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RobCowell
RobCowell

RobCowell

Follow me on my adventures as I visit different places and photograph stunning locations. Les mer🇬🇧United Kingdom
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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende

    We Begin Day 3

    8. februar 2018, Island ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    After sleeping well and having had breakfast we started the day with this view from our window. It snowed just a little in the night - just a dusting on the car. You can see the restaurant where we ate from our window.

    On the way to Hofn from Egilsstadir we'd seen some great photo compositions but nowhere to stop and take advantage of them. We decided to travel back along yesterday's route to see if we could revisit those and set 30 minutes drive time northwards as a maximum because we knew that covered the area we'd seen the day before. So, that's what we did ... we drove about 30 minutes north and turned around and came back towards Hofn.

    The light was very different and the magical potential shots we'd seen were gone. We did, however, find a small parking area off the road which looked to offer potential. You need to know that in Iceland you can't just stop and take photos wherever. Parking areas are few and far between and it's forbidden to simply stop on the side of the roads. You can't to be honest, because the roads are raised to stop snow buildup so you'd end up in a ditch.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende

    End of the Day at Hofn

    7. februar 2018, Island ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    One of the last stops for photography for today was an impromptu visit onto a beach of pebbles. We saw a couple of cars there and the views were of a frozen tidal area with snow covered mountains as a backdrop. It was a pebble beach hardened by the frozen conditions and as the cars were there we judged it safe to join them. Wrong! The car embedded itself into the snow and pebbles where the ice was not so hard and we feared we were stuck, even in a 4x4. Okay, so it is embarrassing to drive a cleaning cloth, but that Duster made a clean job of getting us free. Or was it just Rob's driving skills were polished?

    After retreating to a safe part of the beach we took a few photos and this panorama was one of them. Phones can do clever things these days.

    We stopped once more in the fading light to capture some sunset colours and the very last light of the day. It was then only 10 minutes to our next overnight stop in Hofn where once again it's lovely and warm and our hosts so friendly. We ate at a restaurant just over the road and had an excellent meal, eating langoustine caught locally ... by that red boat by the way.

    Tomorrow promises to be good weather too and even a remote chance of some aurora activity if we're extremely lucky. Will we be? Who knows.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende
    Conditions Getting Worse
    Not Quite a WhiteoutImproving Weather and Improving ViewsStunning Landscapes as We TravelAn Afternoon of Perfect WeatherTypical View from This Afternoon

    Travelling on the First Day

    7. februar 2018, Island ⋅ ☁️ -2 °C

    Mixed weather while we're travelling. Sunny one minute then high winds and snow. The first part of the journey was over high ground and snow covered roads.then we we're travelling along the coast towards Hofn.

    The main views for most of today were the fjords and the mountains which cradle them. This meant the road wound its way along the sides of the inlets and around the headlands. The day had started in harsh conditions as you can see, with ice and snow covered roads winding up and over the mountain passes. Much more than the simple wintry conditions of the UK but not much bother for Icelandic 4x4 vehicle with studded tyres.

    As we descended the roads stayed ice covered but the clouds cleared to give us magnificent views of stunning landscapes bathed in the arctic light of golden sunlight. It was incredible and totally unexpected as the forecast was not so optimistic. As before, though, you're not allowed to stop on Icelandic roads and lay-bys are rare and we must have missed so many compositions simply because there was nowhere safe to stop. There were snowfields crossed with frozen streams glowing in shades of soft blue and silver. Incredible.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende
    A Duster ... how embarrassing!
    Tony eats food and really tasty too (the food, not Tony)

    Car and Breakfast

    7. februar 2018, Island ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    Made it to the airport this morning to collect our car to find we had no extras to pay and may even have been overcharged for our car hire. That's good then!

    Now we're having the breakfast at our guesthouse which we thought wasn't included. A good start to the day then. After breakfast we'll pack the car and begin our journey.

    Only one hiccup ... our hire car is a Duster 4x4. How can Rob live with the embarrassment of driving around in a cleaning cloth for two weeks!    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende
    View from outside our accommodation
    This is where we're staying tonight

    Made it to Egilsstadir

    6. februar 2018, Island ⋅ 🌙 -6 °C

    The flight from Reykjavik went well, taking 50 minutes to fly across the country. A bit bumpy at times and a cosy flight but we soon had a taxi whisk us away from the airport to the Birta Guesthouse which is warm as can be when it's -6c outside. Been out for a meal and planned how we start the day tomorrow.

    So, here we are and are ready for what Iceland brings us. Tomorrow we travel southwards along the coast road with some photography on the way.

    One thing we can say about our stroll out for a meal this evening ... the ice is so solid even marble would have a hard time competing against it!    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende
    Our transport to Egilsstadir

    Reykjavik Airport

    6. februar 2018, Island ⋅ ⛅ -2 °C

    So, a great flight but a little late arriving due to the delay in Manchester. Moving through the airport went smoothly if you ignore that Tony couldn't get the electronic passport thingy to recognise his passport ... but it did in the end and our bags were soon off the plane. We then sorted the transfer bus to Reykjavik domestic airport though all we needed to do is convert our voucher into tickets, find the bus, queue to get on it then wait for it to leave. It left at 16:35 and we had to be on our flight to Egilsstadir at 18:00 and technically we had to check in by 17:15. Then the bus driver announced the transfer to the bus station (not the airport) would be 50 minutes. Oh dear! Then we needed to change buses to get to the airport. Oh dear x2.

     The bus, of course, then appeared to travel at a snail's pace though in reality it probably wasn't. Then it stopped to drop off passengers on the way. Should we panic? Perhaps we should.

    The bus arrived at the bus station at 17:25 and in emergency mode we ditched the idea of the onward coach and hijacked a taxi. It took 6 minutes to get to the terminal, 5 minutes to check our bags, 10 minutes catching our breath then we boarded.

    We'd made it after a close call. 😳    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2018Reisende
    Manchester airport waiting to leave
    De-icing the aircraft and not in Iceland yet!This is Scotland!!!First view of IcelandArriving at Keflavik airport

    The Journey Begins

    6. februar 2018, England ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    It's time to depart and begin our journey to Iceland. But it's snowing even before we start and you can see the wings being de-iced before we left. This meant we were late leaving - only 35 minutes or so and that wouldn't be a problem would it. We were amazed at how much snow lay across Scotland and wondered if Iceland would be covered in snow to the same extent.

    When we visited in 2016 there wasn't a great deal of snow and in fact, we never saw snow falling other than the odd storm in the highlands. As we approached Keflavik airport you can see it's a lot more snowy this time.

    Great flight by-the-way and we'd recommend Icelandair if you get to choose.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Our Itinerary

    9. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    We wanted to end the diary of our journey mentioning the itinerary we have been following. Months ago, when this trip began as an initial idea, we decided we wanted to travel the Iceland Ring Road anti-clockwise, though some travellers we've met during our journey do it the other way around. We then chose the key photographic locations we'd like to visit and how long we thought we'd need to do an area justice, giving us enough time to hopefully get some great photographs. The tricky bit is then converting those basic requirements into a workable itinerary and that was done by Penny, Rob's daughter.

    What she created for us was truly amazing with a level of detail that would amaze you. She arranged all our accommodation, our car hire, flights, everything in fact. We were given latitude and longitude coordinates to guide us, maps and diagrams, essential information we'd need when arriving at our overnight stays and suggestions of sights we may like to see on the way.

    We have used Penny's itinerary every single day and sometimes several times a day. It has been an essential, vital companion on our journey and has meant we have got far more out of our adventure than perhaps we could ever have done without it.

    We would like to thank you, Penny, for all the hard work in creating the journey for us and being our Expedition Support Team.

    Thank you. It's been a fantastic and amazing experience.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Reykjavik Church

    9. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    Next we walked to the church which dominates the city. It is a very tall structure and its tower can be seen from most areas around. Inside it feels a very large space and the first thing you notice, compared to your average British church, is how warm it is inside. Just as we arrived the organist began playing and this added to the general atmosphere while we were there.

    After taking one or two snaps we left to find somewhere for a refreshment break and spent the rest of our time browsing the shops and sights.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    The Sun Voyager

    9. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    After visiting the Whale Museum we had a stroll by the side of the old harbour then spent some time taking photographs of graffiti-covered buildings, of which there are quite a few in Reykjavik. Often these are on the boards surrounding building sites and there appears to be a lot of these at the moment. Things here appear to be developing fast.

    The Sun Voyager is a well known site in the city and we wanted to see if there was an opportunity for a photograph. The lighting could have been better but we think we got something to show for our time there.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Iceland Whale Museum, Reykjavik

    9. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    Our final day in Iceland is spent discovering Reykjavik. The day began with pouring rain so the first stop was a bakery for coffee and breakfast in the hope the rain would stop. It didn't.

    The Whale Museum wasn't too far away so we decided to investigate and were amazed to find life-size models of pretty much every type of whale. Though he shouldn't have, Rob touched one of the whale models to discover it was rather squashy and rubber-like. Perhaps, we wondered, that's how we'd be after a day in that rain!

    After a cup of free coffee we ventured outside to find the rain had stopped ... for a while.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Ice Cave at Langjökull Glacier

    8. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    Today we became Penguins. On our way to Reykjavik, the final destination of our trip, we took time out to visit an ice cave cut into the Langjökull Glacier, the largest man-made ice cave in the world. We arrived at noon to check in and half-an-hour later our waddling group of Penguins boarded a Monster Truck ... no, that's not a typo or reference to a children's play set because it was a huge-wheeled truck/bus for thirty Penguins. The journey to the glacier took around two hours.

    On a good day, Rob was told by the Guide, from the glacier you can see the ice cap on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where we've been the last couple of days, which must be at least 60 miles away. Sounds fantastic doesn't it, until you know that for us it was a complete whiteout for the drive up the glacier with truly arctic conditions when we arrived. Visibility was about 50 feet.

    We were given an interesting tour which included a small chamber set as a church (photo 5) where our guide sang a beautiful Icelandic lullaby to demonstrate the acoustics.

    It was late in the afternoon when we returned to our car, arriving in Reyjavik about 7pm. We then treated ourselves a lovely meal out which included a bottle of wine. We'll be applying for a mortgage as soon as we arrive home!    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Weather

    7. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌬 9 °C

    A short interlude to talk about the weather we've been experiencing during our trip. As you've seen, we've pretty much seen the lot from high winds to snow and frost with pretty much everything in between. Perhaps not as much sun as we'd have preferred but it has been with us at times.

    Today was undoubtedly the wettest experience so far. So how have we got on coping with what, at times, has been hours of rain?

    Clothing-wise it's been fine even in low temperatures. One of our followers has referenced the saying that "there is no such thing as the wrong weather, only the wrong clothes" and that has definitely been our experience. When we say we've been getting wet that hasn't been our delicate bodies but our outer layers and equipment. At no point have we really felt the cold nor got truly deep-down soaked. We've really been quite warm and snug at times.

    We have both commented on how well our equipment has survived our adventures and, as you can see in the photo taken today, our cameras have been well and truly soaked at times. The biggest problem has been keeping the lens free of rain droplets and this has been a real nuisance, especially when we're also battered by the wind. We are using cameras with good weather sealing though so in case you're thinking of taking your camera into the shower with you, just check your instruction book first!

    What we can say about photography in the conditions we've experienced at times, is you can only take it for so long. Eventually all your microfibre cloths are wet and you simply crave coffee and cake ... and that's how we finished today.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    2

    The Berserkjahraun Lava Field

    7. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    The weather got worse!

    Undoubtedly, this drive through the lava field would have been stunning at this time of year, bathed in the golden light of the low sun. Our actual experience however was being bathed, pressure washed even, by an infinite tonnage of wet stuff relentlessly travelling horizontally. But if we had been given the golden light the colours in the landscape would have glowed in multi-tones of grey, brown, black and red contrasted against the greens of the moss and a whole range of small plants grasping for life. There were unworldly shapes of twisted and broken rock as we wound our way along the gravel road. Shame we didn't see it all as we describe, but we simply loved all that rain and wind.

    Did we mention the wind?    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Kirkjufellsfoss - Take 2

    7. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    We awoke to grey skies once more so decided on a more leisurely start in the hope things would brighten up. When we arrived at the small car park it was once again blowing a gale with the now standard fitting of horizontal rain, but at least the view from the car was quite a bit clearer than yesterday. After a while we decided to brave the elements and at least get a photograph rather than leaving with nothing. First Tony, then Rob ventured to the left of the falls to look back towards the mountain which is the classic shot for this location ... except for the grey skies and driving rain, of course.

    We're now back at our accommodation to sort ourselves out for the afternoon and will be exploring the Berserkjahraun lava field.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Djúpalónssandur Beach

    6. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Our waitress last night had mentioned this beach as a possible place worth visiting so we decided to take a look. Wide landscape shots were not really possible as the weather was still against us, so we thought we'd look at taking close-up shots of things like beach stones or seaweed perhaps ... and that's what we did, though a wet weekend in Wales would probably be a cheaper and more efficient way to photograph a lump of soggy seaweed wrapped 'round a stone!

    The day hasn't been a total right-off to be honest as we think we managed to get some photos in the 'can'. It would be nice not to get so wet though.

    We are now back at our accommodation and outside the wind is still blowing a gale and it's still raining. Tomorrow we're going to try again to photograph Kurkjufell so let's hope the weather improves overnight.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Sea Stacks at Hellnar

    6. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    Well, we waited and we waited and the wind almost blew the mountains down. The weather got worse so, after watching some other mad photographers attempt to take on the elements (and failing miserably), we decided to move on.

    Unbelievably, as we travelled westward along the north of the peninsula the wind gusted even stronger, jolting the car as we travelled along. More driving rain and fog made this a truly difficult day for photography.

    We stopped for a coffee break at Hellnar which also has sea stacks which it claims rival those at Reynisfjara Beach at Vik - where we christened the tourists 'Penguins' if you recall. So we donned our wet weather gear and braved the elements to see what we could get. Not sure if we got a stunning photograph but we did get wet!    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Arrival at Kirkjufell Mountain

    6. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    We have just arrived at what was to be our first location of the day and the weather is the worst we have experienced so far. Tony says, "These are the worst conditions I've ever driven in." Very astute is Tony ... he doesn't miss a trick!

    We are parked next to the lake below the waterfalls which are a short walk from here ... we can just about see them. The car is shaking from the wind, the rain is horizontal so we'll be sitting here for a while to see if things improve. What do you think?    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Travelling to Stykkishólmur

    5. november 2016, Island ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    Having had a bit of a lie-in after the excitement of the Northern Lights until 1.30am, we had breakfast and set off for our next stop: Stykkishólmur.

    The weather was pretty good and remained dry but we made the mistake of choosing to follow the coast road around the peninsula north west of Sauðárkrókur. It was dirt track all the way and the scenery not as spectacular as yesterday. In fact, most of our journey today was on unsurfaced roads mostly manufactured from pot holes so the drive was long and tiring. No photography today really, except the odd totally uninterested Iceland horse and wide landscape views that simply don't work when squashed onto a camera sensor.

    We've just had a lovely evening meal and picked up some useful locations for photography from our waitress. There should be some good opportunities over the next two days. Fingers crossed for good weather.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    The Northern Lights

    5. november 2016, Island ⋅ 🌙 -1 °C

    This is why the diary wasn't updated last night.

    The temperatures dropped to -4C whilst we eat our evening meal and the skies were clear so we decided to grab our cameras and drive back along the route to try a find a dark location ... and wait.

    Rob has an App on his phone which predicts the chance of seeing the Aurora ... he would, wouldn't he! Tony is definitely experiencing the technology age on this trip.

    We waited in the car for a hour or so and with the forecast still low (though improving) we were on the point of calling it a day.

    And then they arrived. At first there was just a tint, a mere mist of light in the north, but within seconds we were treated to a display of shimmering curtains of green that continually changed shape and brightness. Our moment had come and we tried to capture it all as best we could.

    Unfortunately the phone could only produce what we've uploaded so the photos we took we'll bring back for you to see.

    So it happened ... our wishes came true and what a fantastic end to a stunning day.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Travelling to Sauðárkrókur

    4. november 2016, Island ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Ah, yet another unpronounceable name but this has been our overnight stop in a small self service B&B, part of a micro-brewery with a bar that doesn't open until 9pm and closes at 3am. No ... that's not why we didn't update the diary last night - honest!

    Yesterday then, after visiting the waterfall, we were travelling along the road around the Trollaskag peninsula with the odd stop for photos and even a coffee. The scenery was stunning and the weather improved the further we went, turning it into a magical experience. We didn't spot any Trolls though and for much of the time we were on our own. Empty roads, fantastic coastal views and snow-capped mountains to our left. There were some really long tunnels on the way as well.

    You can see some of the views we saw but the phone, for once, hasn't captured what we actually saw though the one of the lighthouse is pretty much spot on.

    The day ended with a sunset that lasted forever and as we drove to Sauðárkrókur the skies became clear and the temperatures dropped well below zero. Perhaps a hint of what was to come.

    What a fantastic day.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    11

    Goðafoss Waterfall

    4. november 2016, Island ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    Goðafoss waterfall ... another day, another waterfall but this morning the rain was gone and the sun was starting to appear. This made for better light to help us, but we both felt this to be a much better and more impressive location than the two falls yesterday. These were easier to get close to but you could actually get right to where the water tumbled to the river below. A standard fitting were Penguins of course, but not too many and we both enjoyed our time there.Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Dettifoss Waterfall

    3. november 2016, Island ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The light remained grey and flat and the viewing area close to the falls was roped off so we couldn't get to the best view to take our photographs. We took a few but once again Rob's phone seemed to capture the scene with a lot less fuss. The mist from the waterfall was a bit of a nuisance too and kept covering the lens with water droplets. It's about time someone invented waterfalls that don't give off water!

    It's a shame the weather was dull and rainy as we think the photos would have been excellent with the odd rainbow in it. We ended the day with a quick visit back to see the mud pools and steam and we've just got back having had a lovely evening meal.

    Tomorrow we continue our journey.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    1

    Selfoss Waterfall

    3. november 2016, Island ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We arrived at the car park, sorted out our gear and hiked up to the first of the two falls - Selfoss. It was quite hard to get close to the actual falls because you have to cross the river, picking your way across rocks, pools and black volcanic silt. There was the ice too.

    We tried a few shots of Selfoss but it was hard to find an inspiring angle, especially as we were only given flat and dull light. Annoyingly, the phone appears to have brought out the best of it.

    We did find the rock pools interesting however, and spent some time photographing the patterns and shapes.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende
    22

    Krafla Volcano and the Víti Crater

    3. november 2016, Island ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    Our first stop this morning was to see Víti Crater within the Krafla volcano which last erupted in 1984. We drove up through a lunar landscape covered in a dusting of snow. Okay, we know the moon isn't dusted with snow but we're trying to set the mood here! The view across the car park gives the general idea and the crater was pretty impressive.

    It was extremely cold up there but, as you can see, there was an opportunity for a warm shower afterwards. Yes, the water from that shower was just the right temperature.    Les mer

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  • RobCowellIceland 2016Reisende

    Jarðböðin Nature Baths

    2. november 2016, Island ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    No photos with this one.

    We ended our day soaking in the outtdoor thermal spa at Jarðböðin Nature Baths in water around 38C though the air temperature was only 3C, not including the chilling effect of the wind. Walking down the ramp into those spa waters was almost heaven on earth. The tricky bit is getting out of course, but we sussed the technique by watching what others did ... you walk up the ramp shaking your arms and legs as though you're walking on broken glass and make noises like a chimpanzee. "Oo Oo, ah ah!" You then say, "Wowee, that's cold!"

    Tomorrow we do more waterfalls.    Les mer

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