We were on the road earlier than usual and headed for one last waterfall en route to the capital. It was a bit of a detour but we had time and this waterfall is somewhat unique compared to others we had visited.

Hraunfossar (‘Lava Falls’ in English) is a series of waterfalls that burst from the lava field in tiny rivulents to join the Hvítá river below. Like everywhere in Iceland it is a geologically fascinating area containing many caves and allegedly has also been the home to bandits and trolls 😉

 

In direct contrast, a short walk away is Barnafoss, a raging torrent in a narrow canyon and said to have a tragic past.

 

On a schedule today we regretfully had to forego the inviting looking cafe here and entered our destination into the GPS which yielded interesting results. Google told us it was only 80 minutes but didn’t tell us most of that was gravel (it probably did but we paid no heed LOL) 

We were headed for Hvammsvik Hot Springs where we had an early afternoon booking and sadly  because of our deadline we hardly stopped for photos but suffice to say it was stunning scenery and I think we saw one other car the whole way.

 

Iceland has some of the best hot springs and geothermal pools in the world and the Hvammsvik Hot Springs are no exception, distinguishing themselves from other hot springs by combining a spa experience with bathing in nature.

There are eight geothermal pools ringed by rocks on the shore of Hvalfjordur and surrounded by rolling hills enabling a hot spring experience and/or a cold plunge in the sea of the fjord. Unfortunately our booking coincided with low tide and although some were wading out to swim the only way I think I could have done the cold plunge was if they were very close to each other.

 

We tried all of the pools (varying temperatures) before finding a favourite next to the ‘swim up’ bar and enjoying our complimentary drink.

 We were showered, dressed and on our way to Reykjavik by mid afternoon and eventually found our hotel which turned out to be in a great location for pedestrians but a little more challenging to access with a car… After a few trips around the block ( including the ONLY time in our whole trip I drove down the wrong side of the road) we found the back entrance, parked in the disabled car park (by then I was) and quickly unloaded the car in order to then find the car rental office and return it.

It was a brisk 30 minute walk back from the drop off as we had a very important date for dinner. Through the power of Facebook we had discovered some weeks earlier that some friends from Adelaide were in Scandinavia, a few messages were exchanged and by a lucky coincidence we discovered that we were all in Reykjavik at the same time for two nights!

 

Bernie and Helen had scoped out the restaurants and booked us a lovely spot where we had a very convivial dinner and caught up on each other’s travels (and lives, it’s been awhile 😥) Thanks guys!

 

Despite the ‘stiff competition’ Reykjavik had lots more to offer and we tried to cram in as much as our one day allowed.

Lots of street art …

 

We visited the excellent Flyover Iceland attraction:                (where photography is not allowed)

“You will hang suspended, feet dangling, before a 20-metre spherical screen while our film whisks you away on an exhilarating journey across Iceland. Special effects, including wind, mist and scents, combine with the ride’s motion to create an unforgettable experience.”  (and a little bit of nausea 🤣)

 

At 4.30 pm though we were waiting outside the waterside, award winning Harpa Concert Hall to join our award winning Reykjavik Foodie Tour!

 

We joined eight other food enthusiasts for a three hour, ‘restaurant hopping’ walk around the city, trying a different food experience in all five venues.

I can see why it is rated so highly. It was a really enjoyable evening where we tried everything from fermented shark (an acquired taste) to reindeer hotdogs (a taste quickly acquired) in the good company of people from several different nations and our fearless leader whose name I have forgotten. I highly recommend it if ever you visit.

Next, Norway ❤

Leaving Myvatn Lake we had a 500 km drive in front of us, easily our longest day trip and the weather  gods finally decided to desert us. Intermittent rain accompanied us the whole way, not a disaster as we had too far to travel to stop and sightsee anyway, the route taking us basically across the top of the island to western Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is often nicknamed “Iceland in Miniature” due to the wealth and diversity of natural features found there. The geographical history of the Snaefellsnes peninsula is rooted in volcanic activity, there are both active and dormant volcanoes and lava flows from numerous previous eruptions have created a varied landscape, including vast lava fields covered in moss and vegetation.

 

 

Our destination was windswept Hótel Búðir and some how I never got a decent photo of it. I’ve borrowed one from their website so that you can see how stunning the location really is …

 

You can see in the left of the photo above the famous and much photographed black church – Budakirkja.

 The question of where to site the Church back in the early 1700s is interesting. It was allegedly decided by a wise old woman.

She advised that … “three arrows should be taken, one of which should be marked. A man would then spin until he felt dizzy before firing all three arrows and that the church should be built where the marked arrow landed …

… This original Budakirkja was a turf church that later fell into disuse and was eventually demolished. The current Budakirkja, built in 1848, stands as a reconstruction. It was painted black because the exterior wood is coated in pitch, a common practice in the past to protect the wood from the harsh Icelandic weather.”

 

We only had two nights at Hotel Budir so only one full day on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and one of the reasons we had come here was for me to ride an Icelandic horse.

Whats the big deal about riding an Icelandic horse you may ask? Well my horsey friends won’t ask because they know 😉

The Icelandic horse is quite unique. The breed has developed from horses brought to Iceland in the 9th century by Vikings and natural selection has led to the overall hardiness and disease resistance of the breed; the harsh Icelandic climate likely eliminated many weaker horses early on due to exposure and malnourishment, with only the strongest passing on their genes. For hundreds of years importation of any horses into Iceland has been forbidden in order to protect the purity of the breed and indeed even if an Icelandic horse leaves it cannot return.

In addition to walk, trot, and canter/gallop, typical of other horse breeds, many Icelandic horses can also do the tölt (ambling gait) and the flying pace. The tölt is unique as there is no suspension phase – the horse always has a hoof on the ground – so it is incredibly smooth, much smoother than the trot or canter.

Because of tide times I had booked my ride at 12 noon – not the most convenient time but they ride on the beach at low tide – so we headed out in the morning to see what we could squeeze in.

 

We made it as far as the little fishing village of Arnstapi, famous for its dramatic coastline and basalt formations. We heard and smelled the raucous bird colony before we saw them and grabbed a few photos before the rain became more insistent again.

 

The history of Arnarstapi is deeply intertwined with the sagas which are interesting in themselves.

Heading back to change for my ride the weather looked like it might be fining up and leaving Russell with a good book I drove to the farm of Stori-Kambur. I was met by a lovely young lady named Molly from Finland who was here on a working holiday and would be my guide for the ride. 

She introduced me to Kráka, my horse for the afternoon, which translates to ‘crow’ in English, I’m guessing because of her dark colour.

We had no sooner head off down the track toward the sea and it pelted down, horizontal sleet coming straight into our faces. Neither Molly, me nor our mounts were much impressed, all of us ducking our heads but it was relatively brief and then the sun came out.

We had our first tölt, (incredibly smooth) the wind lifting Kráka’s voluminous mane, sand and water flying and I was a happy girl!

 

Thanking Molly and Kráka, back to the hotel I went, somewhat waterlogged but exhilarated and keen to tell Russell all about it.

 

This route eventually delivered us to the north coast of the peninsular and the little village of Hellissandur, once a fishing village but now more of a tourist hub and well known for its street art murals. The weather was slightly better here and we had a stroll around town admiring the artwork of which there was plenty.

 

We passed the impressive Hellissandur Longwave Radio Mast which is one of the tallest structures in Europe and didn’t stop for photos, instead continuing on toward Mount Kirkjufell.

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss (it’s nearby waterfall) are both named because of the “steeple like” shape of the mountain (kirk = church) which is one of Iceland’s most photographed mountains so definitely on our itinerary 😉

Miraculously we even began to see little patches of blue in the sky above as we turned into the busy car park.

 

 

Having spent quite a while here it was getting close to dinner time so we headed on toward the village of Grundarfjordur which we could see in the distance. Russell did some googling and discovered a likely spot for dinner so we thought we’d try our luck at Bjargarsteinn Mathús.

 

As I was driving and Iceland have a zero alcohol policy I had to settle for the Icelandic Summer (no alcohol version) cocktail which was delicious and we came away well pleased with ourselves. It was far superior to the meal we had had the night before at Hotel Búðir.

We drove home under this sky, what a contrast to the beginning of the day.

 

Tomorrow we move on to Reykjavik with a bath on the way…

Most of you know that I spent many hours researching this trip and in particular, Iceland. One of the waterfalls that I came across that I was really keen to visit was Aldeyjarfoss and in fact this plan actually dictated which car we hired for Iceland.

To visit Aldeyjarfoss one has to traverse a short section of designated ‘F’ road. An F road is typically an unpaved, mountainous road that leads to the interior of this beautiful country. They are usually gravel or rocky and often require 4 x4 vehicles and many include river crossings and other ‘challenging conditions.’ 

All of the rental car companies strictly forbid driving on F roads unless you have rented an 4×4 or in some cases an AWD. I had specifically requested a Suzuki Vitara or similar class as this was AWD and allowed by our rental company on F roads, we had been given a Mitsubishi Eclipse AWD so all good to go.

 

 

After about 40 kms we came across a gate leading onto a farm and then another one before we came across a sign indicating we were now entering mountain road F – 26. The road was rough but easily managed by the Eclipse and it was only a few kms before we came to the car park for Aldeyjarfoss.

 

When I was writing this blog I came across a post on a Kayaking website:

“Aldeyjarfoss is Iceland’s most famous waterfall in kayaking circles, and for a few years held the Guiness World Record for the highest free-fall in a kayak. It has only been paddled by a handful of kayakers and is renowned for dishing out serious beatings including broken bones… Aldeyjarfoss remains at the very margins of navigability.” Kayak Session Magazine.”

Yep, I’d agree.

Heading back along the valley we thought we’d stop for lunch by the river but soon changed our minds when we were met with large numbers of very friendly midges and instead stopped at the picnic tables at Godafoss where I presume the wind kept them away.

We rounded out the afternoon with a visit to Dimmuborgir.

Dimmuborgir – the “Dark Fortress” – is a large area of unusually shaped lava fields. The area is composed of various volcanic caves and rock formations, reminiscent of an ancient collapsed citadel (hence the name) and there are many walking trails leading to various different features. 

 

A short drive away we found Grjótagjá. Grjótagjá is a lava cave featuring a small, vivid blue lake fed by a thermal spring. Currently it is too hot for swimming but it did inspire the famous scene between Jon Snow and Ygritte.  Mance Rayder also held his wildling army in Dimmuborgir (above) so this area featured quite prominently in Game of Thrones.

Myvatn lake was created as a result of a massive basaltic eruption, and as a result is now home to incredible geological features as well as a wealth of flora and fauna. The latter is largely due to the shallow depth of the lake and the the abundance of what Myvatn translates to – midges. 

Our hotel was sited in an elevated position overlooking the lake and we weren’t too bothered by these tiny nuisances until a couple of days later where we encountered them lakeside in black masses 🤔

We based ourselves here in order to explore the Diamond Circle, a popular route in the north eastern part of Iceland.

There was no time for a sleep in on our first morning as we had a 45 minute drive almost due north to Húsavík for our whale watching tour starting at 9 am.

Húsavík is a pretty town overlooking Skjálfandi Bay and is actually the oldest settlement in Iceland. It is widely known as the ‘whale capital’ of Europe as up to 23 species of whale, including the Blue Whale, as well as large colonies of puffins can be found in or around the bay.

We were booked on one of the classic wooden boats which is now electric powered ensuring a quieter experience for both the passengers and the whales.

 

To be honest if we hadn’t seen any whales it would have been a great day out, the scenery was beautiful.

The captain of our boat was in constant communication with other boats in the area and so had the heads up on where the action was taking place. 

 

We did see lots of whale action after that but no more breaching unfortunately.

 

We had a little look around town (and I wished we had time for the cliff top geothermal spa) but we had priorities for the afternoon that firstly included getting Russell’s glasses repaired and we thought the large town of Akureyri might be the place for that.

We found the opticians easily and they fixed them on the spot, I posted Debbie’s postcard that had been in my bag for a week and soon we were back on the road toward Goðafoss.

With its close proximity to the road this waterfall attracts tour buses by the dozen but luckily has a large viewing area with room for everyone to get a good shot (with a little patience LOL)

Leaving the glaciers behind for now, the next day saw us driving further east aiming to have lunch at spectacular Stokknes beach overlooked by the dramatically beautiful Vestrahorn.

Photographers consult tide times, weather charts and wind speed in order to be here for the perfect reflective shot but somehow with beginner’s luck we managed to time it pretty well 😊                    (image featured above)

 

We spent longer than intended getting the ‘money’ shot at the beach as there were two very dramatically dressed ladies hogging the best position and their (presumably) husbands taking endless photos 🤣

Eventually we drove down a little further toward the lighthouse and ate our picnic on the rocks overlooking the waves. What a spot …

 

En route we stopped in the village of Djúpivogur. Its very pretty harbour was home to a couple of cruise ships on the day but (as well as a toilet stop) I was particularly interested in the “Eggin í Gleðivík” installation, the work of Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson. It depicts the different eggs of 34 nesting birds in the area and was really interesting, some eggs nearly round and others very elongated, who knew?

 

With no bridges in this part of Iceland (actually not that many anywhere in Iceland) despite the village being relatively close as the crow flies, it took us nearly three hours on Highway 1 tracking in and out of multiple fjords and inlets. Beautifully scenic but quite tiring and I was glad when we reached Fáskrúðsfjörður and checked into Fosshotel Eastfjords. Housed in four buildings with rich histories dating from 1898 to 1907, they were originally designed for French fishermen and the main reception building was once the French hospital, constructed in 1903.

 

I was super excited for the next day’s itinerary.

Remember I told you back in the Faroe Islands blog that the ‘lake above the sea’ was one of the reasons I wanted to visit the Faroes? Well an image of Stuðlagil Canyon was definitely one of the instigators for visiting Iceland.

As stunning as Stuðlagil Canyon now is, it was only physically revealed relatively recently when water from the river was diverted to power an aluminium smelter which reduced flow in the canyon from approximately 205 m³/s to around 95 m³/s. As a result, large portions of the canyon previously submerged were revealed, and the river changed from a muddy brown to a clearer turquoise hue.

It remained unknown to the general public until 2016, when an Icelandic photographer and travel writer Einar Páll Svavarsson visited the site, photographed it, and wrote the first comprehensive article.  It eventually made it to various social media and it is now on every photographer’s hit list with good reason.

 

Getting back on the road our route turned more north westerly as we tracked toward Dettifoss, reputably the second most ‘powerful’ waterfall  (water flow multiplied by its fall distance)  in Europe after the Rhine Falls in Switzerland.

With impressive stats  – 100 metres wide and a drop of 44 metres – we were excited to get there and my research had directed us to the eastern side viewing this time. My source DID mention that the western side road WAS paved so we knew what we were in for when we set off on 38 kms of gravel LOL

It was a slow trip but the rewards were great, no tour buses and only a couple of other hardy souls had ventured this way.

Vatnajökull National Park which is where you have arrived, delivers plenty of rewards for braving the rough gravel road. We firstly drove past the turn off to Dettifoss for a couple of kilometres to a small car park where you get an awesome view of the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon and Hafragilsfoss waterfall (after braving a short section of road that looked and felt like a skiiing mogul course  🤣)

 

 

You can see the striking mix of waters here with the milky sediment-filled glacial run off being joined by the clear blue freshwater stream.

 

The short hike to Dettisfoss takes you almost to the edge and you could feel the earth rumbling such is the power on display here.

 

The gravel road seemed twice as long on return but once we reached Highway 1 again we only had about 30 minutes drive to our base for the next three nights, Fosshotel Myvatn – as the name would suggest –  overlooking the impressive Lake Myvatn.

Next, whales, midges, hot springs and yes, more waterfalls!