Around Stykkisholmur

 Wonderful day....back late (and a meeting in the nearby golf clubhouse plus socialising plus Viking beer...)  So this is brief....

In summary, we circumnavigated the entire peninsula, visiting many of the highlights. The magic moment for us was driving the Touareg right up to the Stykkisholmur glacier, climbing up a 4x4 track (and more) sometimes cut between snow banks... in high wind and driving rain.

Video Clip: HERE

Here's the result:

...travelling tomorrow

A few more images:

church with style

Scary guardian

spot the elf.....

Blondous to Stykkisholmur

Around 165 miles via Borgarnes.....luckily we decide to avoid the unmade track across the top of the peninsula which has seriously deteriorated it seems....Tales of fellow motorhomers rescuing tourists caught out by the mud and potholes.

We make a couple of stops on the way and also stop to pick up two English hitch hikers, just having left college, now travelling around here. We met them earlier and a motorhoming couple had also given them a lift. One is off to teach in China and the other starting his own business. Great guys.


As we approach Stykkishholmur, we begin to see signs of past volcanic activity, passing through an old (in Icelandic terms) lava field. This makes a stark contrast with the lush green slopes of the earlier part of our journey down here - the land of sudden changes....and surprises. We're here for two nights to explore the surroundings ... so a little more later.

After setting up, we drive through the rain into the (attractive) town, see the water museum, where large  vertical columns of glacial water are preserved in patterns - it's ART with a little bit of science.... more about this and the town .HERE

A meal in town with fellow adventurers, and now we're snug in the van (which seems to shrug off the iffy roads with impunity) - with some decent WiFi, too. Blog away in comfort for a change.

At the Top of the World

It brought it home how 'high' we are up here when I set up the satellite dish (to record the Hungarian GP obviously - football is bad for one's health). Aiming at a satellite in geostationary orbit around the equator requires a very odd looking set-up. Great reception of BBC 1 from Astra here by the way, unlike in southern Spain. The other clue to our latitude is that the sun stays on.

Hrafnagil to Blonduos

Set off early and take the beautiful scenic route around the Trollaskagi peninsula via the attractive town of Siglufjord, once a mainstay of the herring industry. Visit interesting herring processing museums and Folk museum. Hear clips of the unaccompanied folk songs that have a long tradition here and see samples of early traditional stringed instruments - see image below.

 Eat lunch in the harbour in the sunshine and chat to the waiter about life here...fascinating. Despite massive snowfalls by our standards, they generally keep the main roads open...it's a way of life up here.

Have to pass through four tunnels on the journey, two being single track with passing places, into which the outfit fits (well in one tunnel that is...luckily didn't meet any traffic in the other one). Short video clip of this  HERE ... not great clip, but you get the idea... Look forward to a glass of Rioja when we get to the site after that.

After visiting other towns on the way, we are last but one in AGAIN... Great day AGAIN.

Icelanders...and Elves

Before we start the next leg of our journey, try this link, sent by Sam, our daughter, if you have a few minutes to spare...
HERE

Starting to look over my shoulder.....