WATER


ICELAND HOT SPRINGS AND CALMING LANDSCAPES


Steam rises from the dark rockpool, and with it a hint of sulphur, a fitting scent for the moody, black volcanic scenery all around me. I dip my toes in the milky water and the tension in my body begins to release. I submerge myself further and the warm geothermal water feels like a hug. I’d plunged into the ice-cold water of the Atlantic moments earlier, my skin feeling the pinch of a thousand imaginary needles. Now, I feel both invigorated and relaxed, all my troubles stripped away by the freezing saltwater followed by the warmth of the springs. I’m at Hvammsvík. Opened in 2023, it’s the


newest addition to Iceland’s impressive collection of hot springs, all of which make use of the country’s abundant geothermal waters. What’s striking about Hvamssvík is how it makes you feel at one with the surrounding landscape. “It’s about coming back to nature, the love of the land and preserving it as it is,” owner Skúli Mogensen had told me as we strolled through the grounds earlier that day. The area, right beside the Hvalförður (‘Whale


Fjord’) and around a 45-minute drive from Reykjavik, evokes a feeling of fantasy. Mythical creatures breaching the black surface of the water or crossing the snow-capped peaks that hug the bay wouldn’t look out of place. In fact, many Icelanders still firmly believe in these myths, passed down through generations. Without even a hint of irony, Skúli tells me of failed projects and unsuccessful developments that disturbed the fairies and elves. “I know we keep them happy here because we haven’t changed the land too much,” he says. “In return, they’re not causing us trouble.” What Skúli has created here truly is in harmony


with nature; blink and you might not even notice the main house, constructed on the foundations of a Second World War barracks building, or the four understated guest cabins for longer stays. On arrival, cars are parked a short walk away so as not to disturb the peace of the springs, and, apart from the muted chatter of other guests, the only sound filling the air is waves gently lapping the shore. Even the eight hot springs blend seamlessly into the scenery. Heated by geothermal energy and


30 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


cooled to varying degrees by the ebb and flow of the Atlantic, each pool differs in temperature, ranging from 6C in the Ocean Plunge Pool on the day of my visit to a toasty 40C in the Old Hot Spring. There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy the pools


according to Skúli. He tells me the Icelandic way is to alternate between cold and hot — shocking the body with icy water, causing a spike in endorphins, before slipping into the warm, sulphur-rich springs. Skuli has seen them perform wonders - from the healing of psoriasis, acne and eczema to the easing of muscle pain. When I ask him just how important thermal bathing is to Icelanders, his eyes light up, his voice becoming soft and pensive: “They’re a part of life here. We go to hot springs to gossip, to catch up, to even meet on a date. It’s about spending time with family and friends, but also about getting away from it all.” After a short pause, his gaze scanning the brooding mountains across the bay, he says: “As a people, we wouldn’t have survived without the warm water the land provides us with.” Later, after my day soaking in the mineral-rich


waters has come to a close, I sip a hearty bowl of seafood laksa at Stormur, Hvamssvík’s farm- to-table restaurant. Chef Hinrik Carl Ellertsson (previously of Michelin-starred Dill Restaurant in Reykjavík) has created a small but perfect menu of local ingredient-led soups, open sandwiches and salads to complement the soothing experience of the hot springs. “I spent the first 50 years of my life trying to


conquer the world. I want to spend the next 50 slowing down, connected to nature, to my land,” Skúli had said to me earlier. I look out to the mountain-ringed bay and a sense of peace envelops me. I know I’ll have a hard time peeling myself away from this landscape, too. KARLINA VALEIKO


HOW TO DO IT: Hvamssvík is open from 11am to 10pm. Admission is around £40 per person on weekdays and £51 on weekends. hvamssvík.com. In nearby Reykjavík, stay at Grandi by Center Hotels, with rooms from £195 a night, B&B. centerhotels.com


Clockwise from top: Mountain scenery surrounding Hvammsvík; guests relaxing outside one of its cabins; Stormur, Hvammsvík’s farm-to-table restaurant


IMAGES: HVAMSSIK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148