This is something that came up last week when Brogan Tate didn’t think to take off her silver bracelets before getting in a sulphur bath in Tbilisi (one I haven’t been to and is on my list for my return trip, so I’m kind of jealous!). The minerals in the water blackened them, as they … More My silver jewellery turned black in the Blue Lagoon! What do I do?
Reynisfjara is known better to tourists as “the black sand beach”, although almost all beaches in Iceland have black sand. It’s therefore confusing, potentially misleading and it’s just plain rude. You wouldn’t come to England and talk about going to “the big yellow clock tower” or go to the US and talk about your visit … More Reynisfjara has been washed away. Now what?
This is a really old adventure that’s had two or three posts over the years but deserves a new write-up and a new place at the very front of this blog rather than being buried in its bowels: the day I swam in an active volcano, got stranded for hours in a lava field and … More One really simply does not walk into Mordor: swimming in a volcano & getting stranded in a lava field
If you’ve been around this blog for long, you probably know I like to take film photos. I possess a wonderful 1960s SLR camera which turned up in the loft some ten years after its previous owner, my grandad, died. But it’s too heavy to carry around, so most of my photos are actually taken … More Iceland on film (winter 2024 edition)
For the last few years, I’ve often taken a film camera with me on trips. Nothing exciting, either a 90s holiday camera from eBay or a really light plasticky new camera once the 90s one started misbehaving. There are no settings except flash on/off and the 90s one doesn’t even have that. I made it … More Iceland on film (summer 2025 edition)
Back in the summer, shortly after joining a Facebook group for advice on trip to Iceland, I wrote a post called Stupid questions you were afraid to ask the first time you went to Iceland (summer edition) and now I’m back with a second part, the winter edition, featuring all the questions you were afraid … More Stupid questions you were afraid to ask the first time you went to Iceland (winter edition)
If you’re looking for an easy hike in Iceland with something worth seeing at the end, you’re spoiled for choice. A popular one is Stuðlagil, which is about a 6km round trip from the lower, eastern car park and is pretty much flat and paved all the way. But today we’re going to a more … More Easy hikes in Iceland: Svartifoss
Imagine the shock I got on Monday night, lounging in the bath after walking a mile uphill from Rangers to be greeted on Instagram by an announcement from an unknown Earth Lagoon in Iceland. A new lagoon? How did I not know it was coming? The mystery was quickly solved: after 21 years in business, … More Mývatn Nature Baths becomes Earth Lagoon and other changes in Iceland’s lagoons
That was the question my boss asked as I signed off the day before I headed to London. “I want you to do me a favour. Tell me where you swim and tell me which is the best pool”. I already knew that was far too big a question to be answered with a single … More What was the best place I swam in Iceland?
When I was planning, or half-planning, my two-week adventure around Iceland’s Ring Road, I wanted to schedule in time to cover the north. I meant to do it last time but ended up accidentally driving the entire Ring Road instead of doing the north west to east then turning round and going back again, so … More The best-kept secrets of the North West of Iceland (North Iceland part 3)
I Am A Polar Bear 