Stopfordian 2010–2011 - Stockport Grammar School

The Stopfordian 2010–2011
GEOGRAPHY TOUR TO ICELAND
On 4 th July a group of 34 students and accompanying staff
landed at Keflavik airport, descending from the cloudy skies
above Iceland. First stop was the Blue Lagoon, an extremely
warm, silica rich, blue lake located in a solidified lava field and
this proved an excellent introduction to this unique land.
Students and staff bathed in the waters heated by geothermal
energy from 2,000 metres below the surface and experienced
its invigorating properties. So effective were these that
members of staff were frequently asked for proof of age during
their stay.
The next day an early start was required as the group set off
to visit Heimaey, one of the Westman Islands just off the coast
of Iceland. A short ferry journey over calm waters and
Heimaey was approached on a warm and sunny day. The
group enjoyed a walking tour of the island which was hit by a
major volcanic eruption in 1973 destroying half of the town.
Partially buried buildings were visited as well as Eldfell, a new
mountain produced by the eruption and here pupils could
touch the still warm rocks just below the surface.
The group also visited Thorsmork, an area of dramatic scenery
close to the infamous Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano which
grounded commercial jets a year earlier. This was reached by
crossing a glacial outwash plain and a number of meltwater
streams in specially designed transport. Here an outlet glacier
at Gigujokull was reached and pupils experienced at first hand
the snout of the melting ice mass and the deposited debris.
An evening visit to sunbathed Reykjavik, the world’s most
northerly capital city was a fitting conclusion to an incredibly
packed and varied time in the land of fire and snow.
R. Howarth
Another busy day followed with the group enjoying a tour of
the Icelandic Golden Circle. This involved a visit to a number
of the most significant geological features in the south of
Iceland. Thundering waterfalls were seen at Gulfoss and
erupting geysers were witnessed at Geysir with Stokkur,
spouting up to 20 metres at regular intervals. The party also
visited Thingvellir where the Mid Atlantic Ridge clearly
marked the meeting of the North American and Eurasian
plates. The glorious weather, a feature of our visit, facilitated
superb views across this meeting zone of the plates with the
rising mountains reflected in the still waters of Lake Thingvellir
– a rare sight indeed. The radio news that Iceland’s most
active volcano Hekla (which erupts approximately every 10
years – last eruption 2001!), was showing signs of activity was
relayed to the group by our Icelandic guide. This was treated
philosophically.
58 Trips