Iceland Vacation 2024 - Part 1

BBRB at Skógafoss
BBRB at Skógafoss

Vacation time!

We decided it was time for a real vacation, and had the opportunity to take a week-long stopover in Iceland (while traveling from Italy to the US). The first half of the week we would spend near Hella, about two hours east and south of the airport. The second half of the week we'd drive another four and a half hours east to Höfn. Lots of driving, but lots to see!

Our first day, Tuesday, was a big waterfall day! We really lucked out with some great weather. First stop was at the Skógafoss waterfall, a huge waterfall featured in lots of national marketing for Iceland! Skógafoss is caused by the river Skogá falling off of the moor at the end of Skógargil canyon. At a height of over 200 feet (62 meters) and a width of nearly 50 feet (15 meters), it's quite impressive!

blah blah blah
Approaching Skógafoss along the river
Skogafoss Tall
Skógafoss from the side
Listen to the power of Skógafoss:
Maria Waves Hi from Skogafoss
Maria says "Hæ hæ!"
BBRB at Skogafoss falls
We get up close with Skógafoss

We decided it was time to warm up, so we stopped at a great little café we had passed on the way to Skógafoss called Faxi Bakery. We'd warm up with some coffee and stew before heading to our next stop. The bulding Faxi Bakery inhabits is also a memorial to the Eyjafjallajokull eruption (shown in the movie "The Secret Life of Walter Movie"). This is one of the few building that survived the lava flow.

Eyjafjallajokull from Walter Mitty
Faxi Bakery is in this building, a memorial to the Eyjafjallajokull eruption shown in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, one of our favorites!

 

Faxi Bakery Cappuccino
Cappuccino at Faxi Bakery
Icelandic Meat Stew
Icelandic Meat Stew
Faxi Bakery Open
A little artsy: Open sign shadow on the wall of Faxi Bakery

Neil had taken a quick look at the map to see if there was anything interesting nearby. Sure enough, we were very close to the Seljavallalaug swimming pool. A hot spring-fed swimming pool a little hike away. So we headed there and hiked up the river to find it!

Cascading Waterfalls
Some cascading waterfalls on the way to the hike
River to the Sea
We hiked along this river to get to the swimming pool

A sea of grass on the hillside:

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool
The Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool; We didn't go for a swim, but there were some folks in there!
Cows Drinking Water
Some cows drinking water on our way out

Needing more waterfalls in our day, we then headed to Seljalandsfoss, just a short drive away. Seljalandsfoss flows over what was once a sea cliff. It has a height of over 210 feet (65 meters), and their are multiple smaller waterfalls easily accessible nearby!

Seljalandsfoss
Large spray from Seljalandsfoss

A little slow motion of Seljalandsfoss:

Seljalandsfoss Rainbow
Pretty sweet rainbow!

Let's see that rainbow in action!

A nice walk down the path from Seljalandsfoss got us to the Gljúfrabúi waterfall!

Gljufrabui and Maria
Maria showing off the cavern to Gljúfrabúi waterfall
Unknown Waterfall
One more on the way home! According to Google Maps, this is the Unknown Waterfall

After all that hiking and cold (for us!), we decided to head back to our cabin for the evening. But first, we needed some dinner!

Curry Chickpeas
At the restaurant Eldstró Art Café, Maria had Curry Chickpeas
Fish and Chips
and Neil had Fish and Chips!

After dinner, we arrived back to our cabin at the Sælukot farm, #4.

Sælukot 4
Our cabin for the first half of the week, Sælukot 4, found on AirBnB

Sælukot 4 Interior:

We awoke early Wednesday nice and refreshed, and greeted by a beautiful sunrise.

Farm Sunrise
Farm Sunrise at Sælukot

Beautiful sunrise video at Sælukot 4:

Today we'd be driving a bit farther, heading to the small town of Vík í Mýrdal and the surrounding area. It was another beautiful day! Our first stop was at the Dyrhólaey Arches, natural arches carved into the cliffs by massive waves and tide changes.

Approaching the Dyrholaey region on foot:

BBRB at Dyrholaey Arches
BBRB at Dyrholaey Arches
Dyrholaey Arches
Dyrholaey Arches zoomed in
Dyrholaey Large Arch
The Dyrholaey Large Arch from the other side. In the back middle, you can see two other arches acting as a sort of echo of these large ones.
Reynisdrangar Sea stacks
Off in the distance, we could see the Reynisdrangar Sea stacks

We hiked around the Dyrholaey area for a bit. In the summer, this is a major area for puffins to come and find mates. While we were there, just some terns and seagulls were about.

Maria and the Dyrholaey beach
Maria and the Dyrholaey beach
Maria Vibes
Captured some Maria vibes at an old building

We stopped for lunch at the Black Beach Restaurant before heading out onto Reynisfjara Beach.

Maria and Almond Encrusted Salmon
Maria and some Almond Encrusted Salmon that we shared

Reynisfjara Beach is known for both its basalt columns that you can climb and for being right next to the Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks!

Maria on the Reynisfjara Beach Basalt Columns
Maria on the Reynisfjara Beach Basalt Columns
BBRB under the Reynisfjara Basalt Columns
BBRB under the Reynisfjara Basalt Columns, inside a cave on the other side
Neil Dancing with the Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks
Neil Dancing near the Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks

Some waves at the sea stacks

Our next stop was to visit the church in Vik. Built in 1934, it is considered the safest place in town if the Katla volcano ever erupts again. The congregation actually runs safety drills for the whole town to be prepared for that eventuality.

Vík í Mýrdal Church
Vík í Mýrdal Church
Vík í Mýrdal Church and Reynisdrangar Sea stacks
Vík í Mýrdal Church and Reynisdrangar Sea stacks in the background

After a full day of sightseeing, it was time to head back to the cottage. On the way, we received a wonderful sunset and, after dinner, got our first Northern Lights show of the trip!

Sunset on the Road

Dusk at the lake Eystra Gíslholtsvatn

First Northern Lights
First Northern Lights of this trip!
First Northern Lights
First Northern Lights
First Northern Lights

Thursday was a driving day: off to Höfn for the second half of the trip! It was about a four and half hour drive, plus stops. And there was lots to see!

Faxi Bakery Coffee To Go
One last stop at Faxi Bakery to grab a coffee to go

We drove through an area named the Eldhraun Lava Field. This is the largest known lava flow in the world at 218 square miles (565 square kilometres). It's covered in this fascinating Wooly Fringe Moss and stretched for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see.

BBRB on the Eldhraun Lava Field
BBRB next to the Eldhraun Lava Field
Moss Covering Lava
Woolly Fringe Moss covering the Lava Field
Moss and Flower
A complex and fragile habitat

Continuing on our drive, we found the Vatnajökulsþjóðgarðs visitor center, which had a rooftop view of the Systrafoss waterfall. And, free bathrooms!

Systrafoss
Systrafoss waterfall from the Vatnajökulsþjóðgarðs Vistor Center
Sheep!
Sheep!
Roadside Waterfalls
Some roadside waterfalls
Roadside Waterfall Rainbow
Roadside waterfall with a rainbow!

Just have to see this one in action as well 🙂

As we drove, we saw lots of sheep (they're everywhere!) and more waterfalls (they're everywhere too!), and we got this excellent view of the Lómagnúpur rock formation.

Lómagnúpur
Beautiful view of Lómagnúpur

Nearing the end of today's road trip, we drove through the Skeiðarársandur. This area was devastated by a flood in November of 1996. This was a glacial flood caused by an eruption in the Vatnajökull glacier. Huge icebergs broke off of the glacier in the floodwaters, causing damage to all structures in this area. Pieces of one of the bridges that used to stand in this area were turned into a memorial.

Skeiðará Bridge Monument
The Skeiðará Bridge Monument with some friendly sheep

After a long day of driving, we finally arrived to our new hotel for the next few days. Check out what we did from Höfn in our next entry, and here's a pretty awesome sneak peak:

Neil and the Aurora Borealis
Neil and the Aurora Borealis - this and much more in Part 2!

 

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