Ended Sunday in snow & continued the next 2 days across Northern Iceland stuck in the same weather pattern.
After a late start from Mývatn, visited Goðafoss (waterfall of the Gods) and a traditional turf farm, Laufás – before reaching Akureyri, Iceland’s 2nd largest city (approx 18,000 population). Highlight: Arctic Char at Rub 23.
Woke early Tuesday, destination: the Icelandic horses of Skagafjörður. Watched a horse demonstration & listened to Icelandic folk songs at Varmilækur, a horse farm nestled beneath multiple volcanic mountains in Iceland’s far North.
Skagafjörður is the only county in Iceland where horses outnumber people.
After a day filled with music, trip favourite was the Riding Song sung by our guide Ingi Gunnar Jóhannsson, a former Iceland Eurovision finalist (2nd place – 1988).
WATCH: Ridum Ridum (Icelandic riding song)
Finished the day with a quick hike UP Grábrók, a 3400 year old volcanic crater.
Actually, didn’t just hike UP but ran the loop twice 🙂 AMAZING view, AMAZING day!
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- Godafoss (waterfall of the Gods)
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- light rain, volcanic rock & moss = slick footing
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- Laufas turf farm (circa 1877)
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- Akureyri, Iceland’s 2nd largest city
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- Arctic Char at Rub 23 – TASTY!
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- sweet Keiko from Japan
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- Julia from Portugal
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- Icelandic Viking Horse at Varmilaekur (www.varmilaekur.is)
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- Icelandic folk music, LOVED it! (Ingi Gunnar Johannsson & Bjorn Sveinsson)
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- biggest smile of the day
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- Grabrokarhraun lava estimated 3400 years old
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- one of 3 volcano craters
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- Grabrok volcano hike
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- first to the top – BIG smiles!
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- ran the crater trail twice – FANTASTIC day!
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- celebrating sunshine – first rays in 3 days
SNOW – precip started early & lasted all day as we continued the loop from Iceland’s East Fjords to the North, crossing mountain passes through the Highlands (Iceland’s isolated desert region).
SNOW – while it meant certain tour highlights were altered or delayed, couldn’t have been more pleased with my day. Upon arriving at the Nature Baths in Mývatn, I brokered a request to leave some of us behind while the tour persisted into town for lunch & local shopping. Food can happen anytime but a dip in a sulphuric hot springs in the middle of a snowstorm – in Iceland? Arrived at 11am and didn’t leave ‘til 2pm – left fully pruned 🙂
SNOW – crazy cold; below freezing temps, blowing snow, pelting ice. Changing room to the outdoor mineral pool – whew, gotta say: had to man-up for that trek. C-O-L-D. And because the pool is geothermally heated, found myself chasing pool hot spots — yelping each instance my hot spot unexpectedly shot scalding. Stood Viking-strong in sideways snow & beading ice, letting my face & body pelt with winter precip. Arms open wide – couldn’t have felt more alive. FAAANNNTASTIC day!
SNOW – finished the day with a snow-sleet-rain hike viewing the ‘Dark Castles’ of Dimmuborgir, a labyrinth of lava formations created by volcanic eruptions dating 1724-1729. Crazy, surreal — two days earlier, I marveled in Iceland’s multi-green hues. This day, I hiked in oranges & reds, in new snow resting on black volcanic rock. WOW, WOW, WOW!
SNOW – two weeks ‘til Autumn, yet found ourselves stranded the following morning while our bus seasonally tire-switched & waited for mountain roads to be plowed. Winter begins in mid-October on average – how lucky am I? LOVIN’ this day!
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- unexpected late summer snow
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- Highlands mountain pass crossing
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- Myvatn Nature Baths (jardbodin.is)
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- ski cap soak
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- real Vikings swim in snow
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- snow, pelting ice & sulphuric hot springs – ROCKSTAR holiday!
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- “Dark Castles” of Dimmuborgir
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- autumn colours & winter snow – BEAUTIFUL!
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- only 2 more weeks ’til Fall – LOL!
After 2 ROCKSTAR days in Iceland, gotta say the Eastern Fjords…not so much.
Iceland’s East Fjords are its most uninhabited area – largest town toured only topped 650 people. That said, easy to find beauty in even the most unforgiving of climates.
Started the day along the coast line with a short black sand hike to Hvalnes lighthouse. The chilly North Atlantic & strong undertow keeps Icelanders out of the ocean – opting for natural geothermal hot springs located all over the island.
Bowl of tomato soup for lunch (first non-fish meal in days :)) & self-toured Djúpivogur harbor. Joined Christine, an Australian on my circle tour, for a short walk-about the small fishing village. Goal: a stave church at the top of a hill.
Unexpected highlight: Stopped in a small high-end clothes shop & chatted with its female entrepreneur owner. Only local sustainable materials are used in their fashions – primarily fish leather. Concept: use all of the animal, like Viking women of generations past. Super interesting, very inspiring.
Ended the day in Egilsstaðir. Named after Egilsstaðir farm, the town (& our lodging) was near Lagarfljót lake.
Took a short walk & enjoyed the beautiful lakeside sunset. Lamb dinner & off to bed. Early start tomorrow morning – snow in the forecast (unexpected precip for Iceland, norm is mid-October).
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- black sand hike in southeast Iceland
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- Hvalnes Lighthouse
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- Djúpivogur village harbour
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- arfleifd.is – super impressive entrepreneur
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- Fashion with Flavor – fish leather
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- creepy little elf houses – found them everywhere
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- unexpected beauty outside a rock museum
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- Overnight in Egilsstaoir
