The Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik, Iceland

After a lot of travelling I needed a day to relax, Icelandic style, so I visited the geothermal spa, The Blue Lagoon .

Arriving at the lava fields was a an experience in itself, walkways had been cut in to towering piles of the igneous rock and past lakes of steaming water.

An underwater volcano heated the water, the steam rising from it at the right of the photo, and the heavy mineral deposits gave the rocks lining the pool a smooth, white finish. The sunken bar, to the left, was where I collected my drink – strawberry wine- and volcano scrub.

After an hour or two in the water I went to the Lava Restaurant to sample some Icelandic food.

Mussels to start

Catfish with celeriac, sprouts and mushrooms for the main

Creme Brulee with mango sorbet to finish

Above Lava, there is a viewing platform offering a superb view over the Lagoon and the lava fields and a quiet place to relax until the time comes to leave.