10th August 2024, 00:44
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| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Kolkata
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| An October odyssey in Iceland with a Toyota Landcruiser PrologueIceland, the land of fire and ice, adorned with volcanoes, ethereal northern lights, embraced by majestic glaciers, and framed by the silhouettes of ice-capped mountains and countless waterfalls, had long held a cherished place in our imagination. A serendipitous conversation with a friend regarding harrowing tale of my 2010 ordeal of being stranded in Heathrow due to Iceland volcano eruption laid the foundation of our trip to Iceland.  With Landscruiser en-route Borgarness on Ring Road  Northern Lights Iceland unveils its true essence in its profound isolation, in that dirt road going nowhere, those winding hiking trails, in it’s horse farms by the road side, in its tiny villages and gas stations, and in its unending panoramas of volcanoes, mountains, lave fields, glaciers, coastlines and waterfalls and most importantly in its capricious weather conditions and unforgiving yet glorious terrain. So, no wonder that embarking on a independent self-driven road trip is the best way to fully immerse oneself in the captivating beauty of this island country. And to go around the country, the best way is to travel via Ring Road or R1 which runs in a circle around the entire country . PlanningImportant Information about Iceland:
Important web-sites:
Grocery and food
TimingThis year, the Puja holidays were starting much late in October which opened up a great opportunity for a 10 day trip across Iceland. In October, you get a good amount of daylight from 8AM to 6PM for exploring Iceland’s stunning landscape and at the same time you have high chance of witnessing the elusive northern lights. Also October being a ‘shoulder’ season between summer and winter, crowd is less and you have potentially more budget-friendly rates compared to peak summer season. However, the biggest drawback is that October is the windiest and the wettest month often accompanied by occasional blizzard or storm, which may lead to temporary road closures or travel restrictions. ClothingPrepare for cold, wind and rain. Good windproof jackets as well as waterproof rain jackets are absolutely essentially. Also, as we would learn, in winter or shoulder season one must rent or carry microspikes as in many places it gets extremely slippery Itinerary (initially planned)As this is almost winter, so tourists won’t be allowed to venture into Highlands in self driven vehicle. So best option is to go around Ring Road ( R1) and take detours to explore different parts. At the same time, we have only 10 days which is much less to explore Iceland. Ideally it is better to choose one or two areas and explore those in this time instead of attempting whole of Iceland. But again Iceland is not a place where you can come often. So we tried to balance our itinerary as following and also planned for some adventure activities:-
Adventure Activities Planned
FlightsWe booked our return tickets to Keflavik on Qatar Airways. However, on hindsight, Finnair flight from Delhi via Helsinki is a better option as Qatar Airways reaches very late in Keflavik. Remember Iceland is 5:30 hrs behind India time. Ideally if you arrive late, you should stay near Airport and take rest before embarking on your journey next day. Otherwise it will be tiring as we learnt from our experience. VisaWe need to have Schengen visa for Iceland. It’s usually issued for a month with single entry if you are only going to Iceland. Though Schengen visa is easy, its best to make sure appointments can be obtained in due time and all the right forms are filled up (Iceland authority changes their forms frequently and one should always check for the latest one). Clockwise or Anti-clockwiseMost people in Iceland prefers to travel from east to west in anti-clockwise direction. If you are going on summer or winter it does not matter which way you take. But if you are travelling in shoulder seasons like October and in a tight schedule then you need to decide whether you want to optimise your day light time Or mitigate risks of bad weather - accordingly you may choose the direction. If you travel east to west anti-clockwise, then you have early sunrise in east and late sunset in west giving you maximum daylight hours - a good half-an hour gain. However, if you travel from west to east clockwise, you will go through Northern part earlier where weather is supposed to deteriorate rapidly as you move closer to winter from shoulder season. We decided to do a clock-wise round tour. AccommodationInitially, we thought about hiring a camper van and staying there as it would give us more flexibility and prevent us from the hassles of frequent check-in and check-out. But later on realising that October is wet, windy and cold, we decided to discard the idea and started looking for accommodation. Soon, we found out why Iceland is considered as one of the costliest countries to visit - the prices of Airbnb and hotels are way higher than any place we have ever visited. Probably we should have started booking 6 months in advance or more. Car RentalAfter finalising the itinerary, it was time to rent a car. Generally, I do not prefer a self drive excursion without my own vehicle - but here I had hardly any choice. We rented our car from ‘Blue Car Rental’ which has a good rating and whose office is located just across the car parking lot outside Keflavik airport, so it is effectively a 6-7 minutes walk from the airport. This was very important for us as we were scheduled to land Keflavik airport at 6 PM. Now the shuttle to car companies usually runs upto 6 PM only. So the rental company better be walkable. We decided to rent a Jeep Compass Trailhawk 4x4, the same car model which we have. However, Trailhawk was not available, so we settled for a regular Compass 4x4. F-roads of IcelandF-roads (short form of fjallið roads or mountain roads) are generally closed by September end (https://epiciceland.net/list-f-roads-iceland/). Unless you are driving on F-roads or icy roads in Icelandic winter, you do not need a 4x4. Since we were going in October, we opted for a 4x4 envisaging that early snow can create problems in accessing some areas. ParkingThere are both paid and free parkings in Iceland in various tourist attraction locations . There are app where you can pay as well as physical kiosks. However, best part in Iceland is that while driving down country, from time to time you will come across lovely rest area parkings by the roadside which have unparalleled scenic beauty all around. Iceland wind is notorious. In fact, after Antarctica, Iceland if the most windy country. While parking, unless you park against the wind, there might be situations where your car door can be blown away during ingress or egress. So be careful as no insurance will cover such damage. Network and WifiThere is an optional wi-fi connection device offered by rental car companies. You can take wi-fi device in airport as well. We opted for the wi-fi connection provided by the rental company because:-
Car InsuranceUnderstanding car insurance in Iceland can be a subject by itself. Most of the insurances come bundled with car rent, however we also opted for sand and ash protection, liability waiver, roadside assistance waiver etc. Driving in IcelandIceland has left-hand drive vehicles with traffic flow on the right side - similar to USA. You do not need any International driving permit to drive in Iceland. If your driving license is in English, it is good enough. But driving rules are very strict here, especially speed limits are quite stringent and penalties are very high, running into hundreds of dollars, so it is recommended to be aware of the driving rules and understand the road signs before embarking on a self-drive tour in a rented car. Most of the roads are paved, though from time to time we encountered many gravel roads and a few dirt roads. Also there is no concept of 'off-road' or greenlaning. In fact they are strictly prohibited. Weather plays a very important role in this strangely beautiful country. So every day before start of trip, you need to check the road conditions in road.is app to confirm if your planned route is open or you need to take a detour. NOTE: Fuel price is very costly. Iceland is only second to Hong Kong with respect to gas price.
14th October - and the journey beginsWe came back from office on 13th October evening, gave our packing a final touch and started for airport. All anticipation and planning was about to culminate in next 11 days. Kolkata to Keflavik, IcelandFlight QR541 started from Kolkata at 03:50 and reached Doha at 06:30 AM. Flight QR6126 from Doha started at 08:05 AM and reached Copenhagen at 13:50. There was a 3 hrs layover at Copenhagen. We had our lunch at an airport cafe and rested a bit. As Copenhagen was our first point of entry in Schengen zone, we had to do immigration here. Though, we were amused to find that there was nobody at the immigration counter - we had to call a person from his desk and ask him to do it. The last leg from Copenhagen started at 16:40 in Scandinavian airline flight which does not even offer a glass of water free. The approach to Keflavik over snow-capped mountains and the final descent over the ocean was very scenic. Finally we landed in Keflavik international airport on Saturday 14th October at 18:25.  Iceland from above  Touching down Iceland The last leg of our journey was quite tiring. Thankfully we did not need to do any immigration as it was already done in Denmark. At the airportToday we need to drive about 84 km to our hotel which is located near Thingvellir National Park. We chose the place, because it is much away from the brightly lit city of Reykjavik, and this being close to New moon day, an Aurora will look stunning . But given today’s weather, that’s just a pipe dream. As it’s already late (in Iceland terms), by the time we reach hotel, kitchen would be closed . Also the supermarkets around Reykjavik, like Krónan and Bonus all closes by 8 PM. So, we picked up some small food items, drinks from grocery at the airport and had an early dinner with famous Icelandic hotdog ( or Pilsur as they call it) in Bæarins Beztu Pylsur which is a old and famous chain for Icelandic hotdogs located within 10/11 supermarket in airport. Hotdogs costing around 600 ISK , along with fried onion and honey mustard tasted awesome . As we will learn in next 10 days that these hot dogs are not only the lifeline for people on a shoe string budget but they saves lot of time and tastes awesome. Otherwise, as we will discover, everything in Iceland is way too costly. Since all single use plastic is banned, we need to pay for the grocery bag as well.  At Keflavik Airport The weatherAs soon as we landed in Iceland, we started getting taste of unpredictable yet fascinating Icelandic weather, when we got a notification that our snowmobile tour has been cancelled following a early termination of the season due to bad weather in South Iceland . Coming out of airport we can feel the vicissitudes of Icelandic weather as we see different parts covered with a layer of snow and a light drizzle . Car pick upIt took us about an hour to pick up our luggage, clear customs and have our dinner. When we started walking towards Blue Car Rental office, it was 7-20 PM. It was quite cold outside. We exited through the Departure gate ( not arrival gate) and walked across parking lot towards Blue Car Rental from where we rented our Jeep Compass. Usually, you can take an airport shuttle which drops you to different car rental companies . However, those shuttles run up to 6 PM. So we have to walk . It’s a short walk . But in days of bad weather like this, this 5 minutes walk with luggage seems long and arduous. The SteedOnce we reach the rental company, we found that the car that was given to us was not the one we booked. We had booked a Jeep Compass 4x4, but here is a giant Toyota Landcruiser 4x4 waiting for us. As we did online checkin and prepayment in Copenhagen itself and got the code in mail, we picked up the car key from locker. Now, like in all rental companies Blue Car also have a policy that if chosen vehicle is not available at that point they will provide a similar or better vehicle. So they upgraded me to a Toyota Landcruiser. Alas, little did they know that I am not a big Toyota fan. Seeing that I was not quite impressed with the upgrade, the person at rental company wondered why I am not very delighted with the upgrade. Of course this car comes with lots of bells and whistles and 4x4 with Transfer case unlike my JCT back home. Though the pickup process was very easy, we found there was a warning sign on the control panel saying “Pre-Collision System Malfunction”. We asked the executive who had handed over the car to us if we should worry about it, but he was not able to offer any help, though he assured us that it was not a problem as this impacts ADAS. Anyway, I was never going to use ADAS and so did not give it a damn. The white Landcruiser looks gargantuan in size with a high driver view. We checked the other controls, fuel type (normal Diesel), fuel level, AdBlue levels, tyre pressure, lights, wiper, battery indicator and the wi-fi device . We took some record photos and loaded our suitcases and bags in the car (nothing to complain about the boot space - it's HUGE) and rolled out of the parking lot.  Getting onto left side after a long time Road from Keflavik to Reykjavik Driving route from Airport to Hotel We came out of Blue Car Rental office at 8:15 PM and turned onto Route 41. The GPS was working fine and the heating system was excellent. It was still drizzling lightly and there were very few cars on the road. Outside temperature was 4 deg C. Our hotel ‘Ion Adventure’ was 84 km from Keflavik airport. It was 33 km away from Reykjavik. Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland with a population of 130000 meaning every 1 of 3 persons in Iceland lives in Reykjavik.  First drive in Iceland  On the highway Reykjavik to Hotel Ion AdventureWe continued on Route 41 for about 50 km. As we moved out of the city, speed limit increased to 90 kmph, which is the highest limit in Iceland. In the city it varies from 30 to 50 kmph depending on the density of the locality. There were no street lamps outside the city limits, which is apt, as you need perfect darkness for northern lights. The road markers were glistening in the dark From Reykjavik we took road no.36 and turned right onto road no.360. This route remains open throughout the year, unlike a shorter route via road no.435 (suggested by GPS), which remains closed from October to April.  Light snow-laden road The last few kilometres, especially the last mile was covered in ice and very slippery. Thankfully, we had no problems as the land cruiser was a 4x4. The wind was howling outside. As we reached the parking lot of hotel Ion Adventure, we find it a challenge even to walk few meters to the hotel as it was too slippery. We were glad to be inside the hotel. After having a champagne as welcome drink, we registered ourselves for an Aurora wake up call and went to sleep knowing quite well that it's impossible to witness Aurora today given the weather conditions. 15th October - Golden Circle to Snæfellsnes Route through Golden Circle upto Snaefellsness Waking up to a snowy landscapeIt snowed throughout the night. As expected, there was no aurora even though we did set up our camera and remained awake till midnight waiting for that elusive light and then fell asleep. We woke up a little late on 15th due to jet lag.  Snowscape from our hotel As we wake up, to our amazement, glimpse of snow-covered surroundings through the window panes revealed like a fairyland. We had an elaborate breakfast in the beautiful Silfra restaurant watching the snow peaks in the distance. After breakfast, I tried to look into car manual to get used to the controls (it’s always difficult for me to adapt to new controls). Last night, I was not able to drive in cruise control and thought I was doing something wrong. When I called up the rental company, they told because of this ADAS issue, Adaptive Cruise control (or even standard cruise control) will not work. They told they can send us a replacement or I can bring it to their office in Reykjavik or Snaefellsnes. I gave them a strong message that this is not acceptable but decided not to make a fuss over it as, to be very frank, cruise control is not worth of losing your time on. Golden CircleAfter clearing the car from a bit of snow, we set out on the road at 11 AM for our tour of Golden Circle. As we were running late, we decided to go straight to Iceland’s most famous waterfall in the Golden Circle - Gullfoss - which is 82km from here. Golden circle is a route from Reykjavik to Thingvellir national park, Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall and back to Reykjavík. This is a common route taken by most tourists who spend 2-3 days in Iceland and want to get a quick glimpse of the country.  Landcruiser en-route golden circle We checked out from Ion Adventure hotel and drove from R360 to R36. Then we kept driving through Thingvellier National Park. There is a light drizzle and the roads have a thin snow cover. One important point - in Iceland, its a rule that you need to drive with your headlights on always - only DRL wont suffice. We were driving through volcanic landscape and would often get the faint smell of H2S. Even the running water from tap in the hotel smelled of H2S. Our hotel was located in Mt Hengill geothermal area. Here, like in many parts of Iceland, geothermal water (or rather steam) is used to warm up cold water for domestic use. In energy stations, the small quantity of steam containing acid gases is mixed with the water to eliminate dissolved oxygen and to lower pH in the water to prevent precipitation. That’s why the water system near geo thermal power stations often has a a faint smell of H2S. It was a little difficult to adjust to the smell at first as we drank the same water but soon we got used to it. In Iceland you can drink water from the tap. It comes straight from the glacier. You don’t need to buy water at all. In fact bottled water is extremely costly. Thingvellir National Park Thingvellir National Park  At lake Þingvallavatn Iceland is split between Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. As a result of this tectonic drift, deep rift valley has formed in the area. Every year 2 plate drifts away 2.5 cm in opposite direction slowly tearing apart iceland and increasing its size . Thingvellir National Park area is part of the Atlantic Ocean ridge, a part of North American tectonic plate. Nearby you have snorkelling facility in Silfa fissure where you can snorkel between 2 plates if you don’t mind getting numb in cold. Within a 10 minutes of our drive, we were compelled to stop by the captivating view of serene Lake Þingvallavatn. There is a parking area just by the road side where we parked our car. In coming days, we will find out that throughout Iceland, such parking areas are located in the most obscure yet most scenic locations where that one can relax and enjoy the countryside. We enjoyed the view and walked by the lakeside. There was also a Dacia Duster parked. In fact Landscruiser, Dacia Duster and Jeep are very popular here. In Iceland, you just cannot stop on the road - especially on a 2 lane road. That’s why it’s so difficult to do a ‘Follow me’ drone shot on your car.  Stopping at a rest area surrounded by snowscape We continued our drive through the drizzle and moss covered volcanic landscape. Now there is no snow on the road. Soon we reached the famous one-lane bridge. Before every one lane bridge, the speed limit slows down to 70 and then 50. You need to watch if somebody is coming from other side or not and then proceed. By the way, this entire road what we have driven so far is a 2-lane road - not 4 lane. As we drive along, the view of Langjökull glacier opened up all on a sudden, piercing the overcast sky. But the sight was short lived and soon covered with haze. Though the road surface is good, in few points there are small craters reminding me of EM Bypass in rainy season or erstwhile NH34. After some more time we encountered a very well maintained gravel road. In all gravel roads, max speed limit is 80.  Aerial view of snowy landscape with Langjökull We reached a T junction from where we took right onto R365 towards the town of Laugarvatn. After some time, again some light snow started appearing on the road. We spotted a parking place on the wayside, covered by light snow all around with a stunning view of Langjökull glacier. It was clear that the number of stops on the way would be innumerable and you have to be determined to stick to your itinerary and ignore the natural beauty that is constantly beckoning you to stop. We took some drone shots and continued our journey. At 12:30 we passed through Laugarvatn. We crossed the intersection from where a road on left goes to Brúarfoss (3 km from here) which is another gorgeous waterfall. GullfossAt 1 PM we reached Gullfoss Parking. It is on Route 806. Waterfall is 400 m walk from parking. This is our first major waterfall in Iceland and we were completely mesmerised by its sheer volume. The Gullfoss, which means “Golden waterfall” is a two-tier waterfall on the river Hvítá. After dropping down 32 m over two main cascades the river continues its journey in a narrow gorge. The name probably comes from the fact that the water droplets sparkle like gold in bright sunlight. We parked our car at the parking space and went to the viewing point at the lower level. You can go all the way up and close to the water in lower level. But during winter this path remains closed due to icy condition. We climbed up to the upper level. It is clearly written all over that drone is not allowed here. The view from the upper level was amazing. Even though it was raining, we enjoyed the view. The entire area is misty as Gullfoss sprays out a massive volume.  Gulfoss waterfalls  View from upper level After spending half an hour at Gullfoss, we went to the Gullfoss cafe nearby to grab some lunch. We had a good lunch with Chicken Panini, Ham Croissant, filter coffee and chocolate cake and then bought few small souvenirs.  At Gulfoss Cafe Friðheimar Tomato Farm and Skjol basecamp Friðheimar Tomato Farm and Skjol basecamp It was at 2:15 when we left Gullfoss to go to our next destination - Geysir / Strokkur, which is about 10 km from here. Beyond Gulfoss R35 changes to F35 and is closed in winter except for the SuperJeeps. Anyway, we turned onto route R35 and drove towards our next destination. Due to its geological location over a rift in continental plates , Iceland is brimming with geothermal areas. One of the most visited is Haukadalur geothermal area , where there are a number of hot springs and mud pools. On the way, we saw the famous Friðheimar Tomato Farm at Fludir. You can have tomato soup or tomato beer here. You can also buy tomato or tomato juice. Also beside the farm you have Skjol base camp which is the starting point of many adventure tours like snowmobil, ice cave tour etc. As we had just had our lunch and not much of a tomato fan, we moved on. HaukadalurWe reached Haukadalur at around 14-30. The Great Geysir is known to have ejected hot water more than 120 m high for many years, but now it is in dormant phase. However ‘Strokkur’, a nearby smaller geyser is as vigorous as ever erupting every 10 mins and shooting 20 m high fountain of warm water and steam. We spent some happy moments there, trying to catch the exact time of eruption in the shivering cold. Walking through the area, we came upon few fumaroles. Everywhere around us there are little pools of water bubbling and the air rich in smell of sulphide. It was fascinating to stand amidst those hot geysers and mud pools.  Geothermal area with geysers and mud pools  Little Geysir  Cyclic eruptions of Strokkur Efstidalur IIAt 3:20 pm we started from Geysir. We will go to Borgarness which is 146 km and where we plan to have an early dinner and pick up some snacks and easy to cook food. On the way, we went to visit Efstidalur II farm at Laugarvatn which is famous for ice creams made of milk from their farm bred cows.  Farm at Efstidalur II  Horses in Efstidalur farm From R37 we took a right turn and drove a bit uphill to reach Efstidalur. It has a horse farm too, where on sunny days it must have been fascinating to go for a horse-ride. There were strawberry, chocolate, banana, blueberry and other regular flavours of ice-cream, but we took ‘Stracciatella’, which is their special flavour and it tasted really good. There are also rooms available for staying in farmhouse. We spent some time seeing the farm horses before moving on to our next destination.  Road climbing down from Esftidalur farm Ring RoadAfter leaving Efstidalur II at around 4 PM, we took R37, then at the T junction after Laugarvatn, we drove straight to R365 and we are back in Thingvellier National Park at 4:30 PM. There was snow in some parts of the road.  Towards Ring road It was raining heavily and we were 87 km from Borgarnes, a picturesque town in West Iceland. We saw a large horse farm on the way, called Laxness horse farm. At about 17-00, we came to a junction, where we meet Ring Road or R1 of Iceland. Here the left road went towards Reykjavik. We turned right towards Akureyri. From here Borgarness is another 56 km. We are now driving on R1, the Ring road. The volume of cars increased as we touched Ring road - doesn’t seem to be a lean season going by the number of cars. Hvalfjörður tunnel Hvalfjörður tunnel When we were 39 km from Borgarnes, we entered the 6 km long Hvalfjörður tunnel under Hvalfjörður fjord.. Speed limit inside the tunnel is 70 km/h. There were cameras inside the tunnel. You do not need to pay toll in this tunnel. We came out of the long tunnel at 5-20 and took a break for 10 minutes at the road-side parking. Outside air had turned much colder than before. BorgarnessRain again become heavy after we started but subsided soon. We crossed a picturesque sea bridge just before Borgarness. Just before the bridge, there is a right turn to R50 which goes to Hraunfosser and Barnafoss waterfalls. Hraunfosser is a collection of countless creeks and cascades small and big streaming out of the lava over a distance of 1 km. Had we have time we definitely should have visited there. Anyway, we crossed the bridge and reached N1 gas station at Borgarnes at 6 PM. The main reason for stopping at the gas station was to have our dinner at the cafe and to buy something for breakfast for the next 2 days . We are going to stay at Dis Cottage near Grundarfjörður which has no restaurant. But there will be a kitchen with all standard facilities where you can cook breakfast. After dinner, we bought a couple of Skyr bowls. Skyr is Icelandic yoghurt, which is available everywhere. If you like yoghurt, you will like Skyr. As it was getting dark outside, we hurried our way across the street to a discount supermarket ‘Netto’, which is open till 7 pm. We bought some eggs, sausages and a small bottle of olive oil for cooking. This last item took some time to find, as most cooking oil comes in 1 Litre bottle. Finally we paid for the items in the self-service counter and came out of the store at about 7 PM. GrundarfjörðurWe started for Grundarfjörður and turned left on to R54 at about 7 PM leaving R1. Dis Cottages is 87 km away. Weather is getting better which was confirmed by our weather boards. At 8 PM, we came to a junction from where the road on our right went towards Stykkishólmur (18 km), which is the largest settlement in this area with 1200 inhabitants . We turned left towards Grundarfjörður. The final 1 km-long stretch was a gravel road, which went up to Dis cottages. We met the landlady, who also lived alongside the cottages and then checked into one standalone cottage. It is a cosy one-room apartment with all amenities including a small kitchen with an induction oven, microwave, toaster, coffee-maker, refrigerator, cups, plates, cutlery, salt & pepper. The brightly lit town of Grundarfjörður town was visible at distance from these isolated cottages. We had our dinner, set up the camera for Northern lights, set up few alarms in case both of us fell asleep and waited for the Aurora............which never appeared, though the sky was clear and chances were high. But such is the probability of Aurora sighting. (End Part 1 of 6 ... to be continued) |
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10th August 2024, 01:08
| #2 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Kolkata
Posts: 62
Thanked: 465 Times
| An October odyssey in Iceland with Landcruiser (Part 2/6) 16th October - Around Snæfellsnes Peninsula Today's route around Snæfellsnes peninsula DÍS Cottages @ GrundarfjörðurWe woke up early in the morning and cooked breakfast in our small cosy kitchen at our cottage. Dawn is just breaking in, even though the sun seemed elusive inside the cloud cover. Stepping outside the cottage, we were greeted with a breathtaking sight. It offers a stunning view of the entire fjord with the sky above veiled in clouds, and a grassy expanse from cottage to the fjord, spanning from left to right. The town of Grundarfjörður (inhabited by less than 1000), nestled on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula between the mountains and the sea, appeared as tiny dots on the horizon. The invigorating cool breeze beckoned, enticing us to spend the entire day on the balcony, mesmerised by the ever-changing dance of sea and clouds.  Dawn breaking over town of Grundarfjörður - from Dis Cottage Starting our journeyShortly after 8AM, we grabbed our daypacks, filled our water bottles and embarked on to explore Snæfellsnes peninsula. A child of ice age, Snæfellsnes is also called miniature Iceland for its picturesque mountains, rugged cliffside, black beaches, craters, waterfalls and lava fields. Retracing yesterday’s path, we took a right at the T-junction, heading towards the town of Grundarfjörður, with the ocean on our right side. A light drizzle is still persisting and a mist enveloped the surroundings. Around 9 am, we drove through the charming and tranquil town of Grundarfjörður, adorned with a picturesque church and Mt Kirkjufell in the background. Unfortunately, due to the rain, we couldn't stop to photograph the church which would have looked awesome with the town and Mt Kirkjufell in background. Mt. KirkjufellOur first destination is Mt. Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss. Kirkjufell is the most photographed mountain in Iceland. It is wedge shaped mountain, framed by picturesque waterfalls and derives its name from its distinctive shape, meaning 'church mountain’. 'Foss' in Icelandic translates to waterfall. Its remarkable shape is the result of ice age with glacier surrounding the mountain grinding away its sides for millennia. Persistent rain and strong winds, forced us to wait for few minutes inside the car, before we decided to brave the weather with our padded and rain jackets. A brief walk led us to the twin waterfalls, and the view of the falls with Mt. Kirkjufell in the backdrop was truly magnificent. We watched the clouds danced around the peaks. We spent an hour and a half exploring the waterfall and the mountain before departing around 10:50.  Mt. Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss Parking@ IcelandWe parked our car in the paid parking area of Kirkjufell viewpoint. At this point it’s worth to tell a little bit about parking in Iceland. In all paid parking, there is a camera which captures an image of the car with the number plate upon entry (same happened here as well). To pay the parking fee, we entered our car number into the payment machine, completing the transaction with a PIN and chip credit card. Some parking areas require payment through a mobile app. It's crucial to note that failure to pay the parking fee within 24 hours prompts a notification to the car owner, in this case, the car rental company, leading to collection during the final settlement. The parking fee here was around 1000 ISK. Most well-known tourist spots featured paid parking, and at these locations, the parking fee paid is valid for 24 hours.  Scenic drive through Kirkjufell area Coastline of SnæfellsnesThe drive along the coastal R54 in Snaefellsbaer was exceptionally scenic. On one side, majestic mountains graced the landscape, while on the other, the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean created a stunning backdrop—a truly awe-inspiring drive. And all on a sudden, just like typical Icelandic weather, the sun made a grand appearance. Notably, in some places, the road seems to curve its way between the seas, forming a natural bridge over the water.  Scenic drive through the coastline and fjords One of many scenic roadside recessWe stopped at a secluded viewpoint just before Ólafsvík village with a parking, wooden bench and a small description and map of the village of Ólafsvík. It was written- “In the Book of Settlement it says that around the year 900 Olafur belgur, who was nicknamed Belly, settled in Ólafsvík. In 1687 Ólafsvík became a certified trading place, authorised by the king of Denmark.” Now the sky has opened up beautifully and sunshine has adorned the surrounding mountains. We could see the quaint and charming fishing village of Ólafsvík, nestled at the northern tip of the Snæfellsness Peninsula, Deep blue coastline with sea gulls flying around on one side and sun bathed rugged cliffs on the other offered mesmerising vistas. We marvelled at the scenery around us sitting on the lovely wooden bench till the bone chilling wind forced us to continue our journey.  Seaside viewpoint overlooking Ólafsvík  Watching seagulls sitting on a wooden bench at a quaint place Ólafsvík town and refuelling in IcelandOn reaching Ólafsvík at about 11-30, we went straight to N1 gas station for refuelling. Iceland has gas stations for both gasoline and diesel. The main companies are N1, Olis, Orkan, OB etc. However like most of the others, this too, is an unmanned self-service gas station. Usually nozzle with green handles is gasoline and black handle is for diesel. One should avoid doing a ‘full tank’ (as we generally do in India) as then a hold will be put on your credit card for a large amount which will be withdrawn after you complete refuelling. For locals it is fine, but it’s better for tourists to avoid this. We decided that we would fill diesel for an exact amount once the indicator goes below the half way mark instead of going for full tank. That way we had a control on how much money we are spending on fuel. Fuel is very costly in Iceland. In fact, it’s costliest in world after Hong Kong. Regular diesel costs 327 ISK or 203 INR per litre, so it is advisable to monitor fuel cost. You need a chip and pin card for payment at these gas stations. There are options for English at all the card machines, so you will not find any problem here. Need to choose the fuel type, then choose the pump number, then the amount for which you want to refuel, grab the fuel nozzle from the correct fuel latch based on pump number and start refuelling. However, as later on we will find out that it is easier said than done when it’s too windy and rainy.  Refuelling in N1 gas station at Ólafsvík But the best part is that most of such fuel stations have cafe where you can get pilsurs (hot dogs) and coffee. So after refuelling, we went to the cafe and had a hot dog with coffee. The hot dog tasted really good with fried onions and mustard sauce. It imay be difficult for a vegetarian person to eat anything at a local cafe, though all big restaurants offered several vegetarian dishes. The washrooms at N1 are quite good and clean HellissandurAfter lunch, we drove at a leisurely pace through the town; leisurely not by choice, but because the speed limit inside any town is 30-50 kmph and there are speed monitors all around. We crossed the town and once again took the coastal road. We continued driving towards west and crossed a point where a road on left takes you to Svodufoss - another waterfall. That is a 30 min walk from parking to the falls - so we gave it a miss in the interest of time. We were driving towards Hellissandur, another small fishing village at the farthest North-Western point of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. At 12-30, we reached the Ingjaldshólskirkja, the famous red-roof church. This 120 year-old church is a favourite for the photographers. From a distance it seems as if the road ends at the church and Mount Snay rises from behind. We drove upto the church and enjoyed the view from there.  Ingjaldshólskirkja Church Skarðsvík and SvörtuloftAfter seeing the church, we crossed the town of Hellissandur (less than 500 inhabitants) and stopped at a scenic location to take a drone shot. It is difficult to take drone shots in Iceland, especially with small drone like ours because of the strong wind and frequent rain. Also, in many tourist spots, especially in national parks, drones are banned. So you can only use drones in a few places or on the roads, wherever possible. This place was called Gufuskálar, an old fishing station. After some time, we left the main road and turned right on to R 579. Soon we could see the entire landscape turned into black lava fields covered by moss. The road meanders through the lava fields with the mighty Atlantic on its right. The road becomes uneven, narrow and broken at some places albeit with a decent surface. We stopped at Skarðsvík around 1 PM, which is the one of the very few yellow sand beaches in Iceland (all the others are black). The rugged landscape all around transports you to a different planet. Since the roads are narrow, you don’t have luxury to stop the car and enjoy the view.  Gravel road meandering its way through rugged moss covered lave fields towards Skarðsvík  Yellow sand beach of Skarðsvík with black rocks jutting out After Skarðsvík, the road has become a combination of gravel and paved road. After 20-30 mins drive on the gravel road, we reached a T-junction. Right road goes to Ondverdarnes. We took left turn and soon we could see the bright yellow Svörtuloft Lighthouse ahead of us . It took a few more minutes to reach the lighthouse. The natural arc on the left side of the lighthouse is the most stunning part of the cliff. The 12.8 metre tall bright coloured lighthouse standing on the dark coloured cliff made from pitch black lava offers a sharp contrast and a spectacular sight.  Svörtuloft Lighthouse  View of rocky shoreline and cliffs at Svörtuloft  Taking a walk on a scenic trail basking in morning sun Saxhóll CraterIt was past 2 pm, when we left the lighthouse. This is the last point - so we now need to retrace back to where we entered R579 and then merge to Snaefellsnesvegur. Next stop is Saxhóll crater, which is located on the westernmost tip of Snæfellsnes peninsula, within Snaefellsjökull National Park. Drive was spectacular accompanied by view of Snaefellsjökull. This crater was formed 3-4 thousand years ago from a volcanic eruption. There is a metal staircase going to the top of the crater. Thought the crater itself is not very picturesque, the view from the top is amazing. And needless to say, it’s extremely windy at the top.  Approaching Saxhóll crater  View from top of the crater DjúpalónssandurWe left Saxhóll crater at 2:30 PM. Our next stop was Djúpalónssandur Black Pebble Beach which is about 15km from here. We drove straight and then took a turn right. It was such an unassuming turn without any signpost that we were not sure whether we are on right track. But we confirmed with one car coming from the other side (the poor guy and lady were in pains to pronounce Djúpalónssandur before they gave up). Djúpalónssandur is one of the most beautiful black lava beaches in Iceland. Here we found a large crowd of tourists. In fact the parking lot was so crowded, we had to wait for five minutes to get a parking space. From the parking lot you can go to Dritvik beach, Djúpalón lagoon and Djúpalónssandur black pebble beach. The ten minutes’ walk from the parking space to the black beach through a rugged and rocky terrain was awesome. The path takes you through a lava field with huge lava formations which can tickle your imagination and is equally, if not more, amazing as the black pearl or black pebble beach. There is a rock with a hole on the path, through which you can see Snaefellsjökull glacier.  Overlooking rocky trail towards Djúpalónssandur  Arc hole with a view The black beach was formed by volcanic activity in the area. The black color of the sand is due to the presence of volcanic rocks, basalt and lava. We could spot remains of old fishing vessels on the beach which are the remains of a British trawler wrecked east of Dritvik on 13th Mar 1948. Djúpalónssandur beach is also known for its lagoons, the first one is called Djúpulón and the second one is called Djúpudalslón. Both lagoons are connected to the sea.  Djúpalónssandur Black Pebble Beach LóndrangarWe were so amazed by the dramatic landscape around us that we did not realise that it was already past 3PM. We had a long way to go. So we went back to our car and started driving to our next destination - Lóndrangar basalt cliffs. On the way we passed by Vatnshellir Cave on our left. This is a 8000 year old lava tube created during a volcanic eruption in a crater in the Purkhólar crater family. Now cave tour ( by a elevator which takes you underground) is being conducted to explore the lava cave. Since we are running short in time, we decided to give it a miss. Soon we reached Lóndrangar view point. The two rock pinnacles, formed by basalt rocks, striking out from the ocean is a geological wonder. These are considered to be old remains of a crater which has mostly eroded away. Now only these two gigantic cliffs remain, overlooking the ocean - one of them is 75 m. high and the other is 61 m. high. They stick out gorgeously, looking like a castle. There is a lovely path along the cliff where we walked for some time in the warm afternoon sun. The sky was crystal clear giving us hopes of sighting the elusive Aurora in night.  The basalt rock costal landscape from Lóndrangar view point  View of rocky coastline of Hellnar from the walking trail to the viewpoint ArnarstapiIt was past 3:45 PM and now we are feeling quite hungry after so much activity. We started towards Arnarstapi, which is a small fishing village located on southern part of Snæfellsnes at the foot of Mt Stapafell, just 7 km away from here. We decided to have lunch once we reach there. Now we are driving west to east - so we are completing a mini circle or rectangle across Snaefellsness peninsula. We are inside Snaefellsjokull national park. Soon we passed Hellnar view point which is 2 km from main road. Just opposite to where we parked our car in Arnarstapi, there was a cafe - Stapinn Cafe. So we decided to go to the Cafe which looks like an excellent food joint where you can get burgers, pizza, sandwich, soup and coffee. We had cheese burger, chocolate pastry and coffee. The wash room at the cafe is also worth a mention. Another interesting thing we spotted that it was written ‘Pull like a troll’ on the entrance door of cafe as it becomes so windy sometimes that it really needs quite a force to even open the door.  Fun time @ Stapinn Cafe After having a late lunch, we walked upto the cliff with renewed vigour to see the extraordinary basalt columns. Made up of black basalt columns, the cliffs offer an extraordinary vista with the waves ferociously pounding against them . Several scenic rock arches including the spectacular natural arch with a large round hole can be found here which is a favourite nesting site for many seabirds . We saw many species of sea birds flying around the arch.  Statue of Bárður Snæfellsás  'Hellnar Arch' of Arnarstapi On the way, we saw the statue of Bárdur, which is a sculpture made of stone, representing the Bárður Snæfellsás, the famous Icelandic character who is half-man and half-troll since his father was a troll and mother was a human. It was almost 4:30 PM when we left the Arnarstapi cliffs. The afternoon sky now looks clear and vibrant. BúðakirkjaOur next stop was Búðakirkja, which was located close to Arnarstapi at a distance of 19-20 km. We drove through stunning landscape all around and went past Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge. Again we need to skip it because of lack of time.  Road towards Budir through Rocky Mountains and moss covered lava fields  Approaching the village of Búðir We reached Búðir, a small hamlet, at 5 PM. Búðakirkja is a small Lutheran church, completely black in colour, in the village of Búðir. The surrounding mountains and the lava fields against the black wooden church make a spectacular view. The source of the lava field is the 88 metre-tall volcanic crater Búðaklettur. The black church is the only remains of Búðir’s former community. The black chapel stands all alone on an old lava field, away from everything else embodying pure Icelandic isolation.  Búðakirkja - the black chapel standing in isolation for centuries Ytri Tunga beach and the sealsIt was past 5 PM and today sunset was at 6:05 PM. So we hurried towards Ytri Tunga beach which is a beautiful location to watch the seals. Here you will find Harbor seals, one of the two common species found in Iceland. Grey seals are the other commonly found species. These seals mostly feed on fish and can reach length of 1.8 m and a weight of 170 kg . Occasionally you will find Hooded seals and Ringed seals. It was wonderful to watch the seals swimming close to the shore. But some tourists were going so close to the seals that they swam away the moment they saw humans. It's important to keep a minimum distance of 50 metres from the seals. Also, we found people flying drones above the seal which was disturbing them.  Setting sun at Ytri Tunga beach  The harbour seals Ytri Tunga was a fascinating place. But soon after sunset, it became terribly cold and windy. So we had to turn back to our car and start on our return journey to Grundarfjörður at 6:20PM. By the way, Ytri Tonga had a paid parking but the machine did not work. Grundarfjörður is about 50 km from here. Though the GPS was showing us to take a left on R54, retrace our path and take right before Budir keeping on R4, I had some doubts as I know there is a F-road and another road which closes sometime in winter. And of course, I don’t trust Google blindly. So, instead of following GPS, we took a right on R 54 and then again left on to R56. Driving back to GrundarfjörðurAt 7-15, when we were approaching the town of Grundarfjörður, it looked incredibly gorgeous with its sparkling lights. We were not very hungry, but this was the only place to have food within 9 kilometres, so we stopped at a roadside cafe called Kaffi 59 in the town of Grundarfjörður. The leisurely pace of life in Iceland can very well be felt at these cafes. It took almost an hour for us to have a small pizza and coke.  Town of Grundarfjörður at evenning We then went to a nearby gas station and refuelled as we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow going to Northern Iceland. So we went straight to our cottage which was about 9 km from there, set up the camera, set the array of alarms and waited………for the Northern Lights…….but it never came. (End Part 2 of 6 - to be continued) |
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10th August 2024, 02:37
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| An October odyssey in Iceland with Landcruiser (Part 3/6) 17th October - Snæfellsnes to Northern IcelandWe woke up to an overcast sky along with a drizzle and chill in the air. Today we have a long way ahead of us to Mývatn which is located north of Iceland. We enjoyed some self-cooked English breakfast, packed our bags and bid farewell to lovely Dís Cottages at 8 AM.  Grundarfjörður-Laugarbakki-Akureyri-Godafoss-Myvatn (430 km) Towards StykkishólmurAs we crossed the bridge over the fjord, the rain intensified. To reach Mývatn there are 2 routes -
Mud, slush, ocean and rainWe continued our drive through black lava fields and rocks covered by moss and low shrubs. Initially we travelled along the coastline which is rugged, adorned by fjords and quite similar to what we experienced yesterday. At 8:30 we crossed the intersection leaving the road on our right which goes towards Borgarness. In 10 minutes, we veered right, leaving the road to Stykkisholmur on our left and greeted by sign of gravel road along with a speed limit of 80. Driving through gravel roadGravel road soon becomes slushy due to incessant rain. At places it gets too slippery and we need to be bit careful. In some places there are blind curves which is properly marked with signs of reduced speed limit. With deep fjord on one side and steep rugged mountain on the other, driving through this winding road is a wonderful spectacle. However, there is no let up in rain as wipers keep on working hard revealing the enchanting landscape before us. We crossed the intersection of Heydalsvegur R55 at 9:20 AM. After 10 mins finally it seems that rain subsided a bit - but only for a while. Horses and SheepWe are back to paved road again. Before turning to R60, we passed by a large horse farm in the Búðardalur region. The sight of the Icelandic horses, pony-sized and robust, traditionally used for sheepherding, captivated us so much that we paused for a while by the roadside.  An Icelandic Horse Farm A small, but hardy breed, Icelandic horses are the descendants of animals brought here by Norse settlers. Over the course of millennia they adapted to the harsh climate developing a double coat with excellent insulation . Their luxurious, flowing manes would be the envy of any hairstylist. Adjacent to the horse farm was a sheep farm, equally charming. One ubiquitous sight in Iceland is sheep; they are plump, adorable, and countless. Their presence is one of the reasons why Iceland's speed limits are relatively low, especially in rural areas. Towards Northern FjordsWe turned left on to R60 which goes straight towards Western Fjords - another enchanting, secluded and less explored part of Iceland having one of the most scenic waterfall - Dynjandi falls - but that's for another day. The continuous rain has made the undulating gravel road an occasionally challenging drive as patches of snow along with slush started to appear on both sides of the road. Around 10:40 AM we turned right on to R68 accompanied by a fascinating view of snow covered mountains of Vatnsnes peninsula on the other side. R68 is fully paved road. Taking left on to R68 one can go towards northern part of Western Fjords. In another 9 km from here we will merge on to R1. Taking break at N1At the junction of R68 and R1 near Staður, there is a large N1 gas station with a very good restaurant called Staðarskáli N1. We stopped there to take fuel. Although it was only 11 AM, we decided to take an early lunch with hot dog, Danish muffin and some coffee, since there may not be a better place to eat for next few hours. It was a nice restaurant with a souvenir shop and a clean washroom. We purchased few very expensive fridge magnets for no reason. Once, we came outside we saw that there was a bucket full of water and a brush near the fuel pump for car washing. We made use of it immediately. The car was covered with mud and badly needed a wash. Here there was nobody to wash the car and automatic car wash was only available in large towns and during normal working hours. After a few minutes of manual cleaning, the car looked somewhat cleaner and we started our drive at 11:45.  Car wash at gas stationLaugarbakki and Kolugljúfur canyonWe drove past the edges of Hrútafjörour towards North and then turned to a north easterly direction towards Laugarbakki. We could see a huge snow covered massif in front of us. Around 12 noon we parked our car at the junction of R704 before Laugarbakki and immersed ourselves in the landscape enjoying the view of clouds dancing over snow capped mountains.  Landscruiser at the junction of road towards Brekkulækur Near Laugarbakki Here R704 goes right towards Brekkulækur and Melstadarkirkja. After taking a 10 min break we started again and drove past the intersection of road to Laugarbakki which is a popular place for a night halt for people driving to north. Few km ahead we could spot the right turn towards Kolugljúfur Canyon, which is another hidden gem of Iceland - alas, we wont have time for it today. It was simply fascinating to drive through this ethereal landscape as we drove past the intersection of a road going North towards another beautiful fishing village - Hvammstangi. As we drive along, this being start of winter, we can spot harvested grains being kept in open fields. O these fascinating unknown, unnamed detours Taking a detour on a offbeat dirt road going nowhere After travelling for sometime, we spotted a narrow dirt road branching out of R1 and going towards a mountain. We followed the road and decided to stop our car and enjoy the surrounding. Moment we got down from our car, we were almost blown away by the ferocious wind blowing across the valley. It was biting cold and so strong that we had to hold on to the car for our dear life. No wonder why Iceland has 100 synonyms for the word ‘wind’. There were no cars in the vicinity - nor any human being. The isolation of this place was captivating. Then, we realised that true beauty of this country lies in these isolated drives and these unnamed detours. Lunch breakIt was almost 1 PM and we were driving through spectacular countryside of Húnavatnshreppur in North-Western Iceland. As we reached the modest town of Blönduós, we stopped by a N1 gas station and had some coffee and Pilsur (hot dog) in Nesti cafe. After a 20 mins break we started again. Goðafoss is about 180 km from here. We could spot the sign of city limit ending. In Iceland, whenever you enter or exit city limits there is a yellow-black signboard indicating that. Accordingly the speed limit also decreases or increases from 90 to 70 to 50 or vice-versa.  Driving towards Blönduós SkagafjörðurWe continued our drive through south of Skagi peninsula and close to the snow peaks on our side and soon we started ascending. Hue of green and brown getting replaced with more and more white as we find ourselves gradually surrounded by thin layer of snow all around. It was an awesome experience. This is Skagafjörður area of Northern Iceland. The landscape looked magical with hills at a distance and black clouds hanging over meadows covered with white snow.  An enchanting drive through snowscape and clouds Another picturesque spot by the roadsideShortly after 2 PM, marvelled at the scenery around us, we stopped at a parking place by the wayside. A black topped road stretches into the distance, flanked by sparse winter grasses, punctuated with patches of snow as majestic mountains rise sharply against a brooding sky, their peaks elegantly dusted with snow.  Stone statue with snow capped mountain [Inset : Glacial streams] The flowing streams, low hanging clouds adds only to the sense of drama - altogether it looked like a fairyland. Despite being windy and cold, we explored the area a bit and started again after 15 mins. SnowscapeAfter 20-30 mins just before reaching the town of Varmahlíð, we could see R752 going right towards the highlands . After another 1 km , we veered right along R1, keeping road to Sauðárkrókur, another small fishing village on the Arctic to our left.  Driving towards Hörgársveit through snow covered landscape The snow covered cluster of mountains appeared more close than ever as we drove along with snow covered hills on one side and streams on other side. HörgársveitClose to 3 PM, we entered Hörgársveit region of North-eastern Iceland. It seems as if we had wandered into another planet. The road is now flanked by snow covered mountains on both sides as our car meanders its way through.  A sea of white After about 30 mins, the snow on the side of road gradually gives its way to green and relegated to the distant mountains. AkureyriAt 3:30 PM we crossed the intersection where the road on left goes to Dalvik . This is the road to Tröllaskagi peninsula which is one of the most beautiful places in Iceland. From Varmahlíð till this point we bypassed Tröllaskagi peninsula as it cannot be accommodated in this time. It is adorned by many fishing hamlets along the coastline along with alpine mountains, fjords and glaciers. You can visit oldest church in Iceland in this route or lovely fishing villages of Siglufjörður and Dalvik. We continued driving toward Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. We reached Akureyri after 5-10 mins. It is Iceland's fifth-largest city located at the base of Eyjafjörður Fjord . Akureyrarkirka lutheran church is the major hallmark of this town. We could also spot a whale watching center. The tunnels Akureyri Tunnel We drove past the fjord and saw some fall colors. Then we came to a point where left road goes towards north and straight road towards Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel. In summer you can take either of these roads as time difference is not much - but the northern road over Víkurskarð mountain is much scenic. However, in winter it’s always better to take the tunnel. Need to pay road toll and there are no toll booths or pay machines around. Instead, travellers must visit www.tunnel.is and pay the 1650 ISK fee for each single trip via card, either 24 hours prior to or after their trip through the tunnel. It’s a 7 km long tunnel and the only paid tunnel. Speed limit is 70 inside tunnel and there are cameras all around. GoðafossAs we came out of the tunnel at 4 pm, we were greeted by a landscape veiled in a blanket of snow. Godafoss is 20 km from here. We crossed a small lake Ljosvatn on our right. We drove past the intersection point from where road on left goes north towards Husavik, famous for whale watching.  Lake Ljósavatn Finally we reached Goðafoss at about 4-15 PM. It is located on the river Skjálfandafljót and is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country. The horseshoe-shaped falls stand 30 metres wide and 12 metres high and is broken into multiple falls. The name translates to “Waterfall of the Gods”. Goðafoss got its name when Christianity was declared the official religion of Iceland, so the locals threw Norse pagan God statues into the waterfall.  Goðafoss Waterfall There were parking available at both east and west sides of the waterfall. From the east side parking, you can get a view from above and go close to the falls. However, during winter, it is often closed, as the road gets very slippery. We parked our car at the West side, which is open on all seasons, though here also the road was very slippery with snow and mud. There was a washroom near the parking area. From the parking lot to the waterfalls, it was about 5 minutes’ walk, but the last part of the path was covered in ice and was extremely slippery. We realised that we have underestimated October weather by not carrying micro spikes with us. Everyone is having a tough time to balance. The waterfall was majestic. We spent about half an hour there and left at 4-45.  Scenic but snow and ice covered pathway in front of Goðafoss There was a coffee shop and a souvenir shop across the street. We found a nice Lopapeysa, (Icelandic handmade woolen sweater) at a reasonable price at the shop. However, the shop owners seem to be least interested in selling anything - nothing wrong with them - it symbolises the slow paced lifestyle in this part of the world. We quickly had a coffee as still we had one more place to visit, before going to the hotel - the Skútustaðagígar pseudo craters which is about 40km from here. Skútustaðagígar Pseudo CraterIt was getting dark - today sunset is at 5:40 PM. Though the sky is overcast, we can see the clear red sky at a distance igniting a hope of seeing northern lights. We left R1 and merged to R 848 which goes to Pseudo craters. Pseudo craters are called so as they are not created from actual volcanic eruption but are a byproduct of their flowing lava (when hot lava flows over cool, wet grounds and pressurizes the earth downwards.). They were formed during the eruption of Lúdentaborgir and Þrengslaborgir around 2,300 years ago. We drove past beautiful Lake Mývatn on our left and reached Psudo crater at 5-45 pm. As we parked our car, we found that the entire area was covered with thick snow and was extremely slippery. We now really felt that it’s such a big mistake not to carry our microspikes. As it was getting dark, we walked around the crater a bit and came back to the parking area. It was very chilli and windy outside as well. MývatnFrom the crater we drove towards Mývatn, which was close by. You can either retrace back to R1 and go to Myvatn Or you can continue on R848 , merge to R1. We opted for 2nd choice. Mývatn is a lake which is situated in a volcanic area near Krafla volcano.  Lake MývatnA small town has developed around the lake. Fosshotel, where we had booked our stay for the night, was located overlooking lake Mývatn. As we drive by, landscape looks even more gorgeous in the dying light. We reached our hotel at 6-15 PM. Entire parking is covered with ice and extremely slippery. The walk from the parking lot to the hotel with the luggage was no easy task, as there was ice and snow everywhere. In addition, there was our old friend, the wind, which blew everything here and there, if you were not careful. Northern Lights - at lastFosshotel was a bit uncharacteristically crowded considering this time of the year. Had we not booked our dinner earlier, we would have to wait for long. After dinner, we checked at the reception desk, if there is any chance of seeing the Northern Lights that night. The lady at the desk said that there is a very slim chance. Still we set up the camera with tripod and waited for the call. After 10 PM, we went out of the hotel to see if anything was visible, as our Aurora app was giving strong indication of a sighting very soon.  Night sky of Myvatn - with and without aurora Suddenly after a few minutes, we saw that across the parking area, a light green streak of light was forming. There were so many street lamps in the parking area that it was difficult to see the light in the sky clearly. So we walked further down the road where it was darker and waited for the light to be formed properly. For the next one and a half hour we, along with a few other fellow residents of the hotel, stood there watching the ethereal light come and go. It was spectacular, though not exactly what we had expected. There were some clouds in the sky, so the streaks of light were diffused at places. But we were amazed at what we had seen. It was unlike anything we had ever experienced. Funny part was that in the urgency of seeing northern lights braving that terrible cold and slippery surface, people are skidding and sliding all over. By the time the Northern lights died, our hands were numb with cold and we were literally shivering. It was 11-45 PM. We returned to our warm beds and called it a day. 18th October - Mývatn to Eastern FjordsIn Iceland, we got to wake up early so as to make best use of whatever 8-9 hours of sunlight you get. Today is also no exception. However, today is different as we are still excited and enchanted by the the stellar spectacle of Northern Lights last night. We will be leaving north and going to the Eastern fjords. Our destination is Eglisstadir. Today sunrise is at 08:12 at Myvatn and sunset will be at 05:23 in Eglisstadir .  Road to Eglisstadir Morning at MývatnAfter breakfast, when we were about to leave the dining hall, suddenly our eyes caught the vivid spectacle of colors outside the glass window. Coming out on to the patio, we were mesmerised by the burst of colours across the sky. Distant mountain range with its peaks lightly dusted in snow, catching the first rays of dawn adds a majestic backdrop to the uneven terrain, with rocky outcrops and scattered vegetation poking through the snow. The sky is a canvas of dramatic colors, with hues of deep orange, pink, and yellow near the horizon, blending into a softer pink and transitioning into shades of blue and grey as the eye moves upwards. Lake Mývatn looked heavenly in that early rays of dawn.  Lovely magical morning sky in Mývatn Námafjall geothermal areaWe checked out of Fosshotel at 08-30. Today the sky has opened up nice and bright with strands of harmless clouds floating in it. As we drive down the hotel ramp, we could see the snow covered landscape stretched in front of us. We drove on R1 for about 4 km till the junction of R848 where we spotted a N1 gas station last evening. We re-fuelled our car and started our drive. Lake Myvatn looks terrific in the morning sun. We turned on to R885 and started a serpentine ascent through a neatly packed snow covered craters or mounds.  Scenic way to Námafjall from Mývatn Soon we could spot fumes coming out of Námafjall geothermal area. At 8:50 we reached Námafjall parking. Here also approach to parking and the parking itself is extremely slippery. Námafjall Geothermal Area is a place full of sulphur mud pots and steam vents, on the eastern side of Lake Mývatn. This area is also known as Hverir. In summer, you can see beautiful colours like orange, yellow and blue around the area. But now it was mostly white with snow, which was equally amazing. Hverir lies in the Krafla volcano field. There is a walking path around the mud pools which was covered with ice and extremely slippery. We were slipping at every step. Even going to the parking pay machine was tough. The soil in this area is highly acidic due to the geothermal activity. In summer, you can go on a small hike up to Námaskarð pass and Námafjall mountain. Being a geothermal area, there is smell of rotten eggs everywhere.  Námafjall Hverir Geothermal Landscape  View of snow covered volcanic landscape from Námafjall We spent about half an hour in this place and started on our journey towards the Eastern fjords. We drove on R885 back to R1. Back on R1, we soon spotted a road on left going towards Krafla crater which is 7 km from the intersection. But we need to drop the plan to go to Krafla due to time constraints. In summer, one can walk upto the rim of the Krafla crater. Krafla caldera is a part of a deep volcanic system that is one of the most explosive volcanoes of Iceland. DetifossOur next stop is Dettifoss - the most powerful waterfall in Europe (by volume). Again road to Detifoss will be very slippery and icy. In fact, 2wd vehicles may not be allowed today. But we should not have any issues with 4wd. As we drive along the snow and mud littered road, we can spot many small and medium sized craters on both sides of the road. Entire landscape is veiled in a blanket of snow as far the eye goes. Around 10 AM we reached the intersection from where the left road R862 goes towards Detifoss, which is about 24 km from here. As we turned left and drove a bit, we were greeted by road covered with snow and ice . In the traffic info app (road.is) the road was showing deep blue signifying extremely slippery. Light blue means slightly slippery and red means impassable. However, we faced no issues as the gargantuan Landcruiser sailed through. The scenic beauty of snow covered landscape is mind blowing . In around half an hour we reached the right turn towards the Western side parking of Detifoss. There are parking on both East and West sides of the waterfall. The East side parking gets you closer to the falls. This road 864 is a gravel road with numerous potholes. The west side road 862 (by which we came) is accessible with any vehicle and easier to get to because the road is paved. There is a viewing platform in western side along with amenities, and hence this is more popular. It takes 1 hour to drive from West to East, so you need to choose one of the roads. Today there was no choice. Road 864 was closed. Even 862 was shown with a deep blue color. The drive along R862 to Dettifoss West parking, which should take about 15 minutes in summer time, took more than 30 minutes today. But throughout this drive, the view all around us was spectacular.  Slippery trail towards Detifoss We reached parking in 5 mins and discovered the real challenge. The entire parking space was covered with ice, black ice and not snow. It has become so slippery that it is becoming difficult to get down from the car. One would have laughed at us had one saw how we managed to get out of car and barely managed to avoid a fall. But the car performed nicely on this slippery road - not once did it skid or wobble. There were toilet facilities nearby. From the parking lot to the waterfall, we had to walk or rather trek for is a 1.1 km. This trail was completely covered with snow and was lovely.  Detifoss Dettifoss was absolutely amazing. This stunning waterfall flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and has a width of about 100 meters and a drop of 45 meters. The surrounding cliffs are composed of dark basalt columns, adding to the dramatic scenery. It is a part of the Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon which runs for 25 km. You can recognise this from the extremely erie opening scene from the movie Proemetheus.  Trail for Detifoss and Selfoss running along canyon From Dettifoss, another trail went to the opposite side upto Selfoss, a beautiful horseshoe-shaped waterfall. But there is no viewing platform like here. Without proper snow shoes and microspikes, it is not wise to go there in current condition. Anyway we were getting late too. So, we decided not to go to Selfoss and went straight back to the car and start again at 12:10 pm. Stuðlagil CanyonThe sun was shining brightly now. Ice on the road has started to melt. We enjoyed the return journey on R862 very much. It was 12-40 PM when we merged back on to R1. After half an hour we could see green shoots appearing from the white snow making the landscape more magical. As the sun and clouds played hide and seek, we continued our drive through some of the most stark and stunning, yet most uninhabited and desolate, landscapes of Iceland characterized by lava fields and distant mountain views. Though the weather is clear, the howling wind outside is so fierce that even a Gargantuan like Landcruiser felt as if it was swaying under its relentless force. We passed the road towards Grímsstaðir, a small, isolated settlement that provides a gateway to some of the region’s natural wonders. Then we stopped by a scenic spot by the roadside to immerse ourselves in the Icelandic isolation.  En-route Eastern fjords through area of Grímsstaðir We continued on R1 till the junction of R923. We would now go to Stuðlagil Canyon which is around 19 km from here. At 1:50 pm from the junction, we took sharp right and turned South onto R923 Jökuldalsvegur and after few kilometres took another left from a Y fork to continue for about 16 kms before taking a slight left downhill road towards the parking lot. On the way we came across a beautiful Icelandic horse farm. Some parts of this road is a gravel road but quite well maintained. We went to the view point on the West side. Here also, the East side has a better view. If you go straight instead of taking left to parking lot you can reach east side parking. From East side, you can even get down into the canyon during summer months. But it is very slippery and steep. We saw many people walking down the east side. Some people reached the bottom of the canyon near the water. There is a cafe on the East side too. However the route to the West side is much shorter. So in winter months, when you are always short on time, it is better to go to the West.  Stuðlagil Canyon Stuðlagil Canyon only became safe enough for people to visit after a hydroelectric plant was built in 2009, diverting the dangerous and powerful water flow, dropping the river’s depth and revealing the canyon. We went down the steps to the viewing platform and saw the basalt columns on both sides towering over the bright green glacial river. It was a remarkable sight. There was no restriction on drones here, so we flew the drone over the canyon and got some stunning pictures. The toilet facilities near the parking lot were excellent. It was a full automatic pay toilet. You just need to swipe card. Though a bit costly (230 ISK for each use) like everything else, it was a well-maintained facility. It was past 15-15 when we left the canyon after spending an hour. We retraced our path back along R923 and took a right on R1. Rjúkandafoss After about half an hour’s drive from the point where we again merged into R1, we saw Rjúkandafoss just by the roadside - Iceland’s twelfth tallest waterfall from the road. We parked our car and walked on a short trail upto a closer viewpoint. The waterfall cascades gracefully down a series of rocky ledges, creating a mesmerizing display of flowing water. Unlike the thunderous torrents of its big brothers like Godafoss and Dettifoss, its gradual elevation framed by striking basalt formations offers a more delicate and tranquil view.  Cascading waters of Rjúkandafoss HengifossWe left Rjúkandafoss at 3:50 PM for another waterfall - the 128 metres high Hengifoss, the third highest waterfall in Iceland. Hengifoss is about 80 km from here. However, we are not sure whether we will have the time to hike upto the Hengifoss by the time we reach there. Gradually the snow gives way to green and brown fall colors. At about 4:30 PM, just before reaching Egilsstaðir and crossing the bridge, we turned left onto R931. The 45 km distance from Rjúkandafoss till this point took about 50 minutes. As we took right turn landscape changes to lush fall color with forest and close hills on both sides.  Trail towards Hengifoss It was almost 17-00 when we reached the parking lot of Hengifoss. This waterfall is particularly beautiful because there are layers of red and brown rock surrounding the waterfall in a horseshoe shape. It is located on Hengifossá river. The hike to the highest viewpoint of the waterfall takes 2-3 hours round trip. The sun had already set when we were some way up the trail. So we went up to a midway view point and came back to the car before it became dark. However we could manage to take a aerial shot using drone  Aerial shot of Hengifoss Towards EglisstadirIt was almost 6 PM when we started our journey towards Eglisstadir. But instead of retracing the path, we crossed the bridge over the river and started driving on R931 on the opposite side of river bank. We merged to R95 and them turned left on R1 and reached the largest town in Eastern Iceland at 18-30. We checked in to Gistihúsið - Lake hotel. It was a nice hotel, quite unlike Fosshotel, which though good seemed like a business-hotel. The staff at the reception took our request for Aurora call and registered it immediately. With so many things we almost forgot about the northern lights. That evening we had a fabulous dinner with Reindeer meat, Quail egg and Icelandic lamb with pistachios. Aurora Borealis - as good as it gets Spectacle of Northern Lights We set up the camera and tried to remain awake. But it was a long day and we fell asleep. Suddenly the phone rang. The guy from the reception informed that Aurora activity had started. It was 11 PM. We pulled back the curtain and saw a green streak of light slicing the clear sky right in front of the hotel. We rushed downstairs and came out of the hotel towards the parking lot. The hotel was located at the centre of the town. Hence there were street lights causing distraction. So we walked round the hotel and went to the back side in front of the lake. And o boy - what a spectacle it is - viewing aurora over the lake. Sometimes it was moving fast , sometimes slow, sometimes changing direction . Kept on adjusting the shutter speed, interval. We spent almost an hour , mesmerised by the magic of nature. Today’s sighting was much more fulfilling than yesterday’s. We thanked the staff for calling us to see the lights. Then we came back to our room and stayed awake for half an hour from the sheer excitement of seeing this glorious event. (End of Part 3 of 6 - To be continued) |
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10th August 2024, 03:45
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| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Kolkata
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| An October odyssey in Iceland with Landcruiser (Part 4/6) 19th Oct - Eastern Fjords, Coastal road to HöfnWe woke up at the crack of dawn and got ready for another day of thrill and adventure. Had a sumptuous breakfast at the Lake hotel. It was a cloudy morning with sun playing hide and seek. The lake looked lovely in the early morning light. We started for Höfn at 08-15 AM and re-fuelled from N1 gas station located close by.  Route along the eastern and south-eastern fjords From N1 gas station you can take either R1 or R95. But we prefer to take R1 which travels along the coast of Norwegian Sea of North Atlantic ocean. After driving for few minutes we came to the intersection where the left road R93 goes towards Seyðisfjörður. In our initial plan we had Seyðisfjörður but later on dropped it due to shortage of time. Its a picturesque fishing hamlet at the innermost point of the fjord and definitely worth visiting should you have some time. Fishing villages of Eastern FjordsConforming to its reputation, specks of bright sky soon disappeared accompanied by a light drizzle as we drove along. The road meanders through expansive meadows and valleys dotted with glacial rivers and streams, flanked by plateaus and dusted with remnants of yesterday’s snow as a strong wind kept on lashing on the Landcruiser. It's overcast with no sign of the Sun coming out soon as the rain persisted with varying intensity. Came across few Reindeer crossing zone though we could not spot any. Just ahead of the small fishing and harbour town of Reyðarfjörður, the road turned right and we continued our drive through meadows scattered with horse and sheep farms with a backdrop of misty snow-sprinkled mountains hovering at a distance. Reyðarfjörður was second largest base of allied forces during WWII due to its strategic location. As we crossed one of the innumerable one-laned narrow bridge, reducing speed to 50, we could spot the first glimpse of stunning blue ocean at a distance. The road ran long the coastline for few kilometres, with deep blue sea adorned by might waves on one side and mountains and rolling hills on the other, before bending towards the hinterland again. Around 9 AM, we crossed another 6 km long tunnel. This tunnel, thankfully, does not have any toll. Just like other tunnels this also is well lit, has camera and strict speed monitoring. Also there are layover areas inside the tunnel in case of emergency or in case you need to yield to a bigger vehicle from opposite direction. As we come out of the tunnel, we came across another scenic rest area. Ideally, you should spend some time in these scenic spots so as to immerse yourself in true Icelandic experience. After driving for another 5-10 minutes the road turned right leaving the small fishing village of Fáskrúðsfjörður on left. From here it is 25 km to the town of Stöðvarfjörður. The Atlantic coastlineIts a treat to drive through the winding coastline adorned by rolling hills on one side and mighty Atlantic on the other - at times we are gaining some altitude and the next moment we are close to the sea - the journey is breathtaking. As we keep on turning around the corners, every time a new vista unfolds. The sea is quite rough with huge waves because of the weather condition and incessant wind. Around 9:30 AM, we spotted a lovely view point on the coastline about 80 km from Djupivogur. This is known as Saxa View Point. We parked our car and got down to enjoy the mighty view of Atlantic. This place is very near to Stöðvarfjörður, a small fishing village in East Iceland and provides unparalleled panoramic views of the rugged coastline with dramatic sea cliffs rising above the crashing waves below. It was extremely windy and cold.  Scenic Saxa Seaside near Stöðvarfjörður As we were taking photos, an elderly gentleman in a Kia got down from the car and came towards us. He asked us where we were from and how we liked his country. He had lived in Stöðvarfjörður all his life. We found out that he had stopped there just to talk to us. He told us that the seals can often be spotted resting on the rocks. But today’s waves are too uncomfortable to do so. You can see a lot of birds also in better weather. After chatting with us for few minutes, he wished us all the best for our trip and left. The warmth in the voice of the gentleman was very pleasing and remained with us as a fond memory. We continued to drive on R1 and passed the sleepy town of Stöðvarfjörður. We heard about one Petra stone center - but could not spot any. We could spot few BnBs, cafes, handicraft shops and guesthouse as well. The wind was getting stronger and the rain heavier as we moved on. The driving experience in this isolated East Fjords amidst incessant rain and through the ocean, backwaters and rugged cliffs and mountains, which sometimes coming very close and sometimes moving away, cannot be described in words. DjúpivogurWe stopped by another rest area by the side of the road towards the ocean with a lovely bird’s eye view of the entire ocean. But the wind was too strong. So we could not spend much time there. As we drove along we could figure out that the color of the cliffs has now lots of black in green signifying the presence of crystallised lava. We passed by a lovely cafe Hamar - Kaffihús, overlooking the ocean, near the town of Breiðdalsvík. Had we have time, we would definitely spend some time out there. From here we started driving in a south western direction towards south of Iceland. We reached a point, where we drove down a road with the ocean and Meleyri beach characterised by black volcanic sand on left and the backwaters on our right. After some time we could spot Streitisviti lighthouse on our left. By now we are driving almost at the sea level and the cliffs are replaced by rolling hills with mountains at a distance. As we drive towards Djupivegur, landscape kept on changing dramatically - sometimes it is accentuated by moss covered lava fields or sometimes by green meadows with snow clad mountains at a distance or sometimes the road is hemmed by black cliffs as it climbs up from sea level . Around 10:45 AM we crossed another embankment bridge and reached a T junction where R 939 meets R1. This R 939 also goes towards Eglissstadir and has a beautiful Hænubrekkufoss (may be 10-15 km from this point) on the way. We took left from there keeping on R1. After some time on our right we could spot the cascading Sveinstekksfoss at a distance. To reach there we need to take the gravel road towards right- so we skipped it due to lack of time and bad weather.  Top: Approaching Djúpivogur Bottom: 'The eggs of Merry Bay' at Djúpivogur We were approaching Djúpivogur, a small coastal fishing village on the eastern coast, near the mouth of Berufjörður fjord. It is a good place to stay on eastern coast and explore nearby areas. It is a paradise for birding, hiking and for nature lovers and geologists. We visited a public artwork called Eggin í Gleðivík or ‘The eggs of Merry Bay’ where the replicas of the eggs of all the birds that nest in Iceland line the shore. The final approach road to that place is full of pot holes and when we reached there it looked like a shanti port area. We are not too impressed by the artwork though - it is a strange piece of art, to say the least. After watching the eggs, we drove around the village a bit and started off again towards Hvalnes nature reserve. It was 11-20. There is a public toilet facility at Djúpivogur which is worth mentioning. It is free, reasonably clean and has running hot water at all times. Continuing by coastal road Rocky cliffs and the deep blue sea We continued our drive towards South west from Djupivogur. Soon the landscape transitioned into vast expanses of moss-covered lava fields scattered with occasional tufts of grass and wildflowers , sweeping vistas of expansive black sand beaches and towering sea cliffs. The coastline is dotted with picturesque rock formations and sea stacks, adding to the dramatic scenery. Also, as we drive along, we realised that with so many stops and this kind of whether it may be difficult to reach our Zodiac boat tour in Jokulsarlon today in time (i.e. 3:50 PM) - so we called them up and rescheduled boat ride to tomorrow 10 AM. Till now Landcruiser is performing well but with one major lacuna - cruise control is not working. Though it’s not that important to me having driven in India, we soon realised that in a country like Iceland, where 80% of the time you are driving at 90 kmph through 2 lane road with strict speed limits, that, at times, driving at a constant speed becomes tiresome. LaekjavikAs we drive along, we pass through fjords and valleys, cross bridges over glacier fed rivers, catch a glimpse of many small un-named waterfalls tumbling down steep cliffs. More we go towards Hvalnes, the landscape becomes more rugged and dramatic. After driving 40 kms from Djúpivogur, we came across a large horse farm.  Horse farm We stopped our car and enjoyed a bunch of Icelandic horses with flowing manes grazing and playing even in this weather with indomitable spirit. Shortly afterwards we took a sharp left turn which goes down towards a beautiful black sand beach called Laekjavik.  Lækjavik black beach As we drive down, we can see big waves crashing against the black cliffs, creating a deluge. Only one car was standing there. Most travellers would have driven by this place without realising that this beach exists. But it is one of the gems on the East coast drive. The coastal landscape and the black sand beach here with a large rock in the middle creates an awe-inspiring image. The long extended coastline with rocky cliffs, sea stacks, and black sand beaches shaped by powerful waves and ocean currents offers a dramatic view. We spent some time there and met another European couple who told us that they could spot a reindeer nearby. We left at around 12:30 Pm Hvalnes Nature ReserveWe passed through a area of loose rocks and stones where there is some kind of guard to ensure that any falling rocks / stones does not come into the road and traffic does not get impacted. After about 20 minutes drive from Laekjavik, we could spot the bright orange coloured Hvalnes lighthouse from a distance. Road towards the lighthouse is a unpaved bumpy gravel road covered with potholes. The lighthouse is 11.5 metres high. Built in the late 1940s, the lighthouse has served as an important navigational aid for both commercial vessels and local fishermen .  Hvalnes Nature Reserve and Lighthouse By now the sky has cleared up a bit and the view of the Atlantic from the walkway in front of the lighthouse was stunning. There were quite a few sea birds flowing along the coast. The bright orange lighthouse, the towering mountain with a veil of cloud, the black sand beach of Hvalnes Nature Reserve piercing through the azure blue water of Atlantic offers a mesmerising sight.  View from top of the mound near lighthouse Hvalnes is home to a variety of wildlife, including seabirds, seals, and occasionally whales (hence the name "Hvalnes," which means "Whale Peninsula”). We could spot 2 mounds at a distance. We walked and climbed on to the second mound which has a panoramic view of long Hvalnes black sand beach characterized by its striking contrast of dark volcanic sand juxtaposed against the crashing white waves of North Atlantic Ocean. We walked around the place for some more time and finally left around 1:30 PM.  Road from Hvalnes Stokkness Peninsula and Mt VestrahornNext we will go to Stokkness and Mt Vestrahorn. We decided to have our lunch in Viking cafe after reaching Stokkness which is about 45 km from the Hvalnes lighthouse. As we started from Hvalnes we could spot flocks of white birds on both sides. We drove away from coast towards hinterland and the landscape changed sometimes to bright golden meadows on both side and sometimes to moss covered lava fields. The route takes us past several fjords and inlets, where the coastline is intricately indented by the sea. As we approach Stokksnes Peninsula, we can see Mt Vestrahorn from a distance with its typical shape providing a stunning backdrop straight down the road. Soon the landscape again turned into vast expanse of moss covered lava fields. We passed through a 1.3 km long tunnel along R1and just after coming out of the tunnel we turned off from R1 to the left. There was a sign pointing towards Stokksnes onto an unmarked dirt road.  Viking cafe at Vestrahorn We followed this road for 5 km and reached a coffee shop called the viking Cafe at 14-30. It was a nice little cafe where we had to buy tickets (1000 ISK per person) to enter Stokksnes area. This fee allows gated entrance onto the beach with parking and access to the Viking Village museum. We had our lunch in the cafe with Ham n cheese sandwich, coffee and a cake. The washroom at the cafe was very clean.  Marvelling at scenic beauty of Mt Vestrahorn We scanned our pass and enter through the first barricade. Inside the Vestrahorn area there are 2-3 parking places - one at Viking village on our left, second one near the Vestrahorn viewpoint and last one at the end near the lighthouse. Stokness one of the most spectacular places in Iceland, with iconic Vestrahorn mountain in backdrop. Vestrahorn mountain is located on the Stokksnes peninsula on a black sand beach. It is the most photographed mountain in South East Iceland. Since it was cloudy, we could not see the reflection of the sharp peaks in the water as we have seen from the picturisation of the famous Hindi Bollywood song ‘Gerua’ from the movie ’Dilwale’. But even without the sun, Mt.Vestrahorn was amazing and creates a different ambiance altogether.  Sea, black beach and Mt Vestrahorn - taking a walk You can get an unobstructed views of the Mt Vestrahorn rising above the black sand beach, surrounded by lagoons and tidal pools along with sand, driftwood and vegetation. It's a delight for a landscape photographer . But today is not conducive for photography as it's completely overcast. We walked through the black sand till the shoreline where you can catch the glimpse of Vestrahorn and sea together.  Reflection on backwaters of Vestrahorn There is a Viking village museum where you can see the remains of old movie set. But we did not go there as we did not have so much time in hand. At the tip of the headland where the road ended, there was a radar station called H-3 Radar Station Stokksnes, which is used by the Air Defence System to monitor the country’s airspace. It was a restricted area and entry inside was not permitted. But the view of the entire area from outside the station was magnificent. We turned around from the gate of the radar station and came out of Stokksnes after spending more than an hour at 15:45. Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoonWe are back on R1. By the way, here the car console shows the speed limit of the road and its very much in sync with the actual speed specified on speed boards . We could spot a number of horse farms on our way to Höfn. We stopped by a horse farm and enjoyed watching them graze and play in the farmland for few minutes. Though it is not at all permitted to stop on the road shoulders unless there is a proper marked area, since there was no car in our vicinity and the only car in front of us also stopped there to see the horses, we also parked our car behind them. Around 4 PM we reached a intersection and a rest area from where R1 turns right and R99 turns left towards the town of Höfn which is the second largest town in south eastern Iceland. Soon we passed Fosshotel Vatnajokull on our right where initially we planned to stay but changed later on. We crossed another major sea inlet of one of the many Fjords. Then we saw the road towards Hotel Skaftafell and Hotel Smylabjorg on our right. We booked this hotel as we planned to board our Snowmobile tour in Vatnajokull from this place. However, as that tour got cancelled due to bad weather, we decided to stay in Fosshotel which is near Jokulsarlon. As we approached Kalfafellsstadur, it started to rain again and the wind got stronger. After driving 86 km from Vestrahorn, we reached the East side parking lot of the Diamond Beach. The diamond beach is located near the famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in the southern part of Vatnajökull National Park. As the glacier calves, large chunks of ice break off and float into the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Eventually, these icebergs make their way to the ocean, where they are sculpted by the waves and currents before being deposited onto the black sand beach. These sculpted ice chunks glisten like beautiful diamonds and hence such name of the beach.  Naturally sculpted ice chunks glistening like Diamonds on Diamond beach Today sunset would be at 17-28 and we had reached the beach just in time to capture the setting sun against the ice glistening like diamonds - only problem is that there is no sun. It was still raining and the cold wind cut across our faces like a sharp knife. But that did not deter us from going to the beach and having a look at some of the ‘diamonds’ before it turned dark. After spending some time admiring the huge natural ice sculptures lying on the beach and shinning like diamonds, we had to return to the car quickly as it became too cold. When we turned around and got on Route 1 once again, we could see the huge glacial lake of Jökulsárlón on our right. Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon is about 30 km from here. Towards hotelThere was a congestion at the bridge on R1 near the Diamond beach as a part of the road was blocked due to a damaged vehicle. This was our first traffic jam in Iceland and we realised that we were entering into the more popular part of the country. Our surmise was confirmed when we reached Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon at 18-20 and saw the array of cars lined up at the parking lot. The rain and the wind was lashing against the windscreen. Getting the luggage out of the car and carrying them to the hotel was an ordeal. One could barely stand without a support, such was the force of the wind. There was no chance of Aurora that night. On top of that another bad news - our Glacier walk which we booked with localguide.is has been cancelled due to bad weather and money has been refunded. We had an early dinner at 19-30 with chicken, mashed potato and beef sirloin and called it a day. 20th October - Glacier lagoon at VatnajokullAnswer is blowing in the windWe woke up to a raging wind and rain. Rain is falling almost horizontally due to the severe wind. No wonder why Iceland is the second most windiest place on earth after Antarctica and why it has 100 synonyms for wind in Icelandic language. We had our Jökulsárlón boat ride booked for 10-00 today but with the current weather it was doubtful if it would happen or not. We finished our breakfast by 08-00 and checked out the status of weather outside. There was no change in it at all. Jökulsárlón glacier lagoonWe started for Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon at 08-30. Fosshotel is 34 km from the lagoon, so we had to drive all the way back to the lagoon. It was so windy that a giant like Landcruiser also seems to be swaying. We turned left on R1 towards glacier lagoon. Before reaching Jökulsárlón , we went passed by Mulagljufur canyon and another glacier lagoon - Fjallsárlón. This lagoon is less crowded and beautiful though not as big as its big brother Jökulsárlón.  At Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon We cross the one lane bridge over the glacial river and took left to reach Jökulsárlón parking. It’s a paid parking (1000 ISK). But by the time we reached the lagoon, the weather had worsened. We put on our rain jacket and trouser and went to the check-in counter. As feared, the Zodiac Boat Tour was cancelled and the company was ready to refund the full amount to us. Everyone was disappointed. Suddenly, we saw an Amphibian boat stationed near the counter. This boat was bigger than the Zodiac boat. We asked the lady at the counter if we could take a ride in the Amphibian boat instead. To our delight, she said yes. Since amphibian boats are large and well built, these could sail even in this stormy weather, though it would not be able to go so near the glacier as the small Zodiac boat could. But at least we could take a ride in the lagoon and see the icebergs from a closer distance than from the shore.  Boarding our Amphibian boat The amphibian boat is called so as it could move both in land and water. After spending some time and having coffee in the Jokulsarlon cafe which was very crowded ( this cafe has toilets as well) , we boarded the boat on land. True to its name, the boat drove along the land and then slowly dived into water.  Amphibian and zodiac (Inset : Inside the boat)  Connecting lagoon with the sea and diamond beach The next half an hour was spent admiring the blue and white icebergs, which were floating in the lagoon. The color of icebergs is influenced by the presence of air bubbles and impurities in ice. Blue icebergs typically result from older ice that had most of its air bubbles squeezed out under the immense pressure of glacial ice. The lack of air bubbles allows blue light to penetrate deeper into the ice, giving it a blue hue. On the other hand, white icebergs contain more air bubbles and have a cloudy or milky appearance. the presence of these bubbles scatters light in various directions, making the ice appear white. The specific coloration can also be influenced by the presence of impurities such as sediment or minerals within the ice.  Floating icebergs in shades of blue and white Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon sits at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, which is part of the larger Vatnajökull glacier, Europe's largest ice cap. The lagoon was formed as a result of the glacier's retreat, where large blocks of ice break off from the glacier and drift into the lagoon, creating a stunning landscape of floating icebergs. This lake was created only 60 years ago by the melting glaciers and since then it has been growing in size every year. Though the landscape is scenic it reminds us of the inevitable consequences of climate change and a grim prospect that in future this glacier may not exist any more.  Palms going numb holding glacial ice During our boat ride, our guide was explaining about the glacier and icebergs and how the lake came into being. One of her associates brought a piece of iceberg and allowed us to hold it in our hands. It was wonderful to hold the ice but you cannot hold it for long as your palms will freeze. Diamond Beach Ice sculpture at Diamond beach Once the boat ride is over, we roamed for sometime around the lagoon appreciating the scenic beauty of the place and finally left at 11:00 AM. From here, we went to the West side of the Diamond beach. We took a right on R1 , cross the single lane bridge towards Fosshotel and then turned left towards the West side parking (1000 ISK parking).  Diamonds are forever Here there were a lot of ice pieces lying on the shore. Sometimes the ice pieces are located on the East shore and sometimes on the West depending on the current and/or wind. The intricate work by nature on these natural ice sculptors would have made even Okamoto proud. It was marvellous to watch the large ice chunks lying on the black beach. Cafe Vatnajokull Lunch @ Cafe Vatnajokull It was cold and the wind was still howling when we left Diamond beach and turned towards Fosshotel on R1 around 11:40. We needed to take fuel, so we went three kilometres further from our hotel to N1 Orafi fuel pump. It was a challenging task to take fuel amidst the strong wind and pouring rain. That job done, we went to the warmth of Vatnajökull Cafe just beside the fuel station and had a delicious chicken and egg sandwich with coffee for lunch. The cafe was full and we had to wait for a few minutes to get a table. One should restrain speaking loudly in any restaurant or cafe here. A group of young Germans who were sitting next to us got scolded by the owner of the cafe for playing loud music. They apologised and stopped playing it immediately. People came to relax in this cafe, chat among themselves and enjoy the roaring wind outside - not to hear any chartbuster song. A leisurely dayIt was 13-30 when we came back to our hotel. It rained throughout the day and the strong wind never ceased. We had known earlier that the weather would be rough today. Our snowmobile tour and glacier cave walk got cancelled even before our tour started. The saving grace was Jökulsárlón boat ride, though not the zodiac boat.  View of R1, Ocean and moss covered landscape from our hotel patio But this was what Icelandic weather was like and you have to adjust your schedule accordingly. We took some rest and spent time at the hotel lounge and the patio viewing the incessant rain and howling wind. (End of Part 4 of 6 - to be continued) |
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10th August 2024, 04:14
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Kolkata
Posts: 62
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| An October odyssey in Iceland with Landcruiser (Part 5/6) 21st October - Skaftafell and VikThe rain stopped at night but the sky was still overcast at 08-00 when we checked out of the hotel after breakfast. Suddenly we realised today is Saptami in Kolkata and we are so far away from it. Today we will be driving along the south-east and south of Iceland towards Vik. First we plan to go to Svínafellsjökull glacier and then to Skaftafell. As we started out journey we can see some sun ray coming out. However soon there was another round of drizzle which thankfully stopped soon. SvínafellsjökullSvínafellsjökull is one of the many glacier tongues that originates from the main glacier, Vatnajökull. If you're not doing a glacier hike tour and want to get up close to a glacier, this is the best place to do it. It is at a distance of 23 km from Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. Svinafellsjokull translates to “pig hill glacier”. We could see the glacier from Route 1 as we approach the turning towards the car parking. We took a right turn rom R1 on a pot-holed ridden road leading us to the parking from where the trail to Svínafellsjökull starts. It was 9 AM when we reached parking.  Location of trails to Svinafellsjokull, Skaftafell glacier and Flight terminal From the parking lot there are 2 trails - one trail goes to the right which seems to be like a proper motor-able road now blocked with a boom barrier. Another trail goes to the left of the parking lot which is like a good hiking trail . We chose to walk the left trail first. After walking for few minutes that trail meets another road which seems to be another motor able road albeit there is no signs of any kind of vehicular movement or tyre tracks. May be this road is also blocked for cars just as the trail on right of parking lot. From that road you can also view Skaftafell glacier at a distance.  View of Svínafellsjökull and Skaftafelljökull from left trail We took a right turn on that road and after a twenty-five minute-walk reached the end of the trail which was at the mouth of the glacier. The view of the glacier along with small lagoon was so enchanting that we were spellbound. We were the only two people in the vicinity and it gave us a feeling of isolation that was beyond words.  Melting glaciers forming lagoons  Svínafellsjökull from left There was a small white placard on a stone where the names of two German travellers were written. They are missing since 2007. It was a small and heart-warming message from their family and friends. It is a testimony to the fact that these glaciers and lagoons are not playfields. You have to be careful at every step. The lagoon waters are ice-cold and at some places very deep. There may not be anyone watching you but you should never cross the boundary line.  Glacial river forming ox-bow pattern We walked back from Svinafellsjokull glacier to the parking lot and took the second trail which would take us to the right side of the glacier. After about fifteen minutes walk, we reached the other side of the glacier. From here you can have the full view of the glacier in all its glory and the view is simply captivating.  Svínafellsjökull from other end - right side  Svínafellsjökull - a closer view revealing the intricate crevasses and formations The glacier's ice formations are a mix of towering icefalls, crevasses, and blue ice formations that is in sharp contrast to the volcanic terrain. We spent a lot of time there enjoying the vistas, taking photos, walking down close to the glacier and finally came back to parking lot at 11-20. Scenic flight over SkaftafellFrom Svínafellsjökull we started towards Skaftafellsjökull which is about 5 km away. Skaftafell is a wilderness area in Vatnajökull National Park. Skaftafellsjökull and Svínafellsjökull both the glaciers are a part of Skaftafell National Park. Sun has now made a grand entrance and the mountains straight ahead of us is inundated with abundant sunshine as we drive along R1.  View of Skaftafell from roadside parking with Landcruiser We reached another roadside parking cum view point on R1 from where we can get a good view of Skaftafell glacier. We can spot a motor-able road which goes towards the glacier but is closed now. May be this is the same road which meets the left trail from Svinafellsjokull.  Our cute little plane for glacier flight From the view point we crossed a glacial river and was about to make a right turn to R998 towards Skaftafell Visitor Centre which was about 3 km drive. Suddenly, on our left we saw a small aircraft taking off from an airstrip. There was a building near the airstrip. So, instead of taking right towards Skaftafell visitor center, we turned left towards the air-field to check out about the flight. The name of the company was Atlantsflug (https://flightseeing.is/ ) and they offer scenic flights in small planes over the Skaftafell National Park. We were thrilled. Though the charges were exorbitant, 14,000 ISK(about 8,400 INR) per person for a 15-minutes ride, nevertheless it was once in a lifetime opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the glacier. No trail could take us to the area where the small plane could. So we decided to go for it. Presently the plane had taken a family of 4 for a ride, so we had to wait for them to come back.  Inside the flight with captain We boarded the plane at 11-50 AM. It was a 5-seater plane. Our pilot was a cheerful young man named Thor. Well, his name was not Thor but he told us that no tourist could pronounce his name, so he thought that it was better to be called Thor, which comes close to his name. He was our pilot-cum guide. Inside the cabin, the noise was deafening and immediately we have to put on the ear cups with headphones so that at least we could listen to the pilot.  En-flight view of Svínafellsjökul from top  En-flight view of glacial rivers We started to gain momentum and then went up in the air. The next fifteen minutes was one of the most memorable times we spent in Iceland. Around 30 glacier snouts flow down from Vatnajokull ice cap. Covering an area of 8000 sq km, the ice cap makes up more than 7% of Iceland’s landmass. The sight of the glacial rivers criss-crossing each other on the dark volcanic land adorned by mountains was mesmerising. The sun rays fell on the rivers and they glistened like platinum chains lying on a dark sheet.  En-flight view of Skaftafell  Crevasses and formations across glacier - a combination of white, blue, black We flew over the snout of Skaftafell glacier and could spot the visitor center and Svartifoss waterfall. As we went close to the glacier, even though it looks smooth, we can spot countless crevices ripping through the glacier surface. Glacier is not just blue and white but frequented by dark streaks of black as well. Its the residue of the eruptions from volcanoes lying beneath Vatnajokull that settles on the ice ice giving it that black streak. We can spot massive icebergs floating on the water. These ice can be 900-1000 years old.  Landscape with black lava fields criss-crossed by glacial rivers Finally we returned to base after 15 mins. We enjoyed every minute of it. We came back to the flight center, used washrooms which are very clean, took some complimentary coffee, taken some mementos and then bade farewell to Thor and the lady at the booking desk and left the place around 12-30. Drive through South-eastern IcelandAs we started from Atlantsflug, we could see both Skaftafell and Svinafellsjokull glacier ahead of us for one last time. We turned on to R1 and started driving towards our next stop which would be Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. Since we have taken the flight there was no time to visit Skaftafell visitor center. In Iceland, time to time you will find toilets by the roadside as well even if its a not a place of interest - we could spot one such toilet on map 40 km ahead of us. As we drive along, the landscape changed to vast expanse of flat lava fields covered with moss adorned by occasions tufts of grass and wildflowers and criss-crossed by glacial rivers. It was a scenic drive through Southern Iceland. By now our booking in Landamanalagaur is also cancelled which makes time to go for a dip in natural geothermal waters of Blue Lagoon near Grindavik on 23rd just before we board our return flight. So without wasting time we booked Blue Lagoon slot and the payment needs to be made at the counter on arrival.  Mt Lómagnúpur At about 13-00, we were driving through Skeiðarársandur area that was surrounded by hills and plateaus to the north. The blue sky adorned by floating white clouds and hills is a treat to watch. As we drive along, we could spot a towering masiff of distinctive shaped mountain standing prominently against the backdrop of blue sky and lush green landscape staring in front of us. This is Mt Lómagnúpur. The view was so magnificent that we stopped for some time to enjoy the view. Mt Lómagnúpur is made of palagonite along with layers of lava and sediment and was built up within million year. We came across many lush green fields dotted with wildflowers as we drive along. After about half an hour, we came across a signboard that said Iceland Bike Farm. This place is Kirkjubæjarklaustur. We thought of staying here as well in Hotel Magma - but did not get reservation. It would be interesting to stay in a traditional Icelandic farm having horses and dogs. At 13-40, we reached Skaftarskali Grill which is a restaurant by an N1 gas station. There we had a quick lunch with hotdog and started again. It was another 15 minutes drive to the canyon from here.  Drive towards Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon Fjaðrárgljúfur canyonWe took a right from R1 and after another 4-5 minutes we reached the parking of Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon around 2:10 PM. It's a paid parking. This canyon is located near the town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur and is about 80 km from Skaftafell.  Fjaðrárgljúfur cayon ( a.k.a. Bieber canyon) The spectacular Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is more popularly known as Justin Bieber Canyon after it was made famous by one of his music videos (those who have visited Sangestar lake in Arunachal can draw a parallel). It is a massive river canyon about 100 metres deep and a little over 1 km long and indeed a unique sight to see. The bedrock is from the Ice Age and is believed to be about two million years old. The river Fjaðrá originates from the Geirlandshraun mountain and falls into the canyon and joins with Skaftá river later. The canyon is believed to have been formed during the end of the last Ice Age around nine thousand years ago.  Top view of one of the many fingers of Fjaðrárgljúfur which are delicate and fragile We started on the trail which runs at the edge of the canyon parallel to it. One of the most distinctive features of Fjaðrárgljúfur is its serpentine shape, with the river winding sinuously along the canyon floor. The curves of the canyon walls create captivating patterns and perspectives from different viewpoints. The canyon's defining feature is its sheer walls, composed of steep, jagged rock formations that showcase layers of volcanic basalt and sedimentary rock. The trail is well laid out and cordoned with a rope. This is mostly to prevent tourists going to the protruded cliffs which are ecologically fragile. As Fjaðrárgljúfur has become a popular tourist attraction, efforts are made to preserve its natural integrity and visitors are encouraged to stay on designated trail only and respect the fragile ecosystem of the canyon. The trail winds along the rim of the canyon, providing breathtaking views of the winding river below and the surrounding lush greenery. There are view points on the way, which overlook the canyon from the edge. As you go deeper and higher into the canyon, the view gets more amazing. This is one place where drones are still allowed. You get brilliant shots of the canyon with a drone. There is a waterfall at the end of the trail. We thoroughly enjoyed the trail. At the last viewpoint, we saw a trail going towards another parking lot at a distance. Here we met a family from Singapore whose head of the family was thrilled to hear that we were from Kolkata. He had been to our city and loved it very much. We too were overjoyed to hear about it. You don’t get to hear any praises about your own city. He also told us, before you reach canyon car parking there is another steep road which goes to that upper level parking and you need a 4x4 as it is a F-road. We did not see that road. Otherwise would have taken that. Around 3:15 we started coming down the trail. As we came down, the view of the shining serpentine river at a distance formed a spectacular sight . Eldhraun lava field Eldhraun lava field - Moss covered lava fields We came back to the parking space after one and a half hour. At 15-45 we started for Reynisfjara black sand beach which is around 80 km from here and expected to reach in an hour. Driving down R1 in south-westerly direction in another ten minutes from the canyon, the landscape changed drastically. It has now become a vast expanse of undulating lava terrain with extensive moss cover. It looks like a vibrant green carpet covering the entire landscape. We took a left turn from R1 and came to a viewing point. This is the “Eldhraun lava field’ which was created in one of the greatest eruptions in history in the late eighteenth century. Unlike other plants moss is capable of colonising rocky surfaces. This is due to its ability of absorbing water and nutrients through its leaves. The moss carpet can reach a thickness upto 60 cm. However, it is very fragile due to lack of any root and hence to be protected. We enjoyed this out-of-the-world sight for 15 minutes before hitting the road again towards Reynisfjara at 4:10 PM. VikWe continued our drive with expansive views of Iceland's southern countryside with mountains pushed out far away. The route meanders sometimes through vast plains and rolling hills dotted with farms and grazing sheep and sometimes through moss covered lave fields. There are glacial rivers adding to the dramatic beauty. Approaching Vik we could see the famous “troll” sea stacks of Reynisfjara black sand beach at a distance.  Driving past Vik We also crossed road to Hotel Katla on our right when we initially planned to stay in Vik. At 17-00, we passed by the prominent fishing village of Vik. This is a good spot to stay. Perched atop a hill overlooking the village, the Church of Vík is a striking white church that serves as a prominent landmark in Vik. Besides, there is a cafe in a school bus. But we did not have time and so we moved on. Reynisfjara black sand beachAbout 5-6 minutes after we cross Vik, we took a left turn on R215. We can see the coastline and the ocean. You had to drive around the hill and after 10 mins we reach the crowded parking space of Reynisfjara black sand beach at 17:15.  Sea stacks of ‘trolls’ of Reynisfjara Reynisfjara is one of the top ten best non-tropical beaches in the world. Its a long beach separating the ocean from a nearby lagoon. There are a lot of viewpoints on the beach, but the level of tide may make some areas inaccessible. The color of the sand is black due to the erosion of volcanic rock. At one end of the beach you can see Reynisdrangar which are the basalt stacks starkly jutting out from the ocean. These are remains of former cliffs which will erode into the sea with time as the waves continue to pound them mercilessly. According to Icelandic folklore, that a group of trolls was attempting to drag a ship ashore one night when they were caught by the dawn's early light, freezing them in their tracks and transforming them into the sea stacks we see today.  Reynisfjara black sand beach with sea stacks also referred to as infamous ‘trolls’ There is also the beautiful basalt columns at the eastern end of the beach which you can climb on and have a classic photo taken of yourself. These same columns forms a cathedral like cave which is enchanting to look at. These columns are the remains of the cooled down lava. The beach was crowded. In fact it was so crowded that it was impossible to take a photo of ourselves without taking a photo of five other people too. The wind was very strong here. It was also very cold. The black sand beach is beautiful but swimming is prohibited here due to the occurrence of sneaker waves which are powerful waves that come suddenly and pull people into the sea.  East view of black sand beach with Dyrhólaey backdrop It was past 18-00 so we came back to the parking space. There was a large cafe there. The washroom facility was included in the parking fees which was 1000 ISK for small cars. We were thinking about a coffee at the cafe but seeing the crowd decided against it. It was 18-15 when we left the beach. This place was the most crowded place we had been in Iceland. Towards HvolsvöllurWe dropped our plan to go to Dyrhólaey as it was already getting dark and decided to go straight to Umi hotel where we had booked our stay for the night. It was 43 km from here and it would take us about 35 minutes. We were back on R1 within a few minutes. At 18-50, we turned left from R1 into a 3 km long gravel road which ran upto the hotel. We checked into our room and look out of the window. The sky seemed to be clear. Hope was rising again for another Aurora sighting. We registered ourselves for the Aurora wake-up call and finished our dinner early. But there was no Aurora that night. (End of Part 5 of 6 - to be continued) |
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10th August 2024, 10:25
| #6 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Hosur
Posts: 31
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10th August 2024, 11:19
| #7 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Kolkata
Posts: 62
Thanked: 465 Times
| An October odyssey in Iceland with Landcruiser (Part 6/6) 22nd October - Skogafoss, Kvernufoss, Seljalandsfoss and DyrhólaeyAs per our original plan, we were supposed to go on “Landmanalagaur Super Jeep Tour” today. However, that tour was cancelled a few days back because of bad weather. It would have been an altogether different experience, exploring the rugged highlands, though it would be on another vehicle driven by local drivers. These vehicles are customised Jeep with large wheels. You are not allowed to drive on these roads in your own car, even if it is 4x4, during winter as these are F-roads.  Breakfast at Hotel Umi Today again the sky is overcast. Sunrise was at 8:26 AM but now it is 9 AM and there is no sight of sun. We will visit Dyrhólaey today, retracing our path towards Vik and on the way we will go to the famous Skógafoss. We started from UMI Hotel at 9 AM. As we started driving towards North to meet R1, we can see the snow cap of Eyjafjallajökull in all its glory - the eruption from which caused havoc in air travel back in 2010. We took a right towards Skógafoss on R1 which is about 10 km from our hotel. SkogafossAs we drive towards Skogafoss, the sleepy countryside of Iceland is coming out of slumber and herds of sheep started to throng the meadows for yet another day out while specks of blue sky started to peep-in through the cloud cover. Soon we were able to spot the famous waterfall from the road itself. We turned left from R1 and reached the free parking of Skogafoss at 9:15 AM. As we drive through the last part of pothole ridden parking in Skogafoss, the view of the mighty falls is simply awe-inspiring.  Skogafoss With a width of 25 metres and a drop of 60 metres it is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland. The name means "the Forest Fall" and there is a legend that says the first Viking settler at Skógar stashed a chest of gold coins in a cave behind the waterfall. Being very close to R1 and Reykjavik, no wonder this has become such a popular tourist spot. It has all amenities like toilets, campsite, restaurant, and food trucks nearby. This waterfall is so massive that it is difficult to go near it without getting drenched by the vast amount of spray. In summer, if you are lucky, you may sometimes see a rainbow at the periphery of waterfall.  Photographing Skogafoss We can see many photographers standing near the stream with their tripods to get the best shot of Skogafoss. Here I can put my 70-200 lens to good use along with my 6-stop ND filter. So, without wasting any time, I also took position and did the rituals of capturing Skogafoss in various forms.  Skogafoss shot with ND Skógafoss was so magnificent that we were glued to the ground watching it fall for almost 50 minutes. There is a staircase on the right (East) side leading up to the top of the waterfall. Beyond Skógafoss starts the 25 km long Fimmvörðuháls trek – a beautiful hike through some of the most dramatic sceneries in Iceland, from a series of canyon waterfalls to a volcanic moonscape that brings you into Þórsmörk in the highlands of Iceland. The first one-third part of the hike is called “Waterfall way’ as it passes through a series of 26 beautiful waterfalls. This area is only accessible from June to September. Kvernufoss - a hidden gemWe came back to our car after an hour and drove for a few minutes towards another nearby waterfall called Kvernufoss. We parked our car at the parking lot of Skógasafn – Skógar museum from where the hike to the waterfall starts. Following a signboard, we passed through a small gate, made our way through a small field with herds of sheep grazing and entered one of the most unexpected scenic trail in this trip.  A lone sheep grazing - as we approach Kvernufoss trail  Way towards Kvernufoss The undulating trail is well maintained in asphalt. The 1.4 km long trail follows the course of the river through a stunning gorge leading up to the waterfall. The sound of rushing water grows louder as you approach the waterfall. Its a easy but extremely rewarding hike following the stream until you reach the magical waterfall tucked away into a canyon.  Picturesque trail to Kvernufoss with a stream flowing by  Kvernufoss It's a 30-meter waterfall cascading down a cliff into a tranquil pool below. Those who are not afraid to get wet and brave the slippery path, can even explore the waterfall from behind. We enjoyed watching the falls, which by virtue of its location is much less visited than its big brother Skogafoss. It's a 20 min walk to the falls and another 20 mins back to parking. We returned to the parking lot at 11-30. There was a cafeteria and gift shop by the side of the museum accompanied by clean toilets. One can buy some souvenirs from here and also have something to eat. There was also a small airstrip nearby. Upper and Lower Dyrhólaey - the view point of IcelandAnyway, we started from parking lot towards R1 and then took a left on R1 towards Vik. Our next destination is Dyrhólaey which is about 27 km from here. Yesterday it had become dark by the time we reached near Dyrhólaey - hence we skipped it and kept it for today. In Iceland, you should be always ready to do such impromptu re-planning due to ever unpredictable weather.  The Arch of Dyrhólaey Dyrhólaey is a 120-metre promenade having staggering views of Iceland's South Coast. After a 20-minute drive from Kvernufoss, we took a right turn towards the ocean. Soon we reached a fork, where one road goes towards the upper area and another went towards the lower area of Dyrhólaey. We took the winding road that went up the hill and reached Upper Lot Parking at 12 noon. From there we got a breathtaking view in all directions. To the north we saw Mýrdalsjökull glacier. To the East there was the beautiful black lava sea stacks of Reynisdrangar, to the West we saw the endless black coastline and to the South we saw the rock arch. There is a white square lighthouse at the top of the cliff. We marvelled at the scenery around us with unrestricted views in all directions.  Dyrhólaey Upper View Point  Dyrhólaey Lighthouse | Inset : Nesting sea birds near the Arch After spending an hour, from the upper Lot Parking we came down to the Lower area parking. On the way down we were facing the coastline, Reynisfjara black sand beach and the ocean - no wonder its a fascinating drive.  Walking trail to lower Dyrhólaey The lower area of Dyrhólaey, has a picturesque view with Reynisdrangar sea stacks and the black sand beach of Reynisfjara in the distance. You can walk closer to the sea to get a different perspective. We could have stayed for some more time at Dyrhólaey, but it was already 1-45, so we returned to the parking space. There was a nice clean toilet block at the lower parking area which was available for a fee of 200 ISK. We also met our neighbour who came to visit Iceland.  Ocean view from Dyrhólaey Lower  Expansive black sand beach and Sea stacks from Dyrhólaey Eyjafjallajökull view pointFrom lower level parking of Dyrhólaey, we started driving towards another iconic waterfall of Iceland - Seljalandsfoss which is 54 km from this place. We retraced our path about 5 km and then took a left on R1. As we drive towards west we could see the ice cap of Mýrdalsjökull. To the east of Mýrdalsjökull is Eyjafjallajökull - the volcano which erupted in 2010 emitting ash-clouds that remained suspended for very long distances and disrupted flights from Europe for a few days and I am one of those many stranded passengers. We stopped at the viewpoint of Eyjafjallajökull which has also a nice cafe. Life seems to have come a full circle. Seljalandsfoss Seljalandsfoss We could spot Seljalandsfoss waterfall miles away as it is conveniently located by the side of the road. We reached Seljalandsfoss parking at 2:40 PM. It’s dropping impressively from a height of 60 meters over a steep cliffside into a pool of water albeit the volume of waterfall is nowhere near comparison with Skogafalls.  Walking behind the curtain of water at Seljalandsfoss A unique thing about the waterfall is that there is a trail by which you can walk behind the waterfall and can get an amazing view from there. Of course you will get all wet but it is a lot of fun. It was still not too icy, so we could walk behind the waterfall. I have to cover my camera well as the falls sprays out huge volume of most. As we reach behind waterfall it's a completely different and unique perspective. By the way, this spot became famous in India after video of a Bollywood movie song was shot here ( ‘Gerua’ movie ‘Dilwale’). And indeed it's a very picturesque location. Gljúfrabúifoss Gljúfrabúifoss - the hidden falls Right next to Seljalandsfoss is another waterfall, Gljúfrabúifoss, that is easy to miss as it is inside a cave. It is only a few minutes walk to the entrance and you can stand right underneath the waterfall which is 40 m hight. Entering the cave is a bit challenging as we have to walk on slippery rocks inundated with water. Shoes need to be covered - otherwise it will be drenched. Once inside, anyway, you will be completely drenched as there is a ferocious water spray. We started moving inside the cave - but at one point hands are freezing, its difficult to hold on to the rocky surface of cave and also the shoe is getting drenched as we need to almost walk through a stream. Somehow we managed to get some pictures and moved out of the cave. Seljalandsfoss - once again Seljalandsfoss from behind in the golden rays of setting sun It was 4-30 pm and we were feeling quite hungry. So we bought a couple of chicken sandwiches from a cafe near the parking lot and ate them sitting on a bench watching the waterfall. It was 5 pm and we were getting out of the parking lot when suddenly the setting sun made a grand appearance and weaved its shades of yellow, orange and red creating a stunning ambience. We decided to turn back as we would never miss witnessing such a magical scene and also do not want to lose a chance of capturing such a photo of the setting sun against the waterfall. As we drive towards the waterfall, the view of the waterfall bathed in the golden rays of sun is simply stunning. The view was worth going back for. In fact, most landscape photographers would love capturing the play of light and mist created by Seljalandsfoss, particularly during the golden hours of sunrise or sunset. Towards HellaFinally we left Seljalandsfoss towards Hella at 5:45 PM. We took a right on R1. The town of Hella was close to Seljalandsfoss. At around 6 PM we stopped at an N1 gas station near Hella to take fuel. Since we didn’t have a proper lunch today, we decided to have an early dinner with cheeseburger and fish-n-chips at the N1 cafe. There was no car cleaning facility at this gas station. So we couldn’t clean the car. We would have to wait till tomorrow to get it cleaned. It is mandatory to clean the car before returning it with a full tank.  At Hotel Ranga in front of Greenland Polar Bear We checked in at Hotel Ranga near Hella shortly after 7 pm. It was a wonderful place to stay and undoubtedly the best accommodation in the trip. The hallmark of this hotel is a stuffed bear which is made in accordance with a polar bear that drifted from Greenland to Iceland due to an iceberg being separated from mainland. Tonight was our last chance to see the Northern Lights for one more time. So we took some rest and got ready with our camera and tripod. It was very cold that night, so we along with a few other travellers waited at the reception area from 22-30, sometimes going out to check if there was any sign of Aurora. We waited till midnight but in spite of the sky being clear, there was no Aurora activity that night. We felt a little disappointed as we went to sleep that night but at least we had seen the magical lights twice in his trip. The next time, if at all it happens, would have to be in some other trip. 23rd October - Hallgrimskirkja, Blue Lagoon and adios to IcelandToday is our last day in Iceland. We woke up early and after breakfast we went outside and watched the serene landscape for one last time. We checked out of our hotel and started for Reykjavik. It was 08-30 and the sun was just rising. We will go to Hallgrímskirkja church which is about 100 km from here. On the way we will find some place to clean the car as it has become too dirty.  Last day in Iceland - On the way from Hella to Reykjavik Car cleaning @ SelfossWith the first rays of sun, we drove through the picturesque landscape passing by horse farms and grazing sheep on our right and deep blue coastline on our left. Today it promises to be a glorious sunny day. The nearest big city from Hella is Selfoss. We were informed by the staff of Hotel Ranga that there are car cleaning facilities available in Selfoss. It was 09-10 when we reached Selfoss.  Finally Land-cruiser getting some makeover We found out a car cleaning facility right next to the gas station. It was a self-service car-cleaning station. There were two bays in the facility, one of which was used by another person. We entered the other bay and placed the vehicle at the centre. One could avail an automatic wash as well but that is chargeable and more importantly you need to put required amount of coins in the machine. As we do not have the coins and there was no one around to ask for change, we decided to clean the car manually which was not bad at all, though it took some effort and time. Road to Reykjavik Geothermal area on the way to Reykjavik This important job done, we started at 9:40 AM and drove through the town of Selfoss. Our next destination is Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik. Its about 60 km from here. The sky is clear blue - not a speck of cloud in sight. As we drive towards Reyjkavik, we can see more geothermal activities in form of tiny geysers . Also we came across more settlements by the side of road. Soon the meadows turned into moss covered lave fields. We could spot many geothermal power stations. Both sides becomes undulating lust green meadows dotted by small geysers and adorned by small hills. Traffic starts to increase as we approach the city limits of Reyjkavik. Hallgrímskirkja church Hallgrímskirkja church Reached Hallgrímskirkja at 10:30 AM. It is the largest church in Iceland with a unique modern architecture and a height of 74.5 metres. The stunning architecture draws its inspiration from Iceland’s many naturally occurring basalt columns. Its columnar basalt organ pipe structure is quite unlike the formation of any traditional church and appears more like a tower than a church. In front of the church, a statue commemorates the exploits of legendary Viking king Leif Erikson. It took some time to get a parking near the church, as it was a busy area and this was one of the most visited locations in Iceland. We made a quick tour of the church and left the place at 10-50. From here we will go to our final destination in Iceland - the famous ‘Blue Lagoon’ near Grindavik before boarding our flight back home. The Blue LagoonThe Blue Lagoon is is a geothermal spa located in a lava field very close to Grindavik town near Keflavik. It was 70 km from Hallgrímskirkja. We drove through Reykjanes peninsular amidst vast and expansive black lava fields covered with moss stretching for miles after miles. Around 11:30 we could spot huge columns of geothermal fumes from a distance across the rugged lava fields. We realised immediately that this must be the Blue Lagoon. We reached parking lot at 11-40. Our check-in slot was 11-00 to 12-00. We are now running short of time. So without wasting any time, we made the payment at the counter and got a electronic bangle like thing which we need to wear on our wrist. This will give us all necessary access and can also be used to pay for any additional food and drink which can be settled on check out. We went up to the locker cum changing room where we kept our belongings. After changing, we took a shower and came downstairs and then headed straight to the pool. The mineral rich hot water where temperature ranges from 38 to 39 deg C is so refreshing that you do not feel like coming out of the water once you go inside. That’s why though there is a one-hour check-in time, there is no check-out time at the spa. You can stay there till the time it closes. Contrary to popular belief, blue lagoon is not of natural origin. Instead, it was created from the excess water of a nearby geothermal power plant which pumps steam and hot water to the surface. The water is rich in natural minerals which is good for skin. The color of the water is blue because of the high content of silica, different salts and algae. We took the comfort package which includes a silica & mud pack which you can apply on your face and a glass of beer or any soft drink which you can take while you are in the water.  Looking awfully stupid with mask on my face We looked very silly with the face pack but it is supposed to do wonders for your skin. The chilled beer was also quite good. All together the Blue Lagoon really lived up to its reputation. To be honest, we never thought much of it before and was thinking about skipping it because of paucity of time. But two days ago we thought we should see for ourselves why everyone talks so much about this Blue Lagoon. That’s why we made a booking and now we were happy that we made it. Soothed by warm water we reminisced the exciting ride we had around Iceland for last 10 days. Adios to Iceland till we meet againWe came back to the parking lot at 1 PM and started for Keflavik airport. The airport was 24 km from Blue Lagoon, which is why it is a perfect destination before you board the flight or after you land in Keflavik. Now we needed to fill up the fuel tank, for which we went to a N1 gas station on our way (the rule is that you need to return car with full tank). We reached The Blue Car rental office at 1-40. The return process was very smooth and it took only five minutes for us to return the car. We are relieved that there was no speed ticket as often the speeding tickets are sent to rental company. It was getting late as we rushed to the airport and soon boarded our return flight via Copenhagen . As we bid goodbye to Iceland we can feel why one trip to Iceland is always the preparation for the next one. EpilogueThe journey to Copenhagen was uneventful. We reached Copenhagen at 19-00. Here we had to stay the night at a nearby hotel, Hotel Comfort, which was only a five minutes’ walk from the airport. Next day on 24th October we checked out of Comfort hotel at 06-30 and walked to the airport. It was dark and chilly outside.  At Copenhagen Airport We landed at Kolkata via Doha from Copenhagen at 2 AM. It almost went out of our mind that it was Bijoya Dashami - no wonder, a fitting day to end our much awaited Iceland trip. As I write this travelogue it's disheartening to see that the volcano near Grindavik has started eruption and entire town is evacuated and Blue lagoon has been closed for tourists. It seems like only yesterday we were unwinding in the warmth of Blue lagoon. Hope things will be fine soon.
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11th August 2024, 15:43
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| Newbie Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bangalore
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11th August 2024, 16:54
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| BHPian  Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Pune
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12th August 2024, 09:02
| #10 |
| Distinguished - BHPian   Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: AU
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| Re: An October odyssey in Iceland with a Toyota Landcruiser Stunning pictures of the spectacular Icelandic landscape. Very well documented. Thanks for sharing.  |
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12th August 2024, 23:59
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13th August 2024, 13:31
| #12 | ||
| Senior - BHPian  | Re: An October odyssey in Iceland with a Toyota Landcruiser Quote:
Some of us who already live in Cold climes may still be ok with the frigid shoulder season but you came from Kolkata directly into the cold and still had a great time. Bravo. I also like the improvisation you've had here and there. Sometimes they lead to some really good surprises. Quote:
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13th August 2024, 15:24
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| Re: An October odyssey in Iceland with a Toyota Landcruiser Quote:
Most of the lagoons are near geothermal plants, so it's kind of obvious. Very few hot pools are natural, few are located in the highlands or in some remote corners as per my research. | |
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16th August 2024, 17:41
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| Newbie Join Date: Aug 2023 Location: Bangalore
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21st August 2024, 13:19
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