Moments In Sound

If you walk east along shore from Reykjavík Harbour eventually you will come to an area called Laugarnes. There is a lovely shore walk and the Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum. This is where I often head out for walk, it's a brilliant spot to watch the impressive mountains across the from the city and the fresh air is perfect for clearing the head. Further to the east is Viðey Ferry Terminal which is an industrial area - you will hear the Ferry passing in this episode. This shore walk is a little urban nature oasis that is on the Icelandic Nature Conservation Register. Although there is nothing left of it now, there used to be a leper hospital here, followed by a military barracks, but now it's mostly just grass and nature. If you're lucky you might also meet the local cat who looks a bit like Sylvester and loves to hunt for mice in the grass.

A common fact you often hear about Iceland is how there are no trees here. It's not quite true, you will find many nature reserves these days where trees have been planted and thrive. As you drive around the country you will find many public walking trails that take you through lovely little forests most commonly with pine and birch trees. I discovered one such one in South Iceland and I love to visit there when I'm in the area. Many of the trees here were planted about 60 years ago and are quite tall and mature.

One rainy afternoon I sat on a dirt trail next to the moss and amongst the beautiful fir trees in Sogið Nature Preserve in South Iceland. I watched and listened to rain as it dropped onto the leaves around me. Sitting in the forest rain is an experience I highly recommend.

It was difficult to record for very long because protecting the recorder from the rain would have introduced acoustic noises from my jacket or umbrella which I didn't want to do. Even though we were far away from the road, you can still hear the car tyres occasionally in the distance.

This episode was recorded in real time as we left Nauthúsagil Waterfall, walking through the canyon, along a stream and down the gravel path to our car. It is an absolutely magnificient spot and we enjoyed it in the height of summer on a sunny day.

Krýsuvík is a geothermal and volcanic area in the south west of Iceland. It is boasts a beautiful and varied volcanic landscape and recently we experienced quite a large earthquake which was felt by all in Reykjavík and the epicentre was in this area. Earlier in the summer I found a stream and I enjoyed walking slowly along it and observing how the sound changes, it is quite percussive in some ways.

This afternoon we went for a walk to Vesturbær in downtown Reykjavík. It's a beautiful spot by the sea, it is also more or less the end of the runway for the domestic airport. It's a lovely little neighbourhood and there is a beautiful seaside footpath that takes you all around the coastline of Reykjavík. We had a pretty mild afternoon, with not much wind, so I took the opportunity to record and enjoy the sound of the sea and the incoming tide.

Residents of Reykjavik love to visit Lake Tjörnin to see the resident swans, geese, ducks, seagulls, pigeons and various other birds. Many like to bring their children to feed the birds on the weekends. I happened to be strolling past on a rainy weekday recently to witness some bird feeding - I'm not sure it is really healthy for the birds - but it is always quite relaxing to observe them all together. The bird dynamics on the lake are fascinating.

I woke up this Sunday morning to the beautiful sound of birds playing in the rowan trees outside and flying all across the city. I believe the birds are starlings, there are many of them about at the moment. You can also hear the sounds of my neighbourhood in downtown Reykjavik. Planes flying overhead from the nearby domestic airport, residents popping in and out of the local bakery, cars quietly driving past, possibly the howls of a cat (we have many gorgeous cats in this city), the bark of a dog, someone unlocking a rental scooter and the glorious bells of Hallgrimskirkja.

Hallgrimskirkja is a famous church and one of the tallest structures in Iceland. At 74.5m tall, it sits proudly at the top of a hill in Reykjavik and can be seen from all around the city. It is one of the must see sights for anyone visiting Iceland, you can also go to the top of the church tower to get the most amazing views of the city and the mountains beyond.

I decided to share this episode with you on the same day of recording, because it felt very special. As travel is very restricted for all of us at the moment, it's nice to share sounds from other places.

What sounds do you hear on a Sunday morning around your home and neighbourhood?

This week I took a walk through downtown Reykjavik. After several weeks of rain, it was a joy to be out in the sunshine. The leaves have started to turn golden and autumn has begun. As I walked along, there was very excited and joyful birdsong coming from the trees in someone's garden. I could have sat there listening all afternoon, except that it was rather cold despite the sun. The streets here don't always sound this beautifully instrumental so it was a really lucky moment to stumble upon. It was like listening to diamonds glistening in the sunlight.

This episode is a celebration of sunny, breezy afternoons. I left the sound recorder once again outside the summer cottage to capture the gentle rustling of the leaves dancing in the breeze. I find it fascinating that the wind itself doesn't necessarily make any noise, it is the moment it meets an object in its path that creates the noise. Different trees, different leaves, will make different sounds. So this episode is dedicated to just that.

Geysir is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Iceland. Located on the Golden Circle route, this geothermal landscape attracts thousands of people each year. Strokkur is the main, active geysir, as the original one is now dormant. Water can reach as high as 30m and tends to come at roughly 10 minute intervals.