A land of fire and ice. And water. Lots of water.

Iceland is nicknamed the land of fire and ice for it’s volcanoes and glaciers. So far our impression has been one of water. Along the coast there are ocean views, bays, and inlets. Inland there are rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. Then from above there is the rain, anything from a gentle mist to a driving sheet to a soaking downpour.

That said, while we encountered lots of water today far less of it was falling from the sky. We started our day driving south from Borgarnes and then turning inland to travel around the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle contains a shortlist of some of Iceland’s most famous attractions and is pretty much a requirement for anyone staying in Iceland more than a day. As such, it is busy with tour buses and parking lots full of rented cars. Fortunately nothing was overcrowded to the point where we were left circling for parking or struggling for a view even in the middle of the day.

Our first stop was Thingvellir National Park. It is geographically significant as a place where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet visibly. It is also historically significant as the site of Iceland’s first democratically elected parliament in 930 AD and an ongoing meeting site of government thereafter. The parliament of the Modern Republic of Iceland was formally established at Thingvellir June 17, 1944.

Next we drove to the Kerid Crater, a volcanic crater lake approximately three thousand years old. It is approximately 180 feet deep and 588 feet across. We climbed part way up one side to take pictures, but the wind was bitter and rocks were slick so we decided to turn back rather than walking all the way around.

Heading back north, our next stop was Geysir, which has an active geyser and lots of hot water pools. The active geyser “Strokkur” erupts about every six minutes, so we were fortunate enough to see it spout once up close and a couple of times from a distance. We also visited the pool of the Great Geysir which in the past would erupt dramatically to over 200 ft in the air, but since the early 2000s its activity has greatly decreased.

We received our first soaking of the day walking back from the geysers to the visitor’s center, with the rain picking up and the wind spraying it directly into our faces. Fortunately some warm food and coffee awaited at the visitor’s center and we were soon feeling ready to travel onward.

A little farther along the road from Geysir is the Gulfoss Waterfall. The sheer amount of water flowing through the waterfall is incredible – in the summer 460 cubic feet of water per second. The first section of the waterfall is comparatively short at about 35 feet, then it falls down out of sight into the canyon below another 230 feet. You can walk along a path to take a peek at the depths of the canyon, then out to the base of the 35 foot drop. The observation deck was full rain gear required, with the wind and spray bringing their own downpour, no clouds required. It was awesome to get so close to such a powerful force.

Tonight we are staying in Hella, a small town on the south coast. Tomorrow is more of a relaxed day from driving, with a horse riding tour and taking in some nearby sites. Hoping for some gaps of good length between the showers!