Iceland Day Five: Geothermal Energy and the Blue Lagoon

The new van was significantly newer and nicer than the previous van, so that was a win. However, it had the oil light on, so I had to figure out how to find an auto supply store and get the right kind of oil. I headed west all the way to the Reykjanes Peninsula (which means smoking point), the very furthest southwest point of Iceland. This part of the country is home to intense geothermal activity, lava blanketing everything - similar to Kona and parts of Hawaii, and geothermal energy plants. The most recent eruption was April 2025. I visited sites here that looked similar to what we'd seen at Yellowstone at an area called Seltun (sometimes known as Krysuik). There was a short set of boardwalks over mudpots and mineral pools. At Gunnuhver Geothermal area I watched a continually spurting geyser that had the remnants of the old boardwalk in the middle of it. From there I went to the Reykjanes Lighthouse, site of the oldest lighthouse on Iceland - the southwestern most point of the island. Then up to The Bridge Between Continents. The geothermal activity is a result of this being the site where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are slowing pulling apart. At The Bridge Between Continents, it is possible to see the rift and walk from one plate to the other which is kind of mind-blowing. 

The best effect of this geothermal energy is the Blue Lagoon - now a fancy hot springs resort that started in 1976 when the power plant next to it drilled very deep and then put the wastewater into a nearby lava field. The silica in the water filled the holes in the lava and created a watertight pool. Over time, it became known for its healing mineral qualities and turned into a spa. It is 70% seawater heated under the earth and rising up to the surface and 30% freshwater. One of National Geographic's 25 wonders of the world, its minerals, silica and algae are known for their healing qualities. The temperature is steady at about 100F and there are vents that pull water from under the earth to add heat and refresh the water. Most places with this much hype fail to live up to it - but that is not true of the Blue Lagoon. It is so large that there is space for everyone, it is well run easy to navigate and most importantly the water feels amazing. I spent five hours here moving between the pools and into the steam rooms and saunas and back again. I tried three different mud masks they were pretty amazing. I hope to visit again and I am squirreling away some notes for how to have an even better experience next time.

After my long soak in the Blue Lagoon, I drove a short 10 minutes south to the town of Grindavik's campground on the harbor. There I spent my last night in Iceland. I hope to be back and able to share this wonderful place with others. My flight out was easy - seven hours direct and I got to see the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Greenland on our way. It was beautiful!

 

Iceland Day Four: On The Road

 Today I started to head back west. There are a couple spots on the Golden Circle I didn't see on my way through there on Day One that I wanted to make sure to visit. This is about a six-hour drive from where I was camped. I passed the time by listening to audiobooks and looking at the beautiful scenery while trying to avoid numerous sheep and keep an eye out for one-lane bridges. Surprisingly, the sun came out today and the ice cap and glaciers were bright white and totally visible! I had to stop at the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon again to see the difference between a sunny day with sparkling icebergs and full glaciers in the background. It was beautiful - now I understand why people would choose to kayak here. I'm glad I could see it on a sunny day. An hour after that, I made a pit stop in Vik, the biggest town on the south coast. Shortly after, I got a warning light on the van engine and had to pull over. I waited seven hours while they sent out a new van. This was uncomfortable and gave me anxiety, but I was safe and everything was going to be okay. Plus I literally had everything I needed with me, so I tried my best to reassure myself. After the swap, it was 10:30 at night, so I went to the Skogafoss campground five miles away and called it a night. Oddly, this was the one evening where the clouds lifted and it became really clear. From the parking lot where I waited for the new camper, I was able to start to see the mountains and glaciers above the edge of the green cliffs/headlands. At that time of night, there even came a rosy glow to the clouds - not sunset, but a rosy twilight. Today was a good reminder that road trips can be slightly exhausting. But I kept it safe and didn't hit any sheep, I didn't miss anything critical and so that's a win.

Iceland Day Three: Glaciers!

 My first stop was the 1-km long Fjadrargljufur Canyon (carved by a glacier a thousand years ago). The formations and towers that were carved into the palagonite rock and the sheer walls that were created are captivating. At the beginning of the canyon is a waterfall that still carves out more of the canyon today. The next stop was an hour east at the Skaftafell region of the Vatnajokull National Park. Driving to the park the Vatnajokull Ice Cap and exit glaciers start to come into view. I was fortunate that it was a partly-cloud day and I could catch glimpses of the mountains from time to time. I started with a three-mile hike to Svartifoss Falls that tumbles over a really interesting basalt cliff. The trail continued up to the "highlands" with views for miles of the Skeidararjokull Glacier to the east and the alluvial planes to the south. After that loop, I did another three-mile hike to the edge of the Skaftafellsjokull Glacier and lagoon. I walked up the edge of the glacier as far as I could go to the part where the ice is melting and it is just rocks and grit left with a silty river running out from under it. It was fascinating. Then I headed another hour east to the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon which housed giant icebergs that were falling off of other parts of the ice cap. People were touring them in open boats but it was very windy and cold and I was glad to be on land. Walking over to "Diamond Beach" (the coastal boundary of the lagoon) was a bust - there were no sparkly bits of ice on the beach to imitate diamonds but the black sand was beautiful. Finally I made a grocery stop in Hofn and then went to the Hoffell Baths - a hot springs with separate soaking tubs that looks upon the Hoffellsjokull glacier. I set up camp at the remote Haukafell Campground and shared a field with white canvas tents and sheep.