Naturals

almabjork02

Náttúrulegar í náttúrulaug🤠

A couple of photo's (and video's) waiting in a file for a time to be published. However, doesn't seem to be happening, so let's just share them now.

lusi_jir

New friends, new adventure. Today was awesome weather and we went on a hike more into the wild and we discovered a beautiful place for swimming.

Our little privite Blue Lagoon🤭

Noví přátelé, nová dobrodružství 🖤

Dnes bylo úžasné počasí a vyrazili jsme na túru více do volné přírody a objevili jsme krásné místo na koupání. Naše malá soukromá Modrá laguna🤭

#iceland #ísland #vegan #veganpower #veganísland #freedom #friends #friendshipgoals #friendship #swim #summer #pool #hotpool #blue #spot #relax

From dv.is (Oct. 2)

bluevue4you

hiked up Reykjadalur Valley today and enjoyed a nice soak in this insane thermal river. the water was literally boiling out of the ground! never seen anythin like it... Iceland- I love you already ♡ #reykjadalur #traveliceland #canon5dmiv #adventure_culture

rojtat

What a soak!!

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#iceland #hotspring #icelandtravel #amazingview #travelholic #icelandtrip #wonderlusticeland #secrethotspring #hike&soak

nomadic_cosmopolitan 

Bathing, hiking and biking in Iceland cuz there ain't no travel abroad on offer #lovinglife #staycation #ferðumstinnanlands #icelandisopen #highlands #hotspring #yoga #skinnydip #biking #hiking

Liberty

icelandic.naturist

A wonderful hike led up to this hot spring, which was very refreshing. It's always nice to be naked in nature. It makes you feel connected to mother nature and all stress and worries go away.

#naturism #befree #skinnydipping #secretplace #hotspringsiceland #bodyfreedom #nakedinnature #nudeisnotlewd #naked #freespirit #enjoyinglife #hotsprings #lovetheskinyourin #befree #gonaked #feelthefreedom #daretobare #friendship #enjoythemoment #enjoylife #capturethemoment #freedom #freethebody #friends #soakingspirit #soaking #soak #hotspringsiceland #hotspring #iceland #icelandicnature

Rather than randomly thrown on the i-net, I try to put some picca's together, this section possibly #bodyfree?

jestemjoy

Gdy już nawet sam papież popiera związki partnerskie par jednopłciowych, a w Polsce delegalizuje się przerwanie ciąży, w przypadkach ciężkiego i nieodwracalnego upośledzenia płodu, to już nie pozostaje nam nic innego jak wypiąć tyłki na taki rząd i cieszyć się że jestemy w jednym z bardziej liberanych krajów świata.

Ach, zmiany przyjadą, wolniej niż się spodziewamy, ale przyjadą.

Jesteśmy w tym razem 💪

Btw, many thanks to my crazy friends for making skinny dipping a complety casual thing.

Swimming never felt so liberating 🐟

Ciekawe czy w Polsce można za to dostać mandat? 🤔 Bo przecież pływać nago to tak jak nas Pan Bóg stworzył 😜

#powiedzkomus #tk #legal #abortion #stopviolenceagainstwomen #mychoice #czarnyprotest #Polska #ogarnijsie #libertad #freedom #skinnydipping #nature #travel #iceland

_lilikoi

Landmannalaugar hot spring🪲

gudrunoskm

Skotin í honum ✨

georgiapeachexplores

Nature is fun

Do what you want 💫

& feel good about it

(In clothes or no clothes 😉)

Thanks to @kukucampers I was able to explore iceland & be one with icelands beauty

#iceland #hotsprings #nature #gooutside #getnaked

#solotravel #travel #liveyourbestlife #birthdaytrip #igreels #makemeelite #fordmodelscout

Pasttime

francois089

Et une autre petite source d’eau chaude naturelle à côté de notre logement pour terminer cette journée ensoleillée ! #iceland #landbrotalaug #hotsprings #roadtrip

We don't often focus solely on Iceland, but when we do ..., we realize there's quite a bit to update you on!

Here at European Natural Soaking Society we believe very much in natural soaking. But through the years we've seen this belief expand a bit into soaking culture in general and even spa business sensing that it also has its similarities to soaking. And it can be done naturally, though that may not everybody's cup of tea.

Anyway, despite Iceland having ample opportunities to seek out that natural soak (all you need is a bit of that explorer virus), we are increasingly lead to believe that the hyped up soaking palaces are to be heeded with top - top priority. If anything, to line the pockets of investors; they need their money back. And lots of it too, it seems. 

There's little reason for me to seek these soaks, especially in Iceland where free and natural soaks are always beckoning.

That said, what with newer man-made soaks developing ever faster, Condé Nast Traveller (Jan. 6) has found the need (really?) to publish an article on some of the new and old players in the luxury soaking department:

'As Iceland repeatedly ranks high on lists of happiest countries in the world, it’s safe to say there must be something in the water. And with records of public bathing dating back to the ninth century when settlers first discovered hot springs, it would be sacrilege to not indulge in this national pastime'.

It includes this new to me piece of news:

'Recently, Reykjavik announced plans to invest up to $62 million in upgrades to existing pools including the capital’s largest public pool, Laugardalslaug, as well as the construction of new ones. And as more travelers look to slow down and connect more deeply with the local culture and nature, a slew of new and sustainable outdoor spa experiences are paying homage to Iceland’s bathing traditions—and giving us good reason to plan a pool-hopping road trip in 2022'.

I suspect that once the exclusivity thing might just be wearing off, Iceland will need to ferry in more tourists probably.

naked_pixie naturally in a non-natural setting:

sólarkaffi - Coffee shared by Icelanders on the day the winter sun at last emerges from its long sleep behind the mountains.

There are colors here I have never seen before. In the sky, in the water, in the ice and snow. I breathe it all in. I am inspired.

#iceland #sólarkaffi #nakedinnature #hotsprings #krauma #kraumabaths #stormysky #spaday #bluewater #hotspringsiceland

The Reykjavik Grapevine (May 24) has an article on Iceland's newest soaking sensation:

'The Forest Lagoon, Skógarböðin, officially opened its doors to guests yesterday.

...

It is the newest geothermal spa, located in Vaðlaskógur forest, a couple of minutes’ drive from Akureyri. Tinna said that since it opened yesterday, bookings started to pour in from both international guests as well as locals, booking all the way into the fall'.

Google already has good reviews, averaging 4.8 stars (out of 5). Tripadvisor is yet to notice its existence.

CNN (Feb. 22) also notes this development. Odd, you can report on something yet to open. Snippet:

'"The history of geothermal bathing in Iceland is very interesting," Cela [Hrólfur Karl Cela is one of the lead architects working on Forest Lagoon] said.

"The act of bathing here [In Iceland] is kind of like a public right. This is where meaningful conversations happen, in the hot tub, in the pools. You get people who don't know each other at all, you're all half-naked, so there's no status, you don't know who the other is, and this encourages a more open exchange."

Still concerning the Forest Lagoon, it's existence according to travelawaits (Jan. 30):

'In 2014, crews were digging a tunnel in northern Iceland when they hit on a geothermal source. Even though the previously unknown hot water source halted the tunnel progress, officials decided to put it to use.

The hot water flowing from the Vaolaheioi mountain is now the center of the new Forest Lagoon spa'.

The entertaining TotalIceland (Jun. 29) heads over to Vök Baths on Eastern Iceland. They comment on the owners and the entry costs, even though they are impressed by the place:

'Is all this money worth it?

Yes and no. It is worth it if you have never dipped your body into water heated by natural sources. Then again, if you are on a budget, skip this joint and take a basic shower. Sure, it´s not exactly the same but the warm feeling is, and you will not fill the pockets of disgustingly rich folks back in Reykjavik'.

Would TotalIceland also frown upon the >40€ entrance fee for say the Forest Lagoon? Even though it includes 2 drinks. I see a google review that the drinks are non-alcoholic: it's orange juice or water only.

The Reykjavik Grapevine has an article (Jul. 7) on the delights of Laugarvatn, which seems to end with the (pictured busy) Fontana pool.

TotalIceland (Dec. 4, 2021) educates us in bluish lagoons and on the northern of Iceland's two Blue Lagoons (Myvatn) it concludes:

'But what makes the Northern one better is the fact that it has much grander views from the lagoon over the Myvatn lake and lava area, secondly it is much less expensive, thirdly it is not pretending to be some grand-pampering factory for the rich and lastly, the steam baths here are quite unique for the fact that the steam inside rises directly up from the resource rich ground. Hundred per cent natural'.

The Reykjavik Grapevine (Nov. 8) has a list of ... best sauna's around Iceland's capital. In reality they only tested 5, so hardly a best of.

Swimming Pool Stories will be premiered @skjaldborg_heimildamyndahatid June 2022

Skjaldborg, an Iceland documentary festival announces the premiere of Pool Stories:

'Icelanders have a special connection with hot water and the country's swimming pools play a greater role in public life than is the case in neighboring countries. The pools are not unlike culture in the squares of European cities where people meet and chat over a cup of coffee. Swimmers, however, need to undress, wash themselves and put on swimsuits before going for a swim. After a few swimming trips, people take advantage of the health of the hot water in the hot tubs, relax or chat with their hot tubs, but this tradition can be traced back to the twelfth century'.

Bucketloads

sherii23

#iceland #visiticeland #hotsprings #nature #relax

The list of recent Icelandic hot spring lists:

Over to a new to me website Tophotsprings. They have a page solely for Icelandic hot pots.

Kimkim has a ultimate guide to Icelandic best hot springs. Sixteen in all, as an intro it could have been worse.

Alwaysaroundtheworld (Mar. 22) has a list of 25 ('best') Icelandic soaking spots

'...to add on your bucket list'.

If you're to add these to your bucket list as well, is your list not getting too long? Isn't your bucket list a summing up of the essential places / things you want to do? Cambridge dictionary:

'a list of the things that a person would like to do or achieve before they die'.

Adding 25 Icelandic hot springs probably won't bring you closer to fulfilling the list wishes.

Back to the article: again not a bad endeavor, good map. And yes a good intro.

Nordical has a feature (listed as 2022/1) on best hot springs and pools of Iceland. On the benefits of soaking (in general):

'Apart from their relaxing and calming effects on the mind and body, bathing in the waters of hot springs certainly has a number of other beneficial properties.

They do wonders on muscle aches. If you have any type of inflammation in your body, be it a bruise or painful tendon, dipping your toes in the warm waters of hot springs will eventually alleviate your pain. In addition, the calcium found its composition helps to increase your flow of oxygen whilst lowering your blood pressure. Last but not least, the sulfur and sodium combined aid with battling skin imperfections, from blemishes to eczema and all in between'.

I counted a list of 22 hot springs, natural and built, old and new. Another good intro.

holidaaysmathilde

Les cottages de @hestasport 😍

La différence entre Novembre 2018 et Février 2022 : beaucoup plus de neige ❄️

Les propriétaires sont des anges 🥰

& le spectacle des aurores boréales vu du jacuzzi 🤩🤩🤩

An updated list: an ultimate guide (Jul. 4) to Iceland's best. From Northbound with roughly 20+ listed it also notes the following:

• Stick to paths
• Shower on forehand
• Leave nothing behind
• Use bathroom before visit.

Are these not obvious then?

Twowanderingsoles (Dec. 21. 2021) have a list of 14 incredible hot springs:

'We consider ourselves hot spring connoisseurs of sorts, and have sought them out all over the world – from the snow-covered mountains in the Pacific Northwest to remote areas of Myanmar.

Personally, we’re huge fans of the free, natural hot springs. The more off-the-beaten-path, the better. Requires a hike to get there? Sign us up!

Sometimes we get a little snobbish about the ultra developed hot spring “resorts” that require a hefty entrance fee. In fact, on our first trip to Iceland, we skipped the Blue Lagoon because we thought it would be “too touristy”. Well, that and we were on an extremely tight budget'.

A very expansive article.

ashleymsan

Fludir, Iceland • be cool guys, don't tell anyone I'm naked

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#iceland #icelandtravel #travelphotography #travel #hotsprings #outdoorlife #outdoors #nature #naturephotography

Sadness

And now to experiencing soaking. 

But first heed this. TotalIceland (Feb. 9) yet again:

'These days, in line with huge and growing numbers of tourists to Iceland, the natural order of things is beginning to break down. Sadly, even our tremendously lovely natural hot springs widely found are no exception.

...

It seems the Landmannalaugar hot springs, Lysuholl hot spring and Hveravellir hot springs are not just crowded by tourists but much less desirable visitors too. Considerable fecal contamination was found in all three places and especially where water flow was low'.

I don't know how recent their reference is. At least it's not the first time I've heard of this. You would assume that this would have improved had it been earlier flagged? And with the drop of tourists in recent time?

Triptins (Apr. 28) has all the tips on hiking out to Reykjadalur. I'm surprised why they added this:

'[It is] 70 minutes away from the airport'.

Why is this relevant to the reader? Would you need this info because you're in a hurry? Is flashsoaking something?

It's good to know that if you're taking the trouble to head here, there's an hours walk there, an hour back (so not so convenient for the flash-soakers?). And great soaking available.

thirdeyewitchh

HOT RIVER

Bailing

Libby March

farewell, 2017, i’m grateful for ya. for the snowboarding, the women’s march, new projects, my sister lauren’s graduation, establishing @theriverstudio.co with @jtully, volunteering at my community radio station, shooting weddings, a summerful of great weekends with family & friends, swimming in rivers, hiking, standing up in my childhood friend’s wedding, bartending @coldmountaincafe, my first solo photo exhibition @42mapleartists, a group gallery show with @jtully, traveling abroad alone for the first time, exploring iceland, an amazing surprise weekend of friends from five (!!!) states, home for the holidays, & more snowboarding. 2017 was also about emotional conflicts, financial stress, body self-hatred, political despair, constant car chaos, battles with depression, & health issues that kept me from running the whole year. and yet, what a wild and precious life i have. there were and are a million little ways i failed my loved ones & myself, & lot of ways i tried to show up and be better. i often think about bailing on photography, to run out into the wild & never come back to civilization. but i’m not (yet) & i’m not making resolutions or promises to myself this year. the total reinvention cocktail can be intoxicating, but for me it’s always been toxic. the “new year new start” thing is a seductive illusion - as if i just had a little more discipline, i would charge forward & shed the flaws and failures of my old self, sailing into a brilliant unknown as some shining reborn being. not only is that impossible, it’s limiting. our journeys make us who we are. mistakes, and pain, make us human - and imperfections teach us empathy. our naked selves, not our curated ones, draw us together. vulnerability is a gift. what we do when we’re kicked and down defines who we are. in 2017, a lot of us felt got trampled. but it was a year of grappling, of dreaming, of reawakening. i don’t want to leave that behind. so i want to build on where i came from & keep climbing toward a better world & better work. old friends & new, favorite haunts & new adventures, inevitable failures, bigger dreams, same flawed, passionate, evolving mind & body. hello, 2018. (at Strandabyggð)

I'd like to think that I am presenting some recent photos on Iceland's hotpots, but obviously the above is not so recent ... Though the description does not out with old, in with a sort of new.

But the rest are (though some look quite summery ...).

The theme of the first part, "ones" possibly?

joannastachyra_fotografia

w gorącym źródełku ❣️

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#iceland #icelandtravel #islandia #landscapephotography #landscape #krajobraz #wodospad #waterfalls #waterfall #nature #naturelovers #photography #art #ptaki #birds #love #travelling #mountains #sesjakobieca #mountainlovers #góry #sesjakobieca #hotsprings #rzeka #river #icelagoon #couple

tinna_sif

Megi eilífðarsól á þig skína,

kærleikur umlykja

og þitt innra ljós þér lýsa

áfram þinn veg.

📸 @acroyogaguy ♥️

#naturelover #purelove #bliss #dreamlife

ramblingboots

There's a small natural hot spring at the top of Reykjafoss (swipe left to see the falls) that I got to spend my morning in. I have found my happy place. ❤️

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#travel #traveler #hotspring #hotsprings #iceland #europe #roadtrip #roadtripping #altgirl #greenhair #summer #nature #relax #naturephotography #summer #waterfall #canyon #wild @iceland #optoutside #hike #hiker #hiking

Chilldown

ladybird_dilemmas

After a full day of hiking this was bliiiiiiis. A natural geotermal pool in the middle of nowhere to chill us down. This is paradise on earth!

The two's then.

desrtangl

When you try to take a nice artistic photo in a hot spring mountain river in iceland...

#instagay #instaawesome #passport #gaynomad #travel #adventurer #adventuretime #globetrekker #globetrotter #wanderlust #whereintheworld #hotsprings #hotspringsoak #iceland #photobpmb

Scalp-Bongo

Magnificent

Portugueseemviagem

VIAJAR COM OS PORTUGUESES EM VIAGEM SIGNIFICA NÃO TE LIMITARES AOS LOCAIS MAIS TURÍSTICOS ONDE VÃO TODAS AS AGÊNCIAS CONVENCIONAIS. CONNOSCO VAIS MAIS LONGE, A LOCAIS ONDE PODES TER A MAGNÍFICA NATUREZA DA ISLÂNDIA TODA SÓ PARA TI.

And then the gents solo, somewhat different?

icelandic.naturist

Heydalur camping is such a nice place. They have this pool open 24/7 and after midnight you might have the place to your self like I did.

#hotsprings #hotspring #naturism #nudism #fkk #naturist #nudist #skinnydipping #skyclad #nudeswimming

Combo

sophie_deschanelles

ALL THE HOT TUBS ARE BELONG TO US!!!

But seriously, I wasn't planning to get into a single pool during our trip and didn't even take swimwear ,but I got a combo of one each night! (sometimes 2 and sometimes in the morning hehe). Didn't risk going down the 2 cave hot springs we found in pitch darkness, though I did dip a toe in one of them, so I suppose that counts.

Thank you @theanswerisrpm for supporting me on my crazy endeavors and even pushing me forward when I feel like chickening out

#hotsprings #laugur #ísland #iceland #roadtrip #adventure #nightphotography #auroraborealis #naturalhotsprings #venividivici

There's not much current affairs for the Icelandic soakers.

Only Reykjavik Grapevine (Jul. 19) has something recent: an article concerning a bath wear incident at the new Sky Lagoon. The complainant notes that the actions applied contradict Icelands law:

'Visir reports that Diljá Sigurðardóttir and her boyfriend paid a visit to Sky Lagoon last Saturday to celebrate their anniversary. As she frequently swims topless, and has done so for the past five years, she intended to do the same at Sky Lagoon, but took caution and read the spa’s rules of conduct first. Nowhere did it mention any requirement for covering one’s breasts while there; only that a swimsuit is required, which she wore.

Despite this, shortly after they were in the lagoon, an employee approached the couple and told Diljá that she needed to wear a bikini top. She refused, and so the employee retrieved a manager, who repeated the order, explaining that “people of different cultures” use the facility, or she would otherwise be escorted out of the lagoon. Diljá opted to leave voluntarily.

An update was added:

'Sky Lagoon has now decided that they will allow topless bathing for all guests, regardless of gender. Dagný Pétursdóttir, the managing director of Sky Lagoon, thanked the guest in question for pointing out the legal framework'.

And while on the costume subject, there's this experience by Hihostels who shares (Jul. 2) :

'It made sense that Icelanders would be so comfortable in their own skin that nudity among the same sex wouldn’t be a big deal. For the locals, showering while naked in communal, gender-segregated changing rooms was a routine, everyday matter.

Not for me.

...

As soon as the warm water ran down my hair and back, I closed my eyes and began to relax. The soothing force of the water drowned out the voice in my head that told me I needed to be ashamed of my body. Taking my time, I thoroughly scrubbed myself clean.

I can’t explain why or how, but it began to feel like the most natural thing in the world. The other bodies around me didn’t matter. Though there were no curtains separating us, it didn’t feel like we were in each other’s spaces. I turned off the shower, wiped myself dry and put on my bathing suit with no particular urgency'.

It's actually quite a readable account, she then continues with this subject and her experience in Sweden. Sorry a bit off-track:

'As the skies turned rosy, Katharina, one of our two local guides, suggested that we relax in the sauna before dinner in a few hours. “You know, it’s an important part of Swedish culture, and the sauna has an amazing view,” she said, “We have some beers to share,” she added with a wink. While some in the group wore bathing suits, this time, I decided to follow the example of the Swedes. Was I really over feeling ashamed of my body? It was time to find out.

Sweeping aside the initial, tiny bit of hesitation, I got naked, showered, then wrapped a towel around myself, and stepped into the sauna. Inside, a panoramic window overlooked Lake Langas, a pretty expanse of blue surrounded by slopes bursting with bright reds, oranges and yellows.

We passed around bottles of beer, shared life stories and laughed until the tears came. “The bond of the sauna,” someone said. With my towel now spread out below me on the bench, I realized how comfortable I felt in just my skin—love handles, bulging belly, body hair, stretch marks and all. I closed my eyes for a few minutes and felt the sweat trickle down my skin, happy, empowered and grateful for the long way I’d come'.

ellithor

Hot spring days ... @sparklejensen

Now back on track please. TotalIceland (Oct. 26) notes

'It seems the age old custom of bathing and enjoying a swim in anything other than your bare skin has in just ten years given way to horrible looking Speedo´s and various forms of hideous designer bathing suits.

You can no longer bathe naked anywhere here without difficulty; loud screams from Japanese tourists and constant pointing and whispering among people from the United States. And some fancy places as the very expensive Blue Lagoon or Fontana steam baths in Laugarvatn explicitly forbid any kind of nudity.

This is a shame indeed and entirely the fault of the growing number of foreign tourists making demands about civility'.

Blame the foreigners, though there might be some truth in this (see first reference in this blog). Overall it seems societies are becoming more squeamish with how we look like. Thanks also to the so-called social media which enables a body-shaming culture with reference to the north american context. Anything out of this context needs to be tackled so it seems.

The post does note that the further you are away from the tourist trail, the more acceptable your birthday suit practice becomes.

Milky
Looking at what else has been published, let's focus on the more personal accounts.

Two Wandering Soles (Oct. 13) looked at cost cutting while visiting in Iceland. They have an insane amount of suggestions, but at no. 35 comes:

'Bathe where the locals do

...

Simply type “hot spring” into Google Maps and you’ll be astounded at how many there are around the country. With a bit of digging, you’ll surely have a long list of free hot springs around the country that fit into your itinerary'.

Viola and the world (Mar. 7, 2020):

Szybka kąpiel w studzience

Tym razem na pierwszy ogień poszedł mój towarzysz. Ja byłam jeszcze zbyt zajęta badaniem sytuacji. Przerażało mnie zimno, ale też nieznana głębokość tej siarkowej studni. No i oczywiście wyobraźnia podpowiadała mi, że w takiej dziurze mogą skrywać się najdziwniejsze rzeczy, które wciągną mnie w dół. Tak więc badanie terenu pozostawiłam partnerowi, który był po prostu odważniejszy.

Ale niebezpieczeństw nie było. Pozostało mi tylko uporać się z myślami, które już same zmieniały mnie w kostki lodu.

Nie chciałam się jednak im poddać. Zmotywowana wszystkimi filmikami przekonujących zwykłych śmiertelników o tym, że wszystko jest możliwe dzięki sile myśli, próbowałam skierować moje na właściwy tor. I chyba zaczęło działać, bo gdy partner wyszedł z wody i uporał się z ubieraniem, ja w mgnieniu oka weszłam do studzienki. Choć z rozbieraniem poszło nawet nieźle, to o zakładaniu stroju kąpielowego, który mieliśmy przy sobie, nie było mowy. Zresztą panowała taka ciemność, że szkoda byłoby nie skorzystać, z tych kilku minut nieskrępowanej niczym wolności. W wodzie, mimo niewysokiej temperatury, było nawet przyjemnie.

Nawet udało się zrobić kilka zdjęć. A po nich przyszedł czas na najgorsze. Wyjście! To była prawdziwa tortura. Usiadłam na zamarzniętym ręczniku, a drugim równie sztywnym próbowałam powierzchownie otrzeć moje ciało.

WakeupReykjavik notes in a what's to do in November post (Oct. 12):

'Go on a hot spring adventure

...

November is the perfect time to go on a natural hot spring hunt and you also have high chances of catching glimpses of them northern lights while in the water!'

Beyondthemoments (Sep. 16) visits Seljavallalaug and gives hints concerning other pools nearby. Shallow though, but hotter.

bellaskova

What a treasure. I still can't believe we actually found this place. When I leave Iceland, this is the one place that I will never forget. Discovered out of pure luck, we found a natural pool in the middle of no where--with this view. After every few hours we contemplated getting out but it was so incredibly difficult to leave this place. Somehow we managed to gather 8 hours in this hot springs and I don't regret a second of it. 

Marinatravel (Aug 17) has a good overview of the hot springs of the Westfjords:

'Hot springs can be found all over Iceland and most of them have a perfect temperature for diving in and relaxing. Also, they are well maintained and for some of the people built facilities like showers and changing rooms. You will find many hot springs in the Westfjords in western Iceland with breathtaking views over the fjords. Not many people know about those hot springs as they are quite hidden from the tourist’s eye and are located in remote areas. But that doesn’t mean you cannot go there and relax your mind and body in a quiet place'.

Bubble.com has a Top 10 of Icelandic hot springs you must visit:

'No hot spring list would be complete without the addition of a swimming hole inside an actual volcano crater. Askja is a central highland favorite near the Dyngjufjöll mountains

...

To reach the crater, you’ll find yourself trekking through places of year-round snow, colorful lava fields, and many geological reminders of how alive the earth underneath your feet once was, and still may be.

Wondrous though these sights are, they pale in comparison to the milky blue lake at the bottom of the caldera. If the weather is fair, you can attempt the path down into the crater to bathe in the 24°C sulfuric waters. There are no facilities out here, so don’t forget your towels!

Though Askja sleeps for now, you can spin and float in her opaque teal waters and know that she yet lives, bubbling away far under the earth. A swim truly unlike any other'.

moreal

Lake Viti, Askja. Iceland. You win again Earth. Don’t give up on us.

Strict

Then on to the international press, there's been quite a bit of attention been brought to Iceland.

No less than for instance Vogue (Oct. 20) have published an overview on Icelandic swimming pools.

'This is a bathing culture unlike any other. There are a host of unspoken intricacies, rituals, and specific rules around hygiene and etiquette, which is refreshingly strict around shoe removal, use of electronic devices, and a soapy shower sans swimsuit prior to entering the water'.

Pretentious?

Washington Post (Aug. 19) has a very readable article. A snippet:

'Near my riverside camp spot in Heydalur, a Westfjords farm with a campground, cabins, riding stables and restaurant, water gushed from below ground into steaming tubs just outside a greenhouse. Inside, fruit trees overhung a small, warm pool; saddles and bridles stored nearby gave the humid room a pleasantly horsy smell.

In the 12th century, Bishop Gudmundur Arason had blessed these hot springs, said Stella Gudmundsdottir, Heydalur’s tiny, white-haired matriarch. “He was blessing everything, really — cliffs, ponds, whatever,” Gudmundsdottir said. “But he blessed the hot pool, too, so people believed it was holy.”

After dinner and a swim in the greenhouse, I walked across a shallow river and flower-filled meadow to a simple hot spring ringed by stones. Blossoms bobbled on thin stalks at the edge of the possibly holy pool. I floated with eyes closed against the midnight sun'.

Salon Privé Magazine (Oct.) has 4 amazing hot springs in Iceland to visit.

Travel and Leisure (Nov. 6) has 7 of the best hot springs in Iceland. Most of course fee paying, but also including Seljavallalaug:

'Don't let Seljavallalaug's low-frills digs fool you — this pool in southern Iceland is one of the area's most calming natural gems. At 30 by 82 feet, Seljavallalaug is among the country's largest swimming pools. It's free and open to the public, but unlike most hot springs, it's a swim-at-your-own-risk kind of place. Seljavallalaug is not regularly cleaned, and therefore, algae can accumulate. It also has no lifeguards or facilities — and for many, that's the draw. The location, tucked between mountains on the rugged southern coast, promises dramatic mountain-meets-ocean scenery'.

Lastly, National Geographic (Aug 17):

'While the Blue Lagoon, just outside Reykjavík, is world-famous for its warm, milky waters, you'll find plenty more idyllic swimming spots around the country, from a modern spa with a swim-up bar to remote hot springs reached via a countryside hike'.

gummoli

@yarahelviti and I taking out morning bath in warm geothermal pool

Dreams

rawsonova at Seljavallalaug:

Oh, I'll be your daydream, I'll wear your favorite things

Considering the last few postings, I think we can sneak some more pictures of Icelands soaking subjects.

In this selection I tried not to include copies and none are of the hot springs mentioned in Sascha's recent evaluations. 
I am gonna start off in the southwest (sort of) and follow the clock.

Hold on to your hats:

lizaa_f at Landmannalaugar:

Ze spacáku rovnou do pramene 👼🏼 #goodmorning #iceland #alliceland #hotsprings #landamannalaugar

fijalka.cz at Hvalfjarðarlaug(?):

Vecerni koupele za deste v islandskych horkych pramenech.Idealni vec na prohrati tela,kdyz vite,ze v noci bude mrznout a vy nemate zimni spacak...:) PS:moc to nefunguje :)

#iceland #hotspring #fjord #icelandicnature #bathing #westiceland #fijalka #travelblog #cestovatelskyblog

Free

eattrash_befree at Snorralaug:

🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸

(I'm sorry for being basic)

More central west than south, both the above hot spring and below are often visited and posted on instagram.

anebsis at Landbrotlaug

#landbrotalaug #snaefellsnes #iceland #island #trip #roadtrip #view #greatview #europe #hotpot #clouds #hot #tattoos #tattooed #love #kiss #couple

 #landbrotalaug #snaefellsnes #iceland #island #trip #roadtrip #view #greatview #europe #hotpot #clouds #hot #tattoos #tattooed

#landbrotalaug #snaefellsnes #iceland #island #trip #roadtrip #view #greatview #europe #hotpot #clouds #hot #water

hrafnhilduredda at Flókalundur:

Endaði Ljómandi daga á Vestfjörðunum í þessari fínu náttúrulaug með 10 fingur og 20 tær, rúsínan í pylsuendanum var samt að fá að koma sumum á óvænt, með spontaneous heimsókn á Tálknafjörð til Guðbjargar Ríkey. Takk fyrir mig Vestfirðir, þetta var snilld! #Rauðisandur #Látrabjarg #Tálknó #Dettifoss #Selárdalur #CostaDelVestfirir

We are now well and truly in the West Fjords.
 

worldspaths at Reykjafjarðarlaug:

"Icelandic Freedom.

Do you can feel the joy?" Hot pots in the Westfjords.

#livefolk

#liveauthentic #ig_iceland #icelandic #hotpots #hotspring #ocean #westfjords #fujixe2 #fujifilmitalia #folks #travel #travelligram #adventuretime #adventure #freespirit #freedom #landscape #nature

bea_papillion at Pollurinn (?):

A year ago!? Times are a changing! #travel #Iceland #skinnydipping

breetashski at Stjáni:

My new favorite way to take a warm bath

#hotsprings #iceland #secreticeland #bath #nature #travel #explore #europe

Rights

jesse_be11 near Krafla geopower station:

When you come across a free hot shower on the side of the road in Iceland, the only rightful thing to do is get naked and use it.

marie_jope at Fosslaug:

♨️🌀 #hotwater #sotumblr #sopinterest #soinstagram #hotpot #naturalhotspring #waterfall #iceland #love #friends #roadtrip #travel

Goals

What follows are then two hot pot photo's with little indication of where they may be. Suggestions?

lbressi 

hopping into hidden hot springs with my fave @rpprpprpp | #iceland2016 #iceland #hotspring #cheesebox #waterfrontview #bourbon #offroad #explore #travel #traveler #wander #adventure

barbaria.c and radocation somewhere in the Westfjords:

What's more than a romantic private bath in a natural hot spring on our 7th anniversary? Only in Iceland you can enjoy these natural treats literally in the middle of wild nature privately for yourself ❤️. Thank you my love @radocation for the best 6 years of my life!
#travel #traveler #iceland #iceland2016 #icelandadventure #love #nature #adventure #wanderlust #backpacking #romantic #swimming #travelgram #travelblog #photo #photooftheday #picoftheday #selfie #instapic #instalike #instagood #like4like #follow4follow #followme #tbt #relationshipgoals #couple

Lost in Iceland ❤️ #hotspring #independentcouple #travel #traveller #iceland #traveltheworld #naturelovers #escape #travelgram #instacool #instapic #islandlife #wanderlust #wanderer #nomad #love #follow #amazing #island2016 #awesomeearthpix #planetearth #photo #instatravel #adventure #bath #livenaturism #instagram #couplegoals #photoofthenight #couple with @barbaria.c