by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:15th May 2018
Day Seven, the landscape is so rewarding
Today’s route on our Icelandic Ring Road adventure is actually one of our shortest, so naturally, that means we’ll be taking some detours.
We hopped into our trusty steed and toured around Lake Myvatn (on the 848) as we did the previous evening, now we wanted to catch the lake with the morning light.
The views from Skútustaðagígar were once again incredible, but boy the cold wind had picked up.
For our accommodation in Akureyri; we stayed at Hotel Kea, in the centre of town which was very comfortable and included breakfast.
(You can pick-up any part of our Iceland Road Trip at the bottom of this post, along with a map of our route and the 'Highlight of the Day' for each of us.)
Why not Pin it for later?
The view from Skútustaðagígar
Touring Iceland
The day starts with another waterfall: GoðafossRe-joining the Ring Road 1, we head onto to our first waterfall of the day, Goðafoss (you can never have too many waterfalls).
The full force of Goðafoss
You could see it from the road it was so big, once closer, it almost appeared to be a double waterfall.
On top of Goðafoss
It was incredibly icy around the waterfall & what amazes me is that nothing is stopping you going near the edge (not that I would, but some folks may).
Where to stay in Akureyri
In Akureyri we chose to stay at the Hotel Kea.
We had a few essential requirements from each of our overnight stays in Iceland, which were:
Breakfast included or available nearby.
Scooby snacks along the way can be expensive.
Parking is a requirement, as this is a road trip after all.
Nearby cafés/eateries, or onsite restaurant for the evening.
Preferably a close-by fuel station; they can be few and far between en route.
Our Icelandic failure
Aldeyjarfoss or so we thought.Our next location on our Icelandic road trip we decided to head down the 844/3 towards Aldeyjarfoss. The gravel road had beautiful views as it guided you along the banks of the fast-flowing river next to you.
The gravel route 842
Unfortunately, the waterfall that we were trying to visit appeared to be down an impassable road. But hey ho, some you win, some you lose.
Looking across Svartárvatn lake
However, we did reach Lake Svartárvatn, and in the distance, you could see the northern tongue of the glacier, Vatnajökull, which we had seen while in the south of the country.
Our Advice
Go for a 4×4 for the reasonable ground clearance it affords you. You can, of course, hire a 2-wheel drive vehicle, but you are not permitted to drive on ‘F’ roads and other tracks.
Our experience was that even access to certain Points of Interest along roads a regular 2-wheel drive wouldn’t get you there. Trust us.
Planning your trip to Iceland
So you're planning a trip to the Land of Fire and Ice? There is so much to see and do in Iceland that you'll wish you were staying longer. To ensure you make the most out of your visit, head over to the official website of Visit Iceland for a little help and guidance.
Have fun!
Exploring Iceland
The Mirror LakeWe more or less double-backed on ourselves and headed up the 842, along the other side of the river.
Returning to Iceland's route 1 we are then greeted by Ljósavatn Mirror Lake, another astonishing view.
Ljósavatn Mirror Lake
Perhaps when the ice has melted, it lives up to its name.
More of Iceland
A little detourIt wouldn’t be the same if we stuck to the route. Branching north off the Ring Road we head up a gravel road to Grenivik. The roads are unbelievably quiet and clear of snow.
The harbour at Grenivik
Grenivik, is a small working fishing village, with not much evidence of tourism, which makes it appealing.
If you're tempted to tour the Land of Fire and Ice and would love to discover the whole country, then take a look at this DK Eyewitness book. This Top 10 Pocket Travel Guide is invaluable, I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more.
You can now grab the revised copy.
Historic Iceland
LaufásWe decided to go a slightly different route back south, heading in the direction of route 1.
The Laufás ancient farmhouse just outside Grenivik
However, before getting there, we came across Laufás an ancient manor farm and rectory and now a museum.
Laufás, Iceland
Although the museum was closed, you were still able to wander around the grounds.
The turf houses were fantastic, the buildings would have been for just one household and included their farmhands.
The rectory at Laufás
Finding the right car for your Icelandic Road Trip
Discover Iceland’s enchanting Ring Road with its rugged landscape or the waterfalls and geysers around the Golden Circle for yourself.
If you want to explore Iceland's F-Roads, you must have a 4x4, but we'd recommend one anyway for the improved driving position, and if the weather turns, you have a touch of added protection.
We recommend Rental Cars as they search multiple well-known car hire brands and discovers the deals that suit you the best.
Preparing for the Northern Lights
Scoping outBack onto Iceland's Ring Road, we travel south to Akureyri. Akureyri is bigger than I anticipated. However, it is Iceland’s second largest town, so it isn’t surprising.
The Solfar sculpture at Akureyri
Akureyrarkirkja
We’re hoping it’s going to be another good evening for the Northern Lights. So, we pass through Akureyri and head north, to scope out the landscape for later.
A boat moored up in Hjalteyri harbour
We find some potential spots, but we also come across another interesting little fishing village of Hjalteyri.
Looking across the harbour at Hjalteyri
In search of the Northern Lights
If you are Northern Light hunting, you need to be aware of the sunset & darkness times and the KP Index for the evening. It also requires dark and partly clear skies.
KP Index scale ranges from 0 to 9;
0-2: Low
2-3: Moderate
4-6: A big solar storm is coming
7-9: Highly unusual
You can monitor this via the Icelandic Met Office which is updated around 6 pm.
Hoping to catch the Northern Lights
But it's a no go...Unfortunately, clouds came in, and the KP Index for the Northern Lights dropped, so not too lucky this evening.
Instead, we headed into town and had some freshly cooked fish and chips
Useful tips for driving in Iceland
If you are planning a road trip around Iceland particularly over the winter months you need to be very aware of the ever-changing road and weather conditions. During winter, parts of the Ring Road may be impassable, and you may not get to areas of the country you intended to.
Regularly check the conditions by using these useful websites and apps, believe me, they will come in handy.
- Icelandic Met Office
- The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration – Vegagerdin also has an app.
We have also written a post packed with tips for driving in Iceland based on our research and experience than may be worth checking out.
Our Iceland Road Trip
The routeThe route that we took today included a mixture of roads, with a few deviations off Route 1, to visit some fishing villages and waterfalls.
In total, our journey was about 275km (171 miles) and with all the stops took us about 7 1/2 hours.
Where we stayed in Egilsstaðir
Our stopoverFor the two nights, we were based in Akureyri; we stayed at Hotel Kea, in the centre of town. The hotel was comfortable and had a broad range of facilities.
The only issue was that it had limited parking on site and certain areas in town of Akureyri require a parking disc. The hotel gave us a disc; however, it works on time restrictions.
Highlight of the Day
Every trip Gary and I go on, whether it’s a mini-break near or far or a road trip we chose a ‘Highlight of the Day’, here they are for day 7.
Janis; I really enjoyed discovering the little harbour villages, which were off the beaten track.
Gary; For me; the frozen lakes we say along the route. Looked great under the blue skies.
Trips to try in Iceland
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