This is one of the waterfalls nearby by an electric station, the first hydro electric station introduced to Iceland. There are many walking trails in this valley and we were able to park near and walk down to the falls.
It is really Autumnal now. The Rowan trees are turning orange and red. Some thrush like birds are busy devouring the berries in the trees.
As there was little wind this morning, we saw deep reflections. The waterfall is so pretty. We were there for a while exploring the path and admiring the views.
On our return to the town we went down to the harbour and took photos of the small boats and one sinking boat.
We met a family from London Ontario, he was a photographer and we got chatting about photo competitions and judges etc.
Time for a hot chocolate to warm us up. You may have 30*c in uk and France but we are between 5*c and 8*c today, rain later!
This is our quaint hotel and next to it the blue church.
This town is quirky, hippy, alternative. I’ll let my photos show you.
We went in two gift shops but prices were too high for us. Hope you like the troll dolls I photoed!
There are murals and artistic buildings in town too.
We are resting up now as we have done a lot of travelling
We move on tomorrow to near Hofn. Hofn was the furthest we got to last year, we have seen much more this year already that we didn’t see last year.
I love skyr yoghurt and the pastries they sell at every cafe
Today we crossed over so many different environments. northern Iceland is a land of huge contrasts.
It has been sunny and warm all day but very windy at times.
This is Akureyri as we left, cruise ship in and a sunny town. We took this from the top road as we left.
Up here is a hot stream where we saw quite a few people bathing last night in the foggy rain! There are municipal thermal baths but this was free I suppose.
The first part of the journey we had done on the silver circle trail. So we left the oozing sulphur muds, the volcanic hills and scree, the lakes boulders and ash and travelled over a huge undulating plateau. Sometimes there was no vegetation just volcanic larva fields, other times grassy banks and lakes with birds and geese and swans flying over.
We stopped at a remote cafe in the middle of volcanic waste. It was still being built. It was eco friendly with grass roof, grass sods piled up around the base more like peat. And huge wooden interior. The seats were covered in horse skins and sheepskins for cushions. I wish I’d taken a photo. The owner was selling his artwork and souvenirs too. He also had a jar asking for donations towards his next holiday to Japan😀.
Our quest was to take a photo of huge basalt cliffs and the roaring river at Studlagil Canyon. You follow gravel roads for quite a few miles. At the carpark you walk down lots of steps to a viewing platform. It was so interesting. The basalt is formed as crystals as the larva cools.
(If you go to the other side there is a 5mile plus return walk to view and you get a better view)
It was so windy there. It took all our strength to walk back up the many steps that were grouped into 18 steps that i kept counting to encourage me to keep going! So pleased we did it.
Further on the a1 road we saw many waterfalls. We climbed up to see this one.
Next we began to see loads of sheep farming. The farmers are rounding up their sheep at the moment for winter and we saw this happening.
The roads on the East are easy to negotiate and no worries. We reached small towns and were getting near to our destination.
To our surprise we had to climb 3000 metre mountains with hairpin bends up and then down to the fjord, we wondered where we were going.
Seydisfjordur is the fishing town we are staying at. It is gorgeous and historic. It has lots of old traditional wooden houses and craft shops.
We are in the old bank in a cosy bedroom under the eaves, with a large double bed and tucked in an enclosed corner a single bed.
At this town the ferry comes in once a week from Denmark.. what a journey over the mountains for all the cars vans and lorries!
More tomorrow as we explore this fjord and close by.
We had rain all through the night and then all day today. It was mostly like a foggy rain and misty, then faster at times.
We decided to try the silver ring route today. We headed up the coast getting closer to the arctic circle. Iceland doesn’t quite touch the arctic circle but is close in the north.
We went to a sea town called Husavik. There was no wind and so lovely reflections in the harbour. Here is popular for whale watching tours and we saw three boatloads going off and one returning.
Instead we went to the whale museum.
There were skeletons of different whales, small minke whales to the best in the museum a blue whale! The blue whale had washed up along the coastline and had been the start of this collection.
There were documentaries about the Faroes whale culling and slaughter and their point of view about this. Interesting but very wrong!
We spent a long time in there as it was so interesting.
As it was pouring when we came out we went to a fish
restaurant/cafe/bar. We treated ourselves to fish of the day dinner. It was a fish similar to cod they said. It was oven cooked,fresh and tasty. With rice noodles asparagus jus and kale with small potatoes.
We continued on our way after walking around the harbour now looking at the wooden boats.
Along the silver trail we reached Asbyrgi. It is a huge canyon surrounded by a deep half circle arc of cliffs. This is part of the volcanic landscape and was probably created by fierce rivers. We stayed in the
information centre for a while.
I took all my images on my small camera as I didn’t want to get my big camera wet.
On the return journey we passed by Godafoss. This time we walked down the other side of the falls and got a better view of them.
Back in Akureyri it has stopped raining and although damp with low swirling fog along the mountains, it looks stunning over the sea.
please note yesterdays photos are now uploaded please see them! look them up for sept 5th
Today we followed a trail to see 2 impressive waterfalls and volcanic eruption devastation.
The whole area is very different in each case.
Leaving AKUREYRI we went through a long long tunnel saving us 15 kms.
The first place on the route was Godafoss.waterfall.
It is so dynamic. You park the car and then can walk along the top of the side of the river and over up to the waterfall. I thought it was wonderful.
We next followed the A1 route over where 2 volcanoes had erupted along fissures. We called at the information centre to find out more.
Put simply as the larva erupted it caused a huge lake to form and the water cooled the larva forming mineral columns usually seen under the sea. Also the steam came from the earth forming huge mounds (and these kind of humps are found on the surface of Mars too)
We passed oozing mud and sulphur mining. It did not smell pleasant!
The next waterfall was so outstanding in scale force and noise.
Look at my photos and see how small the people look beside it.
Dettifoss is truly magnificent in every way.
I’m so pleased we have been lucky enough to see all these wonderful sights, I count my blessings.
Back in town we noticed the traffic lights have red hearts ahhhh!
This is the 2nd time I’ve written my blog today. I lost the first attempt pictures and all so fingers crossed this time. Xxxx
the view from our window and below along the road…
I woke up today to sun streaming through the valley. Everything looked so different much better. We set out to explore the East side of the huge peninsular. As we travelled along we stopped at waterfalls and jaw dropping views.
Again we saw loads of swans and ducks and geese, stone-terns, arctic terns and many other small birds. We crossed over the plateau and today could see the views, not obscured by clouds today.
The countryside was so pretty and varied. Lots of deep fjord water, streams joining up to make small rivers with waterfalls all along the hill and cliff sides.
It’s difficult to explain how beautiful it is. I hope my pics help!
We eventually came to a small village with a jetty near a causeway.
We explored around and found a tiny sandy beach. We sat down to eat our picnic and watch the seabirds all around. Then we noticed steam rising from the beach and surrounding water. The water was hot! We had found a hot spring seeping into the sea. There were lots of shells and as well loads of tiny white coral washed up on this beach. We were delighted to see this…
What a brilliant last day in this area, we travel along the north of the island tomorrow , but sad to leave here.
This is for our grandchildren. Down the road from our holiday house is a Viking house and museum,
The vikings grew grass on their roof.
this is a game they played with the rules. can you play it? you will have to teach me!
For a fleeting glance this morning we saw the sun. As it shined on the cliffs opposite our wooden house, they shone gold!
Then the rain came back and as we set off, a rainbow.
We wanted to explore the north west peninsular. It is an area of rugged beauty but difficult terrain and mostly unreachable by car.
The weather was changeable all day with squally rain bursts and poor visibility and then sun and a very cold wind.
We travelled along the coastline and saw many swans and geese.
As we headed north the road turned to gravel and had hairpin bends with no crash barriers and a long drop down cliffs to the sea. We felt nervous so turned round.
There was a gravel road marked on the map that went up and over to the other coast so we tried this. After a safer climb we reached the top and it was a huge never ending plateau. We were the only car up there and saw hundreds of geese, some arctic terns and swans. There were pools of water and lakes and the road weaved round them.
At one part we saw this shelter. It looked so forelorn up there in this isolated spot!
As we rejoined the main road we returned eventually back to Budardalur.
It was pouring with rain again.
It seemed too early to go back to our little wooden house so we set off after a picnic lunch over the dalir Dales to the volcanoes near Bifrost.
We walked right up the many steps to the top volcano. it was soooooo windy. We were almost blown off our feet. It was a good walk but scary.
The view was spectacular. Everybody was battling the wind and looking at each other in the same situation with sympathy! I’m pleased we did it such an achievement in a force 10 gale(exaggeration )
Now I am home and feeling sunburnt on my face even though it was 5*c.
And an icy wind.
What a lovely day 8 hours out all day. We will sleep well even if the wind and rain whip round the house.😉
Only got a few hours sleep last night as the rainfall and wind was tremendous. i was worried we were going to have the roof blown off.t It eased a bit by 3am but continued raining.
So today we decided to make the best of things and set off along the A1 north towards Vatnsnes peninsula. We went over the dales pass as we knew that road was good and reached Stadarskali at the end of Hrutafjordur. We stopped for a rest at the cafe and it was packed with coachloads of tourists on the way to whale watching. It was so quiet when they left…. (No photos as the rain and clouds obscured the hills.)
We followed the road along this fjord then crossed overland to Midfjordur. This fjord again was beautiful and we travelled along it as far as the seal sanctuary museum at Hvammstangi. If the weather had been better we would have gone all the way around the peninsular but didn’t feel it was safe today. The wind was gusty.
The museum was interesting and all about how they caught seals in the past and used them for oil, skins and food.
There was a small harbour, the wind whipped around and we had gloves hats scarves and boots on to keep warm. It had stopped raining by then.
We returned along a quicker route braving across a gravel road through a series of hills and valleys. It wasn’t too bad and after about 12 miles the road became a tarmac road. We went to the nearby village of Budardalur
And Vince washed down our very muddy car. At all the garages you can hose down your car for free.
We had had quite an adventure and in spite of the weather we were pleased we had been out.
I hope you like the pics!
Otis Xavi Louis and Alice grandma was so brave to make friends with a walrus don’t you think?
We first had a quick road tour around Reykjavik before getting on the A1 to head north.
The buildings in the city are beautiful designs and even the graffiti looks good.
T
the scarpa building made of glass and the Viking ship statue. I took all these photos from the car!
On our journey up the A1 we went under the fjord. The tunnel was 7 kms. This is the water we travelled under…
At Borgarnes we stopped to photo the bridge and mountains.
From the coffee shop you get a view of the mouth of the fjord and at low tide lots of seabirds.
We did our shopping at bonus. Yellow, with a pink pig logo.
Now we were only an hour away from our next nights location.
We went along the road as far as Bifrost where we saw volcanos and moss covered lava fields. The mountains surrounding the road were gigantic.
From here we went over the dalir (dales) pass to Budardalur. What a beautiful road. We enjoyed all the views as we climbed up and saw small gorges and small waterfalls and then down to the lower coastal lands.
At Budardalur we stopped for an Icelandic hot dog…..not sure what we were eating but it tasted good with onions mustard and sauces over it.
By the coast it was so pretty, I could live here. Sea birds, fjord reflections and black sand.
Now we are close by for 4 nights, inland by a lake in a small wooden cabin. It is very cosy and a good job because high winds and rain is forecast.
We will be exploring from this area further north west and north east as much as we dare!
Retirement Here I Come 