified)

After my trip in 2015 I wanted to return and work as a tour guide, but it's quite difficult without a European passport. One of my friends liked the idea, and in 2016 he started working as a glacier guide. Together with his Icelandic girlfriend and other guide friends, they started a tourism business called Hidden Iceland. I can't recommend them enough for small trips that are searching for a more authentic experience. They also time tours to avoid the large crowds - which is critical as I have spent a long time at scenic locations trying to hide other tourists from photos or waiting for a crowd to leave! The best time to avoid crowds is later in the evening - as the sun hardly sets in summer there is no limit to how late you can stay out exploring.

Hiking with the Hidden Iceland team on Skaftafell Glacier at "night" after the crowds had gone

Iceland was for a long time known for amazing "hidden gems", locals' secret spots. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your view point, they shared them with the early travel bloggers who visited, who then wrote about them, revealing their location, and soon the masses of tourists started visiting, often making the place unbearable for locals and degrading the environment (I fully acknowledge I am part of the problem here). There are only a few spots which still remain more or less "secret", and we were lucky enough to visit two of them. One was a series of tiny hot springs, for which we were given the GPS coordinates for. The other was another spring in a fracture zone (close to where the famous scene from Games of Thrones with John Snow in the hot spring within a cave/lava tube was filmed). We had to climb down approximately five metres to access it, but we had it to ourselves, some of the clearest (and very hot) water I have ever been in. It was a magical experience for us!

Secret hot springs which we found by GPS after being given the coordinates

Entrance to the secret hot spring, closer to an active volcanic area (last erupted 1991). The climb down was difficult, lucky we were in a big group and could help each other out

Just amazing!

Adventures with friends are so much fun! (I often travel alone or with my partner so it was fun to mix it up and share such a special experience with others)

The best part about Iceland is that it has something for everyone. As a geologist I am obviously drawn to the landscapes, volcanic features and glaciation. So many active processes that I learnt about in school and university (most people would have learnt in basic science and geography classes) come to life and are so much easier to understand when we you see and experience them!

Exploring the inside of a Glacier! Operated by Into The Glacier. I'm still a little conflicted over this one - is the tunnel system is likely to be detrimental to the glacier in the long term or is the opportunity to educate many about the impact of climate change more valuable?

Not many travellers get to the Westfjords, where the landscapes are older and feel very remote, wild and exposed

Mud pools giving off clouds of sulfur dioxide bubble away in Hverir geothermal area

Young volcanic rocks are easily eroded by water, and Iceland has no shortage due to ice melt and its general weather - creating deep valleys and canyons

Luckily you don't have to be a geology enthusiast to enjoy Iceland's natural beauty, with many famous waterfalls and beaches it is easy for anyone to appreciate the natural beauty. Our round trip of the island in 2016 was basically a waterfall and hot spring tour of Iceland. The multi-day hikes are also very popular but you need some serious wheels to manage the F Roads through the centre of the island. I chose to a guided hike around the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (the famous one that erupted in 2010) in the Thorsmork area in 2015 and there were some serious river crossings! (The eruption caused mass melting of the overlying glacier, and in summer the snow melt and run off can create some fast flowing water which is difficult to cross)

Purple fields of lupins are common in Iceland, and help turn over the young volcanic rocks into viable, arable soils

I did not participate in the common activity of jumping in the freezing fjord water prior to the hot spring, in Flókalundur in the north west of the island.

One of my favourite waterfalls in Iceland, Dynjandi, in the Westfjords

We enjoyed many of the smaller hot springs, outside of the Golden Circle to ourselves

Svartifoss waterfall - a favourite of mine due to the beautiful columnar basalt (I know I have said a few waterfalls are my favourite but there is seriously so many!)

There is plenty for those who aren't into adventure tourism, or even the outdoors, with a thriving local food scene, interesting folklore and viking history, wildlife (horses and puffins), music, and other weird and wonderful aspects of the Icelandic interest, such as the phallanthropic museum. The stunning Harpa Concert Hall and Hallgrimskirkja church are also worth a visit. Many tourists also aim to visit locations made famous by the movies The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

The Sun Voyager sculpture pays homage to the Viking history of Iceland. Around the summer solstice the sun doesn't set, but skirts along the horizon.

Solheimasandur Plane Wreck in the south of Iceland

Seydisfjordur - a small fishing village which featured in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Iceland has many beautiful, long haired horses which are quite friendly, mind the electric fence though! This photo was taken at midnight)

Iceland is a great place to see Puffins

The Phallanthropic Museum is......educational and interesting, unlike any other museum I've visited. Perfectly sums up the strange Icelandic humour.

Winter favourites include northern lights viewing, glacier exploration, or lazing in some of the many geothermal pools. I haven't visited in winter yet so there is likely another trip to Iceland for me in the future! Maybe it's time to start planning and saving for the post-COVID-19 adventures!

Stars showing the places I visited over my travels to Iceland - still a few spots to cover

Thanks! Amy