Found a hot spring in a sheep field!.....#iceland#geothermalpool#geothermalpoolsoficeland#hotsprings#burnersA separate posting on Icelandic soaking and soaking related news.
Let's start with just a couple of mentions of the many intro's to soaking in Iceland.
We12travel (Sep. 24) notices the many hot springs of Iceland:
'When going to Iceland, you can’t miss a visit to a hot spring. Or a hot pool. Or a hotpot, as the Icelanders call it. I’ve written a couple of posts about the best hot springs in Iceland and they are among the most popular posts on my entire blog. So I figured I’d combine them into one post, making this ultimate guide to the best hot springs in Iceland. Having been to Iceland no less than ten times over the past decade, I think I can say I’ve become quite an expert to all there is to know about hot springs in Iceland. Enjoy!A Dutch website, hipenhot (Nov. 3) has it's own take on Iceland's hot pools. I counted an impressive 16 soaks in the mix. Translated:
'That's why in this blog everything about hotpools in Iceland! Where can you find them, how is the water heated, what should you think about? I explain it all so that you go to Iceland well prepared'.
jdmerryweather at Landbrotalaug
West Iceland • We are missing Iceland and all its magic. My mermaid in action!!#westiceland#landbrotalaug#iceland#flanna#mylove#travel#travelphotography #travelphotographer#travelwriter#wanderlust#doyouseewhatisee #notallthosethatwanderarelost#seetheworld#lifeistooshort#shootfilm #leica#nikon#hasselblad#analog#digital#iPhone8 #fujifilmX100F#diana#decisivemoment#oldschool#getlost#jdwashere#chasethedream #magic#picoftheday
Helka (Nov. 7) has a top 10 of best natural soaking spots. Though the list is arbitrary, it contains quite a bit of additional background info.
'While the Blue Lagoon is definitely Iceland’s most famous hot spring, it was actually created by a mistake made by humans, so it’s not exactly natural. We’ve put together a list of the best 10 natural hot springs in Iceland. Explore some of Iceland’s most phenomenal hot springs'.
'Large or small, rich or poor, every community in Iceland has its own public swimming pool. Here neighbours catch up, children misbehave and the local mayor is confronted about his latest decision. Mix in naturally heated water and some wonderful settings right across the country, and it’s easy to see why a trip to the sundlaug is a great way for visitors to soak up Iceland.
Here are 10 of Iceland’s best pools, where swimming is only part of the pleasure'.
mastapoul1 at Grettislaug
Tour de l'Islande avec le kuku 🚐💓En 10 jours: 21/01 ➡️ 01/02 🇮🇸 2k19DAY 8 De Grettislaug À Drangsnes 🚘 301kmPetite baignade avant de reprendre la route 😜..#iceland#islande#grettislaug#sourcechaude#hotspot#hotspots#hotsprings
#hotspring#geothermal#naturalhotsprings#piscinenaturelle#paysage#landscape
#cielgris#voyage#roadtrip#trip#hiver#winter#neige#snow#nofilter
#huaweip20pro#p20pro
The worldpursuit (Aug. 23) has the 10 best hot springs of Iceland (possibly):
'There is no way you can travel to Iceland and not experience just a few of the countries best hot springs! Hot springs in Iceland are a right of passage and even the locals regularly use them. Iceland is filled with enough geothermal pools, geothermal spas, and natural hot springs to fill up every day of your Iceland itinerary. This is really only the tip of the Iceberg when it comes to places to soak in Iceland.
Unless you want to want to get pruney and never dry off you won’t have time for them all. Some of these hot springs in Iceland are popular tourist attractions and a few aren’t much more than a hole in the ground. We’ve broken down some of the best hot springs in Iceland, and no there is no mention of the famous Blue Lagoon'.
Big deal
Icelandin8days has a special on getting naked (Aug. 27) in Iceland:
'Ah, Iceland. Is it really as icy as the name implies? Are those stories about forced nudity in pool showers true? Can I casually walk down the street to a pool shirtless, only to then dip inside completely naked?
Those would be a triple ‘not quite’, but also an indication of a remarkable conundrum around Iceland, its restrictions or lack of on nudity, and how culture plays a major role in when and where you can and can not, should and should not disrobe'.
And then follows the explanation, sort of.
Always shower prior to hitting the hotpot. aritzrst:
Sort of on the same topic, Becomingheather has a long hard look (Aug 24) at group showers Icelandic style:
Si estas a -10 grados no desaproveches una ducha en mitad de la nada.#iceland #islandia #viticrater #hverarönd#husavik #nofilter
#kukucampers#camper #campervan
'The swimming pools in Reykjavik are hard core about you showering, naked, before you get in the pool. They tell you when you first pay and enter. Then there are signs everywhere. Finally, an attendant in each locker room keeps an eye out for non-showerers who think they can slip past without being noticed. Nope, there is no way around it. You’ve gotta shower. Naked.
...
We went to Laugardalslaug half a dozen times on that trip, and I increasingly grew more comfortable with the ordeal of group showers. By the final trip I confidently walked around naked for a good three minutes before hiding behind my towel.
And something else happened. I found I grew more confident when I was wearing clothes, too.
...
But walking around surrounded by bodies that looked like mine, not covered up in all of the costumery we use to make ourselves pretty and preened for men (and each other) – bodies that had fat on them, or scars, or evidence of having carried a child, I started to grow more appreciative of my own body. I was there with my daughter, who grew in my belly, which expanded to fit her and give her a cozy place to grow. How could I be upset with the marks that now graced that belly, evidence of its expansion to give life?
I found that by our last time at the pool, I was going in and out like the older women I would see. They would take their clothes off at their locker, and carry their towel – not wear it, but carry it to the side – over to the shower. They wouldn’t stress about how close to the shower they left their towel. They turned the water on, and took a normal shower, washing all their parts the way you would at home. And then they walked back and got their towel, dried off, and put on their swimsuit. No big deal'.
The more newsworthy articles.“But, I nearly forgot, you must close your eyes otherwise you won't see anything.”-Lewis Carroll••A picture of me, by Benjamin••#iceland #instagood #naturegram #exploreiceland #discovericeland #picoftheday #naturephotography #naturelovers #moodygrams #authenticliving #wildliving #photoohtheday #wonderland #discovericeland #exploreiceland #imaginarymagnitude #wilderness #livingfolk #folkandstory #roamtheplanet #waterfall #nature_good #nordicspirit #moodmagic #inspiredbyiceland #hiddeniceland
Think GeoEnergy shares (Aug. 6) info on Iceland's newest soaking theater, that of Vök:
'Vök Baths, the newest geothermal destination, and tourist attraction in the East part of Iceland have opened. The destination main landmarks are warm pools that float by the lake’s shore. This beautiful area also includes an outdoor pool bar, a steam bath, and a restaurant. EFLA was responsible for all the engineering design of the facilities.
Vök Baths is located at Lake Urriðavatn about 5 kilometers northwest of Egilsstaðir. Vök Baths harness the geothermal power of the region to create a unique bathing experience with amazing views of the lake and the surrounding area.
One of the main attractions will undoubtedly be the floating pools, which are in the lake. The pools are Iceland’s first floating pools and create a unique experience for visitors'.
Reykjavik Grapevine reports (Jul. 30) on the soaking pipeline:
'A Canadian company has purchased a 51% stake in luxury startup Geothermal Lagoon for 11 million USD, RÚV news reports. The startup will build a geothermal lagoon, at the edge of Kársnes, an industrial area surrounded by a residential neighbourhood.
...
The planned location has sparked some interest. Bathers will have a view of beautiful scenery, “including the ocean, and Bessastaðir, the villa of the President of Iceland.” The president’s offices could not be reached for comment regarding questions wether this would disrupt the president’s morning stretches routine in the gardens of Bessastaðir'.
🌄Poached
The Reykjavik Grapevine had an article (outdated?) concerning the hot pools of Strandir area; 5 in all, all thermal fed:
'Exploring the swimming pools in the region is an adventure worth tolerating the bumpy road for. There are four of them. Yep, there are four swimming pools, and several hot tubs, for 800 people (well, and a bunch of tourists). What’s perhaps even more surprising is that the pools in the more remote areas are actually far older than the ones in the more populous areas'.I Heart Reykjavik heads for Reykjadalur and scribbles down all the info required. Or has it just been updated (Nov. 4)?
'The Reykjadalur hike is probably one of Iceland’s best-known hiking trails for a few reasons:
- It’s close to Reykjavík
- It’s relatively easy
- It offers amazing views and geological wonders
- The reward for the effort of hiking up there is a dip in a cozy and warm geothermal river'.
marysue91 at Reykjadalur:
Hot springs at the end of our hike 🙌🏻 #hotsprings #iceland #natureisrad #hiking #mountainlife #swimminginsnow #goodlife #holiyayReykjavik Grapevine (Sep. 8) has a slightly different experience in getting to Reykjadalur:
'Eldhestar stables are located near Hveragerði, in the south west of Iceland. The area is well known for the Reykjadalur valley hot springs, and one of the tours that Eldhestar offers is to ride up to the hot river and take a dip. It’s nothing short of idyllic—the combination of two Icelandic pastimes that are as old as the Vikings.Adventurouskate relates (Oct. 8) the untold concerning soaking in the Blue Lagoon, updating her nearly 8 year old original blog entry:
...
The trail up to the hot springs and hot river is rough and steep and I was amazed at our horses’ sure-footedness on the rocky terrain. We leaned forward in our saddles as we went uphill to make things easier, and admired how they are a natural fit for this landscape and topography. We reached the paddock around midday and from there it was just a short 15 minute hike to the hot river, past ominously bubbling mud springs and the ever-intensifying smell of egg. Reykjadalur is a popular trail these days and on a sunny day in August the river was packed with humans poaching themselves in the warm water. I am used to more bracing experiences of bathing in rivers so it took a while to get used to the bath-like temperatures, but lying in the middle of nowhere, hills rising up on either side, gently lapped by balmy waters—this is something I think I could get used to.
'And being the most popular destination, there are plenty of guides and how-tos for the Blue Lagoon Iceland. But to be honest, I was surprised by how many things I didn’t know.What I learnt from the article:
I’ve visited the Iceland Blue Lagoon several times, in different kinds of weather. As you can see by my photos, I’ve seen the Blue Lagoon on a gorgeous day in May; I’ve also visited the Blue Lagoon on a cold and rainy August day. It wasn’t ideal, but it was still worth visiting the Blue Lagoon in the rain'.
'The water at the Blue Lagoon is not good for your hair. I would especially be cautious if you have natural, curly, or color-treated hair.I thought my curly hair would be okay. Well, after covering my hair in conditioner, twisting it up in a French twist, leaving the conditioner in, and going into the Blue Lagoon, then coming out, rinsing my hair, conditioning it like crazy, and leaving it in again — my hair was destroyed for the next five days.From the comments section:
Take my advice — even if you condition your hair, don’t let it touch the water. You’re not missing out on much if you don’t'.
'HannahLoads of comments on the naked showering, as if there's another way to this.
Thanks for this information! After hearing all this, I might consider skipping the Blue Lagoon on my next trip to Iceland. Though you said that you ultimately enjoyed your time there, it does seem like there are some negatives. Just the fact that you have to get naked is enough to scare me away!
Tradicions islandeses!! Un dels molts tolls termals k et trobes pel camí !#iceland🇮🇸 #islandia#familytrip#travelwithkids____________________________#travel #traveling #vacation #visiting #instatravel #instago #instagood #trip #holiday #photooftheday #fun #travelling #tourism #tourist #instapassport #instatraveling #mytravelgram #travelgram #travelingram #igtravel #hotsprings #aiguatermal
I Heart Reykjavik (Nov. 9) also has a personal look at Iceland's premier pool, the Blue Lagoon:
'I think I’ve mentioned before here on the blog that Icelanders have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the Blue Lagoon. I believe what the locals dislike the most about it is the prices and how they’ve kept creeping up over the last few years. Many locals also remember a time when the Blue Lagoon was a lot more rustic than it is now. They long for the old days when we could enjoy our natural wonders without “paying the white of your eye” as some have put it.
When people ask me about whether the Blue Lagoon is worth visiting, I’m often quite torn about how to answer that question.
...
So my official answer to whether the Blue Lagoon is worth it or not has been that if you feel it is worth it, then it is. As long as you know that the price is high in comparison to other pools and hot springs and you’re OK with paying that premium.
...
Until last weekend that is.
...
With that in mind, I feel like I need to add a new sentence to my official answer to whether or not the Blue Lagoon is worth it.
If you feel it is worth it, then it is. As long as you know that the price is high in comparison to other pools and hot springs and you’re OK with paying that premium. And you’re OK with the fact that you might be unlucky and get stuck in a changing room that feels more like the inside of a clown car than a spa.
At least now you know and you can adjust your expectations accordingly – saving you the shock I experienced'.
Nightswimming in the volcanic crater. Temperature dropped below zero. Summer is gone. Highlands, Iceland 🇮🇸Finally, a Polish website, Icestory, headed for Askja. A long entry. At the Viti crater:
'We see a small crater, filled with milky blue, to which a group of tourists walks naked or in costumes. The water is ideal for bathing. Viti owes its name to its fragrance. Thordur tells us that they called him Hell because after you leave the water you stink like Satan. You can actually smell it even on the edge of the crater, and it should be mentioned that it is really high. However, it is not as intense as we expected. The place for it completely exceeds our expectations. We get an hour to celebrate, but we realize that if we had a book, wine and a blanket, we'd probably like to stay here longer.
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