When my spouse and I were married in 2022, we chose Iceland as our honeymoon destination. Iceland is an incredible country for many reasons. Along with its striking natural beauty, vibrant culture, delicious food, and excellent ecological practices, we selected Iceland as a destination for religious reasons. Within the wide world of Pagan religions, our home practice is Heathenry. This means that our personal religious practices are based on the pre-Christian religions of Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, and Denmark), Iceland, and Germanic Europe.
Iceland is pivotal to Heathenry for a few reasons. This legendary land is where much of what we know about ancient Heathenry was written down. From Snorri Sturluson’s Eddas to the Icelandic Sagas, these texts contain tantalizing glimpses of early Heathen beliefs and practices despite being recorded well after conversion by Christian chroniclers. The conversion to Christianity in Iceland was also fairly late, occurring in 1000 CE. The terms of that conversion were that the public, “national” religion would change to Christianity, but that people could still practice Heathenry in the privacy of their own homes. Christianity’s general inability to get along with other religions meant that the detente didn’t last long, but it did buy more time for Heathen practices to linger and become part of folk traditions of various kinds. From records of post-conversion era laws, folklore, and the aforementioned texts, much can be learned that helps us build a contemporary Heathenry.
So, in typical Heathen nerd fashion, Ash and I went to Iceland to experience the land of Ice and Fire for ourselves. To stand where our ancient kin of faith once did. To try to connect in a new way to the faith we practice.
What I did not expect was to return with a new hyperfixation.
I was changed. Iceland is extraordinary – a land of ever-changing skies, sharp-edged nature, wild winds, and landscapes that must be seen to be believed. It is a land that sinks deeply into your bones and places a longing that can only be remedied by returning there. I began to understand my own faith on a deeper level. I became obsessed, starting to learn the language and eagerly devouring books and podcasts on Icelandic folklore, history, culture, and magical practice.
More than anything, Ash and I wanted to load up a plane and bring our friends to this incredible place. That desire plus my new hyperfixation fed a wild plan: lead a pilgrimage to Iceland. I brought all my logistical skills to the table for this one and it was quite a lift. Although I have a lot of experience organizing events, there’s a big difference between running a four day festival or conference and taking a group of 16 people through a foreign country for two weeks.
I’m largely happy with how things went. There are changes I will make in future tours based on what we learned from this one, but it was an incredible inaugural journey. I am so grateful to our wonderful tour group for their trust in us.
For people who are considering a similar journey, I thought it would be useful to share the path we took and some reflections on it. So, here is one approach to a Heathen pilgrimage path in Iceland.
Day Zero: An Omen
I was so nervous heading into this tour. I desperately wanted our tour participants to have a good experience. And, I had never done anything like this before. The day before we left, I drew a rune from the set dedicated to Freyja: Fehu. Abundance and prosperity, yes, but also Freyja’s rune. The gods were with us and my mind eased a bit. This feeling was underscored by an omen the day Ash and I arrived. We got there one day before the tour started in order to pick up our rental vans and iron out any potential bumps on that front.
We stayed in a hotel about 20 minutes outside of Keflavik near a quiet part of the shore. That evening, we went for a walk along the seaside. We wandered up to a lighthouse and I told Ash to stand by the railing “and look majestic.” Before they could move, a raven swooped down and landed exactly where I’d suggested they stand. Majestic indeed. I took quite a few photos and some video. That remains the closest I’ve ever been to a wild raven.
It was a wonderful omen, and it felt like the landvaettir were welcoming us back. Our luck throughout our journey was unusually good, and I am so grateful to the various other-than-human persons who contributed to it.
Day One: Arrival and Secret Lagoon
Flights from the United States to Iceland are largely red-eye flights, which means everyone arrives exhausted. So, for day one, we immediately took our group to Secret Lagoon to relax and recharge. Iceland is famous for its hot springs – places where water warmed by geothermal energy bursts into the air. This sulfur-rich water is wonderful. Although the spa culture around the hot springs is fairly new, bathing in the springs has been a practice since the settlement period. We chose Secret Lagoon because it is the oldest hot spring pool in Iceland – it was built in 1891 and Vaðmálahver, Básahver, or Litli Geysir (an active geyser which spouts every few minutes), provide the hot water – it is entirely naturally fed.
We loved Secret Lagoon because it is more rustic. Many of the hot springs that are marketed to tourists are lovely, but are very much aligned to a contemporary spa aesthetic. Secret Lagoon is more of a community space and has been deliberately preserved in its simple, natural state.
I did not take photos of the Secret Lagoon visit, but stole a few from Lauren Koch, one of our tour participants:
Day 2: The National Museum of Iceland and Culture Night in Reykjavík
Our second day began with a visit to the National Museum of Iceland. I highly recommend the museum – it hosts a wonderful collection that spans the history of the nation from settlement to present day. What was so extraordinary for me personally was seeing objects that I’ve read about and seen photos of in person. It was incredible to see the originals of tools and jewelry I use replicas of in my practice. The pre-conversion section of the museum includes two Pagan graves as well, and kneeling at those to contemplate the thread of spirit that connects me to these ancestors was profound.
We then returned to our hotel, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Reykjavík, for Reykjavík Culture Night. This annual celebration fills the streets with performances, dancing, food, and revelry. It marks the start of the city’s cultural year – the various museums and arts centers launch their annual calendars of events during Culture Night. Being present for Culture Night was so much fun – we wandered the streets, encountering different bands, dancers, art, and more. Iceland boasts a thriving arts community and witnessing it in its glory was a blast.
Day 3: The Golden Circle
When I was planning the tour, I tried to balance Heathen history and cultural sites with things that should be seen if this is the only time someone will be in Iceland. The Golden Circle falls into that category. This driveable-in-a-day loop of features includes Gulfoss, Geysir, and Thingvellir.
Gulfoss is one of the most recognizable Icelandic waterfalls since the Golden Circle is often a tour people take during shorter visits to Iceland. The name translates to Golden Falls. Gulfoss is fed by the Hvita River and is incredibly powerful, plunging over two large drops into a canyon. The mist and spray from the waterfall fills the air and the roar can be heard from the parking lot. When sunlight breaks through the clouds, rainbows are visible everywhere. It’s a beautiful, powerful sight.
Geysir Geothermal Area is a famous hot spring in the geothermal area of Haukadalur Valley, and where the English word “geyser” comes from. Although the original geyser is now dormant, a nearby geyser named Strokkur erupts every few minutes, shooting hot water up to 65 feet in the air. Our tour unfortunately missed seeing Geysir due to a hotel issue – we had to race back to Reykjavík suddenly and then return for Thingvellir. I’m not entirely sorry about it – the parking lot at Geysir was packed. More thoughts on that below.
Thingvellir is both an incredible geological formation and the site of fascinating Heathen history. It was the site of the Althing, the annual parliament of Iceland from the year 930 until the last session held at Thingvellir in 1798. From the lawspeaker’s rock to the booth space of Snorri Sturluson to sites that hold grim reminders of the stark justice of the time, Thingvellir carries powerful currents of Heathen history. Thingvellir is also fascinating on a geological level – it is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates touch.
One thing I will most likely change in future tours is my approach to the Golden Circle. Although I will still take groups to Thingvellir, I will most likely pass on Gulfoss and Geysir. These sites are so popular now that they are somewhat unpleasant to visit. In the feedback forms I sent out, our tour group enjoyed more of the “off the beaten track” features of the tour than the “greatest hits” offerings. Although Golden Circle is a great option for a short visit (like a long weekend), Iceland’s rich natural landscape features many incredible waterfalls and geothermal areas that are a better fit with fewer crowds for a longer tour like ours.
Day 4: Snorrastofa, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, and The Settlement Center
Snorrastofa is an independent medieval research center established in 1995. The center is located in Reykholt in western Iceland, the main residence of Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241), and its main task is to investigate and conduct research on the medieval period in general, and Snorri and his works in particular. We arranged for a private lecture from scholar Sigrun Þormar on Snorri’s life and legacy. I highly recommend the option if it’s available to you – Sigrun is an engaging, entertaining, informed speaker and we really loved her presentation. It was a fantastic visit, and quite frankly too short. Future tours will spend more time here. We only had time for the lecture and didn’t get a chance to explore the grounds. That will be remedied in the future.
Hraunfossar and Barnafoss are two of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland and they are in close proximity to each other, making this a wonderful stop for enjoying some of Iceland’s incredible geological beauty. Hraunfossar is best described as a collection of countless creeks and cascades big and small streaming out of a lava shelf over a distance of about 900 metres. Barnafoss, next to Hraunfossar, takes its name after a legend in which 2 children fell into the water looking for their mother. The star of the show for much of our tour group was not the waterfalls, though – it was a bright-red amanita muscaria mushroom growing beside one of the trails.
Our last stop of the day was The Settlement Center. Although this museum offers beautiful artistic depictions of scenes from Njall’s Saga, the overall presentation is poor with a clunky audio guide (no written guides available). I did not think it was a good use of our time and it will not be on future tours.
One feature of the tour was optional geothermal spa visits. That evening, some of the tour group went to Krauma, a beautiful geothermal spa in Western Iceland. The water in the pools at Krauma originates from Europe’s most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver, and cycles constantly due to the high volume of water from the spring. Krauma is beautifully designed with multiple pools featuring different temperatures of water (including a cold plunge) as well as saunas, an infrared room, and a steam bath. It was a wonderful way to end the day. I spent a long time simply watching the shifting sky over the mountain while unwinding in a hot pool. It was heavenly. Lisa, one of our tour participants, got a photo of me blissing out.
Day 5: Eiríksstaðir and the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft
Eiríksstaðir is another place where we will spend more time in the future. This living history site is where Eirik the Red built a farmhouse and it is the starting point of his saga as well as The Saga of the Greenlanders. The site includes the ruins of Eirik’s original longhouse as well as a replica that was built using techniques dating to the tenth century. Our tour of the site included a visit to the longhouse where we sat around a fire while a garbed guide told stories of the site and its history. It was simply wonderful. If you go, be sure to visit the gift shop as well. The fiber artists in our tour group loaded up on locally spun Icelandic wool yarn that had been naturally dyed using historical techniques.
What Heathen tour would be complete without a visit to the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft? This museum is located in Holmavik and offers information and artifacts connected to the history of sorcery and witchcraft in Iceland. Along with traditional Icelandic magic, there’s a lot of information about the 17th century witch hunts in Iceland (unique in Europe – most of the people executed for witchcraft were men). The gift shop includes some texts that are difficult to obtain in the United States as well.
Day 6: Borgarvirki and Glaumbaer
Our sixth day began with a visit to one of my all-time favorite places: Borgarvirki. This columnar basalt volcano cap has been used as a fortress repeatedly, including during the Viking era. On a clear day, it’s visible for miles. You can see why it was selected as a fortification: 360 degree views plus steep sides make it nearly impregnable. Although people do visit Borgarvirki, it’s not a popular destination, so our group was alone at the site for most of our visit. It was a wonderful stop along the journey. We experienced the additional blessing of a polar stratospheric cloud. These rainbow-tinted clouds resemble mother of pearl and only occur in northern latitudes – it was really exciting to see one in person.
Our next stop was Glaumbaer Turf Farm and Museum, and this will definitely stay on the tour. Opened in 1952, Glaumbær Museum is largely housed inside a preserved turf farm dating back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. This preserved farm is a wonderful illustration of Icelandic life prior to the current era. Along with offering the opportunity to walk the halls and rooms of the farm, the museum is filled with artifacts and fascinating information.
Day 7: Godafoss, Dimmuborgir, Dettifoss and Selfoss
Steeped in both beauty and history, Godafoss waterfall is part of Skjalfandafljot, the fourth-largest river in Iceland. The name Godafoss means either waterfall of the gods or waterfall of the godi, the old Norse word for a priest. When Iceland shifted the national religion to Christianity in order to prevent bloodshed, the temple idols from the big Heathen temple were thrown here. You can still feel the thrum of that current in the churning waters. It is a sacred place for us, and we brought ritual objects to immerse in the waters. Although Godafoss is a popular destination, its potency as a sacred site means that we will continue to visit it.
Dimmuborgir is a striking lava field featuring towering black spires of congealed lava. This otherworldly stone maze features heavily in folklore. In Icelandic culture, lava caves are often the homes of the nation’s trolls. Two famous folkloric beings that live in Dimmuborgir are the half-troll, half-ogre Grýla and her husband Leppalúði. Grýla was renowned for her insatiable appetite for children, her gigantic pet cat (the Yule Cat), and her thirteen sons (the Yule Lads). Additionally, Dimmuborgir has been a very active experience for several of the magical practitioners who visited it. The spirits there remain quite aware and curious, resulting in interesting encounters.
In future tours, we will most likely move Dettifoss and Selfoss to a second day. After Godafoss and Dimmuborgir, our group was pretty tapped out. These waterfalls are beautiful, though, and definitely worth seeing. Dettifoss is one of Europe’s most powerful waterfalls. It thunders down over 130 feet into a deep gorge and is over 300 feet wide. The power of that much water falling from such a height means you can literally feel the rumble in the ground. Selfoss is a smaller waterfall located just upriver with a beautiful horseshoe shape featuring multiple cascades of water.
That evening, some of our tour group went to Geosea Geothermal Spa. This geothermal spa is so beautiful that I’m planning on including this as part of the tour rather than as an optional visit in the future. Geosea is positioned on a cliff overlooking Skjálfandi Bay and the Arctic Circle to the north. Walking out to the infinity pool is extraordinary – it looks like the water extends fully to the horizon. The vantage point on the cliff means that people have regularly seen whales swimming in the water below. It is truly unique and exquisitely beautiful.
Day 8: Returning to the South
Day 8 was a long drive back to Reykjavík. This tour included both a base package and an extension that covered the southern coast. That design meant that we had to return to Reykjavík in order for our base package participants to head home. In the future, only one package that includes the southern coast will be available. The logistics around two departures and what that meant for travel was doable but not something I wish to repeat.
Day 9: Skogafoss, Skogar Museum, and Reynisfjara Beach
Day 9 began our journey along the southern coast, stopping at Skogafoss first. This powerful waterfall is one of the largest in Iceland and is positioned so that you can stand fairly close to where the pouring water meets the earth. It’s incredibly exhilarating and future tours will spend more time here.
Skogar Museum ended up being a wonderful gem of a visit. This museum is an entire campus of historical buildings and three large museums. The collection includes over 18,000 artifacts. We enjoyed a funny, informative tour by guide Christopher and then spent time individually exploring the collections. This stop will definitely stay on the tour.
Our last stop of the day was Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. With its enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves, and stunning panoramas, Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s black sand beaches. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet. This beach is also dangerous – the ocean there has a strong undertow and a particular wave form called a “sneaker wave.” These are sudden waves that reach further up the beach than expected. They’ve caught many people in their wake over the years, often resulting in tragedy. Although one must use caution and discernment at Reynisfjara, it is well worth seeing. It is a simply stunning environment.
Day 10: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Dverghamrar, Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi
Our day began with an amphibious boat tour of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This is one of my favorite places in Iceland. Being so close to icebergs is indescribably beautiful. The color doesn’t really come across in photos, but freshly calved icebergs are an exquisite shade of blue that seems to glow from within. During our tour, the guides brought a fragment of iceberg onto the boat so that we could taste 1000 year old ice (it’s delicious). And, in true bunch-of-Pagans fashion, our group named our little chunk of iceberg Fjord and one of us put him into a cooler and then poured his water into a water bottle that was shared around later.
Diamond Beach is right across the way from Jökulsárlón. This is where the remains of icebergs wash up on the black sand beach. It’s a striking, somewhat eerie place. The contrast of white ice on the black sand is really something.
Afterwards we made our way to Dverghamrar. This basalt formation is at the center of a lot of folklore. I wrote a chant on the way there and we sang it for the Beings who dwell within the stones. According to local myths and legends, dwarfs live within the Dverghamrar Cliffs and many locals still believe that hidden beings live and roam within the column formations. Future tours will have more time here – the spirits are very active here.
Our last stop of the day was at two iconic waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi. Seljalandsfoss is the one you can walk behind, and it really is spectacular. Gljúfrabúi is nearby and is a “hidden” waterfall – you have to walk back through crevices in the mountain to find it, but it’s well worth the adventure. This is another visit that will most likely get moved to another day to allow for more time. Both waterfalls are simply stunning.
Day 11: The Settlement Exhibition, Arbaer, and the Reykjavík Zoo
The Settlement Exhibition is one of my favorite museums in Reykjavík. A construction project resulted in the discovery of a longhouse. Rather than fully excavate, a museum was built around the site. So, you get to see it in situ. The museum is cleverly designed, using lights and digital displays to highlight the different parts of the longhouse. Finds from the site surround the excavation and the artifacts are the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city.
We then went to Arbaer. This open air museum is a fascinating collection of buildings, fully furnished, from different periods in Icelandic history. The buildings have been arranged in a village layout – it’s really charming as well as interesting. The museum includes more than 20 buildings which form a town square, a village and a farm. Most of the buildings have been relocated from central Reykjavík. The museum tries to give a sense of the architecture and way of life and lifestyles of the past in Reykjavík.
Our last visit of the day was a whim. I really wanted to pet a sheep. So, we went to the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo. It was great – petted a sheep and an Icelandic horse foal, saw an arctic fox and a reindeer, and watched the seals show off for those of us watching them.This was a fun addition to the tour and might become a permanent fixture.
That night, our lucky tour group was treated to a special highlight: the northern lights. We were fortunate to be there on a clear night with a high index for seeing the aurora. Sure enough, around midnight, the skies in downtown Reykjavík put on a show. It was a wonderful way to cap off our last full day in Iceland.
Day 12: The Botanical Garden and Departure
We began our day at the Reykjavík Botanical Garden. We made this our last stop by accident the last time we were in Iceland. We do it on purpose now – it’s a beautiful little botanical garden and a wonderful way to connect with many of the plant and tree families we met along our journey. My favorite part this time was a tuxedo cat who appeared in a tree and then escorted us through most of our time there. Strong “this cat is offering us a side quest” vibes.
We still had a little time afterwards, so we visited The Recycled House, a home that is also an art installation.
Then, it was time to take our beloved tour participants to Keflavik for their flights home.
Ash and I are both so grateful for this opportunity to share a country we love with people from our community. It was an amazing adventure. We do plan to offer future pilgrimages – probably every other year depending on how things play out here in the United States. I hope you enjoyed this overview of our journey. And now, I’m locking myself back into Book Jail to continue work on our Heathenry book.
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