Young Geographers - Trip to Iceland

Young Geographers from Year 11 and Year 12 visited the wonderful destination, Iceland, during the week before half term. Ms. Galvin and Ms. Cope accompanied the little explorers on their trip. The students documented their travel adventures in diary entries, which we attached below.

Day 1

On the first day, everyone was asleep when we embarked on our journey towards the Krysuvik mud pools. Although everyone was tired, they instantly woke up from the rotten egg like stench of sulfur. Our next stop was a cooled lava flow from Fagradalsfjall eruption of 2021, everyone was fascinated by this natural beauty, until they discovered that they have to walk back to the bus as well. After that, we stopped at the Kleifarvatn lake, which had beautiful black sandy beaches in addition to the beautiful scenery surrounding it. We then went to the Eurasian, North American plate boundary, where some of the students decided to build a rock tower in order to leave their mark. Following this amazing experience, we went to the bigger Gunnuhver hot spring which was shortly followed by us going to see the ocean. Everyone was truly mesmerized by massive waves that the powerful Atlantic Ocean produced. Finally we went to see some more cooled lava pools of Brimketill which were by the sea. Then right after arriving back to our “house” we ate a very nice lasagne. This day was truly a geography dream.

By Gergely, Leo and Balázs 

Day 2

To start the day, we climbed a glacier, allowing us to feel like professional rock climbers! As a safety precaution, we all had to wear helmets as well as a harness. To allow us to mount the grand glacier, we had to wear clamps on our feet, making us all feel like we’re about to embark on an exciting adventure! The glacier had a large volume of ash on it, which the tour guide explained was from a volcanic eruption 160 years ago! He then proceeded to explain how the ash is actually helping the glacier stay intact and not melt, as it provides an additional layer of protection against the strong forces of the sun! This allows us to enjoy the glacier for hopefully another decade; however, humanity will have to say farewell soon to this magnificent glacier due to the effects of global warming (global warming makes the glacier shrink around 50m/year). The tour guide then proceeded to show us a rainbow inside the ice, which he explained was from a scientific miracle called “the prism effect.” On a more exciting note, we had the opportunity to make use of our harnesses and look down into a hole in the glacier. The whole experience proved to be unforgettable and truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience which we geographers will not be quick to forget!

Today we also were able to visit two beaches with majestic sights. Everyone was pleased to see giant waves and an unusual sight of black sand. These giant waves are also called sneaker waves, meaning they literally catch you off guard by suddenly engulfing you, and at the same time, we saw a victim of these waves. It was also worth admiring the uniqueness of the different sediment, and the unpolluted air cleansed me from the inside. It was so fulfilling. It’s always worth visiting places like this because it reminds us all about the sheer beauty and mostly power of nature.

After the beaches, we visited a few waterfalls. We had to walk up a massive flight of stairs, but it was worth it because of the picturesque view from the top. The first waterfall was incredibly high up, so standing at the bottom felt like a dream. A few of us made the decision to get closer to the plunge pool, which, no surprise, ended in us getting soaked from head to toe. The second waterfall was smaller, but not any less beautiful than the first. You could even walk behind it. There was a third waterfall that you had to walk through a cave to see. It was really fun, and the plunge pool was gorgeous. Overall, the waterfalls were absolutely stunning and jaw-dropping, and it was a privilege to be able to see them.

By Lena, Tas, and Mate

Day 3

We started our Thursday morning in the Secret Lagoon, where we bathed in a pool filled with natural hot water (around 38-40°C) coming from the surrounding hot springs. Next, we took a small walk around a narrow gorge in Brúarhlöð about three kilometers south of the Golden Waterfalls (Gullfoss) and viewed the magnificent nature and rock formations. After that, we traveled to the enormous Gullfoss Waterfalls, which is famous for being double-layered with a 31-meter plunge. This place was incredibly windy, but we were lucky enough to spot a rainbow above the waterfall. Our last stop of the day was at the Efstidalur dairy farm, which has been around since 1750 and has been passed down through generations of the family. It is famous for its ice cream, which many of us tried and found unique and delicious. We had some free time to explore the cows and baby cows, which were adorable, and we also had an awesome time jumping on a huge inflated bubble in the farm’s backyard. We ended the evening playing card games, hoping to see the Northern Lights.

By Maja, Inju, Bianca, and Hanna

Day 4

On the last day, we woke up having already packed most of our bags. We packed our final things in the cold morning and departed from Guesthouse Husid for the last time. The guesthouse really felt like home, so it was quite bittersweet that we had to go for the final time. Our first stop of the day was the Lava Centre museum. The more observant ones among us had already seen it before, because we passed it on most days. The museum had many features that helped us visualize the inner workings of volcanoes and the geographical history of Iceland. We also saw the volcanoes that surround the Lava Museum, such as Hekla, which had a cloud formed over it that made it seem like it was releasing a pyroclastic flow. It was a good beginning for our last day in Iceland.

The national park was a truly beautiful place where we saw a constructive plate boundary and walked through two continental plates. The frankly challenging hiking trail led to a majestic and rewarding waterfall. Reykjavík was a great look into Icelandic culture, and it was a fun activity where we had free time. We started out at a cathedral, which was spectacular as it was built to be shaped like the basalt columns that we saw at one of the black sand beaches we visited (insert name). Afterwards, we went to the main road, where some of us bought souvenirs and others went to get a snack! Overall, even though it was a calmer day compared to the past few days, we enjoyed our final day spending time with our friends and saying goodbye to Iceland.

By Andras, Csege, Mark, and Sean