Page 234 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Emerging Volcano and Geothermal Related Tourism in Iceland 211

the region, the biggest one, Almannagjá, being a Volcanic and geothermal
large canyon. Here the plates of the Earth’s crust
are moving apart causing earthquakes in the area. related tourism
Þingvellir is situated on the northern shore of There are a number of volcanoes and geothermal
Þingvallavatn (assembly plains lake), the largest areas in Iceland but the greatest concentration is
natural lake of Iceland. The Öxará River traverses in the southern part of the island in ‘The Golden
the national park and forms a waterfall at the Circle’, the Reykjanes peninsula, and off the coast
Almannagjá, called Öxarárfoss. Þingvellir was in the Vestmannaeyjar Islands.
designated a UNESCO world heritage site in
2004. Gullfoss (Golden Falls) is a waterfall located The Golden Circle
in the canyon of Hvítá River in south-west The Golden Circle comprises the three areas of
Iceland. It is one of the most popular tourist Þingvellir, Gullfoss and Geysir. Together they make
attractions in the country. The falls plunge in two up Iceland’s major tourism destination. Þingvellir is
stages (11m and 21m) into a crevice 32m deep. an area renowned for its natural beauty and historic
The average amount of water running over this significance and was first established as a national
waterfall is 140 cubic metres/second. Near to the park in 1928 and as a world heritage region in
falls is a visitor centre explaining the geology of 2004 (Parnell and O’Carroll, 2007). Gullfoss is the
the falls as well as their history, which at one point country’s most famous waterfall which drops 32m
included being considered for use for hydroelectric in a spectacular two tier cascade (Figure 14.1) and
power generation. Geysir is one of Iceland’s most famous tourist

Figure 14.1 Gullfoss (Golden Falls) waterfall, part of Iceland’s ‘Golden Circle’ tourist route

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