GEOGRAPHY / CHEMISTRY TRIP TO
ICELAND
OCTOBER 2019
Eldborg . This gave us an opportunity to observe a protected crater . We were given clear advice not to step off the walkways as the moss growing can hide crevasses in lava underneath or scalding hot springs as Ed Sheeran discovered ! In this volcanic area we also saw sulphurous rocks , red iron oxide and basalt , rich in iron and magnesium .
Iceland is a stunningly beautiful and enchanting country , which sits on an active volcanic ridge at the edge of the Arctic Circle . The Iceland tour packed in sights in the South West region around Reykjavik and took place over three days .
An early morning flight from Manchester airport leaving at 6am enabled us to arrive at Reykjavik airport by 9am to start out tour . We were met by our guide and driver who took us to Reykjanes Peninsular to see the geothermal activity at Gunnuhver Hot Steam outlets and the Bridge between the continents , where the North American and Eurasian plates are moving apart .
The first day was extremely wet , however , we continued on to explore the volcanism and hot mud pools of the Reykjanes Peninsular at Krysuvik and the volcanoes at Stora and Litla
On the second day , we had clear blue skies with a temperature of -3oC and cold winds . We set out on the classic Golden Circle tour which visits many of Iceland ’ s most famous sights . This started at Thingvellir National Park , which is situated on the mid-Atlantic ridge and is visibly tearing apart in a riot of geology . This was also the site of Iceland ’ s Viking parliament .
We continued on to the Secret Lagoon , a wonderful experience ! We took a relaxing dip in the oldest geothermal bath in Iceland , first built in 1891 by channelling the natural geothermal waters of the Fludir region . The temperature of the water was between 38 and 400C . The hardest part was to dash from the warm water to the changing room with temperatures below freezing !
We then went on to the Geysir ( a spouting hot spring ) area which contains the first geyser known to modern Europeans . We observed the Strokkur Geysir which erupts every 4-8 minutes , 15-20 m high . Some students managed to obtain some fantastic photos and videos of this amazing experience . This was followed by a breath-taking view at Gulfoss , which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country . Gulfoss is a powerful two-tier waterfall roaring away
86 THE POCKLINGTONIAN