Gullfoss

Iceland holiday - There is a part of Iceland, not too far from Reykjavik, that is known as the Golden Circle, a popular tourist route looping up into the southern highlands that takes in some spectacular natural sites - Geysir, Gullfoss and the Pingvellir National Park. Some of it was on our itinerary and I would probably have felt a bit cheated if we had not visited these areas. However, once seen, I wouldn't return to these places. Too many tourists, coaches and competition for the best places to take photos from... Ha!

We visited the huge falls at Gullfoss during a rainstorm. The rain and the wind-blown spray made photography a challenge and I judged it wise not to subject my camera to the conditions right at the edge, where the people you see in the photo were standing getting soaked! The wide Hvítá river rushes over two steep steps and disappears into a deep crevasse. Very spectacular. However, I was unreasonably pleased to retreat eventually to the large and busy visitor centre for a hot coffee and to dry off!