Monday, 26 December 2022

Iceland Day 4: Dramatic Skies, Waterfalls, Breiðdalsheiði Pass and Fjarðarheiði Pass

Route 95 the Road between Breiðdal and Skriðdal Valleys.

Day Four Route: 
Höfn í Hornafirði to Egilsstaðir

Dramatic skies, fog, no rain and no sheep (they must have been hiding) was the fare for day four. We would travel from Höfn í Hornafirði to Egilsstaðir with a side trip to Seyðisfjörður. A 280 km trip with several waterfall stops.

Brunnhorn and Vestrahorn Mountains

Our first couple of stops were to view the beautiful Brunnhorn (locally known as Batman Mountain) and Vestrahorn Mountains along Route 1. The clouds and fog add a touch of drama to these mountains which are composed of iron and magnesium rich gabbro rock, leading to their dark and jagged appearance. Eystrahorn (no photo) across the bay from Brunnhorn and Vestrahorn is the third of ‘Horned’ mountains found on the Stokksnes and Hvalnes peninsulas in East Iceland. The trio of mountains dates back 8-11 million years. Unlike most mountains in Iceland, the horned mountains are composed of gabbro rock resulting from the slow cooling of the magnesium and iron-rich magma, trapped beneath the earth, forming a holocrystalline mass. These mountains are part of the Klifatindur mountain range. Most other mountains in Iceland are composed of basalt, or Landmannalaugar (rhyolite). I am still not going over to the 'dark side' with my geologist and geological engineering friends, no matter how much I loved Iceland's geology.

Brunnhorn Mountain (AKA Batman Mountain) with the "almost" visible batman symbol next to Vestrahorn Mountain

Fremstifoss and Skútafoss on the Þorgeirsstaðaá River

Fremstifoss on the Þorgeirsstaðaá River

Next up was a couple of waterfalls, along what was now an extremely wet trail with running streams from the several days of heavy rains. Fremstifoss waterfall is the first along the trail leading to nearby Skútafoss. They are located near the red chair and no we did not stop to photograph it. We have our own Canadian versions. It did bring a smile considering it was the stop with the most people that morning and everyone was having a fun.  

At Fremstifoss, there are the remnants of a small power plant built in 1966 including a small dam on the Þorgeirsstaðaá River. Further up the river is Skútafoss, a double waterfall which based on research (once we got home) has an associated cave. We never walked all the way to it. We had inadvertently interrupted a call of nature and thought it was polite to make a strategic retreat and not cause the person any additional embarrassment. We are Canadian, and well there is a distinct lack of trees in the area. A little further up from Skútafoss, there is a third waterfall Innstifoss so this would be the perfect place for a stop with an easy hike during a road trip.

Skútafoss

Barkináfoss

Barkináfoss is a small waterfall located on the northern shore of Álftafjörður (swan fjord) of the East Fjords (Eastern Region) of Iceland. It's located between Höfn í Hornafirði and Djúpivogur (~22 km west of Djúpivogur).  

Barkináfoss

Lighthouses


Streitisviti Lighthouse
Hvalnes Lighthouse

We made two quick lighthouse stops on day four, mostly to stretch our legs and enjoy the scenery.  The lighthouses almost seem out of place for our day four travels due in part to the beautiful waterfalls, volcanic mountains, and dramatic skies that we encountered. Our first lighthouse stop was a bright orange lighthouse (Hvalnes Lighthouse) on the south coast on Cape Austerhorn. The views from near this lighthouse are magnificent. The second lighthouse was Streitisviti Lighthouse and once again lovely views, but the best views were up the road and around the corner enroute to Breiðdalsvík, a mere 10 kms from the Streitisviti Lighthouse.  

Route 1 between Djúpivogur and Breiðdalsvík

Djúpivogur and Breiðdalsvík are two small fishing villages in the Southern East Fjords region approximately 60 km apart along route 1 with a combined population of ~500. The mountains between these two villages are breathtaking. Located near Djúpivogur is Mt. Búlandstindur; a 1069-meter-high basalt mountain approximately 8 million years "young" and situated between the bays of Berufjörður and Hamarsfjörður. Just outside of Breiðdalsvík is Meleyri, a beautiful long black sand beach. The mountains around Breiðdalsvík are also lovely surrounding the Breiðdalur valley. 

Mt Búlandstindur from the Hamarsfjorður side

Mountains near Breiðdalsvík taken from Meleyri Beach

Breiðdalsvík taken from Meleyri Beach with Mt Snæhvammstindur in background

Route 95 or Route 1

Views from Route 95 in the Breiðdalur

Route 1 takes you along the coast with small towns and fjords. Route 95 tranverses Breiðdalur Valley, the largest valley in the East Fjords region. Hubby decided to do planning and as we passed Djúpivogur, he stated we will be taking Route 95 and to be honest I had done minimum research for the day's trip. Not sure if that was my first mistake as I normal do most of the planning but off we went along Route 95. The valley is incredibly beautiful and was a change of scenery from the coast that we travelled for the last couple of days. The Breiðdalur Valley is covered is grassy thus making the area perfect for sheep farms, of which there were several, but I guess the sheep were hidden away that day (not complaining).

Fell Horse Rental is along Route 95, and we had a short stop while horses were herded across the road. This was the first people we encountered since turning off onto the route 95, 5 kms back. The next time we would see anyone was as we were starting to transverse the mountain pass Breiðdalsheiði, ~30 kms later. So, this route is not well travelled, and it may be because at ~15 kms, it became a reasonably groomed gravel road with some potholes. This was unexpected as during our trip planning most information had stated that 2-digit roads (95) were paved and well-maintained roads. My second mistake may have been to suggest we keep going rather than turn back unless the road got worse, it didn't. We have sections of paved roads in Newfoundland and Labrador that are in worse shape that this one and the scenery was incredible, so we continued.

Western Mountains in Breiðdalur Valley
  
View of North-Eastern Side of Breiðdalur Valley

Last Stop before Breiðdalsheiði Pass Complete with a Switch Back, No Guard Rails and Dense Fog

The last stop before we traversed Breiðdalsheiði Pass was also our last chance to safely turn around. While I was not driving, it was still nerve racking being a passenger. The rock road wasn't bad, but the dense fog combined with a switch back and no guard rails was the scary part. Of course, you didn't appreciate the impact the fog was going to have traversing the Breiðdalsheiði Pass at this spot. If we had, we may have turned back, I am glad we didn't. As we neared the foggy part, we passed a a car with the passenger filming or live streaming their trip down the Breiðdalsheiði Pass. Once we reached the summit and started down the valley to Egilsstaðir, the fog lifted and the skies slowly lighted. I must admit the Breiðdalur Valley portion was much more beautiful than the rest of the trip to our hotel in Egilsstaðir from Breiðdalsvík.  Or maybe it was that the adrenalin rush had dissipated.  

Enroute to Egilsstaðir from the Breiðdalsheiði Pass

Fjarðarheiði Pass to Seyðisfjörður

After a quick check-in at our hotel, we went to Seyðisfjörður, through the Fjarðarheiði Pass. The Fjarðarheiði Pass was still foggy but not as dense fog as was in the Breiðdalsheiði Pass. Not unlike a normal early morning trip out around the bay in Newfoundland and Labrador. The road was paved and had guard rails. We did a quick walk in the picturesque village of Seyðisfjörður which is the closest Icelandic port to the Faroe Islands and Europe. Enroute back we stopped at Gufufoss Waterfall. The route to Seyðisfjörður has several lovely waterfalls, coupled with the numerous hiking trails in the Egilsstaðir area makes this a good area for a multiday stop.  

Seyðisfjörður

Gufufoss Waterfall on Route 93 to Seyðisfjörður


The following websites provide additional information on various topics concerning Iceland:

https://www.ntounas.gr/brunnhorn-the-batman-mountain/

https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/nanna/the-three-horny-mountains-of-east-iceland-1

https://glacialexperience.is/the-eastfjords-of-iceland-are-dotted-with-beautiful-little-villages-and-hidden-secrets/

https://www.east.is/en/destinations/communities/breiddalsvik

https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/seydisfjordur

Monday, 24 October 2022

Iceland Day 3: Rain, Rain, More Rain and of course Sheep

Skógafoss Waterfall (Leaving as the Crowds Arrive)

Timing is Everything

Skógafoss Waterfall

Day 3 started early as it was going to be a long day including a 35 km track back down Route 1 to see Skógafoss Waterfalls. We wanted to beat the tour crowds arriving in from Reykjavik and other locales. Most start arriving around 10 AM. The weather forecast for the day was not encouraging to say the least. Rain, rain, and more rain; at times heavy.

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s largest waterfalls, with a height of 60 m (197 ft) and a width of 25 m (82 ft). Skógafoss is on the Skógá River, which is fed from two glaciers: Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. It has a viewing platform and if you have time and the inclination to walk up the 400+ stairs, it has been noted that the view is worth it. 

A waterfall this size produces heavy amounts of spray, so rain gear is a necessity (as easily seen in the photos). We had the misfortune of visiting on the rainiest day of the trip. On sunny days, this beauty produces rainbows and often doubles ones. Oh well, so much to see and so little time. 

Sólheimajökull Glacier

Sólheimajökull Glacier was a quick 12 km drive from Skógafoss along Route 221. Sólheimajökull means “sun home glacier” and is an ice tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. Its locale and proximity to Reykjavik make it a popular spot for locals and tourists. Several quick snaps of the glacier from along Route 221 and we resumed our Ring Road trek to Höfn í Hornafirði. 

Sólheimajökull Glacier

Sólheimajökull Glacier

View from Plane Wreck Parking Lot on Route 1

The backtrack to Skógafoss and Sólheimajökull added 75 km to the day's travel

Stjórnarfoss and Foss á Síðu

Our next stop, unplanned as most were, was at Stjórnarfoss Waterfall. This is a small but picturesque two-tiered waterfall along Route 203. It was worth the stop. One couple was returning from the waterfall and two couples stopped for a quick look. They were the only other people at this waterfall. The darkening clouds may have played a factor in their quick-look decision. 

Stjórnarfoss. Love the atmosphere and rock structure at this waterfall.

A mere 13 km further along Route 1 is Foss á Síðu. Just behind a small farm (clearly marked private) is a high thin waterfall. I should no longer be surprised by how many tourists are incapable of common decency and totally ignored the sign to traipse across the private property to take a selfie. 

Foss á Síðu

A highlight from this stop was a friendly dog from the farm playing in the stream, who managed to capture a small fish. Alas, he lost the fish down a crevice. Once over the loss of the fish, he brought a baseball-sized lava rock to play a game of fetch. The lava rock was surprisingly light, and he always brought back the same rock. He was entertaining and sure knew how to work a crowd. Put a smile on my face and when we left, he was onto the next human willing to play with him.

Stjórnarfoss and Foss á Síðu Waterfalls

Foss á Síðu to Höfn í Hornafirði 

Weather Rules the Day

Within 5 minutes of leaving Foss á Síðu, the rains started again, and they were heavy for the remainder of the 200 km drive to our hotel. Driving speeds had to be reduced due to poor visibility. We did a stop at Svínafellsjökull Glacier to take a quick photograph, but the rain was so heavy, walking up the trail was a lost cause. We passed spectacular sights but stopping was impractical due to the heavy rains. Lucky for us, we have seen and hiked on glaciers in western Canada and the United States, so while disappointing it would not have been a new experience. Being from Newfoundland and Labrador, icebergs are an annual photography trip for us. Again, disappointing but this was not a new experience (except for bergy bits on a black volcanic beach) and the weather was beyond our control. The Driver was glad when the day was over as he had driven 400 km that day, more than half in heavy rains while keeping an eye out for sheep.  The weather forecast for the remainder of the trip was looking favourable.

Svínafellsjökull Glacier (the best considering the weather conditions)



The following websites provide additional information on various topics concerning Iceland:


Monday, 10 October 2022

Iceland Day 2: Réttir or Rather Sheep, More Sheep and the Tourist Sheepherder

Kerid Crater

Iceland day 2, was the day of heavy rains coupled with recreational tourism that is now associated with the réttir! First, our Frogg Toggs did their job well for their budget price, material, and construction. Now to be honest they were used for short jaunts, not long hiking adventures but managed to keep us dry in the heavy rain outbursts throughout the day. More about réttir later in the post.

Kerid Crater

Faxi Waterfall on Tungufljót River
Our first stop was the Kerid Crater located in a geologically active part of Iceland known as Grimsnes. The caldera’s scarlet slopes (sounds so much sexier than plain red) are composed of loose shag dispersed among sections of green vegetation that culminates in a glittering azure basin whose levels are determined by the water table (or zone of saturation). The Kerid Crater is estimated to be around 6,500 years old. Its vibrant red slopes (I am sticking to the sexy scarlet term) are a clear sign of its geological youth, as iron deposits in the rock have not yet blackened. 

Due to the heavy rainfall during our visit to Kerid Crater, we were limited to enjoying its beauty from above and not hiking around or down into it. That lovely scarlet sediment gets very slippery when wet. Yikes, I keep up with this geology jargon, and my geologist and geological engineering colleagues and friends may think I have come over to the dark side. Yeah no! This was one of the few natural attractions we had to pay a nominal fee to view. Well worth it!

Faxi Waterfall (Vatnsleysufoss)


Our second stop was Faxi Waterfall (Fossin Faxi or Vatnsleysufoss). The waterfall is small in Icelandic terms at 80 m (262 ft) wide and 7 m (23 ft) high. It has 2 parking lots you pay to enter as well as a campground and seasonal restaurant on site. The good news was that there were only 2 other couples there at the time, one eating lunch at their camper van and the other visiting the waterfalls. So, we had the falls to ourselves to enjoy. There is a fish ladder as the Tungufljót River is a popular salmon fishing locale. The only salmon I saw trying to navigate a waterfall while in Iceland was at Reykjafoss Waterfall in Hveragerði. 

Faxi Waterfall on Tungufljót River

Faxi Waterfall on Tungufljót River, near Fish Ladder


Strokkur Geysir

Next up was a stop at Strokkur Geysir (the churn) which sprouts hot water as high as 30 meters (100 ft) into the air every few minutes (right on schedule). This is one of the major stops for the golden circle tours and the place where we saw the most people on our 8-day trip to Iceland. The photo below was taken before several tour buses arrived and we skedaddled quickly thereafter.

Strukkor Geysir before the Hordes Arrived

Strokkur Geysir in action


Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss (Golden Falls) is one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls, located in the Hvítá River Canyon in Southwest Iceland. This is also one of the stops on Iceland's golden circle tours. The waters of the Hvítá River originate from the glacier Langjökull. The first cascade is 11 meters tall (36 feet), whilst the second cascade is 21 meters (69 feet). This picture is taken just up from the handicapped parking lot and is one of the better spots to capture Gullfoss when the tour buses are on site.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Day 2 Route 


Réttir

Professional Sheepherder

The route for day 2 is attached with the circle on the route map below Flúðir (along route 30) was where we encountered the Réttir. Travelling Iceland and the Faroe Islands, we were expecting to encounter sheep in fields, on the roads, and in significant numbers. So, when we came upon the first réttir, it was interesting and a delay of less the 5 minutes was no bigger. We realized very quickly that tourist "sheepherders" must be part of the mix. I had to google that as some of the riders (aka sheepherders) seemed inexperienced and ineffective. The professional sheepherders quickly rounded up strays and move traffic along in an orderly fashion, protecting everyone including the sheep.   

Well Behaved Sheep
Fifteen to twenty minutes later we ran into our second Réttir and that is where the fun began as did the string of four-letter words. The drive from Flúðir to Vik is 89.5 mi (144 km) and should take approximately 2 hrs under normal traffic conditions. Add in a delay of at least 1.5 hours and well no surprise that there were some four-letter words uttered. The delay was so long, and we hardly moved that we incorrectly assumed there was a major traffic incident. Nope, just a larger group of tourist sheepherders (~12) coupled with professional sheepherders who had less experience (I am assuming) dealing with the tourist version than the first group we encountered. After 5 vehicles, locales I presumed, and 2 vehicles in front of us moved out and passed in the other lane, we followed suit. Confusing the issue was only 6-7 cars drove down the road from the opposite direction including a police car. When we finally pulled out, we passed 8 cars to find all the sheep gazing quietly on the side of the road as per the pictures (that were taken while we were stopped), the professional sheepherders (maybe 3) working hard while the tourists' version were on the road (all on the correct side but blocking traffic) along with the horses they were riding; eating, drinking and having a jolly good time.  

A Rétt or Sorting Cages
Fall roundup of the free-ranging sheep is undoubtedly a large undertaking requiring a lot of labour. They use ATVs, horses, or on foot with trusted sheepdogs to fetch sheep. Say what! I saw two dogs the whole time in Iceland, not on the Réttir, and thought they needed to visit Scotland to see Shelties in action. 

The rounded-up sheep are sorted at rétts, circular pens with divided sections to separate each farmer’s herd from one another. On the lighter side, while stuck in our Réttir traffic jam, we observed two sheep running away from the boondoggle ahead of us. Who knew they could run that fast! No one was trying to catch them but all I could think was FREEDOM

My thoughts on the recreational tourism associated with the Réttir are diametrically opposite.  Kudos to Icelanders for offering this cultural experience to those of us who visit your beautiful country. Farming/cultivation is arduous work, underpaid, and underappreciated while needing all the assistance it can get. But you can and must do better.  I experienced 2 types of Réttirs, one that left me appreciative and in awe of Icelandic ingenuity while the other left me feeling like I was an invisible bystander at a tailgate party.  One person tasked with traffic control would have made a world of difference for the drivers stuck in the traffic jam.   

This was the effective end to our day, as we still had a 2-hour drive to the hotel, and less than 30 minutes later, torrential rains arrived. Day 2 was complete and the delay coupled with the rain knocked a few items off our list but still overall a good day. 


Video Clip


The following websites provide additional information on various topics concerning Iceland:

Saturday, 8 October 2022

Iceland Day 1: Reykjanes Peninsula

Along Route 42
Somewhere Along Route 42

Iceland is a vast volcanic laboratory where geysers gush, mud pots and hot springs burb and bubble, ice-covered volcanoes rumble, glaciers sculpt the land with the precision of Michelangelo and waterfalls are around every corner. Estimates put it about 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland, so around every corner is not an exaggeration. A geologist's wet dream, a photographer's muse and a hikers' paradise all rolled into one tiny island atop the world.

Our trip was an eight-day self-guided driving tour along the ring road. However, even the best-laid plans of mice and men can be laid low by a rental car queue (2.5 hours). Two and half hours waiting to get the rental car had not been factored into the plan. So, plans changed, adjustments were made, and the adventure began.

Day 1 Route

Garðskagi

The first stop was Garðskagi where you find you can find two lighthouses; the older one which is one of the first lighthouses built in 1897 and a new lighthouse was built in 1944. Plus add an old fishing vessel for a nice quick stop.

Garður Old Lighthouse 1897

Garðskagaviti 1944

Hólmsteinn GK 20 Fishing Boat

Hvalsneskirkja

Hvalsneskirkja Church in Hvalsnes is a beautifully preserved church with an adjacent graveyard dating back to 1887. The church is built from carved stone.

Hvalsneskirkja Church 1887

Stafnesviti

The small picturesque lighthouse Stafnesviti is located at Stafnes in the Reykjanes peninsula. Built-in 1925 of concrete Stafnesviti stands 11.5 m tall and is a lovely orange.

Stafnesviti 1925

Stóra-Eldborg next to Mt. Geitahlíð

Stóra-Eldborg a small Holocene volcano in Iceland, on Reykjanes peninsula. It is 50 metres high, with a 30 m deep crater. It is the largest of five cones which formed in an eruption in a fissure in and around Mt. Geitahlíð. Its actual age is unknown but estimates based on a variety of geological observations and characteristics, it may be 7000-8000 years old.


Krýsuvík Geothermal Area 

Located in the middle of a fissure on the mid-Atlantic ridge, Seltún Hot Springs is a geothermal hot spring system in Krýsuvík volcanic area. The hot springs area contains solfataras, bubbling mud pools, fumaroles, hot springs, and warm springs. The sediments brought up by hots pools range in colour from red, orange, and green, creating a kaleidoscope of colour. The high sulphur content of the springs gives them a characteristic yellow-orange colour. The kaolinite clay mud pits are high in silica and alumina. The blue clay mud pits are saturated with pyrite. You will immediately notice the overwhelming stink of sulphur.

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Seltún Hot Springs Area

Grænavatn Lake

Grænavatn Lake "Green Lake" is an explosion crater created by volcanic eruptions. Grænavatn Lake is 46-meters deep with green water due to the amount of sulphur, deep depth, thermal algae and crystals that absorb the sunlight.  

Grænavatn Lake

Kleifarvatn Lake

Kleifarvatn Lake is the largest lake in the Reykjanes Peninsula with the unique feature being that it has no visible surface drainage. The water level of the lake changes with the level of groundwater coming from the porous lava rock around it. Kleifarvatn lies on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and is near the geothermal area of Seltún. 

Kleifarvatn Lake (North View)

Kleifarvatn Lake (south view)

This was the point when we looked at the time, and the distance to the hotel, and decided to call it a day and drive to the hotel (Hótel Örk, Hveragerði).  After checking in and dinner, a walk around the town was in order.  Though later in the evening, we found our first waterfall to photograph in the Botanical Garden in Hveragerði. Reykjafoss is a small waterfall on the river Varmá, in Hveragerði, Suðvesturland, Iceland.

Reykjafoss Waterfall, Hveragerði

To Finish the day, a bit of Icelandic street art along the walk to Reykjafoss Waterfall in Hveragerði.  

Enroute to Reykjafoss Waterfall just off of Breiðamörk

Enroute to Reykjafoss Waterfall just off of Breiðamörk

Video clip from Day 1:


Blogs in my Iceland Series: (to be updated as completed)