Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.06.2006, Blaðsíða 27

small rocks into it, which vanished rapidly, melted and
turned into grey mud. Once bored with that activity
we moved on.
For those planning to hike in Reykjadalur it is
worth mentioning that this area can be dangerous if
you aren’t careful. The water in the hot springs can
reach temperatures of 120° Celsius, with no ropes or
barriers keeping hikers a good distance from the boil-
ing water. It’s easy to get burned if you aren’t looking
where you’re walking. No warning signs have been put
up in the area; the only cautionary sign we saw was
an inconspicuous sign marked “Danger” located in a
weird place that didn’t indicate clearly which direction
it referred to. Bear in mind that although these hot
springs aren’t as big as the mighty Geysir, they can do
serious harm if you step too close. Here the forces of
nature are more evident than in many places you will
come across. Icelandic nature isn’t always friendly to
nosy travellers.
At this point the walking trail became a little bit
muddy and swampy, at which time I started cursing
my sneakers for real, as they rapidly changed colour,
turning from black to brown. Fortunately no major
disasters occurred while exploring the hot springs.
As my feet were getting cold and wet I was thrilled
when our guide pointed to a small rivulet, only metres
away, where we were supposed to go bathing. The
place is located right beneath a conf lux where the cold
river Reykjadalsá unites with the boiling hot water
creating a warm spring with a temperature similar to
the hot tubs you’ll f ind in the swimming pools around
the country. The conf lux could be described as a set of
natural mixing taps, which keep the bath warm year-
round, creating a luxury Jacuzzi where hikers can relax
and gain strength before heading back. Unfortunately
I forgot my bathing suit at home, so while our guides
whipped their clothes off and jumped into the warm
spring, I sat on the side and dipped my toes into the
water instead. As we sat there the sun suddenly ap-
peared, warming us up while we ate our lunch, which
consisted of hot chocolate and Icelandic “harðfiskur”
(dried cod). A weird but tasty combination. My guides
kept telling me how cosy and amazing it felt relaxing
in the Jacuzzi, and from the expression on their faces
I didn’t doubt it for a second. As the time passed, my
toes were starting to look like ten little raisins. It was
time to head back to civilisation.
The hike back took a much shorter time, the trail
descending and the wind not blowing as heavily. Sud-
denly we were looking down at highway nr. 1 and the
jeep became evident. Our time in nature, far from the
bustling city, had come to an end, and as bad as I had
felt in the beginning of the journey, I really wanted
nothing more than to keep on walking in the peaceful-
ness.
After a brief stop for refreshments at the small
shop Mæran in Hveragerði, we returned to Reykjavík
around 2 am. A little bit tired and dazed from all the
clean air, I felt invigorated and relaxed, already plan-
ning another trip with my friends to this truly hidden
treasure. Next time my bathing suit will surely be the
first thing I pack.
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