On 20 October 2016, 45 students travelled to Iceland for a once in a lifetime trip to explore the area surrounding Reykjavik to include the famous Golden Circle and south shore tours and also to visit the remote and desolate Reykjavik Peninsula.

Below is a diary written by Jodh Basra and William Wells (both Year 11) of our Iceland adventure.

Day 1:  We landed in Iceland and had a tour through Iceland from Keflavik to Reykjavik by coach before being checked into the hotel. This was followed by a walk around Reykjavik.

Day 2:  We visited ON (Orka Náttúrunnar) Power Station for a geothermal exhibition and viewed a short film on geothermal power. This was then followed by an exploration of the Gullfoss waterfall, the largest waterfall in Europe. We then visited the Great Geyser and viewed the fissure between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Day 3:  We visited the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and we were able to walk behind it as it was free of ice.

After this, we visited the Skógafoss waterfall and climbed to the top of a 200ft platform, a more frightening experience for some. The coach departed and we went to the foot of the Sólheimajökull glacier and to Reynishverfi beach, iconic for its black sand and mystical views. In the evening, we went to the Perlan centre, in the hope of seeing the northern lights, which sadly we did not see.

Day 4:  We visited the Lake Kleifarvatn viewing point, followed by the Seltún geothermal area, known for its mud pots and bleached landscape. This was followed by a view of the Stora Elborg splatter cone, a form of volcano which we summited by scrambling to the top of. The final site was a visit to the Stampar volcanic fissure (another split between the tectonic plates) which is a popular tourist site. Finally, we went to the Skautahhöllin ice skating rink, a most frightening experience for some.

Day 5:  On this final day, we packed our bags and left the hotel. Our final destination was the Blue Lagoon, a hot spring spa resort, and the highlight of the trip for many. After, we went to Keflavic airport and departed for London Gatwick. Although the bus was extremely late, we all arrived home safely.

Students’ best bits

“My favourite moment that I experienced in Iceland, was when we went to the Blue Lagoon and when we saw the waterfalls: they were stunning.” Emily Black

“My favourite memory was in the Blue Lagoon surrounded by my best friends and bobbing around in the warm water.” Ellen Reeve

“Climbing up 200ft of stairs to a beautiful view.” Kelly Voang

“One of the best parts about going to Iceland was seeing the Glacier as it was so amazing.” Henry Wright

“My favourite part of Iceland was seeing all of the beautiful sights! It was amazing and the rain didn’t change that.” Libby Redman

“I loved the amazing views but it was a bit wet! I would love to go again and see even more. My favourite place was the Blue Lagoon.” Gabriella Godfrey