East Iceland: Hearts, Arts, Eats, And East Heat
We stare into the canyon. The glacial river Jökulsá á Brú roars by Stuðlagil, one of Iceland’s largest collections of basalt columns. A dizzying slope, interwoven with preca
Þakgil: Pack Up And Go
The beauty of living in Iceland is that even if you reside right in the heart of downtown Reykjavík, you are never more than a short drive from being in […]
Unto The Breach: Encountering The Humpback Whale In Akureyri
We knew that it was getting serious when they brought out the waterproof boiler suits. It was 8:50 PM, and we were standing at the Elding pier in Akureyri, the […]
A Lassie On Laki: Josie Takes Us On Another Mountainous Adventure
What do the French Revolution, national bard of Scotland Robert Burns, and Iceland all have in common? The answer is Laki—a volcanic fissure in the south of Iceland that was [&he
The Top Of Iceland: Climbing Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s Highest Peak
It was quite pleasant inside the crevasse, once I realised I wasn’t going to die. The ice inside was smooth and pale green, like sea glass, and gave off an […]
Gamlaeyri Whale Stranding: A Difficult Journey To The Whale Wreck
Note: Gamlaeyri is extremely hazardous, and unreachable by regular car or hiking. Low tide is a short window, as the sea floor floods rapidly. We reached the whale stranding at [&h
All That Glitters: A Road Trip Around The Diamond Circle
You don’t need to spend long on the Diamond Circle—northern Iceland’s greatest sightseeing route—to realise that it’s a different world to the neatly kempt and touristed
Town Guide: Mesmerising Waterfall, Local Food And Beautiful Hikes In Skógar
Situated along Route One at the foot of Skógafoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, the small town of Skógar makes for a perfect pitstop on a road […]
Hornstrandir: A Westfjords Adventure On The Trail Of The Arctic Fox
We’re about an hour out of Ísafjörður harbour when the horizon suddenly tilts. As our tiny, crowded passenger boat passes out of the sheltered fjord, we’re beset by the high
The Secret Greenhouse: A Hidden Bathing Paradise At Heydalur
It’s approaching midnight when we turn down Route 633 towards Heydalur. The rough dirt road traces the coastline of Mjóifjörður past paddling ducks with processions of ducklin
The Old Bookstore of Flateyri: Eyþór Jóvinsson Rolls Back The Years
The tiny Westfjords town of Flateyri juts out into the blue sea of Önundarfjörður on a thin spit of land. The main street has a quiet café, an empty sports […]
Fishing At Elliðavatn: Tight Lines, Tangled Lines
I was baffled when my son came to me one day and told me that he wanted to go out fishing. Until then, Ólafur Grettir, aged 11 and much like […]
At The Speed Of Birds: The Eyris And Eyries Of The Westfjords
The car is running on fumes as we emerge from the belly of the mountain, driving north out of a long single-lane tunnel into the Westfjords’ picturesque Súgandafjörður. As the
Heat In The Highlands: A Road Trip To The Hot Springs Of Kjölur
Note: Kjölur is a gravel road requiring a 4×4 vehicle Iceland’s summer solstice is marked by 24 hours of sun above the horizon, making it possible to watch the sun [&hellip
The Road Less Travelled: Hekla & Landmannalaugar On Superjeep
The Highlands of Iceland are any outdoorsman’s dream—and one that, in the three years I’ve lived here, I’ve never experienced. But, on a stunning summer day, myself and a p
Floating Among The Jewels: Kayaking The Sparkling Waters Of Sólheimajökull
For those looking to enjoy the stunning wilderness in Iceland without the sweat of hikes or climbs, there’s no better choice than floating around a glacial lake in a kayak. [&hel
Flowers In Town: Blóm Í Bæ Festival Brings Hveragerði To Life
The annual Blóm í Bæ festival (“Flowers in Town,” in English) is happening for the eighth time this weekend in Hveragerði, a town near Reykjavík that’s well-
The Witches Of Búðir: A Magical Shop In Snæfellsnes
Hotel Búðir juts up from Búðahraun lava field on the southern coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Visible for miles around, this imposing hotel is well known as one one of [&h
The Westman Islands: Craft Beer, Fine Food, Volcanoes & Puffin Watching
The Westman Islands are a mountainous archipelago just south of Iceland’s mainland. The most scenic way to get there is to drive and catch the Herjólfur ferry, then zip between
The Green Circle: An Eco-Tourism Road Trip In South Iceland
Árnessýsla County begins just a few kilometres east of the Reykjavík city limits. Stretching from the black beaches of the south deep into the dusty Highlands, it’s an 8,287 k
Area Guide: Skaftafell National Park’s Glaciers, Camping & Waterfalls
With glaciers, waterfalls and lava fields in abundance, you can’t get more peak Iceland than the Skaftafell National Park. Located neatly between Vík and the Jökulsárlón Glac