14/04/2019 – Day 3 Thingvellir National Park/ Geysir/ Gullfoss/ Kerid Crater – Iceland

Today was a day not to be missed, consisting of touring the renowned Golden Circle and the Kerid Crater. Primarily we journeyed to Thingvellir National Park to witness a rare occurrence. Thingvellir is where two tectonic plates crashed then separated from the impact. Not only this, but Thingvellir is where most important historical events took place. For example, Norse clan representatives held meetings here and Iceland Asatru was abandoned here (the Old Norse pagan beliefs) to name a few. Thingvellir is geologically enhanced – being the clearest area in the nation above sea-level to see both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Rift, and features many exclusive ravines and gorges. One of the highlights of Thingvellir was being sprayed by the cooling droplets of Öxarárfoss: it was an idyllic moment that will always remain in my mind’s camera.
Next we ventured to the famed Geysir – this was an ethereal experience. Many onlookers much like ourselves were gazing as the boiling waters of the Skattur geysir started to bubble. Then the rumble of a beast waiting to be unleashed; and a dome of turquoise-blue arose. Another split-second and a towering spray of scattering droplets rose to an immeasurable height before dying down, only to be liberated another six to ten minutes later.
An Iceland trip could not be complete without visiting Gullfoss. The 32-metre cascading waterfall was most definitely my favourite tourist area in Iceland. The magnanimity of the whole thing left me utterly speechless. It wowed me that such a beauty, such a gem in the crown of Earth’s wonders could be so ethereal yet had the power to devastate on a massive scale. As the waters filled every nook and cranny of neighbouring rocks and crevices, I breathed in the scene. The English vocabulary falls short of the beauty I had witnessed at the heart of the Golden Circle.
This we followed by a short stop at the Kerid Crater – brick-red slopes (due to fresh iron content) caressed the royal turquoise waters. It was no surprise that the waters were pristine and perfectly coloured as the minerals from the slopes were exuding into the lake. The Kerid Crater was a particularly memorable end to our day as the vibrant colours lingered in my eyes long after the visit.