Highlights: 
South Iceland is the most popular part of the country amongst travellers and contains some of Iceland’s most beautiful natural attractions.
Amongst these are the sites of the world famous Golden Circle, and the features of the South Coast, such as the beautiful Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.
The south of Iceland can be roughly split into two areas, the lowlands in the west, and the east.
The South Icelandic lowlands
The South Icelandic lowlands stretch nearly 100 kilometres (over sixty miles) from Hellisheiði in the west to Eyjafjallajökull in the east. This region is flat and fertile farming land, and home to many Icelandic horses and sheep.
The whole area is geologically very young, formed during the last Ice Age by the lava flows from numerous volcanoes in the area. The lowlands are surrounded by volcanically active mountains, notably the aforementioned Eyjafjallajökull and Hekla.
The most notable features of the South Icelandic lowlands are the three on the Golden Circle, the country’s most popular sightseeing route.
These consist of the Geysir Geothermal Area, where geysers erupt and hot springs bubble, Gullfoss, a powerful two-stepped waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park, an oasis of forests and lava located between the tectonic plates.
The fissures and lava landscapes of this latter feature reveal the extent to which earthquakes and eruptions have shaped the region. The area is still very active; take, for example, the 1975 eruption in the Westman Islands that nearly destroyed the town and formed a new island.
It should be noted that Þingvellir is not just a site of natural, geological wonder. It was also the original site of the parliament Icelanders formed in 930 AD. This was a convenient place, considering the fertile lands of south Iceland meant that many settlers populated it.
Unlike most early Icelandic settlements, few of the communities formed in the south were based off fishing. The only town with a significant harbour in the south is Þorlákshöfn, where the ferry to the Westman Islands leaves.
Other towns in the lowlands are Selfoss, Hveragerði, Hella and Hvolsvöllur, all conveniently located by the Ring Road.
In terms of culture in the lowlands, it was once home to the ancient bishop seat of Skálholt. Also, Iceland's most famous saga, Njal's Saga, takes place in the region.
For sports, horse riding is popular, as is fishing for salmon and trout, hiking, snorkelling, sightseeing and river rafting.
Eastern South Iceland.
The areas south and east of Mýrdalsjökull, the glacier that covers the volcano Katla, are considered the eastern part of south Iceland. Glaciers, volcanoes and the Highlands dominate the view.
This landscape has also been shaped by volcanic eruptions, although these were much more recent, and thus the area looks dramatically different. Vast expanses of black sand stretch from the Highlands to the sea, part of several glacial outwash plains that flood during a volcanic eruption.
Some agriculture is found here, with farms nestled in the mountains, but because of the glacial floods, they are few and far between.
A few large glacial rivers flow through this area, creating incredible features such as Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. These are hardly the only sites in this part of the south worth seeing, however.
Sólheimajokull is a beautiful outlet glacier, a tongue of the greater Mýrdalsjökull, that you can hike on so long as you are with a guide. Skógar has a very interesting museum that discusses national traditions during Iceland’s development. One of Iceland’s most famous hiking routes, Fímmvörðuháls, cuts through the area.
Southwest of the village of Vík is one of Iceland’s most spectacular beaches, Reynisfjara. Near the promontory of Dýrholaey, and boasting incredible views of the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, it is a marvellous stretch of black sand.
Even further east is the Skaftafell preservation area, an area so beautiful it was once a national park in its own right. Today it is part of the greater Vatnajökull National Park, which covers parts of the south, east, north and much of the Highlands.
Just a little further from here is the incredible, world famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a deep lake that fills with icebergs. At the adjacent Diamond Beach, they wash upon the shore.
Hekla, nicknamed ‘the Gateway to Hell’ in the Middle Ages, is one of Iceland’s most explosive, unpredictable and powerful volcanoes. It has erupted twenty to thirty times since settlement, and remains active to this day.
Geography of Hekla
Hekla is located in the south of Iceland, just north of the country’s most famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, which last erupted in 2010, causing planes to be grounded and reporters to be tongue-tied for weeks. A dominant peak, standing at 1,491 metres tall (4,892 feet), it can be seen for miles around.
Hekla is part of a 40 kilometre (25 mile) rift, the most active part, called Heklugjá, being under the volcano itself. There are many craters at the peak, two of which are known to erupt more than the others.
Unlike Eyjafjallajökull and Iceland’s other most active volcano, Katla, Hekla does not sit underneath any significant glacier, meaning its eruptions should not cause ash clouds to the same degree. In spite of this, some have been so great that the ash produced was still enough to change the climate of the northern hemisphere for years.
Hekla has also produced one of the greatest lava flows of this millenium of any volcano in the world, at eight cubic kilometres. Approximately 10 percent of Iceland’s landmass was brought up by lava from Hekla.
History of Hekla
The first recorded eruption at Hekla was in 1104, and it was so great and significant that it drew attention across Europe; the effects it had on the weather, on people’s breathing, and on agriculture lasted for years.
This, however, was not the first time it had done so; undiscovered by man, it had contributed to a third of all volcanic ash across northern Europe for the past seven millenia.
It would not significantly erupt again until 1300, although it had been recorded going off several times in between; one of the most notorious things about Hekla is its unpredictability, sometimes exploding within a decade of its last eruption, sometimes laying dormant for nearly a century.
For this reason, the farms around it were largely abandoned, partly explaining why today there are few settlements in Iceland’s south.
Further serious eruptions occurred in 1693 and 1845 with international consequences, but none as significant as the one that began in 1947. Lava bombs weighing over 20 kilograms (44 pounds) landed 32 kilometres away; some as large as 50 square metres (538 square feet) were thrown a kilometre. It took just 52 two hours before the enormous cloud of ash was covering Helsinki.
It would be thirteen months before the eruption stopped, ebbing and flowing with power, but constantly pouring ash into the atmosphere, poisoning crops and livestock.
It is likely many died of respiratory problems as a result, but Hekla even directly killed one person. A scientist filming the great lava flows from the crater, some of which were 15 metres (49 feet) tall, was struck by a block of lava.
Hekla erupted again in 1970 for two months, but since has only gone off for a few days at a time, in 1981, 1982, 1991 and 2000.
Though the 2000 one seemed inconsequential, it was later discovered that it proved that Hekla was even more frightening than was already thought. The remains of a pyroclastic flow, the most dangerous element of an eruption, where searing ash and rock travel at enormous speeds and raze all they meet, had occured for over five kilometres (three miles).
Hekla today
In spite of its volatile nature, Hekla can still be considered a safe place to visit; there are hiking opportunities all around it, and some tour operators embark in super jeeps journeys to its slopes. Visitors should not be afraid of the volcano’s potential, just aware of it.
Of course, before heading to Hekla if travelling without a guide, ensure you check the meteorological office’s website to ensure that there are no alerts that an eruption may be imminent. The volcano is monitored constantly.
In spite of this, Hekla remains as unpredictable as it ever was, and visitors are warned that in spite of every good measure, there is always a chance an eruption could start without being noticed.
Volcanologists also warn that it is overdue, and due to this volcano’s patterns, the warning time between knowing an eruption is imminent and it occurring will often be just an hour or less.
The glacier volcano of Eyjafjallajökull is notorious the world over for causing havoc to air travel in 2010, and stumping television anchors everywhere as they tried to pronounce it. 1651 metres (5427 feet) tall, it is one of the most dominant features of the South Coast.
Geography
The glacier of Eyjafjallajökull is approximately 100 square kilometres (39 square miles), making it the country’s sixth largest. It sits close to the fourth greatest, Mýrdalsjökull, which also conceals another notorious volcano, this one called Katla.
While Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption was huge and disruptive, it pales in comparison to the potential of Katla. Far more explosive, and under much thicker ice, an eruption here in unfavourable wind conditions could have worldwide consequences.
The magma chambers between both of these mighty volcanoes are connected, and, unfortunately for us, an eruption at Eyjafjallajökull is usually followed by one at Katla within a decade.
Eyjafjallajökull has many glacial outlets, the most famous being Gígjökull. Many rivers flow from its meltwater, and one of these falls into the beautiful South Coast waterfall, Seljalandsfoss, which it is possible to fully encircle.
Eruptions
Eyjafjallajökull’s most recent eruption was no doubt the most famous in Iceland’s history (although the honour really should go to Laki, the 1783-4 eruption of which caused an ash cloud so great that Europe fell into a famine that many historians believe led to the French Revolution). On March 27th, 2010, magma began to bubble from beneath the surface, and by April 14th, ash was starting to billow from the peak.
800 people were evacuated, in fears not of magma, but of equally dangerous glacial floods, which have decimated Icelandic towns in the past. Animals were ordered to be kept inside, and those with respiratory problems told they should also stay indoors.
Air travel across Europe was halted, as, by the evening of April 15th, the ash was already over the UK, Scandinavia, and parts of Germany. Holidaymakers were trapped, waiting for news, and would end up stuck for eight days; in Scotland and Ireland, there were even flights delayed in May due to lingering effects.
Thankfully, no one was injured, although the ash is thought to have caused respiratory issues for some in the south of the country. Many farms were also destroyed by the ash and floods, with some farmers still struggling to recover today.
Since settlement in 874, Eyjafjallajökull has also erupted in 900, 1612, and from 1821 to 1823. The latter released a huge amount of fluoride which is believed to have affected the bone health of humans and animals alike at the time.
Eyjafjallajokull today
Eyjafjallajökull is now entirely safe to visit and is seen on most tours of the South Coast in clear weather. In the town of Hvolsvöllur, there is a visitor’s centre on the volcano, which focuses on the experience of one family whose farm, Þorvaldseyri, was one of the many destroyed by the floods, lava and ash.
It is very unlikely that Eyjafjallajökull will erupt again any time soon, with hundreds of years between each eruption, but as mentioned, its neighbour Katla might start rumbling...
Stora-Laxa is a 90 km long fresh water river, located at Hreppar in South Iceland. It is renowned for its salmon and widely considered one of Iceland‘s most beautiful rivers.
Scenery
The river has its source south of the Kerlingafjoll mountains in the South Highlands and falls into the river Hvita, itself home of the famous Gullfoss, on the border of the Gnjupverjahreppur and Hrunamannahreppur counties.
The landscape of Stora-Laxa is particularly impressive. Most renowned are the Laxargljufur canyons, where the river has dug its way deep into the the several million years old bedrock. The canyons will become as deep as 100-200 m and about 10 km long. Sandstone and tuff have been easily shaped and carved by the river, and the variety in cliffs and pillars, along with colourful vegitation, make these canyons among the most beautiful in the country.
Fishing & Accommodation
To fish in the river you must apply for a fishing permit.The fishing season is from June 20th to September 30th.The average catch is 700 salmons per season for 10 rods. When fishing in the river, bear in mind that the only bait allowed is fly and that all salmons over70 cm shall be released. Injured salmon will be given the benefit of the doubt.
For fishing, the river is divided into four areas, but fishing licences for areas 1 and 2 are sold together and share the same fishing lodgings. Separate fishing lodgings accompany licences for areas 3 and four. These three self catering lodges each come with double bedrooms, a shower, a toilet, a well equipped kitchen and a comfortable living room.
Excellent lodgings, stunning scenery and great opportunities for salmon fishing: All these factors come together to make fishing in Stora-Laxa one of the best fishing experiences to be had in Iceland.
Irrigation plans
In 2012 the energy company Landsvirkjun applied for a research permit to irrigate the river, but this became a matter of debate between Orkustofnun (The National Energy Authority), fishing associations and the government at the time. The same year Orkustofnun gave Landsvirkjun a research permit for their plans to irrigate the upper part of the river. The matter nevertheless continues to be debated.
Flúðir is a small, picturesque village located in the municipality of Hrunamannahreppur in the Southern Region of Iceland.
Geography of Fluðir
The village has the river Litla-Laxá running through it into the larger river of Hvítá, and it is overlooked by the mountain Miðfell. With a population of just under 400 people, its residency has grown around greenhouse activity and general horticulture, which continues to be the area's primary produce.
Being located near the ever-popular destinations Gullfoss and Geysir, both on the world-famous Golden Circle, the village and its surrounding area are known for being exceptionally green, plentiful and warm because of geothermal activity.
The aforementioned rivers are awash with trout and salmon, and the village's surrounding farmlands are acclaimed for their cultivation of plants, meat and dairy.
Sights, services and accommodation
Flúðir has long been a favoured camping destination amongst Icelanders. Visitors can camp at Tjaldmiðstöðin Flúðum or the nearby Álfaskeið, next to the farm Syðra-Langholt.
Since 1999 the notably luxurious Hotel Flúðir has also been available for accommodation and fine dining. Because of the region's abundant organic produce, the acclaimed hotel restaurant prides itself in serving solely locally-grown fruits and vegetables.
Another advantage of the geothermal activity includes natural and age-old thermal pools. Although the minuscule Hrunalaug has undergone a great deal of damage lately due to an excessive amount of visitors, the larger-scale Secret Lagoon at Hverahólmi has been modified to accommodate a much larger number of people, while still preserving its natural terrain.
The water in these hot springs stays at a temperature of 38-40° Celcius (100° Fahrenheit) throughout the entire year. Built in the year 1891, The Secret Lagoon is officially the oldest swimming pool in Iceland.
It is much more affordable and much less busy than the Blue Lagoon but lacks the silica masks, healing treatment, saunas and steam rooms. The Blue Lagoon is also closer to Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport.
Other sites include the folk museum at Gröf, the golf course Selsvöllur, the horse rental at Syðra-Langholt and Flúðasveppir, the country's largest mushroom manufacturer.
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