Iceland Study Tour, July 2002
Students at Gigjokull Glacier, Southern Iceland, July 2002
An exciting, eye-opening and rewarding Geography fieldtrip to Iceland took place during the Summer of 2002. 4 Geography staff and 33 Year 11, 12 and 13 students spent an illuminating and exhausting 5 days travelling through Iceland, taking full advantage of the 24hour ‘daylight’.
Within 30 minutes of arrival at Keflavik airport, we were at work! The tapping of geothermal energy was the topic for study at the Sudurnes Power station on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Students gained an introductory insight to the complex forces at play in Iceland from a lecture and by following an exhibition located in an underground fissure! After this, students and staff relaxed in the ‘Blue Lagoon’ – a thermal spa produced from the power station’s waste water. Then on to the coach for a 2 hour transit across a bubbling volcanic landscape to our welcoming accommodation at Hvolsvollor.
The following days were packed full of stimulating geographical activities in a wild and often awe-inspiring landscape.
Students visited Iceland’s first farm to utilise hot water from below ground to grow horticultural produce in greenhouses. They interviewed the friendly farmer and his family and enjoyed tasting the fresh, organically grown salad crops.
The tectonic power of Iceland was investigated as students explored the Haukadalur geothermal field. Geysers frequently erupted, mud boiled in huge earthy caldrons, steam and strange smells wafted across student’s noses and the earth shook beneath the student’s feet as they stood on an earthquake simulator in the exhibition centre.
Numerous waterfalls were visited throughout the trip. The powerful processes of erosion were witnessed in action at the popular Gullfoss waterfall. Students actually walked behind the thundering falls of Seljalandsfoss! A soaking was narrowly avoided at the picturesque Skogafoss waterfall as the water plunged off the inland basalt cliffs that are clear evidence of isostatic uplift.
Iceland has high levels of precipitation throughout the year and so rivers are abundant. Of particular interest to us were the glacial meltwater rivers of which we saw many. The way these rivers fan out over wide, flat areas, frequently changing their course was fascinating, especially when viewed from the top of an, hopefully, extinct volcano called Stora Dimon. The flow of these rivers varies depending upon how much the ice caps and glaciers melt – whether due to sunshine or volcanic activity actually underneath the ice caps. The students smelt the sulphurous evidence of such volcanic activity as we travelled along a gravel road to investigate a glacier.
The photograph at the start of this article displays a wonderful classroom – there can surely be no better place for a lesson about the dramatic features and landscape changes of glaciers than standing directly in front of a glacier snout! Students were stunned into silence as they hiked amongst the moonscape setting, along the side of a creaking, melting, hard, vast, cold glacier. Students gulped as evidence of an aircraft crash emerged from the glaciers icy grasp.
Puffins provided much amusement to all, as they flew amongst the sheer vertical sea cliffs at Dyrholaey, although the main focus of the coast were the features. The arches, blow holes, black volcanic sands, and huge hexagonal columns of basalt that puts the Giant’s Causeway to shame, were analysed in an observational and practical way. The eerie swirling fog that hid the crashing waves 120 metres below us added to the mystic of the wonderful Icelandic landscape.
The trip was a huge success. Every student smiled and said a big ‘thank you’ as they bounced off the coach upon return to Nonsuch, all eager to develop their photographs that were taken in the twilight of midnight. Case study notes, postcards and roles of film spilled from their backpacks as they made their way back home.
A wonderful trip to a wonderful
place.
G. McGrath. Head of Department
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