Nature & Culture - Between glaciers & lava!

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will take part in environmental projects in two different beautiful locations; preparing them for the summer.

The first week volunteers will be marking, building and maintaining walking paths and doing some painting work. One of the projects is to build up a pool around a natural hot spring. Further tasks will be tidying and beautifying the area by laying turf and cleaning the playground for children, the camping site and surroundings.

During the second week volunteers will be planting trees and maintaining hiking trails. We will also help to set up a playground for children, paint houses and prepare the opening of a summer market. During the so called “Black smiths days” volunteers will assist in courses held by the locals and also have the possibility to participate. Additional tasks for the group are related to building an old style workshop in the area; where people will have the opportunity to see and try how blacksmiths used to work in the past.

ACCOMMODATION: During the first week SEEDS volunteers will stay in cabins with common kitchen facilities and bathrooms. Each cabin can house two people. In the second week the group will stay in a local school with mattresses on the floor; the school has all facilities available. Please bring your own sleeping bag. The group is responsible for cooking and cleaning activities.

LOCATION: The first week takes place in the Western part of Iceland, in a unique natural pearl with breathtaking landscape, between glaciers and lava fields. The place is like an oasis in the desert, as the weather is often better than in the surroundings.

The place is a dream for hikers, walking paths and trails spread around in all directions, beautiful waterfalls and one of the best known caves in Iceland is nearby. Every weekend there is a bon-fire in the nearby camping area where visitors meet, sing, play games and enjoy the company. Among the natural wonders around are the Hraunfossar waterfalls, where water comes out from a lava field over a length of 1 km, placed in a setting of birch-wood and Surtshellir (Surt's Cave) is in the Hallmundarhraun lava field, which is among the best known and deepest in Iceland.

The second week takes place in the North West of the country, where one of the most famous Icelandic sagas took place, an area rich in history where Viking battled for power and justice. Today it is a more peaceful place, with its basalt cliffs and hot springs. The land is rich in geothermal water used to heat up houses in the surrounding towns. Rivers and fishing lakes are in the area so it is a popular destination for many travellers.

LANGUAGE: English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

STUDY THEME: This workcamp has an educational/awareness-rising approach to environmental, nature-protection and sustainable development topics. Apart from the leader, we will have an environmental messenger, a person dedicated to organising and developing fun, interactive and educational activities within the project.

TERMINAL: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. SEEDS organises the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to both the camps and vice-versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 100. Volunteers applying for this project should have a motivation for working outdoors. The volunteers will have access to the geothermal swimming pools in both locations.

This combination of two places will give volunteers the opportunity to visit two beautiful places of the country, get to know different popular historical and geographical areas in Iceland.

AGE: 18+