Thingvellir National Park – Where Tectonic Plates Separate

Thingvellir National Park is our next and last destination for this Golden Circle Coach Tour. Thingvellir is a very important and historic place for the Icelandic people. This being our third coach tour, we have already heard many stories and sagas about Thingvellir. By now you have probably seen þ (thorn) symbol used instead of ‘th’. This was used in many older European languages including Old English.

Thingvellir was known as the site of the Alþing (Althing) that was the world’s first parliament, dating from the 10th century. Today the Alþing is located in Reykjavik. The stories of how the leaders came together and camped in Thingvellir whilst discussing and agreeing on laws and policy are quite intriguing, although some of the events in Thingvellir in terms of punishments are, for us today, difficult to accept.

The whole area is split by the two separating tectonic plates, North American and Eurasian. Perhaps, highly symbolic of the rift that separates many of the world’s democratic parliaments.

From Geysir, we travelled West back across the Route 35, 37, 365, and onto Route 36 that cuts right through Thingvellir National Park. Below the park is a large lake, Thingvallavatn. The visitors centre is at the top of the lake. By the time we arrived, after 4pm, the weather had turned nasty and visibility was not too good. At times like these a photographer with large cameras and lenses is at a disadvantage. However, being prepared and having your camera safely under cover until the last second is vital, along with a good lens cloth to soak up the spray.

From the visitors centre it is thankfully a short walk over good paths and walkways to view the top of Thingvallavatn lake across to the Silfra Fissure where on a good day you can snorkel into the underwater fissure that is very unique and beautiful. See the top image for this view. No time for that today.

Turning to look North from the same point you can see the top of the Almannagjá Fissure that leads down to many other features of Thingvellir.

Today a convenient walkway has been erected above the fissure that allows you to safely walk the route. This was one original way to enter Thingvellir, as can be seen on the information board, cars would drive up this route until 1967. In 2011 a small hole developed in the gravel path with further investigation showed the underlying void had opened after seismic activity around. The full extent was revealed by mechanical digger and left open for all to see.

So leaving a wet and windswept Thingvellir National Park we head of back to Reykjavik and to the cruise ship MS Borealis ready to depart for the 3 nights and 2 days trip back to Liverpool.