From Hofn we travelled to Djupivogur and then to our last site at Seydisfjordur. Djupivogur is a little seaside town where cruise ships anchor in the fjord. Maggie and Mike organise a cheese and wine evening and it is warm and dry enough to sit outside!
We travel on to Seydisfjordur over a high scenic pass. We had been over it on our first day but it had been foggy and we had no idea how high and steep the pass was!
After the staff of Smyril had changed plans several times we eventually boarded the ferry. Two nights at sea, pass the Shetland Islands, and a farewell buffet before leaving the tour in Denmark 🇩🇰.
Friday, 7 July 2017
The South Coast
The next few days see us travel along the coast staying at Seljalandfoss, Skaftafell and Hofn.
In many ways, this was the most varied and, for me, the best part of Iceland 🇮🇸.
We took a ferry to Heimaey Island, one of the Vestmannaeyjar, a group of islands famous for two events. A volcanic eruption in the 1960s saw the birth of a new island, Sertsey. Then, in 1973, another eruption lead to the evacuation of the only inhabited island, Heimaey. Part of the town and harbour were covered by lava.
A puffin walking round a museum in Heimaey.
At Seljalandfoss we were able to walk behind a huge waterfall.
Skaftafell is the visitor centre for the National Park. The huge glacier, Eyjafljalljokull, covers the mountains and creep down the valleys to the sea.
Lagoons form at the end of the glacier and icebergs break off and float in the lagoons, some making it to the beach.
Some areas of the coast are huge deserts of gravel from old volcanic eruptions.
At Hofn we have a lovely meal in a seafood restaurant with Douglas and Jeananne from Inverness. And we get the bikes out!
In many ways, this was the most varied and, for me, the best part of Iceland 🇮🇸.
We took a ferry to Heimaey Island, one of the Vestmannaeyjar, a group of islands famous for two events. A volcanic eruption in the 1960s saw the birth of a new island, Sertsey. Then, in 1973, another eruption lead to the evacuation of the only inhabited island, Heimaey. Part of the town and harbour were covered by lava.
A puffin walking round a museum in Heimaey.
At Seljalandfoss we were able to walk behind a huge waterfall.
Skaftafell is the visitor centre for the National Park. The huge glacier, Eyjafljalljokull, covers the mountains and creep down the valleys to the sea.
Dressed to party!
Icebergs
Lagoons form at the end of the glacier and icebergs break off and float in the lagoons, some making it to the beach.
Some areas of the coast are huge deserts of gravel from old volcanic eruptions.
At Hofn we have a lovely meal in a seafood restaurant with Douglas and Jeananne from Inverness. And we get the bikes out!
Thursday, 6 July 2017
More on Selfoss and Beyond
After a day in Reykjavik we travel a few miles to Hveragerdi where the new visitor centre is built over the rift in the tectonic plates - glass flooring lets you see into the rift. There is also a simulation of an earthquake.
We take a walk round the town but get wet in the rain. After a soup buffet we travel out into the country to see a Viking farmhouse. Unfortunately when we get near we find that you need a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get to it.
On the return to Selfoss we stop to walk round a historic village and go to a swimming pool where we get in for free (67 and over).
On our final day in Selfoss we do a tour of the peninsula, visiting seaside villages and geothermal plants and exhibitions.
We take a walk round the town but get wet in the rain. After a soup buffet we travel out into the country to see a Viking farmhouse. Unfortunately when we get near we find that you need a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get to it.
On the return to Selfoss we stop to walk round a historic village and go to a swimming pool where we get in for free (67 and over).
On our final day in Selfoss we do a tour of the peninsula, visiting seaside villages and geothermal plants and exhibitions.
Monday, 3 July 2017
To Selfoss and beyond
The road to Selfoss takes us to Thingvellir the ancient site for law making and settling of disputes. It is at a huge lake and the rift between the American and Eurasion tectonic plates. Lots of walks and waterfalls.
We travel on to Geyser where there is a geyser, and then on to Gellfoss where there are two waterfalls almost at right angles. Very spectacular!
We travel in to Selfoss to the campsite.
On Monday we are taken to Reykjavik by coach. The guide is quite amusing on the bus but less informative when showing us round the old centre.
Eventually left to our own devices we head to a recommended restaurant and have a seafood buffet. Very good. We spend the afternoon going to the cathedral, the museum and a few shops. I resist the temptation to buy a handmade, salmon skin belt at about £150.
We travel on to Geyser where there is a geyser, and then on to Gellfoss where there are two waterfalls almost at right angles. Very spectacular!
We travel in to Selfoss to the campsite.
On Monday we are taken to Reykjavik by coach. The guide is quite amusing on the bus but less informative when showing us round the old centre.
Eventually left to our own devices we head to a recommended restaurant and have a seafood buffet. Very good. We spend the afternoon going to the cathedral, the museum and a few shops. I resist the temptation to buy a handmade, salmon skin belt at about £150.
The lake at Thingvellir
And a waterfall
Monday, 26 June 2017
Borgdanes and onwards
We head south to Borgdanes, stopping briefly to see another waterfall and to check that Margaret is OK - stopped at the side of the road. She is!
We park up in Borgdanes and go to a restaurant for a drink, but decide to have fish soup for lunch. It arrives cold with raw fish. We complain and it gets sorted! It is good, and the bread is good too.
We visit the excellent Saga museum next door and wander to the library and museum before going to the campsite. Our pitch looks onto the fjord where a family of Shelducks with 24ish ducklings provides the entertainment.
The next day we drive to a hotel in Husafell where we join a few others on an adventure. We travel by bus up a gravel road to a glacier. We then board a huge, ex-NATO transporter and travel on the glacier up to a cave dug into the ice. We are given crampons to walk into the tunnel which takes a circular route. There are a couple of chapels. One is in compacted snow and has poor acoustics, and the other is in ice and has wonderful acoustics. The tunnel also crosses a huge crevasse in the glacier.
A fabulous experience.
Return to the site and have a meeting with cake and hot chocolate.
We park up in Borgdanes and go to a restaurant for a drink, but decide to have fish soup for lunch. It arrives cold with raw fish. We complain and it gets sorted! It is good, and the bread is good too.
We visit the excellent Saga museum next door and wander to the library and museum before going to the campsite. Our pitch looks onto the fjord where a family of Shelducks with 24ish ducklings provides the entertainment.
The next day we drive to a hotel in Husafell where we join a few others on an adventure. We travel by bus up a gravel road to a glacier. We then board a huge, ex-NATO transporter and travel on the glacier up to a cave dug into the ice. We are given crampons to walk into the tunnel which takes a circular route. There are a couple of chapels. One is in compacted snow and has poor acoustics, and the other is in ice and has wonderful acoustics. The tunnel also crosses a huge crevasse in the glacier.
A fabulous experience.
Return to the site and have a meeting with cake and hot chocolate.
Friday, 23 June 2017
A blur of days
From Hrafnagil (correct sp) we visited an unusual Russian style church before heading north and west via Akureyri. A lovely drive over the mountains and through 4 tunnels to Siglufordur where there is a very interesting Herring Museum and a fish and chip shop that also sells wet fish. We buy some Chard in a mango and curry sauce for tea.
When we reach Saudarkrokur the tannery has just closed - no new belt made by an artisan for me.
We reach the campsite at Blonduos and have a walk into town.
The following day we travel to Stykkisholmur. There are 3 suggested routes; 2 involve gravel roads which the site owner suggests are not in good condition, and not suitable for motorhomes.
We have a different plan - to go round a peninsula on a different gravel road and then join an 'official' route. We set off early to try this. It enables us to see seals and Eider Ducks with chicks, and then enjoy a lovely fish soup and rhubarb cake at a well known restaurant, before visiting a dinosaur rock formation and joining the official route again.
We stop a couple of times before the campsite to see an old bridge and 2 even older volcanic craters.
The next day we go to Grundarfjordur where a guided tour of the town (800 residents) has been arranged. It is led by a fisherman (1st mate on a trawler) who has just brought a new trawler from Turkey. His tour and talk is very interesting!
We travel on round the peninsula and then try to turn round to go back to see a maritime garden, but get stuck in gravel! Try as I might we cannot get out. Contact the breakdown company who tell me they do not cover Iceland (when I was specifically told they did !). Had to contact Mike and Maggie and they managed to contact a tourist information centre, who contacted breakdown service to tow us out. 1500 ISK!!!
Returned to campsite.
When we reach Saudarkrokur the tannery has just closed - no new belt made by an artisan for me.
We reach the campsite at Blonduos and have a walk into town.
The following day we travel to Stykkisholmur. There are 3 suggested routes; 2 involve gravel roads which the site owner suggests are not in good condition, and not suitable for motorhomes.
We have a different plan - to go round a peninsula on a different gravel road and then join an 'official' route. We set off early to try this. It enables us to see seals and Eider Ducks with chicks, and then enjoy a lovely fish soup and rhubarb cake at a well known restaurant, before visiting a dinosaur rock formation and joining the official route again.
We stop a couple of times before the campsite to see an old bridge and 2 even older volcanic craters.
The next day we go to Grundarfjordur where a guided tour of the town (800 residents) has been arranged. It is led by a fisherman (1st mate on a trawler) who has just brought a new trawler from Turkey. His tour and talk is very interesting!
We travel on round the peninsula and then try to turn round to go back to see a maritime garden, but get stuck in gravel! Try as I might we cannot get out. Contact the breakdown company who tell me they do not cover Iceland (when I was specifically told they did !). Had to contact Mike and Maggie and they managed to contact a tourist information centre, who contacted breakdown service to tow us out. 1500 ISK!!!
Returned to campsite.
Monday, 19 June 2017
Moving on from Myvatn
A lovely meal last night, Arctic Chard for starter and lamb for main. But, by were the drinks expensive!
Today was bright and warm (ish). Travelled over the mountains in the sunshine stopping off at God's waterfall and then going to a farmhouse built from turf. It was like a warren inside and looked like a row of houses on the outside. It was fully furnished. After stopping for lunch at the next village we travelled to the main town in the north of Iceland, Akureyri.
We visited the cathedral which has stained glass windows from the old Coventry cathedral and then went to the Botanical Gardens, small but perfectly formed!
After a visit to the unreasonably priced, state owned liquor store for necessities, we stopped off at the equally unreasonably priced Christmas shop, before arriving at the campsite at Hafrygil (sp).
Today was bright and warm (ish). Travelled over the mountains in the sunshine stopping off at God's waterfall and then going to a farmhouse built from turf. It was like a warren inside and looked like a row of houses on the outside. It was fully furnished. After stopping for lunch at the next village we travelled to the main town in the north of Iceland, Akureyri.
We visited the cathedral which has stained glass windows from the old Coventry cathedral and then went to the Botanical Gardens, small but perfectly formed!
After a visit to the unreasonably priced, state owned liquor store for necessities, we stopped off at the equally unreasonably priced Christmas shop, before arriving at the campsite at Hafrygil (sp).
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