In June 2019 we spent several days in Iceland and saw some beautiful natural landmarks. Rather than spend much time on any one, I'm going to briefly describe each one, provide a photo or two, and then move on.
Thingvallavatn Lake is the largest natural lake in Iceland and the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet beneath it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0Oogpp6k61kFf5657J_r7MCEkE-zLz4HyfdYMDZ-426wkF25YYTD1V7hq6vap7afbTqi6CMInuM8Rwnl7QNW6uXdjpgCwQyQ5Yoh88xG6sj0f-dw8Wk3aBNLn2EyUc2DuniVKbOBK_I/s400/33+Iceland+-+tectonic+plates.jpg) |
This photo is from the southern edge, looking north. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMHEzGVy9qv2Pvp_HXcTJoTaIKKDt59hlgtBlIHzpCRC11dq8Ou-JEd0aSVuMA2OjUzgNABsSzJg_9FQJXizIFcWXccsmGu5w1Oi02wO7FMLFSQu7wF-tF-TuTqHcR6Lpsu_bhq5JiH4/s400/34+Iceland+-+tectonic+plates.jpg) |
This photo is from near the same place, but looking more west. |
Thingvellir National Park is near the far north end of Thingvallavatn Lake. Here the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates is clearly visible.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQy_X1AArfdDoWd8zC6nX6alK1Er4eAhUX-mNUBvB60YgSxMunDlnkyN4_LHgodyASZq2yTOc65ji38lgjrj5FfyR1dIT_ba3rEefhOnwn6u0QmZ8dL5KB9CwhiUJZ-1NVv0rMY71VsQ/s400/32+Iceland+-+tectonic+plates.jpg) |
A fissure, or gap in the plates, I'm not sure which, in the foreground and the lake in the background. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPO7Tyw1oCo8wE9zyV9pAXGkVhkV1nccmgDZu8y6gGnVHd9PpkZReCxbaf_SkoquN3WvMH_pmakVXB6EunOP2qPFY-S4H2zNo6zfFB_ESU212InKukfv3FXWlhcUfZBcTctfTnvOFfBY/s400/31+Iceland+-+tectonic+plates.jpg) |
A fissure line evidenced by tall bands of rock. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w6iw2AJmVrWqERbKNzQ37ddU5T7pGfbvbyOG3qAcZtnVWbLK20YI7BhAGtzfvGLeTT9qCckvcIEA3QBHy-Jdw7GQcJsB_mtqttbpe-dhWI1qDy9aHHqvZN2NjIhF5eSHnGC9FCLEcuw/s400/30+Iceland+-+tectonic+plates.jpg) |
A small stream in the area. |
Gullfoss (golden waterfall) is northeast of Thingvallavatn Lake on the Hvita River. It has two stages: the first drop of 36 feet over a three-step staircase, then the second drop of 69 feet into a crevice that is 105 feet deep. The crevice is 66 feet wide and goes for 1.6 miles. It carries 4,900 cubit feet of water, per second, in the summer.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8p27nJW8z_0Z4RF3WzaYEDdd_1mplhizmv3VbM97pWawEZOI-tO1e4KsOXJKYyGuFKeBRRJuuQ9EEacQglNryvsv5HE9z9d0hSv7CEhijdk_OE3rNk_tBhXYw7gC7-Vx8NvmV0O8YUDg/s400/1+Gulfoss+-+Iceland.jpg) |
Gullfoss Waterfall |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibODb_ZrXCxsIE5OUKkj64ty9ietGmDMBypelU9XzGSlxIpDsw-v1JhpZ_wQJcJYLeq0CZPOr1hrbdsqatX-3llNIAOI1uSjc_3AqAWKx642mGsnH4WPgUYeMWuAWPloVEYOGxcrNc-I0/s400/7+Gulfoss.jpg) |
The first drop. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGg0yDg3fJJAxhUv7BI2FA8dckvQrWd_RpHwVm8a5uFShOSU2UZzeLqvE24eQxq7rAfhIhJG6VuiNgmdskUgS1VvZrW9MmNevERp5xh0PlfypCTb9GFAFvKvmItO19Cwt_x3MabO1xZhg/s400/3+Gulfoss.jpg) |
The second drop into the crevice. |
Faxifoss (horse mane waterfall) was much smaller, southwest of Gullfoss, but still beautiful. It had a 23 foot drop and was about 260 feet wide. It also had salmon steps along the left side of it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTIHkzFy0oPVlVAHkSOfr8lD-6M2hdKFSvHPBO8ZfKq61JYfnRGfijJaEdKLWQ9BE0UufO7WIgAoF5N32Q3GJGq7XQs1gKmoqPYC9OB6jLmyDlwn9hY3Ia9QCYgUP6vLwaXkQvm8_gwo/s400/20+second+waterfall+-+Iceland.jpg) |
Flaxifoss with the salmon steps to the left side. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SqOe-F3O6jBRneGzWMZdIy7yMYqRZG0KfSyIqAbbshJP8-dCvJXj70cCaiimLaBO6TXMcZhgz2ZebODqKnqOiyTPsBGsJOXbsJy0dYlZnIxHccx7Gcc8UhGDvQOeKYGLcMSY4iH5UoI/s400/21+second+waterfall.jpg) |
People to the bottom left give perspective. |
About three-quarters of the way from Reykjavik to Vik, the southernmost point of Iceland, we encountered Seljalandsfoss, a 197 foot tall waterfall, that we were able to walk behind.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVafgLWM0c2Rb3Vfu3KG_bjupG3ItFqeLBrZDDv3usSrZ3VmR21_ANNOdBurEWtTqdV-_gWvcQfbO_qd8TSYOUZdAwC4nr-g1I2fHujRyyhG-TpeZyti6edDy7GDeEgQVpKY8aw_02dyk/s400/1.+Day+2%252C+no.+1+-+Iceland.jpg) |
A front view of Seljalandsfoss. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC110tRaa_Q7d-0B6wlz4aaQUkQj5o4xCcof_rOXavZ1BFedFd5kZL7ANLWWzgOaZ8o5UtKuwFetjXxekKjNXBFF8YnKevYxdR0xHt8gEidHLZU9XmGtgHYvuOxzSFqMhm_Byi3I6Or7o/s400/2+Day+2%252C+no.+1.jpg) |
From behind. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwindvNaap596Nj7LDUN87n8dEesOAvIyqoAKdwIrvpEACgR1yctDBgXkaNwWJ71KQnzhSZHDCVML31r9Xmp_mdzdzWkeO2uBsi8PuSlPwz0_rwdIIAAWZGG46BqNYbibkNwlCcHQg38/s400/3+Day+2%252C+no.+1.jpg) |
From an overlook to the side. |
Further along the road to Vik, we encountered Skogafoss (Forest Falls), which also has a 197 foot drop but is much wider and has much more volume than Seljalandsfoss. We couldn't get too close to Skogafoss without really getting wet because of the spray.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhE-lngxqByHMhUjpEjLqlKGfbbbTDwBgsC4ZUTc2DSyTy9Ivpqh7YqtATE0I929Qca2e5ZvGb91k-UUHsJkJq3HY_FqP156KV9bapqYDB6shZP7O7teTNEexwfe0xKLCNnt8Q1oREh4/s400/2+Day+2%252C+no.+2.jpg) |
This was about as close as I could get without completely drenching myself and camera. |
Getting closer to Vik, we turned off to hike to Solheimajokull Glacier, an outlet glacier of the Myrdalsjokull Icecap, Iceland's fourth largest icecap. It was about a 20 minute walk from the parking area, evidence of the melting glacier which has receded dramatically.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrbjQLJKPdZQ7x9L30pblrFZWuTzpjubv-Fx-C_llUR5JUBr360XULKYzY6QcZ0Hh0T_p8uU7VKF0mE5J_fRgAzNGk4Dxi_wqM9mIzTnPwyQ8q5OtpmqpApdqVcx9xW3hfpB6qA-rKa0/s400/3+glacier.jpg) |
From a distance we could see the icecap behind the glacier. |
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As we got closer, the view of the icecap faded and we saw a large lagoon full of glacier melt water. |
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People to the far right give perspective to the size of the glacier front. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JpmZwiIsGMOStsBRqO_EqPR5hY07sFi9VwAgLtJ2On59C2XQ_8nxn7LpH8Ti9yAuOapaHZW-UCOVLL4GCTocMyC1NQLONTsWsSRO0TpDYAIfQj9jctYnvbKHAYf7UE5MgqmxqP3PwkI/s400/10+glacier.jpg) |
A man standing on some glacial silt in front of the front wall. |
Near Vik, the southernmost point in Iceland, we went to Reynisfjara, a black sand beach, and saw Reynisdrangar, 220 foot tall basalt towers in the distance.
We drove a little bit and came to Halsanefshellir, a triangular peak with a base of basalt which reminded me of Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, or I guess really, Hallgrimskirkja appeared modeled after this site.
We drove a little more to a plateau which holds the Dyrholaey Lighthouse. From there we could see a massive stone arch extending out from the plateau and got a beautiful view of black Reynisfjara Beach.
Nice summary. The best thing about Iceland (other than its food) is its waterfalls.
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