Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.12.2019, Page 36

Distance from
Reykjavík:
200 km

How to get there:
Route One east

Trip provided by:
hiddeniceland.is
The words “Fire & Ice” might conjure
up thoughts of a certain, off-the-radar
HBO show, but on a chilly Reykjavík
morning, the phrase took on a whole
new meaning for me. At first light, I
downed a coffee and zipped up my par-
ka, ready to take on Hidden Iceland’s
South Coast: Fire & Ice tour. True to its
name, the tour stops at two locations
where Game of Thrones was filmed.
Discovering glacial history
It was at promptly 8:00 AM that I, along
with 11 other adventures, cheerfully
boarded the Hidden Iceland bus, which
would take us on our journey. First
stop: a hike on the Sólheimajökull gla-
cier, located just two hours—158 kilo-
metres—outside of Reykjavík.
Situated between the Katla and
Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes, Sólhei-
majökull is part of the M!rdalsjökull
glacier, the fourth largest ice cap in
Iceland. When Eyjafjallajökull erupted
in 2010, it not only wreaked havoc on
many major European airports, but it
also caused a layer of volcanic ash to
settle on Sólheimajökull. Seeing the
glacier up close felt like I was looking
at the past.
The glacier is vast and beautifully
desolate, I thought, as we set out on
our hike through the crests and falls
of Sólheimajökull. The clouds overhead
only made the experience that much
more contemplative, though we were
rewarded with some pops of sunlight.
The hike was around three to four
kilometres, and while it definitely
made some adrenaline course through
my veins, it was relaxed enough that I
didn’t feel over-exerted. I appreciated
this, as it let me spend my energy tak-
ing in the gorgeous scenery.
I will say, though, that as you stand
on the glacier, the impact of warming
temperatures hits you smack in the
face. It’s clear the glaciers are melt-
ing fast. On each of his visits, our tour
guide Ryan notes how much the gla-
ciers shrunk just within weeks. In a
few short decades, this glacier may be
gone.
True basalt beauty
After discarding our crampons, we
loaded back into the bus and drove but
ten minutes south to the Reynisfjara
black sand beach. The beach is known
for its beauty as well as for its danger.
The tides are unpredictable and strong
and can grab unsuspecting visitors
that get too close to the water. I vowed
not to become another statistic, and
kept my distance from the waves. Luck-
ily enough, I did not need to touch the
Atlantic to take in the grandeur of the
beach.
My first impression of Reynisfjara
was of the land underneath my feet.
Reynisfjara is covered in various-
shaped pebbles, made from lava, which
was cooled by the ocean. The rocks
might seem grey at first, but rub them
for but a few seconds, and they reveal
their famous black colour.
As you look into the formidable
waves of the Atlantic, you’re sure to
be struck by the sight of the famous
Reynisdrangar sea stacks. The tower-
ing, jagged basalt towers look straight
out of a fantasy, and indeed, they were
featured in ‘Game of Thrones’ as the
Night’s Watch holdout of Eastwatch-
By-The-Sea.
Closer are the famous basalt cliffs
and caves of Reynisfjara. Resembling
a staircase, the perfectly symmetrical
hexagonal shapes of the rocks are the
result of the slow cooling of basaltic
lava. Not only are they truly wonders to
behold, but they are also ideal photo
locations, and many of my fellow visi-
tors took advantage of the unusual
backdrop.
Feeling dwarfed
After witnessing this otherworldly
creation of nature, we visited the
Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss water-
falls. Each are located within minutes
of each other, and because Hidden
Iceland times its tours to avoid over-
lapping big bus tours, we were able
to have them almost all to ourselves.
Distilling the glory of such mas-
sive structures into a few words
feels impossible, but to be blunt, I
felt dwarfed by the unrelenting,
powerful flow of the falling water.
Standing motionless at the bottom,
I felt at once refreshed, terrified, en-
ergised, and meditative. I could have
stood there forever.
Natural context
Our last stop was the Lava Centre Ex-
hibition in Hvolsvöllur. Visiting mu-
seums and exhibition centres on a
tour is certainly a plus, as it adds an
educational element that can often be
missing.
Spearheaded by an Icelandic geolo-
gist, this interactive lava centre lets
visitors examine various volcanoes and
see in detail the eruptions, lava flows,
glacial floods and other geological ac-
tivities that take place in Iceland. The
museum provided a lovely context for
many of the sites we had seen that
day and I left feeling like I had done
more than just experience the nature
of Iceland, I now understood it.
By 20:00, a solid 12 hours after first
boarding our bus, we were dropped
back off in Reykjavík, but not before
our group created a WhatsApp group
to exchange photos and extend invita-
tions to our home countries. I got off
the bus with a broad smile taking over
my face. Not only had I seen the sites
of southern Iceland, but I potentially
made some life-long connections
with people from all corners of the
world. Fire & Ice—two words that will
now eternally fill me with warmth.
36The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 21— 2019
Lava, Water
And Everythin!
In Between
Findin! fire and ice on the South Coast
Words: Aliya Uteuova & Hannah Jane Cohen Photos : Art Bicnick
Travel
Feel the fire... See the ice.
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“The towering, jag-
ged basalt towers
of Reynisdrangar
look straight out
of a fantasy, and
indeed, they were
featured in ‘Game
of Thrones’ as the
Night’s Watch hold-
out of Eastwatch-
By-The-Sea.”