Iceland Off The Beaten Path Tips by JLBG Top 5 Page for this destination

Wild graminaceae

In some places, even wild plants, such as this small graminaceae do not always grow easily. Here, it is trying to grow on volcanic ashes and it is not easy. I have not been able to identifye specifically this one, but it looks very close to Oyat (Amnophila arenaria), growing on sand.

Agricultural engines

However, more specific agricultural engines are also used. Here a machine to turn hay for a faster drying. Owing to the climate, drying hay is not always easy to achieve ! Often farmers don't dry it but crush it and keep it for a while, crushed, to feed the cattle.

LandRover farming

In Iceland, Land-Rovers are often used for farming. Here, it is used to collect hay. We were amazed that while our Land-Rover was used for tourism and for camping, in Iceland, they were mainly used for farming !

Bleisi

Don't forget the Bleisi. It is very close (50 meter) from the Strokkur but it remains very quiet and discreet and often, visitors don't even have a look at it. It does not erupt ! However, you should not miss it, its blue color is very special.

Strokkur, the usual photo

After the unusual picture of the Strokkur with its bubble, let's go back to something more traditional before leaving. The Strokkur erupts every 5-6 minutes and you can stay there for several hours, in order to catch the best pictures !

Strokkur, growth of a bubble !

I was lucky enough to catch the Strokkur in the middle of its blast, before it erupted completely. For a few hundredths of seconds, it makes an amazing gigantic blue bubble of water. This is not bubble-gum but only a blue water bubble !

Strokkur, after the blow

It is amazing to watch the water after the blast. Some of the water flows outside of the geysir area but most of it flows back into the geysir pit with a gurgle noise. After a few minutes, there remains only a hole in the ground, the top of the pit.

Hekla

The Hekla volcanoe appear in the background. In the foreground, blocks of lava (with some bombs) expelled by the Hekla and deposited on a thick coat of ashes.

Field of potatoes

Potatoes are among the main crops of Iceland. Potato comes from high elevation mountains of South America. In Iceland, the sea-level vegetation is about the same than 1500-2000 m in the Alps. Then, no wonder that potatoes grow well !

A farm near Sellfoss

Near Sellfoss, the land can be cultivated. The countryside is green and peaceful though we are not very far from the Strokkur ! There are also glass houses where they grow bananas, using the heat on the soil !