Golden Circle Tour in Iceland
The Golden Circle is a trip, really, more than a single place, and the only thing circular about it is that it’s a loop. Golden circuit just doesn’t sound good though. For tourists to Iceland, the Golden Circle is a big deal. Why? Geology, history and amazingness. First, what are the actual things you’ll see on the Golden Circle?
You’ll see:
- Thingvellir – Geological, historical and natural beauty
- Strokkur Geysir – (a.k.a. Geyser for American English) Geology and natural beauty
- Gulfoss – (Golden falls in American English) Geology and natural beauty
Before I explain these, I’ll add a note about the usage of ‘natural beauty’ and ‘geology’. First and foremost, this isn’t academic, nor is the naming of the attractions as geological a code for geeky or something that is only of interest to geologists. That would be like saying you have to be a geologist to appreciate the grand canyon. Spoiler alert: This is really the amazingness.
Some photos and notes. Not too many because I’m new to MSN Live and want to make sure it’s not going to break!
This is Thingvellir. This is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly separating. Yes, this means the world is cracking and Iceland is hanging out right over the gap. In fact, Iceland is slowly growing as a result – as it splits, it fills in with lava. This is why there are so many volcanoes in Iceland – it’s a shortcut to the center of the earth.
The second attraction of Thingvellir (the anchor of the Golden Circle, IMO), is more about human history than geologic, and dates back 1000+ years. Thingvellir is the location of the Alþingi or Althing, where leaders in Iceland began gathering in 930 a.d., marking the beginning of Icelandic democracy. BTW, America, in its relative infancy, recognized this milestone in 1930 with a gift statue of Leif Ericcson the explorer. The statue is currently in front of the hallgrímskirkja church in downtown Reykjavik. But that’s another post.
Golden Circle Attraction – Thingvellir
This image was captures from a proper walkway. To get here, we parked at the main road and walked about a quarter mile. It was an easy walk on the typically outstanding Icelandic walkway (made from black aggregate). Leaning over the rail to take the picture, you can see:
The marshiness is actually the massive gap between the plates. This is the area that’s filled in and it’s crisscrossed with water. Walking on it is easy and it’s very solid – actually not marshy at all. Off to the right is a green circular area of grass. This is actually a raised area bordered by stones where the leaders would assemble and discuss law – called the law rock, it actually felt amazing to stand there and know the fates of many, as well as the law of the land, were determined more or less on that spot. Off camera to the right is a small church.
No descriptions, and certainly not my photography can really do this place justice. Note: Images link to a tour company that goes on the Golden Circle tour, Iceland Rovers. They rock.
Golden circle attraction: Strokkur Geysir
The next attraction I saw (not sure if it always goes in this order) was the Strokkur Geysir. Much better images here Bing image search of Strokkur. Strokkur means ‘churn’ in Icelandic. When you’re there, you’ll know why this is an apt name – the water is constantly moving and there’s a sense of violent activity under the ground. The geysir exists because of a combination of naturally (geothermally) superheated water and a opening that reaches the surface. When folks (myself included) learn about this, a common question is why isn’t it simply boiling and spurting all the time? Well… some hot springs do just that, this one has a column of water that’s tall enough (deep enough) to put the water under a great deal of pressure, effectively raising the boiling point. So, the water heats without boiling for a bit (about 5-7 minutes) and then it starts – bubbles form, gather, push upward, pushing more water upward where the boiling point is lower, causing MORE bubbles to form in an increasingly powerful rush. By the time it reaches the surface, the pressure difference is high and it spurts boiling water ~30 meters up! While this is certainly an amazing sight for all, it’s particularly great for the kids, especially if they don’t ‘get’ the history of Thingvellir. This is one of the reasons the Golden Circle tours are so popular – something for everyone.
When this happens, stand back! Iceland doesn’t seem to be overrun with lawyers or the massive barricades they require to keep the public away from harm (harm than any half-wit would keep themselves away from). What this means is that there’s nothing but a tiny rope at about 12 inches off the ground between the geysir and the surrounding area. I.e., you’ll get an amazing, first hand, close up view of this sucker, guaranteed. Don’t be freaked out by my description, it’s quite easy to know where to stand to be quite safe – it’s just startlingly refreshing to see the lack of a handrail, attempting to protect me from my own bad judgement! All the Golden Circle attractions are like this!
Golden circle attraction – Gulfoss
Gulfoss means Golden falls. (Foss = falls, you’ll see it a lot in Iceland, not just on the Golden Circle.) These falls are similarly easy to reach from the roadway, along a smooth black path. The falls are actually several falls, with the largest drop somewhat obscured. This gives it an endlessly-deep feeling, a blend of awe-inspiring and a bit scary. When I visited it, the large falls were shooting up a mist of water about 50 feet in the air.
This image was captured near the end of the walkway, looking back a bit over the larger falls. Forward of the trail was unrestricted access to the rocks and upper falls area. Don’t slip.
About the Golden Circle in Iceland 