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On the 24th October, 50 sixth form students and 5 members of staff got the incredible opportunity to visit the breathtaking island of Iceland. On our first day we landed in Reykjavik and visited the bridge between the North American and Eurasian plates, our first of many enjoyable and exciting experiences. After this we were able to immerse ourselves in Iceland’s incredible landscapes through a FlyOver Iceland tour, allowing us to foresee what our trip had to offer. We then headed to dinner and,on the way, we were lucky enough to see the newest created land in the world from a recent volcanic eruption. 

On our second day, we visited the LAVA Iceland Volcano and Earthquake centre, where we engaged in various activities, such as watching an educational video which illustrated different eruptions that have occurred in Iceland overtime, examining and reading about multiple volcanic eruptions, lava flows, volcanic and rift systems, faults and glacial floods that demonstrated Iceland’s beauty yet vulnerability to hazards. Next we were taken by our driver, Rocky, and our amazing tour guide, Doddy, to Seljalandsfoss waterfall; this was easily a favourite destination for many of us and was an unbelievable feature which left many of us astounded and excited for our next location. After many photos, we set off to another waterfall, Skógafoss, which again was an incredible view and despite the steep walk to the top and us all getting absolutely soaked when we went back down and stood under the waterfall, it was an extremely enjoyable experience that I'm sure many of us will remember for a long time. Back on our way to Laki hotel, we took a short walk to see Skaftafellsjökull outlet glacier, where Doddy taught us about the glacier's history and its significant retreat due to climate change. Finally, our last stop of the day was Dyrhólaey black sand beach where, despite us all being cold from almost all of our clothes still being soaking, we were able to get some fantastic photos and appreciate the beautiful scenery. 

On day three we woke early at Hotel Laki and made our way to the Kirkjugólf polished basalt columns, also known as the ‘church floor’. We took a walk to the columns and the views were stunning, as the sun was just beginning to rise above the cliffs beside the path and all of the beautiful Icelandic scenery was bathed in a golden light. The basalt columns were formed by volcanic flows to form structured hexagonal columns that reach down deep into the ground. The reason it is known as the church floor is because when archaeologists discovered the site they assumed it had been an ancient church due to the man made structured look of the basalt columns. We then got back on the coach and drove to the Skeiðarársandur glacial outwash plain, where we admired the views of the snow covered mountains, and took lots of pictures! After this we went on a bit of a trek up to the top of a waterfall in the Fagurhólsmýri area, which was steep and testing at times but worth it for the view of the snow capped mountains from the top, as well as an impressive waterfall. Our last stop of the day was the Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon. Here we stopped for lunch and then saw the impressive Diamond Beach which was covered in black sand which sparkled due to the muscovite it contains. The most impressive feature was the way the shore was littered with large blocks of ice which is something I would never have expected to see on a beach. After this we took a boat trip on the lagoon itself and this was easily a highlight of the trip for many. During the boat trip we saw huge white, blue and black icebergs as well as the retreating glacier which is constantly melting and causing the lagoon to increase in size. That evening we were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, due to being in a rural area with very little light pollution. Hotel Laki had a roof that guests could go up to and from there we managed to get some really clear pictures of the lights. It was spectacular and we felt so grateful to be able to see them as it is relatively rare.

On day four we awoke to an amazing sunrise and our first stop was Reyinsfjara black sand beach. This was a thrilling stop as we had to be careful of the huge freak waves that can rush into shore at any moment, which was exciting for us but very stressful for Miss Smith! Combined with the imposing backdrop of the basalt cliffs and vertical columns, formed by lava flows which had been quickly cooled by the incoming tides, it was overall an amazing sight to see. Our next stop was Gullfoss waterfall, which was at a higher altitude and, as a result, was frosty and parts of the ground were covered in snow and ice. This waterfall was made all the more beautiful by the fact that, as we arrived, a rainbow appeared over it, which was stunning. Then we made our way to the Geysirs, a geothermal phenomenon where a column of water shoots up from the ground. This was such an impressive thing to see and unlike anything I had ever experienced before. After this we took a short coach ride to Þingvellir national park which sits on the Mid-Atlantic ridge and is where the first Icelandic parliament started. This was an extremely interesting stop and our tour guide, Doddy, told us all about the history behind this iconic site of Icelandic history. 

Our final full day began bright and early with a visit to Grábrók Crater, making our way to the top to have an incredible view of the landscape. We then got back on the coach and drove to Glanni waterfall (which is in Mr Breeze’s top 3 waterfalls!) and once again we were all amazed by, and immersed in, the beautiful scenery and bright blue water. Our next destination was Víðgelmir cave, which was created by a past volcanic eruption, where we put on hard hats and travelled underground, and were guided through the cave and taught about its creation, history and fun facts (including being told about men who would have lived there over a thousand years ago!); this was another fascinating adventure which allowed us all to further experience the astonishing history that Iceland has to offer. Following this, we took a short bus journey to the Krauma Geothermal baths, which was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, before going to Olifa Pizzeria for a delicious dinner. 

Our day of departure began at 3:30am for an early flight back home; we were all tired but very sad for our amazing experiences to finish. This was a truly incredible and unforgettable trip with breathtaking landscapes and enjoyable activities, which I know we will all cherish for many years to come and has allowed us first hand experience of all the geographical features that we learn about. A big thank you to Mrs Smith, Mr Breeze, Mrs Bowler, Dr Ridley and Mrs Barclay who allowed this whole trip to happen and who provided us with memories, laughter and many photos. 

Georgia and Ella, Lower Sixth