Through My Lens: A Summer Adventure Through Iceland

To say that Iceland is ‘unique’ would be, I feel, selling the country short. With scenery unlike any other that I’ve seen before, it’s no wonder that words such as majestic, wild and breathtaking are commonly used to describe the dramatic landscapes.

Iceland has become a booming hotspot for tourists and photographers. The Nordic island nation has a vast and varied topography. Volcanoes and lava fields carve out winding patterns that snake all the way down to glacial lagoons. Geysers and hot springs bubble and steam in the middle of nowhere. Wild sheep and horses roam grassy fields and sparse plains and there are more waterfalls than TLC could ever write songs about. Plus, geothermal lagoons which permit you time to pause and soak in how truly remarkable this country is.

I visited Iceland at the end of August 2015, travelling with Intrepid Travel on their 10 day Iceland Discovery adventure. Starting in Reykjavik, we took the Ring Road journey around the country in an anticlockwise direction. No two days were ever the same. We visited each of the sights along the Golden Circle before feeling the power of the rushing waterfalls of Skógafoss and Goðafoss. We traversed the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara (near Vík), drifted on the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón and stayed in the the highland village of Möðrudalur.

One moment that will forever be embedded in my mind is the first time that I lay eyes on Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. I can only describe it as ‘otherworldly’. The steep, rocky walls covered in moss and lichen looked like a backdrop for a Lord of the Rings movie; it felt like I was walking through a faraway land.

There’s a power in the landscapes of Iceland that will leave you engrossed and enthralled at every turn. How one small island can pack so much enticing beauty is gobsmacking but deliciously sensational too. It’s a place that I would love to return to and I hope that these photos spark that wanderlust in you. Enjoy.