The Golden Circle Drive, as it is called, is a day excursion from Reykavik which is popular as it covers three major sites of interest. Today we didn't exactly do a circle, as we visited the three areas of interest but then continued east to our stop for the night at Hella.

The three sites are a National Park known for historical as well as geological significance, a major waterfall, and geothermal area with geysirs. 

Our circumnavigation (can I use that word for driving?) of the island will be anti-clockwise, so we headed east from Reykjavik in light rain. Basically we will follow the No 1 road with detours on side roads. We are not allowed on F roads with our rental car, so the interior is out. That is more 4 wheel drive country.   

On our drive today we stopped by Lake Pingvalla as groups of people viewed the lake and others added rocks to the cairns dotting the area. Seems to be popular here.

 
 
At Pingvellir National Park the most obvious feature is the deep chasm across the park. Here the land, which sits on the join of the 2 of the earth's tectonic plates, has crashed down as the sea floor has drifted apart. At the main visitor area this canyon can be walked through. There is a tiny church from 1859, but also a very important outcrop below the cliffs where Iceland's first parliament type meeting was held. Apparently all 60,000 inhabitants at the time attended. Must have been some party. 

By this time the rain had stopped but the wind was a bit chilly. The first time we have really felt cold. And so with a warming coffee at a chilly picnic table, and a piece of the rye bread I am besotted with, we headed off to see a geysir. And not any old geysir.

At the Geysir Hot Springs Area are a number of hot water blowholes. The actual original 'Geysir', after which all geysirs are now named, no longer spouts. Supposedly because visitors threw in rocks hoping to make it spout, thus blocking it. But the Strokkur Geysir is quite active, spouting every 5 minutes or so while we were there. All around the ground seems to steam and bubble. Amazing to us that plants grow right where this very hot water bubbles up. How can that be?

Last stop was Gulfoss Waterfall, a sort of double-decker waterfall. Set in a deep canyon with bright green vegetation around it it is quite a sight. 

All the sites today were very busy with groups, buses and carloads like us. Hopefully as we get further away it will quieten down a bit so we get a better view of things. 

 And then to our stop for the night.