ÞINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK

Þingvellir National Park is in the southwest of Iceland, where the North American and Eurasian continental plates meet. It is often the first stop on the route of the Golden Circle from Reykjavík.

As it is quite close to Reykjavík, you can easily drive to Þingvellir National Park yourself. Follow the Route One ring road out of the city for 17 kilometres and then turn onto Road 36 until you reach the park’s main car park about 30 kilometres later. Although the roads are paved and ploughed every day when it snows, driving can be challenging in winter for those not used to blizzard conditions. Avoid the hassle of driving by joining an organised Golden Circle or Þingvellir National Park diving tour from Reykjavík which includes an experienced guide and driver.

How long you spend at Þingvellir depends on what you want to see when you get there. Many of the Golden Circle tours stop for forty-five minutes or an hour to allow you to walk through the dramatic chasm between the continental plates, snap some pictures and perhaps visit the spot of Iceland’s first parliament. If you are embarking on a longer Þingvellir National Park hike, you may want to allow two or three hours to visit. Those diving or snorkelling at Silfra should also allow three or four hours for the experience.

Most people are attracted to Almannagjá – the rocky fissure that scars the landscape at Þingvellir, where two continental plates meet and create twisting rock formations. You can walk through the ravine and spot waterfalls along the way. You’ll also find pretty Öxarárfoss waterfall within the national park which has a viewing platform, and the equally beguiling Þórufoss. Within the park, you can visit Þingvallakirkja – a wood-clad church, typical of Iceland – and the Lögberg rock where a flag marks the former spot of Iceland’s first parliament. Hiking trails snake across the ancient landscape of the park and there’s an opportunity to dive or snorkel between the tectonic plates at Silfra.

Þórsmörk hiking trails include the two famous routes through the Icelandic highlands – the Laugavegur trail and the Fimmvörduháls trail. But there are a couple of shorter trails in the valley if you want to linger longer in Þórsmörk. The Valahnukur trail is a circular route from the volcano huts that only takes a couple of hours and rewards with beautiful views of the river valley from on high. While the Tindfjöll Circle sees you crossing lava beds, hiking through gorges and up into the hills where you get a spectacular panorama of the whole green valley.

Geysir area of geothermal activity, where you can see the impressive Strokkur geyser erupt like clockwork, is also on the route of the Golden Circle but it is not in Þingvellir National Park. Geysir is around 55 kilometres away from Þingvellir.

The ‘Þ’ in Icelandic sounds like a ‘th’ sound in English. So, Þingvellir is pronounced ‘thingvellir’ and you will sometimes see it spelt ‘Thingviller’ in guides, online and in books.

There is no fee to enter Þingvellir National Park. However, if you are driving there yourself, please bear in mind that you’ll have to pay to use the car park. Using the restrooms is free and the visitor’s centre is also free. However, you might want to buy refreshments in the café or perhaps do some shopping in the gift shop.

During the winter months, you’ll often see Þingvellir National Park dusted with snow and there is something magical about the volcanic black rock of the Almannagjá fissure contrasting with the glowing white powder. Þingvallakirkja is particularly beautiful when crowned with a layer of snow – it looks like a church from a fairytale. The main walking route through the park is cleared of snow daily, so you can experience the Almannagjá fissure in the midst of Iceland’s frozen winters. However, a lot of the other hiking trails in the national park will not be cleared of snow so are inaccessible in the winter weather.

In terms of season, the best time to visit Þingvellir National Park is between May and October when the weather is clear and you can experience long hours of daylight. This is the best time of year to enjoy the national park’s hiking trails and the calmer weather makes diving or snorkelling at Silfra an easier experience. The park is still open in winter and, forty-five minutes away from the lights of Reykjavík, you can drive here to witness the Northern Lights dancing against the night sky. The lakes and marshes reflecting the ethereal green lights make this one of the most beautiful places to spot the aurora. In terms of time of day, the best time to visit Þingvellir is early in the morning or later in the evening. The park’s close proximity to Reykjavík means it does get busy during the peak hours in the middle of the day.

When visiting Þingvellir, you’ll no doubt be spending most of your time outdoors – walking through the continental fissure, following the hiking trails and spotting waterfalls along the way. Iceland’s weather can be unpredictable, even in the summer months, so dressing for all eventualities is a good idea. A waterproof coat and sturdy, waterproof hiking boots are essential. In summer, a breathable t-shirt and light jumper should have you covered and in winter, you’ll want to wrap up warm with a fleece or woolly jumper, hat, scarf and insulated gloves.