Eruptions, earthquakes, floods and blizzards are a fact of life in Iceland, where the self-reliant local people enjoy the everyday benefits rather than dwelling on its potential dangers
MILLIONS OF travellers were left stranded this week because of a cloud of volcanic ash in the upper atmosphere. But what of the Icelandic people who live with the threat of natural disaster every day? Iceland is positioned directly above a rift between two tectonic plates and volcanoes, earthquakes, blizzards, floods and mudslides are an accepted part of daily life. The locals are incredibly sanguine about the perils of living in such a volatile place, and a stoical acceptance of things beyond their control is a typical Icelandic trait.
“Icelanders don’t see the landscape as a threat,” says Einar Torfi Finnsson, marketing director of Icelandic Mountain Guides. “Statistically, it is more dangerous to drive on the main road. We live on a volcanic island and regular eruptions are just a part of life. It’s impossible to think about the danger every day.”
For Finnsson, and many other Icelanders, the landscape is also a source of income. “People don’t come to Iceland to see castles and medieval paintings. Nature is the draw. And for Icelanders too, the land is everything.” An appreciation of wide open spaces and a love of the outdoors are at the nation’s heart and this desire for space can make Icelanders seem aloof. In reality, the ability of the landscape to wreak havoc on its people, the harsh climate and isolation from mainland Europe have made Icelanders thick-skinned and self-reliant. The tight-knit Icelandic community copes well in difficult circumstances and does not like to be told what to do.
"Icelanders are opportunists," explains Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir, web editor at Iceland Review. "We have to act before reflecting on situations because we have to do what we can, while we can. Traditionally we were a nation of fishermen and farmers, and a window in the harsh weather meant you worked while you could."
Today, fishing is still the country’s biggest industry but there has been a significant shift in population from rural to urban areas and, with it, a change in attitude. The land is now seen as a spectacular place for recreation rather than as a brutal place to work. There has been a big increase in the number of summer cottages being built in the countryside, and partying hard and living life to the full during the short summer months is a huge part of the Icelandic lifestyle.
“It’s exciting to live in a place that is still being shaped by nature. The country is alive in a way,” continues Arnarsdóttir. “The landscape is always changing, and those things that are a threat are also an attraction. Iceland had record-breaking numbers of foreign visitors after the first eruptions in March.”
The volatile landscape also brings other benefits. Geothermal activity means Icelanders enjoy some of the cheapest energy rates in Europe, and practically every town in the country has its own outdoor swimming pool with saunas and hot tubs. Outdoor bathing is an important part of life and the hot tubs are a social hub of the community, a place where politics, current events and local gossip are discussed.
In many ways the Icelandic landscape gives as much as it takes and the local people enjoy its everyday benefits rather than dwelling on its potential dangers. The only problem is that no one can predict how things will go. “No living Icelanders have experienced a major eruption,” says Arnarsdóttir. “Despite all our technology, you just never know what’s going to happen. This eruption has the potential to cause major destruction and wipe out farmers’ livelihoods but you’ve just got to live one day at a time”
