AbsintheFairy

Skalholt was the site where the last Catholic bishop was beheaded after the adoption of Lutheran Christianity in the sixteenth century. The church itself is comparatively new but does hold a first edition of the Bible in Icelandic – in the Catholic Church the Bible must be in Latin so the translation of this work into the vernacular so that ordinary people had the chance to understand it was significant. The views here are pretty impressive I must say, and you can still see the outline of older buildings in the ground.

Gullfoss is a waterfall in south west Iceland not far from the capital, Reykjavik. It is a popular destination for tourists, as it is part of the Golden Circle tour. Gullfoss (the name means golden falls) is a fall on the Hvita River. In the 20th century there was some speculation that the waterfall might be used to generate electricity, but this was strongly opposed by Sigridur Tomasdottir, the daughter of one of the owners. Today, the waterfall remains preserved in its natural state.

On the day I visited Gullfoss, the bus pulled up in a car park which also contained several other buses – clearly the place is popular. It was a cold and windy day, but dying to see the waterfall, everyone on the bus tumbled out and headed down to the viewing area. Gullfoss is an impressive two-tier waterfall, which isn’t something I’d ever seen before. The water rushes over one tier and turns at an angle before tumbling down another and rushing down a gully. As you approach it you can’t see the river – it looks like the waterfall is simply rushing into the earth.

This view was suitably awe-inspiring but I had an urge to get closer. I could see that there were several people standing on a stretch of rock right next to the waterfall so I headed back, down some wooden steps and along a rocky path right up to the waterfall. Luckily I was wearing my Dr Martens which enabled me to keep my footing despite the ice which was still on the path. I was able to climb onto the rock right beside the waterfall and it was amazing to see the power of the waterfall close up.

I do recommend Gullfoss as it was really impressive and different. It’s not supposed to be as good as Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe (in north east Iceland), but this one is much easier to reach from Reykjavik! Anyone can go to see the waterfall but if you’re going to go close up you really need to be wearing suitable footwear and have no mobility problems. I did see several children by the waterfall, supervised closely by adults.

The Golden Circle tour can be booked in several ways both before you go to Iceland and after you arrive. I booked mine online at www.icelandair.co.uk as part of a package including my flights and hotel, for a cost of around £55. As part of the tour I was picked up and dropped off from my hotel so the whole procedure was very easy. Gullfoss was the first major stop on a tour that also included the geyser area and the Thingvellir National Park.

It would also be possible to hire a car and visit Gullfoss yourself, however you’d need to be a confident driver and to know where you were going! For most people booking onto a tour would be the easiest way to see the waterfall.

The Thingvellir (or Þingvellir) National Park in Iceland has a long and distinguished history. The Icelandic Parliament was established there in AD 930, remaining there until 1789. The Thingvellir National Park was founded in 1930 to protect the remains of this site and also the natural aspects of the area. The Parliament helped to forge a common cultural heritage and national identity among Icelanders. The Althing (assembly) was held here, at which people could make speeches and present cases which were judged by the laws of the time. Thousands of people would flock here, setting up temporary houses and selling goods, watching entertainment and drinking ale.

The park is also significant for geographical reasons. It lies on the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, which are drifting apart at the rate of 2.5 cm a year. The North American plate in particular is especially impressive, towering over the flagpole on the Althing site.

The park is located in south west Iceland near Reykjavik, and is one of the locations on the popular Golden Circle Tour, which is the tour I took to visit. It would be possible to hire a car and visit the park yourself, however you’d need to be a confident driver and to know where you were going! For most people booking onto a tour would be the easiest way to see it.

The park was the final stop on the tour and as we drove towards our stop the driver pointed out the edge of the Eurasian plate. Over the years the plates have moved apart leaving a kind of low plain in between. Our coach stopped next to the North American plate which looms like a cliff over the plain.

As a group we walked for a couple of minutes up towards the North American plate, crossing a bridge and walking slightly uphill in the process. There were a couple of wooden platforms where you could stop and take photos. We stopped just beneath the plate at the point where the Althing used to be held. On the ground it was still possible to see the outlines of some of the huts built to house people attending the parliament. Our guide also pointed out the bridge at which women and criminals were drowned!

While anyone who wished could go back to the bus, most of us chose to walk up to the top of the plate and meet the coach which was going to drive round. This involved walking up a gully next to the plate. At this point a snowstorm came on and I felt as though I was in The Lord of the Rings!

At the top, the views were very impressive. We could see the sea to our right and the plain spread out in front of us. It was strange to think we had crossed over a divide in the Earth’s crust.

Overall the Thingvellir National Park was a very impressive sight. I liked to think of ancient Icelanders meeting here to discuss their issues. It definitely helps to know something of the history and geography behind the place, and the guides are very knowledgeable about this. Definitely a must-see if you visit Iceland.