During the Easter break a group of Forms 5 and 6 Geographers and Scientists set out to explore the wonders of Iceland. Iceland is an island which is located where the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans meet and was created by divergence at the Mid Atlantic Ridge. 'The Golden Circle' is a land full of volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, mud pools, jagged coastlines and other incredible geographical features, unmatched by any other place.
Having landed in Keflavik (and seen the present eruption from the plane!) the group drove across the Reykjanes Peninsula to the first stop - the ‘Bridge between Continents’ that divides the North American and Eurasian tectonic plate and spans the fissure called the Mid Atlantic Ridge. The children witnessed the effects of continental drift before heading to the hotel. Everyone enjoyed a walk through Reykjavik to the Hard Rock Cafe for supper before bedding down for the night.
Day 2 began with a drive through the valley flooded in 2010 by the Eyjafjallajokull glacier burst. The next stop was Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is a former sea cliff, now located inland due to isostatic rebound. Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls where the group had the opportunity to take some photos (and get wet!). The next stop was discovering the hidden Gljufrabui waterfall (or ‘The Canyon Dweller’). Gljufrabui is a small waterfall north of the larger falls of Seljalandsfoss. The falls are partially obscured by the cliff rock, but the children followed a trail to enter the narrow canyon where the water plummets dramatically into a small pool.
One of the many highlights was an exploration of the frozen glacier tongue of Solheimajokull. A wonderland of ice sculptures and deep crevasses awaited the group’s discovery and the experienced glacier guide taught them how to use basic ice equipment, crampons and ice axes. Afterwards, they visited the stunning coastal landscape at Dyrhólaey. Dyrhólaey, which translates to Door Hill Island, is of volcanic origin and was once an island before joining up to the Icelandic mainland. The exhilarating and educational Icelandic Lava Show enabled the children to learn about life in close proximity to volcanoes like Katla, and witness an incredible molten lava display as it rolls over a huge block of ice and see it flowing, hear it sizzling, and feel the heat that radiated from it.
The following day the children visited the tiny village of Vik, walked along Reynishverfi’s black sands, and viewed the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. They saw how humans have responded to volcanic threats through the building of dykes to protect the village as well as viewing the basalt columns. Next was the famous Skógafoss where the group climbed steps to see the top of the 60m waterfall. The rainbow effect was magical. They visited the ‘greenhouse’ town of Hveragerði – 45 km to the east of Reykjavík and a place of abundant geothermal activity. The greenhouses are heated by hot water from volcanic hot springs and one, Sandhólshver, was formed during the violent South Iceland earthquake of 1896. Behind the town of Hveragerði is Reykjadalur, a geothermally active valley. Through this valley flows the Varmá, meaning Warm River where the group took a short walk to hot springs and mud pools. The day ended with a tour down the Lava tunnels, an expansive cave allowing the children to see the inner workings of a lava tube.
On day 4 the group visited the Geothermal Power station at Hellishedi before heading off for a dip in the 'Secret Lagoon' which was enjoyed by everyone. One of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland, Gullfoss waterfall, was next on the agenda and they viewed the 33m drop and the mile long gorge on their walk. The group moved onto the site of Geysir, a spouting hot spring that gave its name to all the world’s geysers. Despite rarely erupting, its neighbour, Strokkur, erupts every 10-15 minutes and the children experienced the spray from the spout.
Heading back into Reykjavik the children finished the trip with an ultimate flying ride - 'Flyover Iceland'. This innovative ride simulated the experience of flying over all corners of the country, as 80% of it is uninhabited.
"An evening eating at the Hamburger Factory in Reykjavik finished off what was an amazing trip with so many geographical features explored and witnessed. A very memorable trip and a great experience was had by all."