Day 1
The trip has started suspiciously well: the sky is cloudless and blue.
First stop we attended the Bridge between the Continents, exploring Iceland’s geological landscape and position on the mid-Atlantic ridge. We stood on the fringes of the largest geological landform on the planet. With the smoke and ash from the nearby Reykjanes eruption funnelling into the horizon sky, we (Mr Harris) chatted all things igneous rock, fissure eruptions, and geology.
Next stop, the Gunnuhver springs, one of the few springs in Iceland where geothermal heat combines with saltwater, not freshwater, creating a wonderfully strange assault on the senses. With the stench of warm, just-on-the-turn egg in the air and the deafening fizz of superheated water filling our ears, the steam genuinely did engulf us and vision was completely reduced to almost zero. Some were more comfortable with being surrounded by the scent of egg than others.
Spirits were high among the troop. That is, until a panel came loose underneath the coach and started scraping on the tarmac every time we exceeded 25mph. After a quick whizz around the not very many mechanics that are open on a Saturday night in rural, southern Iceland, and a disconcertingly quick bang of a hammer and waggle of a screwdriver, we were back on the road with the scraping screech replaced with a hushed hum.
As our time of arrival latened, and I felt the fragile positivity of the angry mob start to eek and wane under the stress of a toilet stop that didn’t, as it transpired, have open toilets, something spectacular happened. The Northern Lights. Aurora borealis herself. At first obscured and mystical, but gradually growing in prominence in the night sky. The evening was saved!
Day 2
We learnt a lot about Ashley, the tour rep, today. Encyclopaedic knowledge of Iceland I admit, though very, very keen on using the coach microphone to practice his extremely dry comedy routine. You will be proud to note that our students are proving a particularly stubborn audience.
First stop today was Gullfoss – the golden waterfall. One of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, the sight of rapid white-water stampeding through ice-covered volcanic rock and pouring into a luminous blue plunge pool was truly memorable. The 60m deep gorge jaggedly carved into the rock added to the drama – of all the adjectives at Ashley’s disposal he opted for gorgeous…
Snorkelling at Silfra next. Glacial meltwater filters through porous basaltic rock and when it surfaces at the Silfra fissures it is absolutely crystal clear, the clearest snorkelling location on the planet. It is impossible to wear a dry suit without feeling uneasy, nonetheless ignited by our shared shame we trundled into the 2°C water like marching mindless minions. The comical sight of the impervious quiffs stubbornly protruding out from beneath the snorkel masks of many of our boys was something I found huge pleasure in pointing out.
Elsa: “We were very lucky to witness the Northern Lights as we drove to the accommodation; a beautiful and rare experience that will never be forgotten by any of us. It was also fascinating to stand between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, where lava would have surfaced thousands of years ago.”
Tom: “The snorkelling activity was genuinely exhilarating as we submerged into the very beautiful, bitterly cold waters. The explosive geysers and drinking from the pristine waters of the fissure were also particular highlights.”
We are currently holding the first round of the Iceland evening quiz. The atmosphere is tantalising, even if it is only Mr Martin and Mr Harris that are interested.
Day 3
It turns out as well as Iceland knowledge and impenetrable puns, Ashley also likes riddles…
Anyway, the superjeep drive today really packed a punch today. Requiring substantial upper body strength to get in and with tyres like giant polos, we made for the glaciers on the notorious Eyjafjallajokull summit. Two things really struck me today. The first is the speed at which blue sky can blur into icy cloud with altitude, and the second is how quickly a superjeep failing to ascend a slope turns from being hilarious to being truly terrifying. A swift visit to a secret waterfall and a cruise onto the black sandy beaches concluded an excellent tour.
The LAVA museum’s short film on recent Icelandic eruptions brought spectacular imagery and gripping footage, whilst their interactive exhibits proved an educational if brief stimulus for our lively mob!
An early evening visit to Seljalandfoss, one of the world’s most famous and recognisable waterfalls, finished the day and on arrival we were greeted by a stunning rainbow delicately balanced on the shuddering plunge pool. Due to ice risk we couldn’t do the walk beneath the waterfall but this didn’t matter as a short walk north took us to the hidden canyon (Gljufrabui). Clambering up a fast-flowing stream overshadowed by a towering gorge only two metres wide at its most spacious, we came to an opening where the waterfall was literally directly above us. The deafening roar of water droplets on igneous rock soaked our clothes, buffered our ears, and smudged our vision. It was truly exhilarating.
Flo: “Today was a delightful day filled with amazing adventures . My particular favourites were the glacier water drinking , the trek along the glacier and the incredible black sand beaches . All were out of this world experiences which I thoroughly enjoyed.”
Rory: “Today was another awesome day in Iceland. We started with an incredible super jeep ride up Eyjafjallajokull and we all climbed up and slid down a glacier. Next we went to a basalt beach with a shipwreck which was really cool to see. After we went to a lava museum which was super interesting and informing before we finished a wonderful day by visiting 2 incredible waterfalls (one secret one in a cave which was super cool and wet but fun. All in all a fabulous day out and I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
Day 4
Due to an unfortunate combination of particularly powerful tides, high winds, and poor communication between tour company and tour rep, the one-a-day ferry to Heimaey had already left as the hopeful Emanuel clan chuntered into the car park. But the great thing about fifteen year olds with smart phones is their staggering patience, and as we recalculated the itinerary I was impressed at their calmness, almost entirely oblivious to the fact that anything untoward was happening.
Some quick thinking from Ashley and the team saw us heading for the remote coastal town of Vik where history, geology, and coastal geography really do come colliding together. The nearby Reynisfjara beach is famous for its glistening black sands, dangerous sneaker waves, dramatic stack columns and hexagonal pillars formed by cooling basalt contracting into beautifully uniform shape. So perfect for budding GCSE geographers! A bit of souvenir shopping followed, so parents you can all look forward to your absolutely authentic yet completely functionless volcanic salt and traditional Icelandic mugs that change colour when they are hot.
Skogafoss followed – probably Iceland’s most archetypal waterfall. As you approach, the waterfall’s immense power is revealed only gradually as, with every step, the ethereal vaporous mist slowly clears to reveal plummeting water and the world’s loudest splash. Not only did we view this waterfall from below, but, after a quick ascent of some sketchy steps, we were treated to a bird’s eye view, giving the students a brilliant display of how river dynamics change as it nears sea level.
We then popped to the local geothermally heated pool where the Hvolsvollur residents doing their early evening lengths were treated to 35 adolescents suddenly passionate about volleyball/dodgeball, blocking the slide and leap frogging from jacuzzi to sauna to pool to slide in one stampeding, hectic motion.
Macsen: “We started the day off with a short trip to the quaint town of Vik, comprising mainly of a supermarket and a Café which we gleefully raided before getting on the coach to visit the stunning waterfall Skogafoss, The water cascading down hit the sunlight perfectly such that a rainbow formed across the fall and this left us with one of the best views of the whole trip so far. We then made our way to another beach covered with black sand, this time with incredible cliffs towering over the sea. Icicles had formed on the rocks creating an absolutely stunning visual.”
Josie and Ella: “Iceland has been different from any place we have visited before, we have seen a fascinating range of weather, landscapes and features. Over the last few days we visited amazing waterfalls, black sand beaches and toured some mountain ranges in super jeeps. Overall, the trip so far has been spectacular and very well organised, we have all had great fun and are looking forward to the next two days.”
Day 5
This morning saw a return to the immaculate blue skies that had greeted us in Iceland last Saturday, and the view of the imposing Eyjafjallajokull was perfect and entirely cloudless. On the coach journey to Dyrholaey we were serenaded by Ashley whose cheery tales this morning ranged from Icelandic fairies to glaciology, and when the students awoke at our destination the deceptive sunlight was accompanied by a swirling prevailing wind whose origins lay deep in the Atlantic Ocean. The juxtaposition of piercing sunlight with crisp icy ground engulfed in howling wind really captures the wonderfully dynamic and unpredictable nature of the South Iceland coast.
Replacing the island visit we missed yesterday was a lava show back in the town of Vik. Never before sampled by Mr Harris, there was a shared concern that this lastminute lava show would be more lacklustre than liquid dynamite. How wrong we were. Snugly sat in a small auditorium, we were captivated as basalt rock was melted before our eyes and the dazzling lava suddenly heated the room. We watched the lava interact with ice creating surreal, brittle bubbles, and the keener students that stayed behind with questions were treated to their very own piece of sparkling basaltic stone.
Then for the real highlight of the day – a hike up the Solheimajokull outlet glacier. Armed with cramp ons, helmet, harness, and ice axe, we marched to the snout of the staggering tongue of ice with the guides poignantly explaining how each spring the walk to the glacier gets frustratingly longer. The first stages of the hike involved carefully navigating the jagged crevasses and ash covered slopes before the ice opened into a vast, glistening expanse hugged by strong winds. This was perhaps the most spectacular view of the trip with drifting icebergs on the pro-glacial lake in the foreground and a vast geological valley winding towards the sea right in the distance.
And, following a quick dip in the secret lagoon tomorrow, that concludes the Emanuel School Iceland tour 2024! A final reminder we will be landing at London Heathrow Terminal 2 tomorrow at 7:30pm.
Lexie “The Iceland trip was utterly magical, it felt like we were on another planet. The final day was kickstarted with a windy trip to the headlands where great waves were crashing on the cliffs below. After successfully not being blown over, we headed to the lava show, created by a local couple just six years ago, the only one on Earth. The show was fantastic, the sight of fresh molten lava poured on glittering basalt was like nothing we had ever seen before. Not to mention the heat, which did not mix well with our thick, ski jacket brought for the blistering Icelandic cold. Finally, the best clearly saved for last, we hiked up the glacier, Solheimajokull. Crampons and ice axes at the ready, we set off on the glacier. Careful not to fall in the numerous holes along the way and into the icy depths below, we trudged through the dunes of ice and volcanic ash, up and up until we reached the large expanse of the glacier outlet. Ice and mountains filled the view, with a meandering river below that shone in the afternoon light. Overall, a pretty good day I think, and it was ended with a sunset bus ride home with some light jazz and a swim/slide in the local pool.”
