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Iceland is rapidly becoming one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world and that’s not just for geography fieldtrips, although Mr Soars did observe that if there was a catastrophic earthquake during our visit it would probably wipe out half the world’s population of geography teachers!

Billed as an awe-inspiring country with spectacular natural features, Iceland does not disappoint. Our 5 day trip was packed with the most stunning waterfalls, spectacular glaciers, wild gorges and a raft of geothermal features all wrapped up in a centuries-old Norse culture where people are only known by their first name.

It is a stunningly varied country and as a group of sixteen geographers from Syntax, Poetry and Rhetoric and four staff, we were well equipped to enjoy at first hand the educational value of seeing things that up until that point were viewed only on the pages of a textbook. However, Iceland is also an unforgettable destination in its own right and indeed we had three ‘tourists’ with us who came just to enjoy the experience and take in the amazing natural sights

On our action packed programme we saw the Gullfoss waterfall (just as spectacular as Niagara),walked through a stunning rift valley at Thingvellir, site of the world’s first parliament and marvelled at geysers that are active all the time so there’s only a 5 minute wait until a 50ft high eruption. Global warming is discussed widely but to stand at the snout of the Myrdals-jokull Glacier and hear from our guide (Skooli) that just two years ago it was at least 200metres in front of where we were standing brings home the stark realities. Skooli himself was a highlight of the trip, incredibly knowledgeable and able to entertain with the singing of traditional folk songs as we wound our way along the southern coastal route in our specially adapted tour bus.

We also visited a geo-thermal centre where you could boil eggs in the bubbling sulphur pools and hear anecdotes about the family watching television, only to be interrupted by a new undiscovered geyser erupting through the sitting room floor!

Electricity in Iceland is very cheap as it is produced geo-thermally; glasshouses are heated 24/7 and allow a wide range of produce to be grown, including bananas.

It will be a trip that months from now we will all continue to smile and talk about. Iceland is not the sort of destination students are likely to visit as adults or on a family holiday, but the experience will last forever. Who can forget the atmospheric Blue Lagoon on a chilly October night or the surreal experience at the most entertaining folk museum you could ever wish to visit – you had to be there.

Mrs Helen Harris