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On October 23rd, after a night in the Sofitel, we departed Heathrow at 7:05 am on BA 0800 landing at Keflavik at 9:10am. This time around we took full advantage of the duty free allowance to stock-up on wine and beer before leaving the airport. The prices are about 30% cheaper than at the Vinbudins and they had a special seasonal ale not on general release until November 1st. The weather as expected was very cold, grey and rainy. We had, once again, booked a hire car through Blue Car Rental. The check-in was quick & efficient but the car, a Dacia Duster, had clearly been well used. It would have been easier to take pictures of the parts that weren’t damaged, also the windscreen had a rather ugly crack in it. When I asked whether they knew about the cracked windscreen the agent responded with “yes, most cars in Iceland have cracked windscreens, it is normal” while giving me a look as if I was mad for asking. To be fair the car did not fail us, and in some ways it was comforting not having to worry too much about adding a couple of extra stone chips. Although the car had satnav I always take my own having pre-planned and downloaded our route from Garmin Basecamp. Which was just as well as I couldn’t figure out how to get the Dacia satnav to talk to us in English. As our accommodation for the first three nights was self-catering, our first stop was Bonus for supplies.
We stayed three nights at Midvoll Cottages between Skogafoss and Vik, stopping on the way at Hveragerdi for coffee and a pastry. We had advised them of our arrival time in advance but when we arrived the office was closed and the place looked deserted apart from three or four farm dogs that greeted us enthusiastically. As we had not yet topped-up our Icelandic sim card we couldn’t call them. Eventually our knocking alerted a couple in the adjacent apartment who let us in & gave us our key. The accommodation comprises of six chalet-type wooden cottages adjacent to a working farm about 2.5 kms off Hwy 1. The position perhaps lends itself more to the summer months as there is private access to the black beach running west from Dyrholaey, but in October the weather was very wet and the path was inaccessible. Which is probably why all the other guests during our stay were one-nighters. That said, the cabin was very cosy, with a separate bedroom, bathroom, comfortable sitting area and nicely equipped kitchen with an oven, and proved to be a good base and a warm haven to return to after a day exploring the surrounding area.
The plan for our first day included Skogarfoss, the wreck of the DC-3 and Dyrholaey. Sadly the weather had, if anything deteriorated since the day before so we decided to postpone today’s activities to the ‘morrow, had a leisurely morning and went to Vik in the afternoon, with a brief stop at Dyrholaey on the way back. Dinner consisted of roast marinated lamb with roast vegetables and a bottle of red wine.
The next day the weather had improved little but we nevertheless set out on our planned itinerary postponed from the day before. Arriving at Skogarfoss we were surprised, considering the weather, to see how busy it was. Sitting in the car contemplating the steps up to the top and the wind/rain, and having been in the summer a couple of years ago, discretion overtook valour and we decided to skip it and head for the DC-3. At one time it was possible to park close to the wreckage but today it is a 3.5 km walk from the parking lot, a 7 km round trip. Apparently it is possible to get a shuttle bus from the parking lot but we didn’t see any signs of one. While we were there a group of well-wrapped ATV’ers arrived, which may have been a fun thing to do on a warm sunny day! The round trip took us about 2 hour. Walking into the cold headwind slowing the outward journey and the corresponding tailwind helping on the way back. Was it worth it? Certainly not for the plane itself but we were in need of some exercise and it definitely served that purpose. On a nice day one could walk for miles on the black sand beach beyond the plane but sadly not on the day we were there. To get to our next stop, Dyrholaey, we had to pass the turn-off to our accommodation and being already cold we figured the headland at Dyrholaey would be pretty miserable so decided to head for the warmth of our cosy cabin and leave Dyrholaey for later. We did make it to Dyrholaey in the evening to witness one brave couple posing for wedding photographs on the cold, blustery headland. I know Icelanders are a tough breed but surely the bride had thermals beneath her wedding dress!
On the morning of the 26th we checked-out of Midvoll for the six hour, 270 km journey to our accommodation for the next two nights, Guesthouse Nypugardar between Jokulsarlon and Hofn. The rain had let-up but the wind had picked-up dramatically and our first stop Reynisfara black sand beach and sea stacks proved to be a challenge too far. Impossible to stand still, and the sand, driven by the wind stinging any exposed skin, another attraction was put on the back-burner. Encouraged by the weather forecast for the wind to subside as we traveled east we continued on our way, with stops at Eldraun lava fields, Fjadrarglifur Canyon, and Foss A Sidu still on the agenda. After a brief stop at kirkjubaejarklaustur for a warming bowl of soup and just as we were beginning to believe the weather forecast, the skies darkened, the wind picked-up and driving rain and sand hit the car like machine gun fire. They were possibly the worst and scariest conditions we have ever driven in. With cars and trucks being blown across the centre line, passing oncoming vehicles was an act of faith. Thankfully the conditions didn’t last too long and we arrived at our destination shaken but not stirred. Guesthouse Nypugardar occupies a small ridge with views over the mountains and glaciers to one side and the coast on the other. The guesthouse offers a limited dinner menu on a first come first served basis. We made the mistake of being late and couldn’t get a table, space being further limited due to covid restrictions. Not wanting to go back later we made do with snacks.
The morning of the 27th brought us sunshine and nice views across to the glaciers and coastline. Breakfast was limited but more than adequate for our needs. Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon and Diamond Beach occupied us until mid-afternoon after which we made a quick visit into Hofn to fill-up the car and have a coffee. Tonight we made sure we got to the dining room early. Choice was limited to lamb or trout. We both chose the lamb which was served with an odd combination of potatoes and salad. Although plentiful it was a bit disappointing.
On the 28th we headed 103 km back along Hwy 1 for a two night stay at Hotel Skaftafell. Yesterday’s weather gods must have gone back into hibernation as the wind and rain had returned and the mercury had dropped significantly. After a brief stop at Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach, where Gwyn sensibly opted to stay in the car, we arrived at Skaftafell mid-afternoon. Our room wasn’t ready but with a break in the weather we took the advice of the receptionist and set-off from behind the hotel on a 3.5 km hike overlooking Svinafellsjokull and, at a distance, Skaftafellsjokull glaciers. An information board at the overlook being a stark reminder of how much each glacier had receded over the years. The hike was an unexpected bonus given the way the day started, and we very nearly got back to the hotel before the rain came down again, but not quite! As we were staying two nights we were given a mountain view room with two twin beds in the building behind the main hotel. We made a reservation for dinner and on the recommendation of the receptionist took advantage of Happy Hour in the bar, which consisted of a small sitting area with well-worn sofas and a large church hall-like area, with a piano. I imagine that in the summer when the hotel is full it would be quite the lively spot. Dinner of Arctic Char, with a bottle of wine was excellent. One of the goals for this trip was to see the Northern Lights and every night Gwyn has been scanning the night sky for a break in the cloud cover. This night was no exception and with a break in the clouds she had us up in the early hours of the morning in the car in a darkened parking area below the glacier hoping for a glimpse of the aurora borealis. After about 30 minutes the cloud cover returned and it was time to return to our beds.
Our agenda for the 29th was to hike a loop trail on Skaftafell taking in Svartifoss and the Skaftafellsjokull overlook. Undeterred by the weather which, being cold and grey, had improved somewhat, and fortified with a satisfying breakfast we drove to the Skaftafell information center where the trail heads start. After successfully figuring out how to pay for parking (cameras record each vehicle registration on entry to the park and in the parking area there are automated pay booths where you have to enter your vehicle registration and pay via credit card) and with a beautiful ‘full’ rainbow providing encouragement off we went. The hike was quite challenging in places and it was very cold at the glacier overlook but it was a very satisfying way to spend the day. On the way back to the hotel the evening sun lit-up the glaciers providing a good photo opportunity. Another drink at Happy Hour followed by a nice dinner of soup and a shared plate of penne pasta with lamb bolognese rounded off another enjoyable day.
On October 30th we set off after breakfast on the 320 km drive to Reykjavik for a 2 night stay at the Kvosin Hotel and the obligatory PCR test needed to get home. The weather gods must have woken on the right side as it was a lovely sunny day. We stopped for a coffee at a nondescript roadside cafe which happened to be owned by a photographer and tour guide and contained some fine examples of his craft. It also served really good coffee. We stopped at Foss A Sidu having had to skip it on the outward journey due to the inclement weather. We still had Reynisfara Beach on the back-burner and so took the opportunity to tick it off our list and make one more visit to Dyrholaey in the sunshine. On our earlier stop at Hveragerdi Gwyn had seen a hand knitted Icelandic wool hat and so we returned to get it. When we got there the store was closing but the owner, clearly not wishing to miss a sale, kindly allowed us in to make the purchase. We decided this time around to keep the car and return it to Keflavik. There is no private parking at the Kvosin but there are a dozen or so public parking spaces out front. Unfortunately none were available when we arrived but after dropping off the bags we managed to secure a space not too far away. It was bitterly cold in Reykjavik but that didn’t stop us from walking to the Bastard Bar for early Happy Hour drinks and a burger. Nor did it stop us from buying a tub of ice cream on the way back to the hotel. For 1,000 ISK (about 8 US$) we got six generous scoops of ice cream. Some things may be expensive in Iceland but ice cream doesn’t appear to be one of them. The aurora forecast was good and venturing out around 10 o’clock we were rewarded with a short but vivid display of dancing Northern Lights. Talking to some Reykjavik residents made us realise how lucky we were to see them so clearly from downtown.
We had booked our PCR tests for early Sunday morning, the drive from the hotel taking little more than 10 minutes. This time around there was no queue and we were in and out within a few minutes. We made a stop at a bakery for breakfast pastries before returning to the hotel. Luck was clearly on our side as there was a parking space available outside the hotel and being a Sunday it was free to park. After breakfast we wandered around town, did some shopping and had coffee and cake at a very local cat cafe. The weather was again very cold with a biting wind. We had dinner at a restaurant that we discovered in July where we had struck up a conversation with a waitress from Vestmannaeyar. She was not working this night but her sister served us our fish and chips. Hoping once again to see the aurora we ventured out later at night. It was bittterly cold and with no sign of anything happening we did not linger too long.
Armed with our negative PCR test results, we checked-out of the Kvosin on Monday morning for the 45 minute drive to the airport. After filling-up the car we returned it to the Blue Car rental office at Keflavik and got the shuttle bus which dropped us kerbside at departures. The flight to Heathrow was uneventful and after a night at the Sofitel, including a very nice breakfast, we caught the flight to Bermuda the next day.
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Useful Links: Blue Car Rental www.bluecarrental.is
Midvoll Cottages www.midvoll.is
Skaftafell Hotel www.hotelskaftafell.is
Kvosin Hotel www.kvosinhotel.is
PCR Test centre visit.covid.is
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