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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.

The Westman Islands, or Vestmannaeyjar, are an archipelago of 15 islands and 30 rock stacks off the South Coast of Iceland. Aside from their incredible natural beauty, the islands have the world’s largest population of nesting puffins in summer and their own fascinating history.

History of the Westman Islands

The history of the Westman Islands is as dark as it is intriguing, beginning at the very start of Iceland’s history, with the first family to settle here.

The first person renowned for permanently settling Iceland was a man called Ingólfr Arnarson (although it should be noted that he hardly came alone; he was accompanied by his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttr and several slaves). His half-brother joined him in the country, a few years later, but met his death at the hands of two of his own captured men.

These slaves attempted to flee and hide, to escape Arnarson’s vengeance. They reached the Westman Islands, but unfortunately, were found by ‘Iceland’s father’ and killed in retribution.

The islands since have been named after these men; they were Irish slaves, and at the time, the Irish were called ‘Westmen’, as Ireland was thought to be the westernmost landmass before Iceland’s discovery.

This brutal beginning would be a hint at the later events to occur on and shape the archipelago.

The largest island, Heimaey, was settled in the early era, and the people on it lived off the fertile oceans, puffins, and eggs. Life was challenging but manageable until a terrible tragedy occurred in 1627.

At the height of the Ottoman Empire, it was Barbary Pirates from Algiers who ruled the seas, and they managed to find their way to this little island. They took control of it for three days, before setting off back home with 237 slaves.

The vast majority of these lived out the rest of their lives in bondage, though some were ransomed back in 1638.

The trials of the voyage and their captivity was captured in a novel by a priest who managed to escape in 1628.

Unfortunately, this was not the last major calamity to befall the islands.

In the 20th Century, it seemed that the Westman Islands had overcome their hardships, modernising and better connecting to the mainland. That, however, was to be overturned in 1974.

At 01.55, on January 20th, a fissure tore open in the middle of the town of Heimaey and the previously unknown Eldfell volcano began to violently erupt. In hours, it had torn across the island, spurting fountains of lava height in the air and pouring noxious gasses into the atmosphere.

Unbelievably, however, no-one was killed. There was an emergency plan for a situation such as this, and thankfully, storms the days before meant that the whole fishing fleet was docked in the harbour. The entire population of the island was taken to safety.

That is not to say, however, that the work was done. 5,300 peoples’ homes were in the town, and the Icelandic authorities were desperate to do what they could to help protect them. At the time, the US had a NATO base in the country, and their help was enlisted.

By pumping seawater onto the great lava fronts, it was possible to cool the molten rock, slow it, and change its direction.

This innovative, previously unused technique was particularly effective when it came to protecting the harbour. It seemed at one point that the eruption may have closed it entirely, effectively destroying the island’s economy, yet by spraying the lava, the harbour was actually enclosed more and improved.

When the eruption ended, the island slowly repopulated to about 85 percent of its previous population; about one-fifth of the buildings were destroyed.

The town, however, now had a long stretch of new land to build a runway on, and a volcano in its centre to draw guests. Ever since the Westman Islands have recovered as a popular tourist destination.

The Westman Islands today

Today, the Westman Islands attract thousands of visitors of years, for a variety of reasons. Many wish to visit the Eldborg crater and learn about the eruption in depth at the Eldheimar Museum. Others come for the incredible nature opportunities.

First and foremost amongst these are the chances for puffin watching. Ten million puffins nest in Iceland between May and September, and more of them come to the Westman Islands than anywhere else.

They nest in the cliffs, crags and sea-stacks, and can be easily seen by travelling on foot or by boat. Towards the end of the season, many of the pufflings get confused by the lights of the town as they try to make their way to the ocean, and end up in the streets; it is thus a local tradition amongst the children to collect them and throw them in the sea.

Some business-savvy young ones used to even collect them up, and ‘sell’ them to tourists to release.

The puffins are just one of the thirty or so species that nest on the islands but by far the most abundant.

The Westman Islands also boast some of the best whale-watching opportunities in the country, with Fin, Minke and Humpback Whales seen often in summer, and Orcas throughout the year.

Heimaey itself is home to the worlds first beluga whale sanctuary. In exchange for a donation fee to the charity, visitors can meet Little White and Little Grey in their home in Klettsvik Bay.

Getting to the Westman Islands

The ferry Herjolfur sails to the Westman Islands from the town of Landeyjahöfn, on the south shore of Iceland, for the shortest journey. In poor conditions, particularly between November and March, it may instead leave from  Þorlákshöfn. It is also possible to fly to the islands from Reykjavík Domestic Airport.

Heimaey is the largest island of the Westman Islands and the only one that is inhabited. It has a population of approximately 4,000 people and a fascinating dark history.

Slaves, Pirates, Volcanoes and Heimaey

The first people known to make landfall on Heimaey were two escaped slaves, and they would not live their long. The two men, who were Irish and captives of the foster brother of Reykjavík’s founder, Ingolfúr Arnarson, killed their master and fled here in order to avoid vengeance.

Arnarson, however, found the body before they could make a clean escape, and saw their boats headed to the uninhabited islands off the South Coast. He followed them and hunted them down, killing one and driving the other to throw himself to his own death off of a cliff.

As the Irish were then known as ‘Westmen’, the islands of the archipelago that include Heimaey have been called the Westman Islands ever since. The hill that the slave threw himself off has since been named after him, as Duffy’s Hill, or Dufþekja.

It is possible that there were settlers on Heimaey before even these slaves reached it, as a recent archaeological dig showed evidence of homes from around 800 AD (years before Ingolfúr was even born). According to the Book of Settlements, however, the first person to make a permanent home there did in 900 AD.

The population of Heimaey slowly grew, as more settlers arrived, families expanded, and the fertile fishing waters around it became known. The Danish established buildings there once they took control of Iceland, showing its significance as a port.

However, tragedy would strike in 1627: pirates. Likely hailing from the Algiers, and part of the Barbary Fleet that the Ottoman Empire used to terrorise the seas at the time, they raided Iceland’s coasts and islands. While, on the mainland, Icelanders could flee into nature, on Heimaey they had nowhere to go, and 237 people were captured.

Less than a hundred returned to Iceland; most of the rest sold on the slave market. The terror and pain the people captured endured was written about by a priest who miraculously survived.

The struggles endured by the people of Heimaey would not end there, although no major incident would arise on the island for the other three centuries. When it did, however, the results were explosive.

In 1973, the residents of Heimaey woke up to an eruption tearing through the middle of their town. Fissures over a kilometre in length snaked through the houses, and lava and ash destroyed over 400 homes. As unexpected and terrible as it was, the response was incredible, and all 5,300 residents were whisked to the mainland safely. Only one is thought to have died as a result of the eruption.

To limit the spread of lava, US troops and Icelandic rescue services pumped seawater on top of it to hasten its freezing. This technique not only saved the harbour from being closed off - which would have destroyed the town’s economy and future - but it actually improved it.

Heimaey Today

Today, Heimaey is a cheerful, vibrant place that draws locals and visitors alike. Its history can be learnt about in the museums, with the most notable one being the Eldheimar Volcano Museum, which discusses the 1973 eruption of Eldfell. It is also possible to walk up to the Eldfell crater.

The main reason people come to Heimaey is that more Atlantic Puffins nest in the Westman Islands than anywhere else in the world. Many boat tours take visitors out to see them from May to September, and on many of these, it is possible to see several types of whale and dolphin.

The puffins can also be seen inland, and, in August and September, even in town. The pufflings get confused by the town lights and thinking it is the ocean, wander in. It is a tradition for the children to find them and throw them safely in the sea (or to collect them up and charge a tourist to do so).

Photo by Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir

Eldfell is a volcano in the Westman Islands, off south Iceland, which famously erupted in the middle of the town of Heimaey in 1973.

Eruption at Eldfell

Prior to the eruption at Eldfell, there had been no volcanic activity on the Westman Islands for 5,000 years. The event shook the nation, and was televised across the world.

To give some context, Heimaey is the only populated island on the archipelago, and at the time, had a population of about 5,300 residents. Its economy was almost entirely reliant on fishing, helped enormously by an excellent natural harbour.

The first signs an eruption was coming occurred on January 21, 1973, when a series of tremors occurred beneath the islands. These were not felt by the inhabitants, but were detected by a seismic station on the mainlands. They reduced by midday on the 22nd, and had all but ceased by the evening.

At 23:00, however, they started to occur again, shallower and shallower. There were, however, no warnings given, as the Westman Islands are miles from the rift valley between the tectonic plates that intersects Iceland. An eruption here was entirely unexpected.

Regardless, at 01:55 the next morning, a rift opened just over a kilometre from the centre of Heimaey, on the outskirts of town. Within hours, it extended from 300 metres (984 feet) long to over two kilometres (1.2 miles), and was shooting fountains of lava up to 150 metres (492 feet) into the night sky.

In a less developed country, with less emergency plans, many of the residents would likely have died over the first day. However, despite the fact that the Westman Islands were considered reasonably safe from volcanoes, an evacuation plan was in place, and it was awe-inspiringly successful.

Less than six hours after the fissure opened, almost all of the 5,300 residents were escorted safely off the island, and by the end of the day, were resettled across Iceland. Only one person lost their life as a result of the eruption.

In spite of that, much of the town was destroyed by lava or ash. 400 buildings were lost, the farms were poisoned, and all the livestock had to be slaughtered.

It was the aforementioned harbour of Heimaey, however, that was of perhaps the greatest concern to authorities. The lava was moving quickly in its direction, and it threatened to close it off and basically destroy the town’s economy.

An ingenious idea, however, to pump seawater onto the lava to coolen it quickly, proved to be successful. Icelandic rescue teams and the US military (who had a base at Keflavík at the time) used the technique to not just save the harbour, but to actually improve it.

Photo by  Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir

The eruption - and the use of pumping seawater - continued until early July. When it finally ceased, the enormous task of rebuilding and resettling the island began.

The Aftermath

Covered in lava and ash, Icelandic authorities moved quickly to make the island habitable again. Even so, the population was slow to return. A year after the eruption, only half of those who had once lived there had come back; by March 1975, 80 percent had. Today, the population of Heimaey is smaller than it was before the eruption, at approximately 4,500 people.

In spite of the huge damage it caused at the time, opportunities were created from the eruption. Icelandic ingenuity meant that the heat still within the lava was used for energy and warm water, and that the new tephra was used in the rebuilding of homes and the extension of the airport’s runway.

Furthermore, the 200 metre (660 feet) tall volcanic cone of Eldfell has become a tourist attraction; it is possible to walk right up to and around the crater. This has also improved the island’s economy in winter, as it was almost exclusively visited in summer before, during the puffin breeding season.

There is also a popular museum about the eruption, called Eldheimar.

Elephant Rock is a natural rock formation on the Westman Islands archipelago, located approximately 7.4 kilometres off Iceland's south coast. 

The Westman Islands, or Vestmannaeyjar, are a cluster of 15 islands and around 30 reefs created by undersea volcanic activity. Covering around 13 square kilometres, the largest of these islands, Heimaey, is the only inhabited island of the cluster. 

Formation and Appearance

The entire archipelago rests in the Southern Iceland Volcanic Zone and was formed during numerous volcanic eruptions. As a result, the islands boast multiple remarkable rock formations and unmatched volcanic landscapes.

Elephant Rock fascinates visitors because it resembles the head of a giant elephant which has submerged half its trunk underwater in an attempt to quench its thirst with the Atlantic Ocean.

Many have pointed out the rock's resemblance to H.P. Lovecraft's cosmic daemon Cthulhu, a monstrous sea creature with the face of an octopus. The likeness is complete with a cleft in the rock where the Lovecraftian creature's eyes would be and the resulting shadow bestows an eerie and lifelike quality upon its face. Fundamental to the rock's realistic appearance is the fact that it's entirely made from basalt, but this makes the "skin" of the creature appear wrinkled. 

Historical Volcanic Activity 

Elephant Rock is believed to have been formed during one of Mt. Eldfell's many eruptions. Eldfell's 1973 eruption resulted in the evacuation of Heimaey's entire population. Most of the town was saved from destruction because the local fishermen sprayed cold seawater on the burning lava. Today, the island is home to over 4.000 people. 

The Westman Islands remain an excellent travel destination where geology enthusiasts and fans of Lovecraftian lore can feast their eyes on the magnificent natural creation that is the Elephant Rock.