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A short but fine adventure by Bron Read more
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  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    1
    Day 1

    Walls of Orange Lava

    August 20, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    The 03: 15 taxi took us on a tour of central London on the way to Heathrow, the cost of fuel must now mean directness instead of saving time is the major consideration for cab drivers.

    The flight arrived in Reykjavik 5 mins early and I noticed it must be a little windy as the wind sock was horizontal. From landing we managed to get out of the airport, collect the car and be on our way in exactly an hour.

    First thing on my changed itinerary was to visit the Fagradalsfjall volcano which from the 3rd of August had started erupting and was spewing out impressive amounts of lava, I was so excited. The wind sock at the airport hadn't lied, BBC weather was saying the wind was 41mph for the rest of the morning. So into the teeth of the wind, across an exposed terrain, we headed off on a 4 mile hike, climbing about 300m along the way. The wind and terrain meant it took 2hrs to reach the volcano, tired but expectant we got over the final ridge only to find the volcano putting it's feet up and having a fag. Instead of a wall of bright orange lava being pumped into the air it was just pumping out white smoke, I was so disappointed.

    Despite being tired, the wind blew us back to the car 20 mins quicker than it had taken to get there. Now I just had a 140 mile drive to tonight's accommodation in Kirkjufell. Fortunately, the roads were good, the traffic was light and it only took 3hrs 15 mins to get there. Tired from a very long day, I had fish and chips in a local cafe, the cod was amazing, so light, moist and flavoursome, no wonder they fought so hard against us in the 1970s to keep it.

    Weather: 11 degrees, sunny internals, bloody windy.

    Mileage: 164 miles Keflavik to Kirkjufell.    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    211
    Day 2

    Viking Sushi & Greenland Shark

    August 21, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Slept really well last night and were out just after 9:15 after filling our water bottles from the spring water tap outside the accommodation. Just over half an hour later we were in Stykkisholmur.

    After a wander round the harbour and the modern Lutherian church, we boarded a sightseeing and sight eating boat. After visiting a couple of islands to get a close look at the nesting birds. We went to a bay where Eric the Red, after murdering several people in Iceland,, hid out before going off to discover Greenland. I always thought the original Eric the Red was Cantona! In the bay they dropped a dredge and scooped up all manner of sea food which they then proceeded to open up and offer round to everyone. You could not have got fresher seafood it was literally a few minutes out of the water. The scallops were amazing and the sea urchins tasted salty then sweet, an unusual combination.

    We were booked on the 15:15 ferry to Brjanslaekur which mean't after the boat trip we had a couple of hours to nip out of town to the shark museum. Was given an interesting presentation about the deep, deep water (upto 2km deep) Greenland Shark. To be able to survive down there they have a form of anti freeze in their system which is highly toxic to humans. This is why they used to bury it for a couple of months (they don't do that anymore) and then hang it outdoors for a further 4 months to allow the anti freeze to be broken down into ammonia and then released as it dries. We got to sample some, it was a little chewy and sinewy, didn't taste of too much but left an after taste as it and down. However, nowhere as bad as the smell of ammonia if you sniffed it up close before eating it. It was strong enough to revive the unconscious.

    After getting off the ferry at 18:10, it was just under a 50 mile drive to Breidavic for tonight's accommodation and halfway there had my first real experience of Icelandic gravel roads. Not too bad at all really, though as we climbed up through some mountain roads with a low sun shining in your eyes and no safety barriers, the average speed did drop considerably.

    Weather: 11 degrees but felt warmer as there was little wind.

    Mileage: 106 miles, Kirkjufell to Breidavic    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    213
    Day 3

    Light in the Middle of the Tunnel

    August 22, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Up early today and did my amended gym workout using only bodyweight, didn't feel much easier though. Then breakfast and by 09:00 was in the car for the 20 min drive to the Latrabjarg cliffs.

    The morning drive across the West Fjords, the oldest part of Iceland, was spectacular and hairy in parts as it climbed and descended through the mountains. There were also a couple of 5km+ tunnels, the second of which I soon and alarmingly discovered was wide enough for one car, but was two way!! There were pull in places for traffic coming in the opposite direction, we eventually worked out we had right of way and the headlights coming towards us would eventually pull in.

    Man Utd were playing Liverpool tonight, unfortunately though, there isn't much in the way of sports bars out in the wilds of Iceland and with beer at over £10 a pint I don't know what they do with their evenings! We did however find a micro brewery and had a couple of tasting racks, they were only small glasses but by the time we left I felt like I'd had a proper drink.

    Weather: 13 degrees, sunny

    Mileage: 145 miles, Breidavik to Isafjordur    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    Day 4

    A Warm Bath and a Few Beers

    August 23, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Out for 08:30 this morning and broke the back of today's driving getting to Holmavik in just under 3 hours. It was a scenic drive back and forwards along a series of peninsulas sitting in the sea. A bit like putting your hand on a piece of paper and drawing round your fingers. No gravel roads and not too much climbing made for a more relaxing drive than yesterday.

    In Holmavik went to the witchcraft museum, which detailed the witch hunts that took place in the 1600s. In Iceland those accused of witchcraft were almost always male and when accused if you couldn't convince or pay people to speak up for you then it was likely you'd be burned at the stake. The museum also had lots of information on how to perform spells. Menstruating virgins were in big demand in the recipes as was blood from one or other of your own nipples.

    Checked into the hotel, which is literally in the middle of nowhere at 3pm. The hotel has a geothermal swimming pool as well as natural geothermal bathing pools, known as hot pots, not quite the same as we have up in Lancashire. Getting in was a little precarious as the rocks were slippery with algae but once in it was lovely, like a really warm bath that never gets cold and no chance of getting your toe struck in the tap.

    Being so isolated, the highlight of the evening was was going to the buffet dinner. Fortunately we'd been to the Vinobudin (the state owned alcohol shop) yesterday and stocked up. It's about a third of the price charged in bars and restaurants, which usually charge just over £10 for a 500ml beer. I keep the beer in the car as by the evening that keeps it nice and cold.

    Weather: 11 degrees, cloudy

    Mileage: 173 miles Isafjordur to Laugarholl    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    2113
    Day 5

    Paddling Rhino

    August 24, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Amazingly was up at 06:30 to do a 45 min workout, just shows what the fear of next year's TdF does for you. Then showered, breakfast and on the road for 08:30.

    First stop today was Hvitserkur to see a sea stack that to me sort of resembled a rhino. However, what I hadn't realised was that in total it was a 35 mile detour, on gravel roads and due to a strong cold wind were actually spent about 2 mins looking at it.

    Second stop was a living museum showing farm life in the 1800s, one of the buildings on the farm was a turf walled and grass roofed structure which was typical of the era. There was also a small church there which you see all over Iceland, they're all exactly the same architecture and proportions, though quite surprising how many people you could squeeze inside.

    The last stop of the day was to go riding on Icelandic ponies. It wasn't my idea but must say I quite enjoyed it. Even though they were ponies it still seemed a fair way down if you fell off. However, the one I rode was so calm and responsive to the commands, though he probably thought he was in charge and to be fair he was probably right.

    Tonight we stayed in Hofsos a small coastal village with a harbour, a swimming pool, an Icelandic emigration museum (closed when we got there) and one restaurant/bar, which given its monopoly was really busy. Weirdly, in the village we bumped into an American couple and their daughter that we'd met yesterday, even more weird as they weren't actually staying here.

    Weather: 13 degrees

    Mileage: 234 miles, Laugarholl to Hofsos    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    Day 6

    A Change in the Weather

    August 25, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    Five days without rain is good going in Iceland, but all good things... Today has been very wet and cold, a high of 8 degrees, which turned out to be a very good day for visiting the Herring Era museum in Siglufjordur. Not the most exciting sounding museum, but I have to say one I thoroughly enjoyed and it was all indoors! It charted the rise and fall of the the herring fishing industry from 1903 until the late 1960s when over fishing decimated fish stocks. I love industrial museums and ended up spending 2.5hrs there.

    It was a short drive today to Akureyri, helped by the fact that there were 3 long tunnels we passed through rather than going backwards and forwards along the fjords. However, two of these were of the two-way but one vehicle width variety. That's 3 I've driven now and have had priority in all of them, so oncoming traffic has had to give way. Though it still keeps you on the edge of your seat as the distant headlights get closer and closer and closer.

    Tomorrow was whale watching day which I'd booked for my birthday, however, we received an email today saying that tomorrow's trips may be cancelled on the day due to adverse weather. So rearranged it for the next day and the plan now is to do a couple of things we would have done on Saturday tomorrow instead. Lucky that we actually checked the emails.

    Ended up in a restaurant tonight that overlooked, across the water, a mountainside that is the main road into Akureyri from the east. I soon realised that 11 years ago when I spent two weeks cycling round Iceland that we had cycled down that road into the town. It reminded me of the cold, the rain, but then the jubilation of finally arriving here and the last few miles being all downhill, a warm hotel and a few shandies afterwards!

    Weather: 8 degrees, heavy rain and cold

    Mileage: 89 miles    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    1111
    Day 7

    Revised Itinerary

    August 26, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    Up before 7am this morning for my workout, today of all days!! By 08:45 we were at our first stop of the day, the Godafoss waterfall. So named because in the year 1,000 when the local chieftan decided that everyone should convert to Christianity he went to the waterfall and threw all his statues of the pagan gods they followed into the water.

    From there we had a drive round lake Myvatn, a very scenic lake scattered with volcanic outcrops. Would have been more scenic if there wasn't a low mist, it wasn't drizzling and it was a bit warmer than 5 degrees, all the same still worth the drive.

    From there it was onto the Dettifoss waterfall, we mistakenly took a back road there, bloody satnav, the road was badly potholed and rutted so progress was slow until I worked out that if you go quicker you tend to float over them, well until you hit a big one with a massive clatter that is. The waterfall is Iceland's biggest and was very impressive. You could literally stand metres away from the falls and staring at the water cascading down was mesmerising, I found myself leaning forward as though it was trying to suck me in.

    Arrived in Husavik around 17:30, after what was a wet, windy and cold, but throughly enjoyable day. In the evening after dinner we went to a thermal spa, called Geosea, set on the cliffs overlooking the water and snow capped mountains beyond. It was a lovely way to end the day, well whilst in the hot water anyway, getting out to switch pools was bracing to say the least as it was 4 degrees and there was a gale blowing.

    Weather: 5 degrees, mist and rain

    Mileage: 204 miles    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    1
    111
    Day 8

    A Whale of a Time

    August 27, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    Today the weather changed for the better, the strong wind of the last two days has disappeared completely, the sun was out and we reached the heady heights of 8 degrees in time for the rearranged whale watching trip at 09:00. The trip was good fun, saw a Minkie whale several times and numerous dolphins.

    Once off the boat it was a long drive to Egilstadir, the destination for tonight. I don't know where the time has gone, this is day 8 already. Only 4 more driving days to go after today and the length of Iceland still to cross, so a few more long days but I'm thoroughly enjoying it .

    After the drive managed to check into the hotel early and went on a 25 min drive over a very scenic mountain pass to Seydisfjordur. A small coastal town made up of colourful houses around a port.

    I couldn't have booked a better hotel in the whole of Egilstadir, I turned the tv on to find it had BBC1, on a Saturday night and Arsenal were playing today, heaven.

    Weather: 13 degrees, sunny

    Mileage: 168    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    Day 9

    A Quieter Day

    August 28, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Today's drive was beyond scenic, a mix of mountains, valleys and coastal roads, the only problem with driving is that you don't get to look at it long enough. We stopped in Stodvarfyordur for breakfast, the location of east Iceland's most popular tourist attraction, a local women's, lifetimes collection of mineral rocks. Obviously not much happens in eastern Iceland.

    Today was a relaxing day, after arriving in Hofn, we went on an hours walk along a nature trail catching our first views of glaciers, ones that we will be much closer to tomorrow. Then in the late afternoon went to the swimming pool, they all seem to be outdoor heated pools here, and spent an hours or so in the hot tubs. They had a tv in reception showing the Spurs game, I was seriously tempted to give the pool a miss and take a seat in reception.

    However, much to my surprise and delight the tv in today's accommodation also had BBC1, so MOTD2 is on the cards tonight.

    Weather: 13 degrees, sunny

    Mileage: 153 miles    Read more

  • TravelerLand of Fire and Ice
    Day 10

    A Chilly Start

    August 29, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Earliest start on the road of the trip so far, left the hotel at 7am arriving at Jokulsarlon lagoon just after 8am. This is one of the areas where Europe's largest glacier breaks away into a lagoon and then floats out to sea. We did a tour of the lagoon on a rib, was fascinating getting so close to the icebergs and then also the glacier itself..

    Then an hour's drive to Svartifoss, a waterfall framed by basalt columns. The guide book said it was an easy 1.8km walk. It didn't mention the fact that 75% was uphill, at least coming back was quick.

    Tonight we are staying in Vik, which apparently is the wettest town in Iceland's and it certainly hasn't disappointed. As we got within 30 miles a heavy drizzle set in for the rest of the day and night.

    Weather: 12 degrees, constant drizzle from mid aft

    Mileage: 175 miles    Read more

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