Iceland Day 4

Day 4 Sunday, June 23

Today was definitely not a ‘day of rest’!

We began the day with a lovely buffet breakfast at our hotel, which is called Frost and Fire, and is located in the town of Hveragerdi, 45 minutes from Reykjavik. The town is known for it’s geothermal activity which they use to power homes in the area as well as greenhouses. The hotel pool, jacuzzis and sauna all make use of these geothermal springs. For breakfast I had a slice of ‘rugbaud’ bread cooked in the hot springs. You can even cook your own egg in a hot spring right outside the front door!

Our morning agenda was a ‘hot springs hike’. Our guide drove us up and around to the top of the Hellisheidi mountain range in the beautiful Reykjadalur valley where we were met by another guide. Rather than climb up to the springs and down again, we were able to just go down, which we thought would be an easy activity. Not!

The path was well marked and the terrain was a workout for some of us. It was a bit rough and uneven with lots of ups and downs. I soon peeled my outer 2 layers off before too long. The views were stunning and I sometimes found it hard to keep up with the group because of my tendency to take so many photos. But I just couldn’t help myself!

As we neared our destination, one of our group took a spill crossing a small stream. She was OK but needed medical attention and we were glad there was a nurse in our group. I was a little more careful navigating the tricky parts from then on.

We found the bathing area and got in, hardly believing the water could be so hot after our experience in 2 degree Celsius water yesterday! But it was quite lovely and we enjoyed a short soak and rest for our feet.

Altogether the hike was 4 kilometers, which doesn’t really sound like very much. But the terrain was rocky, muddy, and hilly. We saw many geothermal springs with steam rising up into thin air. We also surprised a few sheep along the way.  

In the afternoon our group divided up and some of us went on a white water rafting tour. This was a first for me and I was a little unsure of the idea. We were picked up at our hotel by a transfer van and delivered to a spot 45 minutes east of Hveragerdi. Although we had many layers, suiting up was easier than yesterday’s adventure. We got in a bus and drove to another location down river. Our guide gave us the required safety information and we practiced in easy water before we got too far.

The worst of the rapids were at the start of the trip and I sat at the back near the expert guide. That was the best pace for me he said and who was I to argue? The river was only rated a class 2 but that was enough for me. We definitely didn’t stay dry but we all stayed safely in the boat.

The scenery was great and the weather was beautiful. Warm sunny days in Iceland don’t come all that often, even in the summer!

When we got back to where we started, there was a delicious lamb barbeque waiting for us. It really hit the spot after all that physical activity today. On the way back to our hotel I had a snooze and so did many others!

It’s time for another soak in the hot water!