 |
| 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 |
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)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment. I hope you enjoyed your visit. Sam, I am.