Iceland - Part 2
Vatnajökull National Park, North and West Coasts
Our journey continues! Iceland is a natural wonderland, with landscapes varying day after day, adventures around every steep coastal curve or at the end of jarring volcanic bumpy roads.
Highlights for the Second Half of our Iceland Trip - 12 days
- Borgarfjörður Eystri - best up-close puffin watching
- Vatnajökull National Park - drive to Askja Crater loop with F910, F905, F88
- Westfjords - especially the Þingeyri peninsula drive
Second half of our Iceland route, 1300 miles, 40 hours of driving in 12 days
Continuing North from Egilsstaðir on the east coast
Dawn had been laser-focused on pursuing intimate puffin experiences, so our next stop was a town with a reputedly large nesting puffin colony. Rumors turned out to be completely true.
Borgarfjörður Eystri
One word: Puffins! Although touristy, we had our best puffin watching here. There is a large parking area with a café, restrooms, viewing platforms and stairs out on the small bluff which was literally covered in puffins. (We were there in mid July.) We were able to stand and watch them a few feet away and they seemed totally oblivious to people snapping pictures like the most avid paparazzi.
An Aside on Puffins
A quick rundown on what we found: we opted early on not to pay for a tour or visit an offshore island. (That budget thing again, always watching it.) We found nesting puffins in three places: Borgarfjörður Eystri on the east coast, hiking Rauðanes Point in the north east, and Látrabjarg cliffs in the Westfjords. At Rauðanes Point we saw one, half way through our 5 mile walk along the cliffs, but we were not looking hard. We were able to sit and watch it within a few feet for quite a while until it got bored and flew off. At Látrabjarg cliffs you could see them close to the parking area and along the 8 miles of cliff trails. It was not nearly as crowded with people as Borgarfjörður Eystri, but the concentration of puffins was not as high either. They do not seem interested in engaging with humans, but they are certainly not afraid of us or concerned by our proximity which makes them fun to hang out with.
Vatnajökull National Park
Satiated with puffin love (for Dawn), it was time for Andy to have fun with the 4x4. We set off on a three-day excursion into the highlands, travelling a loop connecting the F910, F905 and the F88. We spent our ninth and tenth nights camping at Kverkjökull glacier and Askja crater. No gas stations in the highlands of the park so we gassed up at the last station in Möðrudalur.
Bumping our way across lava beds
River crossing - not serious on the F905 or F910
Glacier at Kverkjökull
River crossing on the F88– one of the more serious ones, the rope marks the shallow route
We had been blessed with more than our fair share of good weather in Iceland, but when we hit Ásbyrgi Canyon the heavens poured.
Ásbyrgi Canyon hike, time for full rain gear
Feeling a little wet and soggy, we made our way to the coast in the hopes of hiking Rauðanes Point, a 5 mile loop on the headlands on the north coast featuring volcanic lava formations offshore. We spent a quiet night with no traffic on the small road and no company. Then the morning dawned, glorious and sunny again!
Offshore lava formations at Rauðanes Point - 5 mile loop hike
Budget
No discussion of travelling in Iceland is complete without a discussion of budget. Iceland is expensive, the most expensive place we have travelled in terms of basic supplies - like gas and food. We mitigated this by stocking up on non-perishables that we shipped in the truck. Wild camping is illegal and campgrounds charge by the person not the vehicle so it added up for the two of us sharing a budget. On the upside, National Parks and all hiking reserves are free of charge.
Our life is full-time travel, so we economize on items that many people would not if they were heading out for a two week vacation. In Iceland, by far our biggest expense was gas. This was exacerbated by the fact that our truck is not an economy vehicle (it inhales gas) and we moved on every single night. In the end we spent close to $70 a day on gas (YIKES). Our second biggest expense was food at $26, mostly for groceries with a few restaurants and bakeries thrown in. But then, Andy eats a lot. Our third biggest daily expense was camping, at an average of $17 per day for the two of us. Other expenses were minimal.
We came with two full propane tanks (2 1/2 gallons each), knowing that refills are not legal or possible in Iceland (the only other countries so far we have not been able to refill are Finland and Moldova).
We left Akureyri with everything we needed to complete the trip and set off to drive the Tröllaskagi peninsula?
Vistas from the Tröllaskagi peninsula
Westfjords
The following day took us into one of the most scenic and remote coastal areas of Iceland - the Westfjords.
Abandoned trawler on the shore
Then a bonus second free camping night, along a shore road with no traffic. Ocean views and fire ring included. Not a legal campground but no one bothered us. We had also been told by a local that there are exceptions to the no wild camping rule, that if you were tired you were allowed to pull off the road and sleep, a vague loop hole
For our 16th night, we found a gorgeous campground 8 miles out of Ísafjörður, Korpadular camping. It was much less crowded than the site on the outskirts of town where people were within a few feet of each other.
Þingeyri Peninsula
We stumbled into this drive that became one of our favorites in Iceland. We started driving the first part of the route which is established and has reputed beauty. Then we reached the “undeveloped jeep track” section and the warning signage and decided to just keep going. So glad we did.
Cliff-hugging dirt road
Stellar sweeping views with turquoise water
Rock overhangs along the water
We came off the drive awestruck by its beauty and variety, (which the perfect weather definitely helped).
Dynjandi waterfall - you can see it for miles, hard to capture its immense scale
Then our final puffin stop at Látrabjarg, Eight miles of hiking along the dramatic cliffs.
The correct position for puffin watching, belly down right at the cliff edge
Snæfellsjökull National Park
Our final stop, the peninsula reputed to have everything Iceland is known for in one compact area. Ocean beaches, mountains, volcanic craters, lava fields, gorges and glaciers, it is all there.
Skarðsvík Beach. Complete with Viking grave site
So long Iceland, you have given us terrific memories.
As always, thank you for reading, we appreciate your support. And let us know if we can answer any questions!
