Wednesday – Végarður to Mývatn

Every now and then you have a day where everything just seems to fall into place. You’re in the right place, at the right time and nothing can kill your mood. Wednesday in Iceland was exactly that sort of day.

The afternoon before I’d had a drawn-out drive, pulling the steering wheel against the fierce cross winds and searching for a campsite that hadn’t already closed for the season. So when the sun rose on day six out on the ring road, I was ready for a change of fortune. The big plus of my campsite the night before was that I was that I woke up close to the next waterfall on my list, Hengifoss. It wasn’t the tallest or the widest I’d see on my Icelandic adventure but it ended up being my favourite. Maybe it was because I felt like I had it all to myself as the first visitor of the day (and for some time), or because as I climbed up the hill in the crisp morning air, Iceland was turning on some more of her best Autumn weather, or because the sun came out at exactly the right time to throw a big ol’ rainbow up in front of the waterfall and its backdrop of striking basalt columns. Even when someone moved my carefully positioned GoPro later in the morning, messing up my time lapse video, I could only laugh at how inevitable that was.

A short drive on I visited the former home of a famous early-20th century Icelandic author, Gunnar Gunnarsson. Skriðuklaustur, as it’s called, is also the site of the ruins of a monastery built in the 15th century. The two-part tour was well worth the stop and then, after another self-made sandwich in the back of the van, I was out on the road again.

My next target was the little town of Möðrudalu. At 469m above sea level it’s the highest inhabited place in Iceland and I knew I was heading the right way (up, that is) when the green grass by the side of the road changed to snowy white fields. The cafe in the town was wonderfully warm and I used the break to plan out the rest of the afternoon.

Anyone planning to see “Europe’s most powerful fall”, Dettifoss, must first decide whether to take the 862 road on the west side of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum River or the 864 on the east side. The east side of the falls apparently has better visitor facilities and arguable a more scenic drive but that drive is all on gravel and so, with snow all around me and still falling, I decided the bitchumened 862 road would be my path. The waterfall alone would have made the drive there worth it but the real treat was finding a team of mad french slack liners walking out over the waterfall one at a time. The thing to understand is that the wind and spray coming off the waterfall is intense and so to be out there on the slack line is a not only a great feat of balance but also of endurance and mental toughness, a point made all too clear as I watched the medical team massage the blood back into the feet of the last slack liner as the next one readied his harness and began stepping out onto the line. I got talking with one of the medical personnel and she explained that the group was mostly from France and were travelling all over Iceland to do this. The year before they’d done something similar in Greenland. After a short walk to see an upstream fall, I decide it was time to set course for my campsite for the night.

Giant steam clouds rising up from behind the hills in the distance told me I was getting close to the geothermal region of Lake Mývatn. My campsite wasn’t far from the lake but I had one final stop to make before I got there, Hverir geothermal spot. Walking around between the bubbling mud pits and fiercely steaming mounds with my boots quietly disappearing into the foul smelling mud, I had the feeling of having landed on a hostile alien planet in my own sci-fi movie. I would have loved to stay longer waging my war of survival against the enemy planet but with almost no light remaining I headed for the Vogar Mývatn Campsite where the chance to have a hot shower, cook in a proper kitchen and meet some fellow travellers awaited.

Thursday – Mývatn to Goðafoss

My plan for Thursday was always going to be ambitious. Not because of the distance I would be driving – I spent most of the day within sight of the lake – but because there is just so much to see around the Lake Mývatn. Stop one was Grjotagja – an underground hotspring cave where a small ray of sunshine coming in gives the impossibly blue water the appearance of glowing. Game of Thrones fans might recognise this spot from ‘that cave scene’ with Ygritte and Jon Snow. Next was the Hverfjall (Crater Mountain). Parking at the bottom I hiked up the steep side to the rim of the crater before making a full circle around the rim. Not only is it a very cool geological attraction, the mountain provides some great vistas across the surrounding landscape. Next I was off in search of the Yule Lads, mischievous characters from Iceland’s Christmas folklore who inhabit the volcanic rock formations of Dimmuborgir (Dark Fortress). Quickly cooling lava has left this giant’s playground to explore.

Next up was a hike along the Hofdi Lakeside area, an amazing change in scenery from the lava fields only a couple of kms away. Then it was on to Skútustaðagígar, an area of pseudo craters formed by steaming lava.

My reward for a very full day was an afternoon relaxing at the Mývatn Nature Baths. Far less expensive than the more famous Blue Lagoon near Keflevik Airport, the Myvatn Nature Baths have a view to some of the great geological features of the area while you relaxing in the naturally blue mineral warms of the baths. A couple of hours soaking was enough to rejuvenate me and I changed my original plan of staying another night near the lake and decided to make the trip to a campsite (Fossholl) beside the famous Godafoss. I arrived as dusk was slipping away into the night but managed to get some long exposure photos of the falls before setting up camp in the field that was the campsite behind the guesthouse.

Friday – Goðafoss to Búðardalur

Friday morning I took the chance to get a few more photos of Godafoss in the morning light and then set course for Akureyri, the largest town in the north of Iceland. The town felt quiet but welcoming as I took a walk through the main streets. Some years ago, before tourism saved a then struggling Icelandic economy, the city installed heart-shaped red traffic lights to remind the local residents of what really mattered. I’d been told to try the “famous” icelandic hotdogs and so found a little stand and ordered the Pylsa með öllu (Hotdog with all). It was a bit underwhelming but I was later told I’d tried the wrong hotdogs so that’ll have to be one for the list when I return.

In contrast to the traditional-style buildings through most of the town, the Akuyeri Regional Information Bureau is found inside the ultra-modern HOF Cultural and Conference Centre Building. I went in to get some information about driving north to the small fishing town of Siglufjörður but after the staff shared with me the wind forecast maps for the peninsular, I decided a different plan would be preferable to being blown off the road altogether.

The new plan was to drive 280km west for what remained of the day to the small village of Búðardalur, setting me up to spend the last couple of days on the road exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The last 35km of the drive was over the number 59 road and if I’d had any idea how rough it would be, I might have driven the extra 50km to the south to avoid driving on the roughest road in the worst weather conditions I’d put my trusty campervan through so far, but what’s a road trip without some adventures? The small campground at Búðardalur is beside a school building, providing some protection from the relentless winds and even a hot shower.

Saturday – Búðardalur to Arnarstapi

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a roughly 50km long peninsula on the west coast of Iceland north of Reykjavík. It’s packed with fascinating destinations and experiences that could easily last a week. With only two days left, I did my best to pick out the best of the best and get on with it.

Traveling anti-clockwise, my first stop was the picturesque fishing town of Stykkishólmur including a climb up to the Súgandisey Island Lighthouse for a great view out to the surrounding islands as well as back across the town. From there I travelled on to the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum to learn about fermenting shark and try some fermented shark for myself. The closest thing I can compare it to is a strong cheese, but fermented shark definitely has it’s own, unique, not-altogether-awful, taste. It was interesting enough that I tried a few pieces.

Further along the road I came to Kirkjufellsfoss – probably the most photographed waterfall in Iceland due to the stunning backdrop provided by the mountain that gives its name to the falls. Unfortunately, my arrival there coincided with a couple of large buses of people all wanting that iconic shot and, it seemed, determined to be in everyone else’s shots. So I obliged and got a some pictures with people in them, for scale, of course.

My next stop was the Saxhóll Crater near the western end of the peninsula. With winds blasting and snow falling, I climbed the metal staircase built on the side of the crater to reach the top and took in the views for just long enough to agree with myself that I’d made it to the top and could retreat back to the relative warmth of the van.

My last adventure for the day was to travel underground in search of giants. At Vatnshellir Cave, a guide led three of us down into the 8000 year old lava tube where formations inside lend their weight to the traditional stories of giants living beneath the ground. While we’d been in the darkness underground, the sun had come out and Snæfellsjökull, the glacier the peninsula is name for, had taken off its cloak of cloud to loom large over us as we returned to the surface.

My destination for the night was the little town of Arnatstapi, very close to the cave. The clouds continued to clear and that evening I got my third look at the northern lights. I was better prepared this time and got a few good photos operating the camera remotely from inside the van while the camera did its work in the freezing conditions from a tripod mounted on top of the van.

Sunday – Arnarstapi to Keflavík

Sunday would be my final day on the road before I had to return my campervan to the rental company and I had two more locations picked out on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to visit.

The first stop was Gerðuberg Cliffs, an impressive set of basalt columns forming a large cliff that you can walk right up to. The final stop was Rauðamelsölkelda, a natural mineral spring on the peninsular. It’s a bit of a hike to the spring and on to the waterfall at the top of the valley, but this was all I had planned for the day and I was in no rush. Most of the time I like to explore with just the natural sounds around me. But this was the last Sunday in September and back home in Australia the NRL grand final was about to kick off so I made an exception and streamed ABC Grandstand’s live call of the game on phone as I hiked, took photos and snacked my way to the top of the valley without another living sole in sight.

Once I returned to the campervan it was time to bring the roadtrip to an end. I planned my route back past Reykjavík and to the Happy Campers office near Keflavik airport where this adventure had all started 10 days ago. I returned the van and caught a taxi to a bed and breakfast in Reykjanesbær where I would spend the night before boarding my flight out early the next morning. I spent the evening sharing stories and drinks with a couple from Tennessee and realised, once again, that there was so much more to experience in Iceland than my 10 short days could ever have afforded me and that I would have to return one day.

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