A volcanic eruption stopped me visiting the Blue Lagoon – but I still had a proper Icelandic spa experience

I feared my birthday trip would be left in tatters – but it was still incredible (Picture: Sian Elvin / Chris McKeon)

Less than two weeks before my dream trip to Iceland – for my 30th birthday, nonetheless – a rather large threat to my holiday quite literally exploded.

‘The volcano has erupted!’ I heard my boyfriend exclaim from the other room, just as I was getting ready for bed.

Urgh. After, of course, researching that everyone was safe and there was no huge damage as a result of the eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, I feared my birthday trip would be left in tatters.

It had been my wish to enter my next decade in a state of total relaxation, by spending time in a gorgeous Icelandic spa hundreds of miles away from home.

But as was well documented in the news, the most famous of Icelandic spas – the Blue Lagoon – was firmly set to be closed in the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster due to its proximity to the Fagradalsfjall volcano. So where could I fulfil my dream?

My partner, who is much more practically minded and positive than I am, was undeterred however, and set about finding alternatives so I was not disappointed.

A few days later we set off for the the snowy heights of Iceland – the furthest north in the world I have ever been. With plenty of thermals and thick coats in my suitcase, alongside my swimwear, we were prepared to lounge in sub-zero temperatures. I started to feel perhaps we were slightly mad.

We tried out the gorgeous geothermally heated pool in the spa of the hotel (Picture: Capn / Hilton)

It certainly didn’t feel like it was below zero degrees outside while we were in here (Picture: Capn / Hilton)

I stayed at the Iceland Parliament Hotel in Reykjavík, right in the city (Picture: Hilton)

After a wonderfully busy first day exploring the capital city of Reykjavík – which included admiring the views from the top of the Hallgrímskirkja cathedral and sampling kleina doughnuts from a local bakery – I started to feel a pull towards relaxation.

We were staying at the Iceland Parliament Hotel right in the city, so we headed back and hit its spa in the basement of the hotel. Inviting and cosy, with a real lit fire and clean pale furnishings, I knew it would be the perfect hideaway from the cold Icelandic climate outside.

A couple of hours later we’d enjoyed sitting in the geothermally heated pool, which was pleasantly warm, but not too hot, and almost dozing off by the fire. I wasn’t brave enough however to try the cold mist and rain room, which was a bit like an alternate steam room. It was far too cold outside for that, so I stuck with the sauna instead.

To continue the relaxing vibes we spent a cosy night in the hotel. The restaurant, overlooking Austurvöllur Square and the country’s parliament, offered a very leisurely evening with us spending two-and-a-half hours enjoying a long dinner over a clarified Negroni followed by a glass of red wine. I enjoyed smoked venison unusually accompanied by blueberries, the most beautifully-tender fillet of Icelandic lamb and a rhubarb crumble to finish. We then tipsily stumbled to bed in our warm and comfortable room, softly lit by a corner lamp with views into the dark, chilly night sky over the city.

I tried a tender fillet of Icelandic lamb and a glass of red wine (Picture: Chris McKeon)

The smoked venison with blueberries was delicious and unusual (Picture: Sian Elvin)

The rhubarb crumble was delicious (Picture: Sian Elvin)

The leisurely evening ended in our cosy hotel room (Picture: Sian Elvin)

The geothermal vibes of the hotel were delightful but we craved more – in strong contrast to the warm water, we wanted to see the freezing temperatures create the steamy, dreamy Instagram photo opportunity I desired. So the only other thing for it was to head to one of the remaining open lagoons in Iceland.

After considerable research we landed on the Secret Lagoon in Fluðir, around a two-hour drive from Reykjavík. It does require a car to access it, but as we’d decided to rent a Jeep and drive around the Golden Circle to prevent us from spending a fortune on a tour it was a no-brainer – the lagoon was very close to the other attractions.

The Secret Lagoon is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, and is known locally as Gamla Laugin. Created in 1891 in the geothermal area of Hverahólmi, it relies on a continuous flow of natural, sulfur-rich water from the hot springs in the region, and consistently stays at 38°C to 40°C. It’s essentially self-cleaning as it only takes 24 hours to complete its cycle.

The Secret Lagoon in Fluðir is around a two-hour drive from Reykjavík (Picture: Chris McKeon)

It is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, and was created in 1891 (Picture: Sian Elvin)

It is quite a lot smaller than the Blue Lagoon, yet quite a lot cheaper – around £20 compared to around £50 (although entry to the Blue Lagoon includes a drink and a mud mask). The Blue Lagoon, despite its fame, is not actually supplied by natural hot springs. Its milky blue water is actually a byproduct from a nearby geothermal power plant – but is also mineral rich.

In the Secret Lagoon there are 90°C to 100°C hot springs at the back of the pool which are very clearly labelled and sectioned off, and visitors are told not to go close to them under any circumstances. You can rent a towel and pay for a waterproof pocket for your phone at the reception desk, and after you’ve changed you must shower naked before entering the lagoon, because it isn’t chlorinated. If you’re also concerned about the horror stories claiming Iceland lagoon water dries out people’s hair, simply pin yours up and keep it above the surface like I did. It was absolutely fine following a good wash with shampoo and conditioner the next day.

With all that admin completed, I slipped into my swimsuit and scurried out into the snow, where temperatures were at a low of -6°C. I slid into the steamy water as quickly as possible and it was glorious. It was markedly different from a swimming pool, with a gravelly, uneven floor and hotter areas of the lagoon than others due to the geothermal activity.

The steamy water was at 38°C to 40°C and absolutely glorious (Picture: Sian Elvin)

I left the Secret Lagoon feeling relaxed, revived and refreshed (Picture: Sian Elvin)

We spent a good couple of hours chatting, sitting on ledges or steps and moving around to find cooler or hotter areas. We even did a lap around the outside of the lagoon to contrast the cold directly with the hot, as that is said to be good for boosting circulation.

We emerged later that afternoon glowing and relaxed – a feeling which remained for the rest of the day.

But unbeknown to me, knowing I wanted the full Icelandic spa experience, my boyfriend had booked the nearby Fluðir Hotel complete with hot tubs under the stars.

After dinner we headed back outside into the cold to enjoy a drink while sat in the warm water, when just a few minutes later a stunning fireworks display started in the sky above us to mark the end of the Christmas season, which is 13 days long in Iceland. It is a moment I’ll never forget.

Of course I would have visited the Blue Lagoon had it been open, but do I feel like I missed out? No.

And I do I feel like I had the full Icelandic spa experience? Absolutely.

READ MORE: A huge volcano in Iceland finally erupted – but it won’t be the last

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I feared my birthday trip would be left in tatters, but I was wrong.