Wandering Publicist

As the majority of Americans were getting on planes to sunny Florida for Memorial Day weekend, I headed to a country where I would need a puffer coat and hat. Call me crazy, but my soul was craving an adventure and Iceland delivered on all fronts.

Arriving at the car rental office, they briefed us on all the safety precautions needed when driving in Iceland. Mainly, hold onto your doors when opening them. The wind can get so strong, the doors can be ripped off!  Wouldn’t that be lovely.

After a three hour JFK delay and four hour time difference, we chugged a few cups of coffee, got in our vehicle, and started day one of our adventure .Not wanting to waste a precious day, we hit the road running and begin the journey along the south coast of Iceland. In the beginning, we weren’t seeing much of the fascinating scenery everyone talks about. For a few minutes, we both wondered whether this had been a mistake (I am sure the fog and rain didn’t help either).  Arriving at our first stop, Seljalandsfoss, our spirits were lifted as our eyes feasted on the tall, slender waterfall. We knew in that moment Iceland would not disappoint. (Side note – “Foss”  means waterfall in Iceland so anytime you see a word ending with “foss” it means waterfall).

For a few splendid moments, the sun showed its face, and the lush greenery surrounding the fall was put on a beautiful display. For the full experience, we followed the path that leads around the fall, so we were able to view the rushing water from behind! Standing in that cave, watching and hearing the strong sound of the water being propelled forward, was awe-inspiring.

Energized, we headed towards the next waterfall on our list: Skogafoss. The most magical parts of Iceland though are often the things you discover between the main attractions. The landscape changes without any warning. One minute we were driving alongside the lushest, greenish grass I have ever seen with either sheep or the famous Icelandic horses grazing. Next it felt like a fairy tale as we pass large mounds of molten lava boulders covered in soft, delicate green moss.

Iceland is a volcanic island with 30-35 active volcanoes. The last eruption was in 2010. No one injured thankfully. You will see miles upon miles of lava fields containing the evidence of volcanic activity. I felt like I was on Mars.

Enroute to Skogafoss, we passed by huge grass covered mountains and classic red-roofed homes. Holding onto the car door, I exited to take a closer look at this eerie looking structure next to lush green grass with sheep and the Atlantic ocean behind me.  Not a sound to be heard except the baaing of the sheep and gentle rolling waves.

Skogafoss is about an hour drive from Seljalandsfoss. Skogafoss has more width than Seljalandsfoss and due to the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow is normally visible on sunny days. Unfortunately I wasn’t there on a sunny day, but there was something so otherworldly and real about being there on a gloomy day.

Part of our Southern region tour included the incredible Kerið crater lake, which is part of the popular Golden Circle route. Although volcanologists originally believed Kerið was formed by a huge volcanic explosion, as is the accepted norm with volcanic craters, more thorough studies of the Grímsnes region failed to find any evidence of such an explosion in Kerið. It is now believed that Kerið was a cone volcano which erupted and emptied its magma reserve. Once the magma was depleted, the weight of the cone collapsed into the empty magma chamber. The water at the bottom of the crater is at the same level as the water table and is not caused by rainfall.

The mix of colors is magical. The red, green, blue and brown blend together perfectly, creating a stunning visual. Its wonders like this that make you realize how much unique beauty there is on this planet.

Next, we drove to find my most favorite waterfall: Bruarfoss. This hard-to-find waterfall is worth the struggle. My heart skipped a beat when I laid my eyes on the candy colored blue water.  I have never seen a waterfall like this one.

Bruarfoss was one of the few flat waterfalls in Iceland, making it somewhat difficult to find.  Since this fall is off the beaten path, we were the only ones there. It was so peaceful, I could have sat for hours watching the powerful rush of water move past me. I wanted to jump in!

 

It is hard to explain how to find this fall, but if you put Bruarfoss into your GPS it will take you most of the way. When you see the below sign, go left. Park by one of the houses and you will see in the field a white sign that says Bruarfoss. You walk straight and then have to cross over a bridge. If it is rainy out you will see footprints in the mud, so follow those. Just keep going straight and you will find it 🙂

After this magical experience, we headed to the famous Geysir hot springs. We could smell the sulfur from blocks away, which is a smell you have to get used to here. (The faucet water in our Airbnb would sometimes smell like it, but just let it run for a few minutes and the odor will go away.)

The Great Geysir, Strokkur (Icelandic for churn), erupts in all its splendor every 8-10 minutes, 20 ft high and 40 mph. I was lucky enough to watch it erupt twice! It was super cool to take a look into the smaller ones and see the mysterious holes leading into the ground.

Our last stop on the Golden Circle route was Gullfoss, which means God’s Waterfall, and oh does it live up to its godly name. Its enormous and one of the most popular. This powerful waterfall’s jagged edge makes it look like it is propelling water straight into the earth.  The unique shape sets it apart from the rest and its beauty stayed on my mind for hours.

Iceland offers so much to see and do, this post is only half of my trip! I will be writing up another one soon focusing on the Northern region and Reykjavik 🙂

Stay tuned!

XO,

Sarah