Hanging

asasteinars

Can’t think of anything better then hot-spring-hangs with this one, chatting and watching sunset. Life is beautiful 💛 #Iceland

A short photographic feature on Iceland hot springs, randomly presented. All singular. 

The above refers to (East) Iceland, it might though be more westwards ...

Following another wintery soak? From the cave of Grjótagjá, northeastern Iceland.

p.zaju

G O T J E S K Y N Ě

Mám tu nějaké fanoušky Game of Thrones? Já mezi ně úplně nepatřím, ale tuto jeskyni jsme si nemohli nechat ujít ☺️ Má neuvěřitelnou atmosféru, která vás přímo svádí hupsnout do té křišťálově čisté a krásně teploučké vody. Bohužel je to několik let zakázané. Opět krásná ukázka toho, jak turisté ničí Island. My jsme se ale nedali a našli jsme si kousek vedle svojí vlastní jeskyňku, která nebyla zdaleka tak romantická a ani horká 🙈 Ale byla naše a zážitek hluboký 🌊

Tyhle fotky od 📸 @joseph.novak

mám moc ráda 🖤💋

#expeditioniceland #PPnacestach #gotfan #cave #reflection #nudeswimming

Mythical

nakenbad.nu

#oops #påkommen #hoppsan #nakenbad #varmakällor #island #vandring #badanaken #skinnydipping #naked

maison_fish

Tooti fruiti geothermal soaking. Nudity is by no means compulsory on retreat, but we do find that once one person bares their bottom, pant lines tend to drop like dominoes. Putting your clothes back on is perhaps a little trickier... ;) .

.

#rememberingiceland#lifehighlights#yogaretreatinspo#themagicisreal

#barebottom#bodypositive#geothermal#maisonfishiceland

Greenery, above Reykjaldalur (both), following, I'll have to give a miss.

annefause

• Lady of the Lake •

#iceland #visiticeland #icelandtravel #icelandtrip #icelandhotsprings #norsewoman #ladyofthelake #faery #faerie #fae #huldra #kilderå #nordicmythology #mermaid #merfolk #fairfolk

Breezy

nxtaalie_

hot water, cold breeze. 📷 @svenjalehmler

More wintery, above Landbrotalaug, following as well, but the adjacent soak. Rounding off this brief posting with Gudrunarlaug.

eva.janczak

3 lata temu ❄️

Gorące źródło pośrodku niczego, -20 stopni i bezchmurne niebo 🙏🏼

Super się siedziało w gorącej wodzie, gorzej było z wyjściem 😅

Piękne wspomnienie 🖤

#iceland #westiceland #icelandtravel #icelandicmoments #hotspot #hotsprings #hotspringsiceland #gorąceźródła #wheniniceland #icelandroadtrip #icelandadventure #wildhotspot

juliadalros

Er að læra leika mér uppá nýtt 🧚‍♀️

Frelsið í nektinni minnir okkur á sakleysið og að við erum öll svo tengd. Takk móðir 🌍🍃✌️

Mæðradagur 10/4

Wintery soaks

isabellakiriy 

Incredible hidden pool in the mountains of Iceland❄️
#iceland#icelandic#mood#icelandair#icelandtravel#visiticeland#iceland_tourist
#scandinaviaclub#vscocam#vsco#winter#swim#pool#wanderlust#travel
#neverstopexploring#naturelovers#nature#mountains#livefree#liveauthentic
#liveoutdoors#liveauthentic#honeyhanyjewelry#hotsprings#explore#wendolieb
#everydayiceland#olympus_ru#olympusnorge#adventuretime

To me, winter is the best time of the year for soaking. No better way than to heat oneself up by enjoying a hot spring in the secluded daylight or dark starry nights.

But oddly enough from the many ways in which I gather photo's of hot springs, it seems that most soakers visit hot springs during the summer. And it's not only that, f.i. many of Southern Europe's bathing establishments are only open in the summer. As if soaking is not a year round thing to enjoy.

Soaking in nature can be easily done in winter. Okay, there's less daylight, lower ambient temperatures, possibly some access issues, but with the lack of less dedicated soakers, winter visits reward premier experiences away from the crowds.

We all know that natural soaks are far and few between in Europe, so how can I bring the joys of winter soaking to your attention? 
What follows are many Icelandic soaks, the odd soak elsewhere as well as some more soaks which are to be enjoyed indoors.

We started off this entry with Icelands Seljavallalaug (above), probably not the best hot spring to have a winter sleep in. With water temperatures below 30°C, most probably your swim won't last long, certainly not in snow and ice conditions depicted. Though it does provide great backdrops, it's wee walk along a river and in snow there's nothing more photogenic ...
 

What also provides (early) winter soaking opportunities are dropping levels in dammed reservoirs. 
Below is the lakeside soak of Bande (Galicia, Spain), but also Tiermas (Navarra) is another fine example of a soak available for winter soaking, not there in spring or summer.

gaby_maga 

Una escapadita a las termas en España... #termas #españa #atardecer #afterbirthday

Mother

saraanneoneill 

Because spontaneous trips are the best 🏞

Spain has more natural soaks to warm up to.  
Above are those of Santa Fe (Andalusia). Nearby Alhama de Grenada (below) where the soaking community actually profits with the nearby bathing institution closing for the winter, leaving more water for free soakers to enjoy,

Rounding off Spain's natural winter baths, again Galicia, with the wild soaks of Prexigueiro.

thefizzyrascal 

Spending New Years Day in natural hot springs #takemeback #spain #hotsprings #travelling #sunnydays #alhama #granada #landscape #winter #thefizzyrascal

hugartist 

Mother nature #termas #ourense

Happy lovers

dogalielif 

too hot and too cold at the same time like life. 

Out of the way, north Bosnia's Banja Luka (Republika Srpska) is given as the above location; it seems more likely nearby Srpske Toplice.

Remaining in Central Europe, one can also opt for the indoors of Germany's exclusive Baden-baden ...., ummm baths.

alexis.stinson 

Goodlife with babe ❤️ #therme #badenbaden #privateroom #whirlpool #goodlife #russia #polska #onlylike #baby #love #timeforlove #fitness #back #swim #realex #champ #kisses #hugs #top #feelgood #you #follow #like

dimitraalexandraki1 

Good morning #lovers ! Just arrived here .. #peace #relax #iamatikaloutra #crazydriver around #Europe my last destination the most beautiful country in the world 🇬🇷 GREECE 🇬🇷 Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα πιο όμορφο από την ομορφιά της μητέρας φύσης .. Νιώθεις την απίστευτη ενέργεια της γης ! Απίθανο μέρος .. #pure #natural #water #Loutra #Pozar 💧💦💧💦

Remaining indoors, we're now in northern Greece, Loutra Pozar (above right) where you should note that the outdoor situation is way superior. 
Below right the hot spring of Thermes, situated close to the Bulgarian border, while the last indoor feature (left) comes from Georgia's sulphur baths in the country's capital of Tiblisi.

sahsine_gkiritli 

Thermes

sahsine_gkiritli#warmwater #loutra #happy #lovethat

anna_jentgen

Mermaids finally getting a very much needed thermal spa 🇬🇪💙 @kikkene @inese6

Go

madalen 

Bajar de pistas y unas termas?? Why not? #apresski #naturelovers, #valdaran,#piriloco, #livinglavidaloca, #relax, #goodvibes, #aguitacalentita, #hotwater, #arties, #banhsdarties, #valdaranphotos, #relaxtime,#capitanfin, #wild, #outdoors.

In France's Pyrenees is probably the prime of continental Europe's soaks, a good excuse to publish two photo's of the same soak. 

mirenss 

Relax 😌

#fontpedrouse #bains #termalbath #natural #banystermals #nature #mountain #scape #itscoldoutside #france #pyrenees #pirineus #relax #feelinggood #water #igersfrance #intothewild #autumn

Finally one can try to escape the winter albeit on São Miguel (Azores, Portugal) one may not have to cope with lower temperatures, but the weather can be very incinclement.

theblondeseyeview 

"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." -Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own.

#travelfervor #travelslifee #naturegeography #justgoshoot #peoplescreatives #explorertocreate #theoutbound #lifeofadventure #bestvacations #worldtravelbook #livetravelchannel #hotsprings #theblondeseyeview #passionpassport #instatravel #worlderlust #wanderlust #travel #luxurytravel #secretplaces #romanticplaces #amazingearth #nature_perfection #freshair #globetrotter #justgosomewhere #paradise #awesomeglobe #tourtheplanet #explorerbabes

Tan

christinekoko 

Day 1: Sveitarfélagið ölfus

When the water is warm, the surroundings are cold and you take the opportunity of being alone in nature to treasure it with everything. I'll never forget this day.

With @keeterly

_______________________________________________________________

#vsco #vscocam #love #Iceland #wheninkef #travel #nature #naturephotography #art #inspire #minimalist #aesthetic #minimal #photography #letsgosomewhere #adventure #wanderlust #justgoshoot #500px #exploretocreate #monochrome #explore #nature #optoutside #thepeoplescreatives #visualsoflife #smoke #lifeisbeautiful #hotsprings

Finally rounding off with Iceland where even a winter soak is to be had in summer, if you're so lucky! 

Here just a couple of samples. 
 

aaalia 

In the land of fire and ice wanderlust consumed her; foreign hearts and exotic minds compelled her.

She has a gypsy soul and a vibrant hope for the unknown 🇮🇸🌋❄️. #fireandice #Iceland #wanderlust #adventures #geothermal #secretswimminghole #natureswhirlpool

tice_is_nice 

We did it! Finally made it to some natural thermal #hotsprings. The view was amazing. Mountains to our right and the #atlantic to our left. We even saw whales breaching on our drive in. Big #shoutout to our #suzuki #bjork for keeping us #safeandsound. #lifeisgood

#theisdoeseurope #iceland #roadtrip #backpackers #eurotrip #dudegetatan

White-out

Gem hunting

Few soaks come better than those in the hinterland of Hveragerði.

The village of Hveragerði, which is located 45 km's due west of Iceland's capital of Reykjavik, is a minor hot spot in it's own rights. Those just passing by on Highway 1 can notice the greenhouses all running on geothermals, while on the river which flows north of the village, one sees quite a bit of steam rising.

The local website tries to entice more of those passing by to stop:

'Without doubt, Hveragerði´s, most precious gem is it´s geothermal park'.

The park has it's own Facebook page. 
Especially during summer, the village highlights it's geothermal background, there's even a geothermal oven to bake bread! It's good to see that the inhabitants take pride in their village and it's geothermalism.

However, despite Hveragerði having it's own hot swimming pool, those tourists with non-fixed programmes can seek the hills yonder. 

Guidance

Alternatively the area where I am heading is named as Reykjadalur (which means steamy or smokey valley), Hengill (after the volcano), Klambragil (one of the springs) or Rjúpnabrekkur, probablt the most accessible site. The former is explained:

' ... named so because of the winter population of ptarmigans in the area'.

With the possibility of mixing these up, let me start at the trail to Reykjadalur valley, the starting point which may or may not be called Rjúpnabrekkur. To get here, from the main highway one turns into the village itself and takes a left once the main drag has come to an end. 

Looking back at the car park

Then follow the river (named Varma), the asphalt surface runs out where a loop around grassland one comes to a parking spot near a bridge over the now much smaller river. 

Beyond the bridge crossing the river, are a number of hot springs, though it's not here that tourists are heading. Instead avid soakers zig-zag through the springs up the steep hill.

Note though that Throb of LA Swimming also mentions there are some hot soakable springs near the parking lot. Other mentions are made of luke-warm springs.

This way up

Beyond the steep ridge, more ridges are to be traversed but after a good half an hour hike, the path rejoins the river once more. That's not before a couple of great vista's have come and gone: behind one, out towards the ocean or of the valley itself with a rather big waterfall.

Once back near the stream itself, there are a number of hot springs, on the west bank, it's very evident by the steam. One can bypass these boiling hot pots including a few muddy ones. If into mud take a sample to use once cooled down!

This is easy soaking territory. You predecessors have already enhanced the soaking opportunities with the construction of small dams, making small pools up to half a meter deep.

Small world

My visit was on an eery snow laden day. The track up was do-able, but once beyond the ridges, the track was barely visible under the snow. And out to sea more snow threatened. So taking the trail up, soaking and heading back down it was all done in a rush.

Despite the adverse weather conditions, there were still a few other soakers in Reykjadalur. 

All that was needed to make a great soak, was to make a choice of pool: your predecessors have constructed small dams making 30-50 cm deep pools. Helped on by differing temperatures, one could take a soak in the white landscape.

Despite the lack of gawkers, todays dress code was well-dressed? 

If one continues onwards, a left turn brings one to the hot spring of Klambragil. Further up the valley a shelter used to exist, while the other valleys nearby also have their own springs, not sure what their soaking qualities are though.

In summer many tour companies organize activities in the hills above the village: cycling, hiking, horse-riding. Naturally all expecting to finish with a soak!

Otherwise

There's plenty of info on Reykjadalur and the other hot springs nearby, fear not. For instance Gonguferdir.net has a couple of photo's plus a link to a walking track, great to download on your mobile whatever electronic device: if need be, you can seek advice.

Other good resources (and reads) are besides already mentioned Throb's trip account are those from Unlocking Kiki and alavigne which describes a good and entertaining entry on a hot spring hunt. 

Note that Reykjadalur is rated as one of Iceland's best soaking sites (source).

Finally, in Snaeland & Sigurbjörnsdóttir's Icelandic soaking bible, the authors have separate chapters on Klambragil and Rjúpnabrekkur / Varma. 
They describe ways of getting to both (they note an alternative way from the Hellisheiði power station) and have pointers on temperature; in Klambragil these of course they can vary, while at Rjúpnabrekkur temperatures are a little low, 33C.

Note:
Snaeland, J.G. & Þ. Sigurbjörnsdóttir (2010) Thermal pools in Iceland. Skrudda, Reykjavik, Iceland