Richard Chapman
Certified travel blogger
My blogs
When The Raven Flies | An Icelandic Classic Airing at Bio Paradise
With Avengers: Endgame, Detective Pikachu and ToyStory 4 making 2019 an explosive year for cinema, visiting a small, alternative theatre for an edgy foreign film or independent movie may not be the top of everyone’s agenda. With the current screening going on at Bío Paradís, however, anyone in Reykjavík would be quite amiss to overlook it. When the Raven Flies slipped past mainstream success after being snubbed from nomination for Best Foreign Film in the 1984 Oscars but developed a devoted following since. It has been voted the best Icelandic film of all time and is considered one of the g
The Best Icelandic Literature for a Non-Icelander
Having lived in Iceland for nearly four years now, I feel like I have managed to read quite a lot of the literature that has so vividly coloured this nation’s history. Icelanders, unlike much of the rest of the world, remember their writers and poets far more than any kings or warriors, so indulging in the nation’s poems, novels and sagas is an essential part of soaking up their culture. Of course, I have barely scratched the surface of what is out there. Icelanders write more books per capita than any other nation, and approximately one in ten Icelanders have a book of some form published.
Trekking in Iceland
Personally, I prefer sitting down to standing up, and lying down to sitting, so you can imagine where hiking rests on my list of favourite things to do. However, after four summers in Iceland, I had run out of excuses as to why I could not join some friends on a multi-day trekking tour through the Highlands. Don’t get me wrong; I adore the Icelandic Highlands; I’d been to Landmannalaugar on several occasions, although admittedly, I spent far longer in the hot springs than I had on the trails. I’d even taken a seven-hour-long trek along the Fimmvörðuháls Pass in my early years as a guide, in
The Drag Scene in Iceland
With around three-hundred thousand people and a national style that revolves around a coarsely knitted woollen sweater, you could be forgiven for thinking that drag culture in Iceland would not have a big presence. If you were to be talking about Iceland three years ago, you would be correct. Not any more. Since 2015, drag in Iceland has exploded, and today, it is one of the most recognised cultural scenes in the country; it can barely even be described as ‘up-and-coming’ any more, based on its quick and notable success. To help out a reader unfamiliar with drag culture, it is basicall
The Cliffs at Krysuvikurbjarg
The great stretch of cliffs at Krýsuvíkurbjarg are amongst the best bird-watching sites in Iceland; in summer, 60,000 residents nest within the sheer face, including favourites such as puffins and peewits. As we travelled there on a snowy, February morning, however, we knew that our experience of this place was going to be rather untraditional. Before I go on, I must emphasise: this is not a standard sightseeing location in winter. Firstly, most of the birds that call the cliff home are migratory, so you cannot expect to see the abundance of life that makes Krýsuvíkurbjarg famous. Secondly,
The Ruins of Selatangar
Looking across the rugged, desolate lava fields, to the angry, churning waters of the Atlantic Ocean, it is hard to believe that anyone could have lived at Selatangar. Yet from the middle ages to the late 19th Century, this stretch of beach was a popular hub during the region’s fishing season. Find Tours by Attraction here. As the nation started to industrialise, it was deserted, and the buildings that remained fell into disrepair; all that is left now are some crumbling ruins hidden amongst the rugged terrain, making it a haunting yet somehow bewitching location. I visited Selatangar
Brimketill on the Reykjanes Peninsula
There are hidden geological gems all around Iceland, places where volcanic activity and brutal exposure to the elements form the beautiful phenomena that make this country so unique. You can find hexagonal basalt columns; sea-arches and pillars; towering lava formations; and on the south side of the Reykjanes Peninsula, Brimketill. Carved by the pounding of waves against soft lava rock, Brimketill is a large, natural pool that sits at the bottom of a cliff at the ocean’s edge. In summer, it is a place of beauty and serenity; in winter, it becomes a place of dramatic wonder. I visited in
The enchantment of Óbyggðasetrið, the Wilderness Center
I’ve been in Iceland for three years, and spent over two of them as a tour guide; still, however, I am yet to visit the magnificent Highlands. As a lover of nature, it is a little shameful to admit, but I have fallen into the trap of only exploring the country from the Ringroad, without actually getting into the middle of it. My main excuse is that the highlands can seem a little inaccessible for a homebody like me. The trips I have been invited on were all multi-day hikes and camping excursions, and I have just not felt adventurous enough to put myself that far from my creature comforts.
My blogs
When The Raven Flies | An Icelandic Classic Airing at Bio Paradise
With Avengers: Endgame, Detective Pikachu and ToyStory 4 making 2019 an explosive year for cinema, visiting a small, alternative theatre for an edgy foreign film or independent movie may not be the top of everyone’s agenda. With the current screening going on at Bío Paradís, however, anyone in Reykjavík would be quite amiss to overlook it. When the Raven Flies slipped past mainstream success after being snubbed from nomination for Best Foreign Film in the 1984 Oscars but developed a devoted following since. It has been voted the best Icelandic film of all time and is considered one of the g
The Best Icelandic Literature for a Non-Icelander
Having lived in Iceland for nearly four years now, I feel like I have managed to read quite a lot of the literature that has so vividly coloured this nation’s history. Icelanders, unlike much of the rest of the world, remember their writers and poets far more than any kings or warriors, so indulging in the nation’s poems, novels and sagas is an essential part of soaking up their culture. Of course, I have barely scratched the surface of what is out there. Icelanders write more books per capita than any other nation, and approximately one in ten Icelanders have a book of some form published.
Trekking in Iceland
Personally, I prefer sitting down to standing up, and lying down to sitting, so you can imagine where hiking rests on my list of favourite things to do. However, after four summers in Iceland, I had run out of excuses as to why I could not join some friends on a multi-day trekking tour through the Highlands. Don’t get me wrong; I adore the Icelandic Highlands; I’d been to Landmannalaugar on several occasions, although admittedly, I spent far longer in the hot springs than I had on the trails. I’d even taken a seven-hour-long trek along the Fimmvörðuháls Pass in my early years as a guide, in
The Drag Scene in Iceland
With around three-hundred thousand people and a national style that revolves around a coarsely knitted woollen sweater, you could be forgiven for thinking that drag culture in Iceland would not have a big presence. If you were to be talking about Iceland three years ago, you would be correct. Not any more. Since 2015, drag in Iceland has exploded, and today, it is one of the most recognised cultural scenes in the country; it can barely even be described as ‘up-and-coming’ any more, based on its quick and notable success. To help out a reader unfamiliar with drag culture, it is basicall
The Cliffs at Krysuvikurbjarg
The great stretch of cliffs at Krýsuvíkurbjarg are amongst the best bird-watching sites in Iceland; in summer, 60,000 residents nest within the sheer face, including favourites such as puffins and peewits. As we travelled there on a snowy, February morning, however, we knew that our experience of this place was going to be rather untraditional. Before I go on, I must emphasise: this is not a standard sightseeing location in winter. Firstly, most of the birds that call the cliff home are migratory, so you cannot expect to see the abundance of life that makes Krýsuvíkurbjarg famous. Secondly,
The Ruins of Selatangar
Looking across the rugged, desolate lava fields, to the angry, churning waters of the Atlantic Ocean, it is hard to believe that anyone could have lived at Selatangar. Yet from the middle ages to the late 19th Century, this stretch of beach was a popular hub during the region’s fishing season. Find Tours by Attraction here. As the nation started to industrialise, it was deserted, and the buildings that remained fell into disrepair; all that is left now are some crumbling ruins hidden amongst the rugged terrain, making it a haunting yet somehow bewitching location. I visited Selatangar
Brimketill on the Reykjanes Peninsula
There are hidden geological gems all around Iceland, places where volcanic activity and brutal exposure to the elements form the beautiful phenomena that make this country so unique. You can find hexagonal basalt columns; sea-arches and pillars; towering lava formations; and on the south side of the Reykjanes Peninsula, Brimketill. Carved by the pounding of waves against soft lava rock, Brimketill is a large, natural pool that sits at the bottom of a cliff at the ocean’s edge. In summer, it is a place of beauty and serenity; in winter, it becomes a place of dramatic wonder. I visited in
The enchantment of Óbyggðasetrið, the Wilderness Center
I’ve been in Iceland for three years, and spent over two of them as a tour guide; still, however, I am yet to visit the magnificent Highlands. As a lover of nature, it is a little shameful to admit, but I have fallen into the trap of only exploring the country from the Ringroad, without actually getting into the middle of it. My main excuse is that the highlands can seem a little inaccessible for a homebody like me. The trips I have been invited on were all multi-day hikes and camping excursions, and I have just not felt adventurous enough to put myself that far from my creature comforts.
Photos by me
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