Explore Iceland
Resting on the edge of the Arctic Circle and sitting atop one of the world’s most volcanically active hot spots, Iceland is an inspiring mix of magisterial glaciers, bubbling hot springs and rugged fjords, where activities such as hiking under the Midnight Sun are complemented by healthy doses of history and literature.
Iceland is a place where nature reigns supreme. Aside from the modern and cosmopolitan capital, Reykjavík, population centres are small, with diminutive towns, fishing villages, farms and minute hamlets clustered along the coastal fringes. The Interior, meanwhile, remains totally uninhabited and unmarked by humanity: a starkly beautiful wilderness of ice fields, windswept upland plateaux, infertile lava and ash deserts and the frigid vastness of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. Iceland’s location on the Mid-Atlantic ridge also gives it one of the most volcanically active landscapes on Earth, peppered with everything from naturally occurring hot springs, scaldingly hot bubbling mud pools and noisy steam vents to a string of unpredictably violent volcanoes, which have regularly devastated huge parts of the country. It’s something that Icelanders have learned to live with: in 2010, when Eyjafjallajökull erupted and caused havoc across Europe, people here just shrugged and smiled.
Historically, the Icelanders have a mix of Nordic and Celtic blood, a heritage often held responsible for their characteristically laid-back approach to life. The battle for survival against the elements over the centuries has also made them a highly self-reliant nation, whose former dependence on the sea and fishing for their economy was virtually total. Their isolated location in the North Atlantic also means that their island is frequently forgotten about – Icelanders will tell you that they’ve given up counting how many times they’ve been left off maps of Europe – something that deeply offends their strong sense of national pride. For all their self-confidence, though, Icelanders can initially seem reserved – until Friday and Saturday nights roll around, when the bjór starts to flow and turns even the most monosyllabic fisherman into a lucid talkshow host.
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Getting legless for an arm and a leg
Getting legless for an arm and a leg
It’s one of Iceland’s greatest paradoxes: how can a country that charges some of the highest prices for alcohol in Europe also support such an eclectic scene of bars and clubs? Put simply, spending vast amounts of money on everyday items is a fact of life in Iceland, a country where import taxes and inflation have caused prices to soar; and even though alcohol prices in real terms have fallen in recent years, a half-litre of beer in Reykjavík will still cost at least double what you’re used to paying at home. Icelanders get round the astronomical cost of booze by drinking at home before hitting the town. Buying beer and wine in the state-run alcohol store, the vínbúð, is the home-grown way of cutting costs.
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Hikes and hot springs
Hikes and hot springs
In a country whose scenery is so iconic, and whose historical events are inextricably wrapped up with its landscape, the only real way to get to grips with Iceland is to get outdoors. It’s where many Icelanders choose to spend their free time, too, though they often seem to have a fearless disregard for the weather, geological events and other natural hazards that foreigners take sensible precautions against.
Iceland’s hiking trails are easy to get to, yet feel wonderfully remote and wild: on some of them it’s possible to walk for days and not see anyone. The country is also small enough that it’s feasible to simply pick two points on a map and walk between them – assuming, of course, that you’re suitably equipped for any natural hazards along the way – though there are also many well-marked trails heading off across the landscape. After a hike, take the plunge in one of Iceland’s many naturally heated outdoor “hot pots”, often in stunningly scenic locations, where you can peel off your clothes and soak any aches away while admiring the surrounding mountains, volcanoes and seascapes. The top three spots for an outdoor soak are Landmannalaugar in southwestern Iceland, Grettislaug in the northwest and Krossneslaug in the West Fjords. And if you prefer more formal arrangements, just about every settlement across the country has its own geothermally heated swimming pool, too.
Icelandic hikes: six of the best
Laugavegur
An epic four-day hike over snowfields, moorland and desert between hot springs at Landmannalaugar and the highland valley of Þórsmörk.
Jökulsárgljúfur
Straightforward though lengthy trails follow a glacier river canyon down to Europe’s largest waterfall.
Hornstrandir
You can spend days hiking across this totally unpopulated peninsula, which is probably the wildest, most remote corner of Iceland that is still accessible.
Þórsmörk
Isolated glacier valley in the southwest, covered in dwarf birch and wildflowers, with almost limitless hiking potential.
Skaftafell
Easily reached moorland plateau between two glaciers, with plenty of well-marked trails of up to a day’s duration.
Skógar to Þórsmörk
Relatively straightforward 25km hike over mountains and snowfields, passing solidified lava from the 2010 eruption.
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To whale or not to whale
To whale or not to whale
The Icelandic government’s decision to resume commercial whaling in late 2006 drove a wedge through Icelandic public opinion. Most of the population views whaling as a virtual birthright and is only too keen to turn a nationalistic blind eye to international protest, but it is also true that the nation’s burgeoning tourism industry has led to a decline in its near-total dependence on the fishing industry. Consequently, promoters of tourism lost no time in pointing out that foreigners have flocked to Iceland in recent years to watch whales in their natural habitat, not to see them unceremoniously sliced up for the dinner table – and despite a seeming nonchalance, Icelanders are painfully aware that their tiny country on the very edge of Europe can ill afford any kind of international boycott.
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Sexual equality in Iceland
Sexual equality in Iceland
Regardless of the tongue-twisting name, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir put Iceland on the map when she became the world’s first female president in 1980, high-profile proof of Iceland’s approach to sexual equality. However, treating women as equals was nothing new in Iceland. Ever since Viking times, when every pair of working hands was required to farm, fish and simply exist in such a harsh climate, the nation’s small population base has catapulted women into positions that for centuries were seen solely as a man’s preserve in many other countries. Today, things are no different: both women and men often work long hours, fulfilling several roles, to keep the Icelandic economy ticking over. Generous childcare facilities provided by the Icelandic welfare state have also enabled women to re-enter the labour market shortly after having children, and work their way up the career ladder, often to the very top. Even the Icelandic language reflects the equal nature of society; there’s often no specifically male or female word for a profession – just one term applied to both men and women.
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Photographing the Northern Lights
Photographing the Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are only visible in the darkness of winter, and from places with clear skies, away from light pollution. Probably the most magical place to view them is at Jökulsárlón in the southeast, especially from the nearby black-sand beach with its crystal-clear ice boulders which pick up the Lights’ red and green glow. The colours are not always as intense as you’d expect, however, and to get good shots you’ll need a camera capable of making exposures of a minute or more.
