1) There were once a lot more trees in Iceland!

When the first Viking settlers came to Iceland 1100 years ago, the island was a lot more forested. These were cut down to build homes and boats. Iceland is finding it hard to regrow their forests because of the harsh weather and because of the sheep which graze all over the island causing erosion and making it difficult for trees to establish.

The landscape of Iceland includes a lot of wide open spaces, windy barren vistas, the evidence of volcanoes like old lava fields, black beaches, geothermal areas, geysers, waterfalls and moss. It’s so unusual, distinctive and in parts, truly spectacular.