Mývatn is a place that’s like no other in the world. And that’s not my opinion – it’s a UNESCO fact. Only two locations are considered somewhat similar – oceanside Hawaii and Mars! So what makes it so special? Lake Mývatn is full of islands that formed in a very unique way. About 2000 years…
Category: Iceland
Namafjall Hverir – a Trip to Mars
One thousand rotting eggs – that’s what Námafjall Hverir smells like. The smell seeps into the car with the windows still up, whilst we’re still about half a kilometre away. Námafjall Hverir is a hotspot of geothermal activity, and its smell comes from hydrogen sulfide gas that’s constantly being released from its hot springs and…
Iceland’s Best Waterfalls
‘Foss’ was the first word I learnt in Icelandic. Thanks to my waterfall-loving husband, it was dotted all over the map for our Iceland road trip before we even set foot in the country. Iceland is heaven for waterfall fans: it literally overflows with them, thanks to a happy combination of climate, geology and…
One day in Heimaey
Heimaey is off the typical tourist track in Iceland, but well worth the detour. It’s an island that forms part of Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands), about an hour ferry ride off the mainland. The island is only 13.4km² so its main sights can be easily seen in a day, which makes it a perfect spot…
Heimaey’s volcano bombs
If these rocks resemble a pile of cannon balls, it’s with good reason. They’re actually known as volcano bombs, and they spewed out of Iceland’s volcano Eldfell in its first (and only) eruption in 1973. The rocks formed from molten lava, which cooled and solidified rapidly whilst still flying through the air. These…
Puffins Galore in Latrabjarg
I’m lying face down on soily ground, balancing my weight precariously on a hollowed out cliff edge. Not an ideal situation considering I’m afraid of heights. Yet I continue to wriggle my way forward until I’m leaning over the edge. For just beyond stand three absolutely gorgeous puffins, and there’s no such thing as close enough….
Iceland’s Purple Fields
Before I landed in Iceland, I pictured a country of black rock interlaced with green moss, torn by blue-white glaciers and red lava fields. One colour that I wasn’t expecting to see was purple, in vibrant fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. This beautiful plant is Alaskan lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis) and, after driving…