Reykjavík Grapevine - Nov 2019, Page 48

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
48
Hearts, Arts,
Eats, And East
Heat
A road trip to the hot spots and art
stops of East Iceland
Words: a rawlings Photos: John Rogers
We stare into the canyon. The gla-
cial river Jökulsá á Brú roars by
Stuðlagil, one of Iceland’s largest
collections of basalt columns. A diz-
zying slope, interwoven with precar-
ious foot trails and rope handholds,
invites us for a closer view of the
river and basalt. The cold August
rain has temporarily abated, giving
us slippery access to the trails.
On either side of the canyon, two
paths lead to Stuðlagil. We’ve taken
the highlands road side, stopping
at a busy car-park for a glimpse of
the unusual geology. Tourists from
Greece, France and Canada utter
exclamations of wonder over this
extraordinary sight, easy to under-
stand despite language differences.
We’re all in awe, our adrenaline
coursing fast as the icy water as we
angle ourselves for jaw-dropping
views of the hexagonal basalt and
churning blue.
For scale, we photograph hik-
ers on the far side of the canyon,
who’ve walked for a few hours to
get an even closer look. They wan-
der above the basalt cliffs, stepping
down careful paths to stand close
to the water’s edge. A six-year-old
darts amongst crowberry bushes
and birch scrub above the basalt.
Our hearts are in our throats.
Geothermally yours
Iceland’s east dares you to fall in
love with its wild geography and
passionate population. Stuðlagil set
the tone for our day’s outing. We’re
full-throated hearts, aware of our
precarity in the midst of nature dan-
ger. Wind-whipped from our first
encounter, we leave the highlands
for city life. Our next stop is the
newly opened Vök geothermal spa.
Vök’s architecture is a discrete
grass-roofed concrete structure,
half-buried in the hill alongside Ur-
riðavatn. In Icelandic history, the
lake raised suspicion for housing
a sea monster, since ice would not
form in this location over the win-
ter. Nowadays, it’s understood the
lack of ice is due to the lake’s geo-
thermal hotspot. Vök capitalizes on
this wellspring, offering an outdoor
spa with multiple heated pools that
stretch into the lake’s body. One can
soak in 40-degree hot water with a
hand lazily dipping into the 5-de-
gree lake lapping the hotpot’s lip.
As we enter the facilities, we’re
offered to create our own infusion
with local Icelandic herbs harvest-
ed from Lagarfljót’s ultimate organ-
ic farm, Vallanes. We heap birch
leaves, thyme, and chamomile into
cups and pour over hot water, carry-
ing our treat into the change rooms
and beyond to the hotpots. We’re
warmed inside and out.
Húswarming, heart-
warming
With a glacial river and geothermal
wellness fuelling our cores, we’re
ready to make friends. Our eyes are
wide and our hearts full to bursting
as we set off to explore the arts and
culinary offerings of Egilsstaðir and
Seyðisfjörður.
In Egilsstaðir, the regional art
house Sláturhúsið converted an
old slaughterhouse into a maze of
arts-enabling rooms. Sláturhúsið’s
director, Kristín Amalía Atladót-
tir, shows us around the facilities,
which include two exhibition rooms,
a music-recording studio, an apart-
From Reykjavík:
650 km if North route
700 km if South route
How to get there:
Route One
Accommodation:
lakehotel.is & kukucampers.is East
Laugarnesvegur 74a, 105 Reykjavik
+354 537 6556
Please follow us on
Facebook: kaffi.laekur
Instagram: kaffi.laekur
Tripadvisor & Google: Kaffi Lækur
Family-run speciality coffee house/bar
and a homey eatery
Healthy drinks and food
Vegan-friendly
Homemade with local ingredients
We run an art gallery and host cultural
events
Located next to Laugardalslaug pool