15/08
ShareMoving plates
As well as talking to people wherever we go, we’ve been seeking out the most dramatic points in the landscape that demonstrate the fault line.
Nowhere are the two plates that have created Iceland more obvious and the geography more tangible than at Thinvellir, which is precariously situated on the actual plate boundary. Here the two plates are exposed in all their glory – the North American plate and European plate tearing away from each other at a rate of 2mm per year.
In Viking times, the Alping used to convene annually here, right in the middle of the two plates to recite the law and have festivals, much like our own with music, beer and food.
As you can see, it is quite touristic but in a good way. The Icelanders themselves visit this site regularly and walking down the middle is quite an experience.
Shortly after this we visited another site where there is a bridge over the two continents. A few seconds walk takes you from one continent to the other:
One Response to “Moving plates”
mel on 22/08/2010 at 9:09 am said :
It makes you want to go and have a look yourself.