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On 19 Jan I joined a round Iceland Winter Tour from GJ Tours. It was recommendable. 4 people, 6 seater Merc 4x4, guide who knew almost everything I could throw at him! Better weather than we had a right to expect and more than adequate accommodation. We spent 5 nights out of Reykjavik, so it was a bit quick if anything. See also Northern Lights!
We started in Reykjavik and were lucky enough to find the organist practicing when we visited Hallgrimskirkja before dawn!
Just to get you in the mood!
Ancient sheep marshalling yards. Everyone's sheep intermingle in the highlands over summer. These rock fenced pens help sort them when they are collectively mustered in Autumn
Craters that look like this are pretty much everywhere. But don't be fooled, they are not all volcanoes. Some, not this one, were formed by steam bubbling up through a lavastream above!
another crater
Sunrise opposite Akureyri
Myvatn (Midge Lake, apparently they swarm in summer!) is a large shallow lake in the NE. Very well known as a thermal area with a very popular hot pool, see below! And great geology!
Oh look, another volcano!
Its one of the most photographed sites in Iceland, so how could you not?
This is sort of what a lava field looks like. An aweful lot of Iceland seems to be lava field!
The steam is from the Myvatn geothermal plant
Honeymooners!
It was an absolutely glorious sunny day (yep, the sun made it about 15 degrees above the horizon!) until we got into the hot spring pool! Then, not so much!
This one you swim in!
This one you cook in!
And this one makes quite a lot of noise!
timing is everything!
Astride the Eurasian and North American techtonic plates, which are very close together, obviously given my stature, near Myvatn!
Affectionately known as Gold Plows; apparently the drivers do quite well. Which isn't a bad thing given that their workplace is typically a biizzard!
Renovators delight, by the seaside. Gorgeous actually!
Reindeer steak, absolutely yummy. Rare as, tender as!
Diamond Beach, note the BLACK sand! and the ice bergs. I mean, would you really!
Vik, the home of Vikings, is a pretty desperate place
To keep warm, they melt the black sand and put on a 1200C lava show. surprisingly good actually
And they have one of the most dangerous beaches anywhere. NB, black sand, basalt and sneaker waves ... people running for cover even in the minutes we were there!
Inside the tomato growing thermally powered 24/7 growing hot house
Icelanders are very proud of thier Icelandic Horses, short in stature but high in self worth, gaits and other horsy skills! They have two gaits that the rest of the world's horses do not have, the slower of the two shown here, being very special because you can safely (ie without spilling anything) drink and drive!
And finally three more waterfalls!, its not that you get tired of them, they are all quite different, but they sure are everywhere!
Hamrafoss
Seljalandsfoss
Skógafoss
Geysir
love a good rock formation. Here above the Thingviller, where the icelanders held their parliament for about 1000 years up to mid last century (fact check please!)
And farewell to all back in Reykjavik. Guide, Thor, in red!
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