[Lindsay tested Covid+ this morning so we were both feeling in the doldrums but shook ourselves out of it. Fortunately we each had a course of antiviral medication with us so we started pill popping.]
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| Most of the fields along the coastal fringe had recently been mown. |
Back on the road we were heading for Myvatn and the Laxa hotel via the scenic route ‘Arctic Coast Way’. We chose this route because it hugs the coastline rather than continuing on the Ring Road (Hwy 1) where most of the traffic is. It was dramatic in parts with wind-swept beaches where we found many piles of timber washed up on stony shores.
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| Timber is a precious commodity in Iceland. |
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| Here a large tongue of lava had flowed into the fjord leaving jagged edges. |
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| The mountain tops in the distance were very jagged - perhaps more recent? |
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I include this for the road sign warning a bridge ahead -
most bridges were single lane. |
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| Heading towards Akureyri |
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| The first traffic lights since Reykjavik 5 days ago! |
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| Heading towards Husavik. So pretty. |
It was an interesting picturesque drive but eventually we had to leave that route to head south to Myvatn - ‘midge lake’ ('vatn' means lake). We visited Akureyri for supplies and then Husavik before heading south; Akureyri is considered the capital of northern Iceland. On the way we stopped at Godafoss 'waterfall of the gods’. According to Icelandic history in the year 1000, Thorgeir chieftain of the district and Law Speaker of the Althing (Parliament), was entrusted with the task of deciding whether Icelanders should adopt the Christian faith. When his decision was accepted, he went home and threw his statues of the pagan gods into the waterfall. Godafoss is said to have derived its name from this event. These falls are part of the 180km river Skjálfandafljót and are rather spectacular - 12m high and over 30 metres wide.
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| Godafoss |
The Laxa hotel near the banks of Myvatn was our final stop for the day. It’s a rather austere, very Scandinavian style in concrete and wood - but very comfortable. Next morning we decided to stay inside and rest. Fortunately we had reasonable internet coverage so were able to look at some options in case we were still Covid+ by embarkation time on 2 August. Talking of internet access, up to that day we’d had great internet in the car but then it died. Not a huge issue as all the hotels had Wifi.
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| View from our window looking towards the volcano, Hverfjal |
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| A patch of pretty Bladder Campions - a favourite of mine. |
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