Tag: things to do

Iceland Tales- The Lava Tunnel

Looking for a unique experience close to Reykjavik to see to the inner workings of a volcanic eruption? Then this is the tour of The Lava Tunnel is for you!

Have you ever been inside a lava tunnel?

To be honest, before I went to Iceland I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a lava tunnel. I always thought the lava burst up out of the ground and not flow underground like a huge fire breathing river. The things you can learn whilst you are travelling!

There are so many geological experiences to enjoy in Iceland and I must say this was one of my favourite activities that we did whilst we were there. Actually walking where lava once flowed! Not many people can say they have done that!

We came across the Lava Tunnel a little by accident (or luck you may say) and even luckier still got there with a minute to spare before the next tour. We thought we might just get to see an opening of the tunnel but no we quickly discovered they did two tours. One standard and one extreme. We opted for the standard as it was an hour tour and touted that it was easy walking. The Extreme tour is 5 to 6 hours long and for the more adventurous and go further into the tunnel. Maybe one for the next trip.

The tunnel is 1.4k meters long and was formed due to the path of the lava from the Leitahraun eruption over 5,000 years ago. This lava tunnel is considered one of the longest lava tubes in Europe. They have restored it well especially as it was only opened officially in Summer 2017. Initially, you could make your own way in however over time it was becoming more unstable and ended up being a bit of dumping ground with lots of rubbish being left in the tunnel. It was then strengthened with footbridges and lights and added knowledgeable guides that can talk you through the history of the tunnel. We had a really insightful guide who gave us so much information about the rock formations, how you can see what temperature the lava got to in places and also answered lots of questions about the geological makeup of Iceland and just Iceland in general.

At the beginning of the tunnel, there are skylights where the cave has collapsed had let the snow in so formed huge big snow dunes. They allow the light to shine in and show just how expansive the tunnel is. Leading into the chamber you are also treated to a huge display of Icicles. There were so many and they were the tallest I had ever seen. We were told that in winter they are even taller and larger. They looked so magical and it just shows even further that Iceland really is the land of fire and ice.

At the end of the standard tour, there is a part of the tunnel where they turn off the lights and you can see how dark it is as there is no light from anywhere coming in. It really plays with your eyes. You truly feel underground and so close to the centre of the earth. It’s an unnerving experience in a way as it’s not often we ever get to experience true darkness.

The Lava Tunnel is located 30 mins from Reykjavik and is open from 10 am – 5 pm daily all year round. With your ticket for the standard tour, you get free hire of a helmet and helmet light. It does get chilly in there so make sure you are dressed warmly and definitely have sturdy footwear (it can be a little slippy in places). As with anything in Iceland, it’s not cheap but it is worth the expense for a truly interesting experience. The standard tour without transport is 6,400 ISK per person (as of June 2018) with the Extreme tour it is 19.900 ISK per person.

To see more about this tour or to book click here or for more inspiration on what see and do in Iceland click here

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Have you seen the London from the Thames? Well you really should

So many great cities are always said to be seen best from the water. I’ve seen Venice, New York, Paris, Sydney all from the water so I have no idea why it took me so long to see the majestic London from the long and winding River Thames.

This week I righted my wrong.

The opportunity came along with some of my work colleagues as a change from the standard after work drinks. So instead of heading to a pub, we hot-footed it down to Westminster Bridge to go on the City Cruises Sundowner boat.

Now I didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously, a boat, that it would be touristy AF but also hopefully some insta worthy shots and a nice way to see the city. I certainly wasn’t expecting fizz on arrival, one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen or that we would be up dancing to the onboard performer on the boat. Just wait for more on that later.

We were booked with City Cruises and they do cruises throughout the day. The one we went on, however, was the Sundowner Cruise. Tickets cost £32 per person (adults and children are the same prices). You can generally get a deal on Groupon so do check there first. The cruise departs from Westminster Pier which is easily accessible from Westminster tube station. You depart at 6.15/6.30ish and are then on the water for 2 hours so getting back to Westminster in time for dinner and drinks. There is fizz/soft drink on arrival and canapes severed throughout. There is also a bar if you want to have further drinks throughout the cruise. If that wasn’t enough they also provide an entertainer who performs throughout the journey. Mainly pop songs but also covers all eras to cater for the mix of ages. The lady we had was brilliant and she had our group and some others up dancing around during the cruise. The processco may have also helped with the dancing. I swear some of the other guests probably thought they had boarded with a group of crazy ladies but most of them got involved with our shenanigans. We did get to make friends with one of the guests they were over from the US and celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I’m sure when they booked their cruise they were expecting to be dancing around with us to Bruno Mars’s Up Town Funk.

The rain from earlier the day decided to disappear just as we boarded however it did mean that it was wet up top so for dry seating we did need to sit downstairs. The inside of the boat has lots of tables and its group seating. Had we not been such a large group we could have been sat and been able to chat with other guests. What we could do however was stand up top and take some photos (and drink some fizz) and watch the sunset then head back down below deck for some nibbles and a dance.

From the boat, we got to see so much of London and it truly is such a remarkable city. At the start of the cruise the London Eye was contrasted against the grey sky and by the end, it was a luminous red orb. Tower bridge looked postcard perfect before and after the sunset. You could see the Oxo Building, The Shard, St Pauls, Big Ben, red buses going over the bridges along the river, Londoners out on their evening runs, Canary Wharf and the super expensive homes along the banks of the river. I don’t think I’ve ever seen London look as beautiful as I did that evening.

The sunset decided to set just as we went under Tower Bridge making it the perfect silhouette against the sky. So quintessentially London. Seriously what is more London than watching the sunset behind the landmarks of the city, while on the Thames with wet puddles from the day’s rain around you and a Pimms in hand? If you are visiting London or even if you live in London I would 100% recommend doing a cruise like this and if your not sold yet then have a look at some of my snaps for further encouragement.

For more information on the crusie we did then check out this link below
http://www.citycruises.com/london-thames-experiences/evening-cruise

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Weekend Adventures – Stourhead

I’ve fallen into a Jane Austen novel and I don’t want to come back to the real world.

This picturesque place is Stourhead, located in Wiltshire, England. It is part owned by the National Trust and has firmly risen to the top of my favourite places to visit in South West. The whole estate is like walking through a glorious painting.

With our newly acquired National Trust passes we were looking forward to a day out exploring and obviously taking copious amounts of photos. The Estate is made up of the house, gardens, lake and King Alfred’s Tower so there were lots to explore.

We started with the house. Henry Hoare was given the house in 1721 and it was in his family for over 200 years. The last heir gave the property to the National Trust just before he passed away. There are several rooms on the ground floor that you can look through and they include lots of family heirlooms, stories and artworks. My favourite room in the house was the library. It was so large, light and, full of old books. Which I guess is what you would expect from a library.It also has an awesome carpet!!


Whilst the house was beautiful and very interesting the real winner here is the lake and gardens. I mean look at the place it’s like being transported to a secret haven or enchanted forest.


I always get so surprised how green England is in the summer. In Australia it’s always dry, brown and so very un-green! Here it’s like 50 shades of green across these stunning gardens. I can only imagine how breathtaking it must be in Autumn.

The lake here is man made and the gardens have been crafted to take people on a journey and to resemble Aeneas’s journey into the underworld. It’s constructed like a living piece of art and there are lots of vantage points that carefully capture the buildings and monuments against the landscape.

Reading up on the gardens they are said to follow Alexander Pope’s concept called ‘genius of the place’ which means the spirit of the place needs to consulted when designing the garden. Its principles are used in garden and landscape design to this day. Whatever it is it works with these gardens so well. You feel like the garden has a spirit of its own!

The buildings and monuments around the lake are gorgeous both against the landscape and up close. You can find the Pantheon, Temple of Apollo, Bristol High Cross, the bridge and the 200-year-old grotto. As soon as you get to one of these you see something on the other side of the lake so want to go back over to explore again.


One thing that you won’t get from my words or photographs is the smells. I wonder when the scientist will finally work out smellogram. There is so many flowers, huge touch the cloud style trees (oak, birch, Laurel)and a vast collection of Rhododendrons.  We even saw a ghost or handkerchief tree which had flowers (or leaves!) that looked like white handkerchiefs. My better half also made friends with some confident ducks and ducklings.

               King Alfred’s tower is just down the road from Stourhead (still on the same estate) and it’s a commanding structure. On the weekends/bank holidays, you can climb to the top. I thought I was fit but those stairs were a killer!! Getting to the top was a huge reward as you could see for MILES! We could see Glastonbury Tor and all over the Wiltshire/Somerset fields. It was one of those moments when you realise just how big the world around you is.

I can’t recommend Stourhead enough and I really can’t wait to return later in the year to see it in the autumn. It’s a truly lovely place and my only regret would be that we didn’t take a picnic (so make sure you do!)  to sit and have lunch in style. Obviously, I would have also liked a Mr Darcy style man to come out of the water,  wet white shirt and looking all brooding but that might have been asking a bit much.

Stourhead is located in Wiltshire. For a day pass it is £17.60 for an adult and £44 for a family. Both of these prices include gift aid. There is also a charge at the car park however if you are members it is free. The house is open from 9-6 and King Alfred’s tower has limited opening houses (and a small charge). More details can be found here https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead

Like this property then you should also check out these places in and around the South West.

Montacute House

North Devon

Jurassic Coast

Somerset

Newark Park
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