Destination Reykjavik and beyond, Iceland

A green light twinkled in the dark night sky giving it an eerie glow. In a matter of minutes it had been joined by others and the show began. The Northern Lights were dancing in front of my eyes. So beautiful, so surreal. It was all I had dreamt about. Uplifting and magical, I felt so lucky that the elusive lights had performed for me.

“Here is your present, birthday girl”, exuded my guide from Superjeep, the tour company that specialises in Northern Lights Jeep Tours. “I told you I would arrange for the Aurora Borealis to appear for you. Now we will go to another place to see them better,” he said.

Northern Lights
Courtesy of Superjeep

Back in the jeep, we set off ready for Act II of the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis. Bands of green and purple tinged with pink were skipping above me. Sipping hot chocolate to ward off the cold, I drank in the views. It was a birthday that I will never forget.

The Northern Lights are said to be formed when electrically-charged particles from the sun, driven by the Solar Wind, enter the Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen. The result is an array of colours and formations. To see them had been on my bucket list for a while. As far as travel experiences go, and I have had quite a few, this is hard to beat. 

Gullfoss

When you have such a rapturous start to a trip you wonder where you can go from there. Luckily, Iceland was up for the challenge. The land of fire and ice was bursting with wonders to keep me on a high. From elves – though I never saw any – to feisty geysers to spirited volcanoes and sulphur scents, Iceland dishes up quite a menu.  

Thingvellir National Park would win a beauty contest for its exceptional good looks. Straddling the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, it is also the embodiment of Icelandic history.

Here in AD930, reputedly, the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled. Thingvellir is held dearly in the hearts of the Icelandic people as it is considered to be the birthplace of the nation. 

Strokkur blasting water 30 metres

Nestled in an active volcanic area surrounded by mountains on three sides, and crossed by the river Öxará, are some incredible rock formations, grass-covered lava fields and stunning waterfalls. Lake Thingvallavatn sits at its southern end. You get the feeling as you explore that the landscape has not changed much over thousands of years. 

In Iceland the weather can change in an instant. It had started windy and rainy, but the sun made a timely appearance as we arrived at Gullfoss. The Golden Waterfall, as its name translates, is one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls. As a rainbow flicked over the plummeting water all I could do was be humbled by Mother Nature’s creativity and stare at is magnificence. 

 

The Blue Lagoon

She was about to show us  more of her genius a little later as we arrived at the Geysir Hot Spring Area in time to see the Strokkur blasting water 30 metres (100 feet) into the air as hot mud pools bubbled around us.

While the Blue Lagoon is a must on most people’s to-do list, I found it, although worth seeing, a bit of a tourist trap and feel there are better geothermal spas in the country to visit. However if time is short, go as it is a unique experience.

Skogáfoss 

Driving through the ever-changing spectacular landscape of the south of Iceland was like travelling through a film set. From amazing rocky formations to snow-capped volcanoes and glaciers, this was drama at its best.

The Skogáfoss Waterfall was magnificent as was the Walking Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, so called because you can walk behind it. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano responsible for halting air traffic across Europe a few years ago was now quiet.

From amazing rocky formations to snow-capped volcanoes and glaciers, this was drama at its best

Another star was the volcanic black pebble sand beach of Reynisfjara. It may be one of the country’s top tourist attractions but the roaring waves do not just make an empty sound, they are dangerous so take care. 

Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, where I was based, has a lovely small town feel with a real heart. Only a few skyscrapers punctuate the skyline and traffic jams are a rarity.

Over half of the population of the country lives here. When you think that there are about 334,000 people in the country, it is indeed small. It may be a cold, tiny country but its people certainly radiate an exceptional warm and welcome visitors with open arms.

Another star was the volcanic black pebble sand beach of Reynisfjara

This is where companies should send people to learn about customer service. It was excellent in every restaurant, café and shop I went into. And everybody speaks exceptional English and exudes passion about their country.

The vibrant city, which you can walk around in a few hours, has plenty of museums, galleries and theatres if you want a dose of culture. There are beautiful public squares to relax in, or take an invigorating walk along the waterfront and the harbour where you will find one of Iceland’s significant landmarks, the Harpa, an impressive structure and home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

City Hall, Reykjavik

Snuggled amidst the tourist shops in the main shopping drag are lovely small boutiques specialising in Icelandic design. For wonderful views of the capital head to the striking Hallgrimskirkja church, the city’s renowned landmark which took 41 years to build.

Reykjavik’s food scene is exciting. Whether you want to try fermented shark, meat soup or Icelandic fish and chips you will find plenty of great restaurants. As they mainly use local fresh ingredients your taste buds will have a sensory treat. While it is expensive it is value for money. Unlike so many restaurants in the UK that serve bland food, every mouthful I had there was a culinary experience. 

Reykjavik Harbour

At the Food Cellar, housed in a 160-year-old building, serenaded by a piano player, I had cod that was so succulent it were as if I tasted the fish for the first time. I could see why this is classed as one of Reykjavik’s finest.  Another fabulous place was Messine. This cosy, atmospheric restaurant serves up generous portions of superb sizzling fish in a cast iron pan. 

Coming out of Messine, I looked up at the night sky and there were the Northern Lights making their appearance one more time. A fitting end to a very special trip.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

I booked through Regent Holidays (regent-holidays.co.uk) A great company to book with. My consultant, Jane was knowledgeable, knew about Iceland and was extremely caring. She ensured that I got the right holiday for me

I travelled with Iceland Air

I stayed at the Borg. A lovely, small, luxury Art Deco hotel in the heart of Reykjavik whose neighbours include the Houses of Parliament