• Bron Plaskowski
August 2022

Land of Fire and Ice

A short but fine adventure by Bron Read more
  • Trip start
    August 20, 2022

    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.
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  • 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 from the floor of the bay, 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 raw 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. We were 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, the taste was 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
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  • 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
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  • No gravel roads today, so scenic and relaxing.
    Felt like I was driving by the sea most of the day.A skinned man's lower half, if you wore this there would always be lots money in the scrotum!!Pre tinder days.The warmest swimming pool I've ever been in, lovely.Natural bathing pool.Better than a bath as its self topping up with warm water and the bubbles in the water wasn't me.

    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 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
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  • Paddling Rhino

    August 24, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Amazingly I 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
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  • It was always a relief when you saw the headlights pull over.
    It was like a ship in a bottle, how did they get this huge vessel into the museum's boat house?Stencils on the wall for marking the barrels contents and origin, I love a workshop!A snapshot from the port's heyday.The hillside we cycled along all those years ago.

    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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • Distant glaciers, will be right by them tomorrow

    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
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  • Those tyres would never pass an MOT
    The same rib that we went out onAs icebergs melt they roll and turn, the lines are previous tide marksNot the largest iceberg but still an icebergNot the greatest flow, I reckon I manage more than that when I go to the loo at night!The Church Floor, a basalt outcrop, originally thought to be have been man madeA vast swath of moss covering volcanic rocks

    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
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  • A Busy and Damp Day

    August 30, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    Today, the last full driving day, we were catching the 08:15 ferry to Heimaey, the main island in the Westerman Islands, just off Iceland's south coast. So set off at 06:00 so we could stop off along the way at the black beach at Reynisfjara, with its sea stacks and basalt cliffs. Despite the mist/drizzle, the breeze and the crashing waves it was beautiful, and oddly enough at 06:15 we were the only ones on the beach. We also stopped off at Skagafoss waterfall as it was right by the road and got a soaking from the spray as we tried to get as close as we could. That was two soaking and it was only 07:30.

    By the time we boarded the ferry the wind had really got up and it made for an uncomfortable 40 minute crossing with the little ferry pitching and rolling all the way to Heimaey. It is supposed to be a beautiful island but through the mist we could see very little of it. We had a tour booked but cancelled it due to the weather and instead went to a museum telling the story of the 1973 eruption that was so large it increased the island's size by 20%. In the centre of the museum was a house that had been completely engulfed by the pumice spewed out. Some of the items inside had actually survived, giving it a much more real feeling.

    The first stop after arriving back on the mainland was the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, the angle of which and a shallow cave behind it meaning that you can walk round the back of it, though the spray means you still get pretty damp wet. It was areally interesting seeing it from behind but as we came out it started raining very heavily, so much so I had to change my trousers as they were completely dripping.

    The heavy rain continued all the way to tonight's hotel, so we knocked on the head the other things we had planned and concentrated on getting dry and drying our dripping wet clothes.

    Weather: 13 degrees, heavy mist then heavy train

    Mileage: 135 miles
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  • Final Drive

    August 31, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    This morning had to drop the car off in Reykjavik for 10:00, so had a whistle stop tour of Geysir on the way, you can't come to Iceland and not see Strokkur blowing it's top.

    For the first time in 11 days I encountered heavy traffic entering Reykjavik, well first time I've seen any traffic at all really in the whole of Iceland. It was raining hard most of the day so spent a fair chunk of it at the Perlan museum. Which showcased everything Iceland, from volcanos, to glaciers, to an ice cave, to waterfalls, to the northern lights. It was really interactive and very well put together.

    The evening was off to a sports bar to watch Arsenal v Aston Villa. The pub must have had at least 40 local Arsenal fans watching the game, was like watching in a north London pub, great atmosphere and obviously winning 2-1 helped.

    Weather: 13 degrees, heavy rain

    Mileage: 75 miles
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  • Walking, No Driving

    September 1, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Was strange today not to be packing and heading out early, missing the driving already.

    Spent the day sightseeing, visiting the Lutharian church, the concert hall and the old port which is now a mix of shops, restaurants and bars. So having made the effort to get there it would have been rude not to have tried some happy hour cocktails.

    Got chatting to a local, middle aged guy in one of the bars and after telling him of all the places we'd been to on the trip he said that we'd seen more of Iceland than he had. Later in the conversation I'd said that though we travel a lot I'd never actually been to the British Museum in London. To which he said 'oh I've been there 3 or 4 times'. Interesting how you never have time for stuff on your own door step!

    Weather: 13 degrees, showers in the afternoon
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  • A Shandy or Two

    September 2, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    I'd booked a walking tour for this morning at 10:30, so we took it easy, had breakfast, took it a bit more easy and then headed out. I always seem to feel more tired though the less I do.

    The walking tour was really interesting, not so much the buildings and monuments but more the social history. Such as in Iceland almost everyone is related to the first settler Ingólfr Arnarson who arrived in 874 which means everyone is your cousin! So to marry someone they need to be at least a 3rd cousin or more distant. They even have a genealogy app containing everyone's family tree for you to check.

    After the walk we went for an all you can eat and drink in 2 hours lunch, which at £43 each must have been the cheapest place to eat in Iceland. Needless to say the place was pretty busy, surprisingly the food was excellent and we made a pretty good stab at getting way more than our monies worth.

    We chatted to a couple of women, Sandra and Maggie (that's the easy version of their names) on the table next to us during the lunch who then took us to a great little bar round the corner for happy hour which then stretched on into the evening. Got back to the hotel about 9pm and we still had a voucher for a commentary drink at the hotel bar. It was the last thing I needed at that point as we'd started speed drinking at 2pm, but it would have been rude to have turned down the hospitality!

    Weather: 13 degrees, sunny intervals
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  • In Summary

    September 3, 2022 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Off home today on the 10:15 flight, a taxi to the airport is £136, so we took the bus for a bargain £31 each!

    Everything in Iceland has been expensive and even the things that aren't imported like fish and lamb were still expensive. However, it is a stunning place to visit, the empty roads, the expanse and clarity of the views, the air quality and the people. Everyone we met were friendly and spoke great English.

    It's taken me 30 years to persuade Carol to come here, because of the cold, but even she is a convert now, so that is saying something.

    All in all we drove 1,833 miles over 11 days (ave 166 miles per day), which is a fair distance for what I thought of as a little island. However, the drives were broken up with so many things to see and do along the way. Though the driving itself, up gravelled mountain passes, through glacial valleys, back and forwards along fjords and single lane two-way tunnels was an experience in itself.

    Weather: 13 degrees, sunny.
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    Trip end
    August 23, 2022