24.07.2021
253 km Stuðlagil Basalt Column Canyon to Arctic Henge
After this wonderful morning out hiking, I was back roadtripping. I reached the ringroad and turned west. Here it cut a path inland across the stark highlands of the northeast interior. The barren, grey-toned landscape was partly still covered in snow and dotted by low hills and small lakes caused by melting snowfields.
Some 30 km on, I reached the turn off for the northeast circuit. In 2019 we did not have the time to take this extensive detour, but today I had come this way on purpose – I wanted to visit Arctic Henge! Traffic on the ring road was still sparse, but there was even less once I turned onto #85. A lone car with a caravan was ahead of me for a while, but since I stopped frequently for photos, I soon lost it. Snowfields covering an area of desolate moors lined the road for many kilometers, but the weather was improving now – the road was clear and dry.
I had set my eyes on finding a geocache in the small coastal village of Vopnafjörður nestled on the shores of a peninsula in the middle of a mountainous bay by the same name. The main industries of Vopnafjörður were fish processing, agriculture and tourism along with other services. The area was known for its salmon rivers and large areas of untouched landscape. Hofsá and Selá – 2 of the most exclusive salmon rivers in Iceland – had drawn numerous foreign visitors – including artists, celebrities and politicians such as Charles, Prince of Wales, George Bush, Sr. and Queen Paola of Belgium.
The geocache was hidden near the fishing harbour. The village was small, but I still missed the turn off to the harbour and turned a circle before heading in the right direction. Just when I reached there and parked the car, the sun came out for a few minutes.
Quickly I located the secret box under the yellow dock edge. There were actually 2 boxes … both logbooks were totally soaking wet … so a photo log it was.
Leaving the pretty fishing harbour I headed out of the village and turned north on #85. A few kilometers on I passed a side road and out of the corner of my left eye I noticed the common road sign for pool … and a signpost with … laug at the end … Laug means Pool in Icelandic … that much I learnt with my addiction of hot pools … The only thing was … I flew past it too fast … and kept going … But I was for sure in need of a hot soak … and immediately I started contemplating … should I turn or should I not turn … on and on I drove and after almost 5 km … I finally stepped on the breaks and did a perfect 3-poin-turn in the middle of the empty road … Who knows if I found another hot pool today … I would have been gutted, if I did not … so … I drove back to the turn of to check it out.
3 km down the Sundlaugavegur I reached the end of the road and the parking lot at Selárdalslaug. It looked OK and it seemed open and busy. But first I went to check … no point getting all ready and excited and then having to turn around. The guy at the cashier – he obviously doubled as life guard – was friendly and said, this pool was not just for locals.
Quickly I grabbed my always ready pool stuff bag from the backseat of the car and the GoPro – the only waterproof camera I had – and paid the ISK 950 entrance fee. Selárdalslaug was located by the popular fly-fishing Salmon River Selá and it was surrounded by beautiful nature, with no other buildings in sight.
Once I had changed and showered in the indoor changing area I tiptoed out into the cold and immediately submersed myself in the swimming pool which had 33°C. That was good … but I had set my eyes on the hot tub … I had to wait a bit … it was overcrowded. But as soon as some bathers left I was in! Aahhhh! Niiiiiccceee!
The waters were geothermally heated by a nearby hot-spring, which had been a popular bathing spot for decades. Selárdalslaug was an important site for the community because of its heritage. It was built between 1949 and 1950, largely by volunteers from a local young men’s group. Individuals from the surrounding area since have continued to repair and update it. The site had also been used historically for swimming lessons – they were held fortnightly until 1975 and have continued in autumn and spring since.
I hung around lounging in the pool for over an hour … it was so soothing after the hike and the cold weather. The perfect decision to take this detour! However, it was time to head on. Arctic Henge was waiting for me and I still had a good 130 km to go and no idea of the road conditions …
The coastline was characterized by coastal rocks, islets, coves, river mouths and black sand beaches. During the Ice Age – up to 10000 years ago – a large glacier covered the bay. This Ice Age glacier carved the diverse mountains and rock formations that characterize the area. After the Ice Age, the land rose as the heavy load of the glacier fell away, and began to look as it does today. The road was mostly asphalted, but long stretches were also gravel … most parts well maintained.
The weather was constantly changing … while it had stopped raining this morning, dark clouds and sunny stretches were taking turns. The wind was strong and cold. There was very few traffic and I could stop for photos often without having to worry … in the middle of the road … no problem … even swerving to the other curb and abruptly stopping … no problem … I could see ahead and in the rearview mirror for kilometers … no cars in sight …
The northeastern coast was a paradise for birds and bird watchers. Whooper Swans – Cygnus Cygnus – were plenty around. The Pink-Footed Geese as well, but I never got to capture one on a photo … they just flew off as soon as I stopped the car …
The Norðausturvegur – road #85 – followed the coastline of Bakkaflói – a bay east of Langanes Peninsula and west of Cape Digranes. The Bakkaflói actually divides into 3 small fjords – Finnafjörður, Miðfjörður and Bakkafjörður in the east with the town of the same name. I had bypassed this settlement and as the road skirted Miðfjörður there was a large colony of the Common Eider – Somateria Mollissima – also called St. Cuthbert’s Duck or Cuddy’s Duck – a large sea-duck that is distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, North America and eastern Siberia. It breeds in the Arctic and some northern temperate regions, but winters somewhat farther south in temperate zones, when it can form large flocks on coastal waters.
The male Eider is unmistakable – with its black and white plumage and green nape. The female, however, is a brown bird, but can still be readily distinguished from all other ducks on the basis of size and head shape. Eider is the only duck species in Iceland, which is dependent on the sea all year round. It sometimes nests by rivers and lakes inland but takes the young to sea right after hatching. During incubation female Eiders pluck down from their breasts and use it to insulate the nest. The scientific name of the duck is derived from Ancient Greek sōma for body and erion for wool as well as the Latin mollissimus for very soft – all referring to its down feathers. Eiders feed mainly on blue mussels.
There were very few settlements around here … actually none … a brilliantly unspoilt, untouristed and unhyped region of Iceland. Long stretches of the road were under heavy construction and more than once I was worried about my funny old 2WD car … creeping along so to not have it break down in this distant corner of the island or get more scratches on it … But every now and again red-roofed, whitewashed farmhouses dotted pastures close to the shore and made for fantastic vistas …
Just before passing the headland of Langanes – a peninsula with the name literally meaning Long Peninsula – I stopped to contemplate if I could find a particular geocache at the Finnafjarðará River … It had a 4.5 terrain rating and from reading the listing I knew it was actually under the bridge crossing the river … The geocache was called Lonely Driver’s Break at Finnafjarðará … which was very apt … I had not met more than a handful of other cars for a long time and I definitely could need a stretch of my legs … The river was much to high this time of the year to even consider in the slightest to wade under the bridge to get the cache … But the views from here towards Langanes Peninsula and Mt. Gunnólfsvíkurfjall – with 719 m the highest, still snow covered mountain on it and seemingly rising directly from the ocean – were breathtaking.
Just before Þórshöfn – a small fishing village on the northern coast of the Langanes peninsula on the Þistilfjörður bay – the road crossed more snowy highlands before descending down to the coast again. Þórshöfn had a population of 380 people – fishing and fish processing had been the town’s main form of occupation throughout the years. Fishing for Ocean Quahog – Arctica Islandica – a species of edible clam – is one of the many things which set Þórshöfn apart from other villages. I did not stop here … reaching the coast I turned directly left along #85 … I was ready to arrive for the day …
Coming around the bay, I soon reached the turn off for Raufarhöfn – so I left #85 and headed up #874 straight north. I had a mere 20 km to go and was definitely looking forward to call it after this exciting day. Drawing closer to town I was on the constant look out for Arctic Henge … and then I spotted it at the horizon! This was what I had come here to see! The first glimpse was already intriguing! I could not wait to get close to it.
Raufarhöfn was one of the most distant places from Reykjavik and Iceland’s northernmost mainland township located on the northeastern tip of the Melrakkaslétta Peninsula. At one point in time, this small village was home to the largest export harbor in Iceland. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Herring frenzy dominated the Icelandic economy and Raufarhöfn was an important place in that economic chain. But after the Herring disappeared, the effect was devastating for the village.
The one reason I came here, was the modern monument called Arctic Henge. In 2019, the town had 188 inhabitants. Nowadays Raufarhöfn’s rows of dull prefab housing gave few clues to its illustrious past during the Herring boom. And it was a long way from the gloss and glamour of Iceland’s well-oiled tourist machine … I was pretty sure, even in regular times this place would not get many more visitor than now …
I had booked a night in the most affordable place in town … The Nest. € 73 for the night in a single room with shared facilities, kitchen and common areas. The next option had been 3 times as expensive. Or I could have chosen the campsite and slept in the car … fortunately I was not this shoestringed at the moment … yet …
I had received a message, that nobody would be at the main-street guesthouse and the key to the front door and my room #35 would be behind the green sign by the front door … ooooookkkkaaaayyyy …I had thought at the time receiving the message yesterday … now, having driven through the settlement, I was sure that it was fine …
When I reached the parking lot right in front of the guesthouse it was around 18:30 and the front door stood wide open … ooooookkkkaaaayyyy … funnily enough … by the time I had locked the car, the front door was closed again … but sure enough I spotted my key for #35 dangling off the green sign to the side of the door! I was so stunned, I forgot to take a photo! And that means something! Usually I take photos of everything!
Unlocking the front door without problems, I walked into the hall and to my surprise there were people and the reception seemed to be open. I asked for Dora who had sent me the message and she was there! It turned out, she had been out exploring for the day and I had arrived just as she had returned. Quickly I paid for my room – and she charged me only € 65 … ooooookkkkaaaayyyy … I was not questioning that … thank you very much …
I took the opportunity to ask her about the condition of route #870 around the northern coast of the peninsula. I planned on leaving early tomorrow morning again and drive along the edge of the Arctic Circle – the mainland of Iceland was just a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle 66°30’N … if the 60 something km would be as bad a gravel track as some of the sections today … I was not sure if my little car would make it … but Dora ensured me she had been up there today and the road had been much better than expected … I guess I could brave it, then!
It took me 3 trips up the stairs to lug all my bags up to my room. Driving around in a rental care for a couple of weeks also meant that not much stuff was left in the suitcase, but everything was spread in the car and several bags … However, it had to be organized somewhat every night … so all that stuff had to be carried to the room. Which was great, though. It was small, which I had expected, but it had a western view … and if I craned my neck when lounging in bed, then I could even see Arctic Henge! I was impressed!
To my welcome the sun had come out for real for the first time today … I considered hiking the kilometer up to Arctic Henge … but grabbing the camera bag I decided to drive up anyway. The wind was cold and I was too lazy to carry all the gadgets up the hill … and I hoped the sun would stay out long enough … It was really just a kilometer to the parking lot below the sight. But I did not want to risk reaching there with the sun having disappeared again …
I reached the top of the hill with still a little blue sky for some contrast. Arctic Henge was – similar to its ancient predecessor, Stonehenge – like a huge sundial, aiming to capture the sunrays, cast shadows in precise locations and capture the light between aligned gateways. It was still long until sunset, though …
This modern monument to pagan belief looked like it was transported straight from ancient times. Started in 1998 but finalized in 2004, the Arctic Henge project – with allusions to mythology and folklore designed to interact with the unique natural light – was a monument not only to the country’s nordic roots, but also to some of the neo-pagan beliefs that have arisen in certain areas. It had its roots in innovator Erlingur Thoroddsen’s speculations about the possibility to use endless vistas, where nothing obstructs the horizon and the midnight sun.
The piece was inspired directly from the eddic poem Völuspá – Prophecy of the Seeress – taking from it the concept of 72 dwarves who represent the seasons in the world of the poem, among other symbolic queues. It was the primary resource for understanding what most Icelanders believed before the nation converted to Christianity in 1000 AD. In spite of religious oppression over the centuries, there are Icelanders and others who follow this form of paganism, thus the Arctic Henge is a sacred site … 72 small blocks, each inscribed with a specific dwarven name will eventually circle 4 larger stone monuments, which in turn will surround a central balanced column of massive basalt blocks.
No one had been able to explain the dwarfs in the Völuspá – apart from Austri (East), Vestri (West), Norðri (North) and Suðri (South), who carry the sky. By connecting the names of the dwarfs to the season – as for example Bjartur (Bright), Blíður (Sweet) and Svásuður (Gengle) to the summer – it was possible to fit the names of the dwarfs to a yearly circle of 72 weeks. The year-circle of the dwarfs became a kind of almanac, where each dwarf controled a 5 day period. All the dwarfs had been given a role and they had all have their own personalities. This meant that the dwarfs can be connected to birthdays and people can connect to their personal dwarf. Around this made up world rose the Heimskautsgerði – Arctic-Henge – on Melrakkaás – Foxhill – in Raufarhöfn.
Heimskautsgerði was around 50 m in diameter, with 6 m high gates that face the main directions. Between the gates was a high wall with a small opening at the top. Inside the circle stood a 10 m high column on 4 pillars. The column will be topped with cut prism-glass that splits up the sunlight unto the primary colors. The openings between the pillars looked towards the main directions, so the midnight sun could be seen from the south gate through the middle column and the north gate. The play of light and shadow will follow the time of the day. The openings on the wall will let in the sunrays so when the building is completed a sundial can be set up.
Arctic Henge was still a work in progress. At current, only the imposing central tri-column and one of the 4 larger gates had been constructed, along with a smattering of the smaller stones … Inside the circle will be 68 dwarfs who stand around a circular dwarf trail. Inside the trail will be the polar star pointer who does exactly what its name says. There will be also the throne of the sun that is meant to be a place where the traveler can sit down to have a picture taken. Also a hall of rays will arise – a sort of sanctuary between high columns, with one seat, where the guest can empty the mind and renew energy. An altar of fire and water will be part of the project – reminding the visitor of the power of the elements – where events – like weddings, oath-taking or such – can be performed.
Each aspect of the deliberate layout corresponded to some aspect of ancient Norse belief and when each piece of the monument will eventually be installed, visitors will be able to “capture the midnight sun” by viewing it through the various formations at different vantage points depending on the season. When it will be complete, the Arctic Henge could easily become the premiere site for Paganism in the entire world and millennia from now, it might seem as mysterious as Stonehenge seems to us today.
I could have stayed and photographed it for much longer … but I got cold and hungry. It was hard to drag myself away, though. This place had something special to it … I even did a video call with Mom to show her this magical sight! … All the time I had been totally alone here … and the view from the hill down towards the town and the bay was stunning as well.
The drive back to The Nest was quick and while there seemed to be several other people staying here – I think they were probably workers long term staying here maybe – I had the kitchen and common room to myself. Dinner was … same same, but not different … noodles with cabbage, corn and green curry paste. The plates were smaller here … so my daily ration actually filled 2 of them … I ate everything, of course and splurged in a local beer from my stash … that all with a splendid view of Arctic Henge in the distance.
Setting my alarm to 23:30 – I hoped for a clear sunset – I sorted some photos and then fell asleep early. When the alarm woke me I merely lifted my head to have a look outside at the sky … all grey and cloudy … not a ray of sunshine … back to sleep I was immediately …
25.05.2021
381 km Raufarhöfn to Sölvanes Farm Varmahlíð
To no surprise I woke up early without even having set the alarm … and it was still overcast and grey this early … Skipping a shower once more, I packed up quickly and was in the car and heading again to Artic Henge by 07:00.
There was a geocache hidden close by and I had plainly forgotten to look for it yesterday … Believe it! … I mean, I was close to being addicted to geocaching and my friends and family regularly laughed at me when I was going off looking for secret boxes in each and every place I ever go to … they kept asking me, if I was ill or something if I bypassed the opportunity to find one … And I had been so immersed in the magic of Arctic Henge yesterday that I had totally forgotten …
So … my first objective this morning was a visit to Arctic Henge and to find this secret box. It was cold and windy still, but I was prepared. Quickly I located the geocache and happily signed the logbook.
While I had hoped that the light conditions would be better this morning, I was being disappointed. Not the tiniest ray of sunshine this early up here … Nevertheless I set up the camera and played with the remote control for a bit. It was not too successful, but still … I would probably never ever come back here … mind you … seeing northern lights over Arctic Henge would be absolutely amazing to see …
Despite the grey sky and cold wind, I admired the view over the town and bay again. The Nest sat smack in the middle by the main road. Looking over the bay I also spotted the church and the lighthouse … I could not have come this far North without at least having a look.
It was just a short drive across to the tip of the peninsula where the Raufarhafnarviti lighthouse was located. A gravel track led past the church and the town’s cemetery right up to the bright orange lighthouse. The sky was grey and the icy cold wind was ripping on me as I got out of the car to take a few quick photos.
Arctic Henge stood proudly on the hill across the bay. I wondered if it would ever be finished … the Throne of the Sun would hopefully be added soon. Also in the works were the Hall of Rays and the Altar of Fire and Water – where rituals, ceremonies and weddings could be conducted.
The church of Raufarhöfn was built in 1928 by Guðjón Samúelsson, one of the most important Icelandic architects, and inaugurated in 1929. It was renovated in 1979. The white building with its red roof stood in stark contrast to the modern monument to pagan belief Arctic Henge.
Heading north on route #870, I passed Arctic Henge once more and had a last glance. The sun did not do me the favour to come out nor did the sky clear even a bit …
Having opted to take the unsealed but magnificent old coastal road – Norðausturvegur – along the northernmost tip of mainland Iceland and around the wild-life rich and little visited Melrakkaslétta – the Arctic Fox Plain – I was excited to get going. Not sooner than I left the town limits, several signs stated to pay attention to birds on the road …
Melrakkaslétta was least visited by Icelanders who often said there was nothing to see. To them, this relatively flat peninsula was a whole lot of nothings. This attitude was possibly due to the Icelander’s love of big, powerful elements of nature, something dramatic, devastating and dangerous. The fact was that the area had a different quality of beauty than the rest of the island.
I passed stretches littered with driftwood, rolling fields, seemingly abandoned farm steads picturesquely set along the coast – a very scenic journey indeed. The little-used coastal road was a rough gravel track, but in better shape than I had expected. I had no problems with my funny little car, but I also drove carefully and took my time taking many photos along the way. Eventually even the sun came out a tiny bit …
With a coastline indented with creeks and lagoons and grassy heathlands with beautiful lakes, the area was home to tens of thousands of birds. It was also a resting place for their migration during spring and autumn. The region was truly a bird watcher’s paradise! There were so many Arctic Terns around, Eider Ducks and Geese … along with the regular Seagulls and small birds. The Arctic Tern – Sterna Paradisaea – had a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. The species is strongly migratory, seeing 2 summers each year as it migrates along a convoluted route from its northern breeding grounds to the Antarctic coast for the southern summer and back again about 6 months later. Recent studies have shown average annual roundtrip lengths of about 70900 km for birds nesting in Iceland and Greenland. These are by far the longest migrations known in the animal kingdom. The Arctic Tern flies as well as glides through the air. It nests once every 1-3 years – once it has finished nesting it takes to the sky for another long southern migration.
Passing another Eider Duck Protection Area I of courses stopped for many more photos. Eiders are colonial breeders. They nest on coastal islands in colonies ranging in size of less than 100 to upwards of 10000-15000 individuals. Female Eiders frequently exhibit a high degree of natal philopatry, where they return to breed on the same island where they were hatched. This can lead to a high degree of relatedness between individuals nesting on the same island as well as the development of kin-based female social structures.
The Eider’s nest is built close to the sea and is lined with eiderdown, plucked from the female’s breast. This soft and warm lining has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts. Many farmers in coastal areas have made their land favourable for Eiders by making shelter for the nests and keeping predators away. Where farmers have taken good care of their Eider colonies for long periods of time, the females get quite tame and do not leave their nest when the farmer comes to harvest the down. Although eiderdown pillows or quilts are now a rarity, eiderdown harvesting continues and is sustainable as it can be done after the ducklings leave the nest with no harm to the birds.
Also Eurasian Oystercatchers – Haematopus Ostralegus – the most widespread of the oystercatchers – were plentiful around. It is one of the largest waders in the region. They are obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with black and white plumage, red legs and strong broad red bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs such as mussels or for finding earthworms. Despite its name, Oysters do not form a large part of its diet. However, the bird still lives up to its name, as few if any other wading birds are capable of opening oysters at all.
Somewhere along the Norðausturvegur there was a geocache hidden … Luckily it was right next to the road in a ditch … the wind was so strong and icy this morning … I almost did not get out of the car to search for it … but I did and I was successful!
The whole Melrakkaslétta has a melancholic atmosphere of abandonment. I met maybe 2 other cars along the roughly 60 km long road and it was easy to feel like being alone at the top of the world. At some point I stopped watching birds while having a quick breakfast picnic in the car. While I could not cross the Arctic Circle here, it was arcticly cold this early in the morning this far north. I was close to the Arctic Circle, though! Grimsey – a remote island just 40 km north of Iceland and home to fewer than 100 hardy Icelanders but over one million seabirds – is the northernmost inhabited point of Iceland and the only part of the country that lies within the Arctic Circle.
Nevertheless the drive along Norðausturvegur was stunning. When the road tuned south the terrain turned from a flat plain to a more mountainous region. The coast turned to cliffs once more. The wind was still strong, but it became lighter … some blue clouds appeared and the sun even came out slowly. I stopped at a beautiful viewpoint with a black sand beach.
The road was good and by around 09:30 I already reached the asphalted road near the village of Kópasker on the eastern shore of Öxarfjörður, where #870 connected with #85 again.
Kópasker was a small village with approx 120 inhabitants. Reaching the coast I had a fantastic view over the village, the bay and the snow mountains in the far distance. The first residential house in Kópasker was built in 1912 by Árni Ingimundarson. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1988. Kópasker grew around the operation of the Co-op, providing services to local agriculture and fisheries. Meat-processing was still the biggest industry in Kópasker, represented by the slaughterhouse and lamb-processing factory.
Just outside the village stood Snartarstaðarkirkja – a Protestant stone church which seats about 90 persons. It was inaugurated in 1929 after the old church of Kópasker had been torn down. The church remained undamaged by the great earthquake of 1976, that destroyed several houses and other structures in the area. The cross at the top of the tower was added in 1979 on the occasion of the 50th jubilee of the inauguration.
Not sooner than I reached the coast, the sun came out and most of the clouds disappeared. Route #85 was a good asphalted road now and the scenery had changed to a more hilly and volcanic area. I stopped often for photos – no surprise!
Encountering a small herd of Icelandic Horses was particularly beautiful. The Icelandic Horse is as local to this volcanic land as its people. It arrived here on the very first ships of the settlers and has ever since remained a loyal friend, vital servant and pure breed. Since then, selective breeding has made the Icelandic Horse what it is today. It has also changed and adapted to its surroundings, seasonally sporting a thick winter coat which it then sheds come springtime. The Horse is subsequently undaunted by high winds and snowstorms and capable of feats like wading glacial rivers and crossing rough terrains. Notably more curious, intelligent and independent than other horse breeds, the Icelandic Horse is loved by all.
The road led straight south now and soon left the coastline. Snow-capped old volcano cones appeared on the horizon and made for marvelous photos. In the morning sun I flew by charming settlements and small churches.
I had looked up some geocaches along the way and was therefore now headed to Ásbyrgi Canyon which was located along route #85. Ásbyrgi was part of a beautiful nature reserve which was now part of the greater Vatnajökull National Park. I took the access road turning into the magnificent horseshoe-shaped valley surrounded by steep cliffs. After 3.5 km I reached the end of the road and the parking lot.
From there I took a short hike through the verdant forest covering the valley floor – it looked like a place of legend. There was an easy multi-cache located near the bird-friendly head of Ásbyrgi. The pond was called Botnstjörn and a viewing platform made for a nice observing point. There was still a considerable amount of snow at the bottom of the canyon where the sun did not reach.
I enjoyed the crispy fresh air and scenic view of the basalt cliffs and the crystal clear pond. Quickly I had collected the necessary details for the multi-cache and continued the hike to the 2nd platform at the end of the pond.
The canyon was rumoured to have been formed by the giant hoof of Sleipnir, Óðin’s 8-legged horse. A less poetic explanation was that it was more likely caused by catastrophic glacial flooding during the last ice age …
I had to collect some more facts and then calculate the final coordinates for the secret box … It was conveniently located along the trail returning to the parking lot and thanks to the hint in the listing I located it quickly.
With that done I headed back to the car. It had been a nice walk – in hindsight I would not call it a hike, though … more apleasant walk … and now I was ready to get going again. I still had a way to go today and I had plans … However, there was always time to stop for photos of birds …
Once I reached the main road #85 I turned right to backtrack for some 5 km to the turn off for #864 leading south to Dettifoss, which is said to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe. I was prepared to drive yet another gravel track and happily bumped along the first 3 or so kilometer. I had set my eyes on yet another geocache which was located exactly on the 66° north latitude. However, just 200 m before I reached the final coordinates … the road was closed. I had not researched properly … the #864 on the eastern side of the powerful glacier river Jökulsá á Fjöllum was classified as F-road and still closed for winter …
So, I turned around and parked the car and walked the last few meters to the secret box which I found quickly while admiring the view. The cache was hidden on top of a hill and in the far distance I could spot snowy mountains and endless farmland stretched below me.
The sun came out more and more … it got warmer, but the wind was still fresh. Driving back to #85 downhill now I had spectacular views over Ásbyrgi Canyon and also Jökulsá á Fjöllum flowing into Öxarfjörður.
I continued on #85 west now along Öxarfjörður and around Tjörnes Peninsula which was located on the western wing of the Tjörnes transformation zone named after the peninsula. This geologically connects the Northern Volcanic Zone of Iceland with the Kolbeinsey Ridge. Thus, Tjörnes is part of the active rift and volcanic zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
At a viewpoint overlooking the fjord, I stopped for another secret box. Öxarfjörður was a broad fjord situated between the Tjörnes and Melrakkaslétta headlands and was encircled by mountain ranges to the west and east and the Gjástykki lava fields as well as an area with sand deposited by the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum in the south. The fjord went deeper inland in earlier geological times but the glacial river Jökulsá deposited sands from the highlands on a triangular area of about 300 km² called Sandur. Sandur was still trenched by the delta of Jökulsá which was constantly changing its riverbed. There were 2 big lakes on Sandur – Vikingavatn and Skjálftavatn – the latter one formed by an earthquake in 1976.
The cache was hidden close to the parking lot. It was stormy up on this viewpoint, but the views were wonderful. I also collected answers for an earth cache, so I could log this later as well.
Coming around the Tjörnes Peninsula I reached the coast of Skjálfandi – a bay with some of the characteristics of a fjord. The Icelandic word Skjálfandi literally translates to trembling which may refer to earthquakes in the area. The bay was originally created by glacial activity and coming from the East the shore was facing the snow-covered Víknafjöll and Kinnarfjöll mountain ranges on the other side of the bay. The sun was coming out more and more and the views were just breathtaking …
Funnily enough, I had totally lost count of time and sense of distance. I was staring in awe at the snowy mountains across the bay and all of a sudden I reached a town … Where was I? … Which town? … I thought it was just another of the small settlements along the coastal road … but after a few minutes I kind of had a notion of recognition … I had been here before … Could this be Húsavík? … It must be Húsavík! … Yes! … I recognized the church and the harbour front!
I had only ended up here today, because the road to Dettifoss, I wanted to take, was closed … therefore I had continued on #85 and ended up here … We had been here on our tour in 2019 to go whale watching … which had not happened due to the weather and we had seen the town only in pouring rain … Today it was brilliant sunshine and when I passed the harbour front out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of the whale watching offices there and noticed a big OPEN sign in front of one of them. And in the spur of the moment I decided to go and check it out. I turned a circle through town to find a – preferably – free of charge parking lot and was lucky … There was one relatively close to the harbour. Quickly I grabbed all my gadgets, jackets, hat … hopefully I did not forget anything … cameras? … hopefully I did not lose anything on the way … and as quickly as possible I made my way the couple of hundred meters to the office of North Sailing Whale Watching … I had no idea if and when they offered a departure for a whalewatching cruise … I did take a few seconds to take a photo of the beautiful Húsavíkurkirkja – a wooden church built in 1907 by Icelandic architect Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, who designed the building in line with the Swiss chalet style.
In front of the North Sailing office was a big sign – Next cruise 13:00 … without having to check the time, I knew it would be a tight affair … There was another person ahead of me just paying and by the time it was my turn, I had spotted the clock on the wall … 12:59 … Do you have one spot left on the cruise? – Yes! – Is it too late? – No! – How long is the cruise? – 3 hrs! … Quickly I calculated how long it would still take me to reach my guesthouse for tonight … What the heck … it was light almost all night … who cared what time I would arrive … and without even asking how much the whale watching cruise was, I handed over my credit card. The slip stated 13:01 and as I grabbed it along with my boat ticket and ran out the door down to the pier, the woman called the boat on the radio to announce my arrival. I was still fairly unorganized with jackets hanging over my arm, gadgets in all hands and the camera bag slipping off of my shoulder … I seriously hoped I had not forgotten or lost anything between the car and the boat … No sooner had I handed over the boat ticket and stepped on board, the gang plank was taken in and we cast off.
I plopped down at the first available bench and tried to scan my stuff making sure everything was still there. I glanced at my credit card slip … ISK 10800 for the cruise. Not too bad. Same price when we had tried to do whale watching in 2019 and then the weather had been bad and we got a refund. Soon they handed out thick coveralls – I guess they expected it to be cold out there. The sun was out now and there was brilliant blue sky. I asked for a XXL … luckily they still had one left. So I could pull it over my clothes and still breathe normally.
On the boat facemasks were mandatory since the space was limited and even though signs stated to keep a 2 m distance … it was virtually impossible … The signs however reminded me of my recent tour of Uganda where they recommended keeping a Lion’s lenght between people or an average Giraffa’s neck … here in iceland they keep Dolphins between people …
But it was totally easy to spot that maybe half of the guests were German … In Germany for a while now only medical or FFP2 masks were allowed. Therefore we were all used to them and did not even think of wearing colourful textile mask or scarves anymore … Mostly only the Germans were wearing those proper masks here … tourists from other countries were mostly covering up with scarves or funny cotton masks.
North Sailings atmospheric old schooner was called Náttfari – Náttfari was a crew member who escaped his master, Garðar Svavarsson, and may have become the first permanent resident of Iceland in the 9th century. The earliest account of his story is found in the 11th century Icelandic Book of Settlements – Landnámabók. Garðar built a house in Skjálfandi, but spent only the following winter months there. His slave Náttfari escaped when Garðar set sail to the Hebrides from the newfound island which he named Garðarshólmi, now known as Iceland, and continued to live on the farm but was chased away from it later by a Norse settler, forcing Náttfari to build a new farm on poorer land in Náttfaravík, a cove on Skjálfandi Bay which is situated directly opposite to the town of Húsavík.
Skjálfandi – also known as Skjálfandaflói – is a bay of which we had seen nothing on our visit in 2019 as it had been covered in clouds, fog and heavy rain … today the weather had turned to the best possible whale watching weather. The bay was calm, the sky was overcast in part, but blue sky patches were frequent and on the horizon the snow-covered Víknafjöll and Kinnarfjöll mountain ranges on the other side of the bay were glistening in the sunlight. The highest point reaches around 1200 m over there.
The bay is known for its many different Whales, Dolphins and bird species. Altogether, 23 species of Whale have been spotted in Icelandic waters. The most typical visitors to Skjálfandi Bay were Humpback, Minke, White-Beaked Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise and Blue Whale. While I chatted with a couple of Germans, everybody was on the lookout for Whales …
Behind us the coast was bathed in sunlight. Húsavík means Bay of Houses and according to the legend, it was settled before the official settlement date of 874 AD. It was said to be the site of the first house built in Iceland in the year 860 AD by Swedish viking Garðar Svavarsson. Húsavík apparently served as the setting of, and inspiration for the song Húsavík in the 2020 Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Nowadays it is known around the world as Whale Capital of Iceland. In the past years Whales have been spotted in 98% of all whale watching trips.
The Captain turned the boat closer to the opposite shore of the bay where Gentle Giants high-speed rigid inflatable whale watching boat was already positioned. Our guide was sure that they might have spotted something and we went to check it out. The Germans I chatted with said this was their 2nd tour and during the first one they had not spotted any Whales at all. Oh my …
But before I could think about it, there was a murmur going around and the first excited shout came … There! There! … In the far distance the first spouts were visible and I could make out 2 … no 3 Whales. Those were Humpback Whales.
And then one of the Whales appeared right next to the boat! This was awesome! The Humpback Whale – Megaptera Novaeangliae – is a species of Baleen Whale – one of the larger rorqual species with adults ranging in length from 12-16 m and weighing around 25-30 t.
Soon there were 6 of the Whales in the bay all around us – some closer some further away. The Humpback has a distinctive body shape with long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. Found in oceans and seas around the world, Humpback Whales typically migrate up to 25000 km each year. They feed in polar waters and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth, fasting and living off their fat reserves.
Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish. Humpbacks have a diverse repertoire of feeding methods. Like other large Whales, the Humpback was a target for the whaling industry. The species was once hunted to the brink of extinction – its population fell by an estimated 90% before a 1966 moratorium. While numbers have partially recovered to some 80000 animals worldwide, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships and noise pollution continue to affect the species.
What is often referred to as the tail are actually called flukes with each side or lobe called a fluke. Humpback Whales are actually identified by the underside and trailing edge of their tail flukes – each one is different just like a fingerprint. The long black and white tail fin can be up to a third of the body length. We were really lucky today – the Whales showed us their flukes when diving very often. The varying patterns on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals. Identification is done by comparing the amount of white vice black and scars on the fluke. The Humpback Whales are then given a catalogue number. A study using data on Whales in the North Atlantic gave researchers detailed information on gestation times, growth rates and calving periods as well as allowing more accurate population predictions by simulating the mark-release-recapture technique. A photographic catalogue of all known North Atlantic Whales was developed over a long period of time and is maintained by the US College of the Atlantic.
Several hypotheses attempt to explain the Humpback’s pectoral fins which are proportionally the longest fins of any cetacean. The higher maneuverability afforded by long fins and the usefulness of the increased surface area for temperature control when migrating between warm and cold climates may have supported this adaptation. These very long heavy pectoral fins with a row of knuckle-like knobs along their anterior edges are effective weapons in confrontations with Killer Whales. The large, sharp-cornered barnacle coronula diadema often attaches there, adding a natural equivalent of knuckledusters.
Being able to smell the fresh air
and disconnect from the news and your phone
– there’s nothing like it.
Jason Ward
At one point one of the Whales was so close to the boat that I could not even take a good photo because I had the long lens on the camera and the Whale was just too close … I could just stare … it was so beautiful … but I had the small camera to capture the moment …
When we were closest to the shore of the other side of the bay, we had a great view of an old farm stead. The guide said it was abandoned, but it did look as if maybe it was still used as a weekend get-away or such … It was sure located in a beautiful spot just below the snow capped mountains. One could probably sit in front of the house and watch Whales from right there …
And then we spotted a Minke Whale! It was cruising along close to shore – very far away and hard to get a photo of it. But I saw it! Actually there were 2 of them … but I never managed to get them both. They were very far away … Pretty cool, though … The Minke Whale – or Northern Minke Whale – was first described by the Danish naturalist Otto Fabricius in 1780, who assumed it must be an already known species and assigned his specimen to Balaena Rostrata, a name given to the Northern Bottlenose Whale by Otto Friedrich Müller in 1776. The name is a partial translation of Norwegian Minkehval, possibly after a Norwegian whaler named Meincke, who mistook a Northern Minke Whale for a Blue Whale.
Of course we also saw plenty sea birds. There were Seagulls in flocks and of course Puffins. Basically sea birds were all around the boat most of the time, but I was just focusing on watching Whales rather than birds …
Too early it was time for the boat to turn around and head back to the harbour. But even the Captain got constantly distracted by the Whales. It seemed they were now all around us … some closer some further away.
Humpback Whales are known for breaching – jumping out of the water – and other distinctive surface behaviors. Those most likely have many different meanings under different contexts. And even though they did not do us the favour to breach … they showed off their flukes beautifully and often.
The primary predator of the Humpback Whale is the transient – and mammal-eating – Orca Killer Whale that may prey on young animals. Many Humpback flukes therefore bear the scars of unsuccessful attacks.
Of course I did not forget to admire the scenery. The snowy mountains – behind us now – were stunning. The boat chugged along towards Húsavík and still everybodies eyes were glued to the water … scanning the horizon … the Whales were still around us …
Whale spouts were visible … and audible … close to the boat in every direction. Whales breath air at the water surface by taking quick breaths through their blowhole. A flap of skin controlled by muscles opens the blowhold when the Whale breathes and closes when the Whale goes underwater. Whales can hold their breath from 7-30 min – Sperm Whales for up 2 hrs! On my Escape to Madeira I had the good fortune to spot Sperm Whales in a whale watching cruise.
Even when getting closer to the harbour the Whales seemed to follow us … The guides offered hot chocolate and cookies … very good and very welcome hot chocolate. I chatted with the Germans some more. When they took the warm overalls off and quickly put it back on because the wind was cold … I decided to take mine off only once we reached the harbour … the wind was really cold and it had been cozy in the astronaut suit.
By 16:00 we were back at the dock in the harbour. It had been a splendid afternoon on the boat. What a great decision it had been to take this whale watching cruise this afternoon! I took some photos at the Whale tail statue near the North Sailing office and it reminded me of our unsuccessful attempt to go whale watching on our tour in 2019. Back then we had not even been able to see the bay … the weather had been so bad … Today it was just brilliantly beautiful.
It was hard to tear away from the town – I would have loved to visit the Exploration Museum which featured photographs and artifacts from the Apollo Astronaut Training near Húsavík … unfortunately it closed – due to the circumstances – at 16:00 … again I missed it. Maybe another sign to come back a 3rd time … So, I took a few more photos and then paused to send a message to Sölvanes Farm Varmahlíð – where I had book for tonight at their guesthouse – to let them know I had been distracted by the Whales and would not arrive before 20:00 … I still had roughly 200 km to go …
Without any more hesitation I got back on the road. Not only had I kilometers to cover, but I needed to fill up the car and take a stop in a big supermarket for some supplies. The best place for that would be Akureyri … To get there it was a good 75 km … I headed south on road #845 to where it met the ringroad #1. Turning west I was gaining altitude again and closing in on snowing mountains once more.
I remembered from our 2019 adventure that there was a new toll tunnel to reach Akureyri, but the old mountain pass was still open for free. Last time a storm had been raging over the northern coast of Iceland and when we sort of slithered along this pass, we did not see anything … This time around – of course I skipped the toll tunnel again – the sky was a beautiful blue and the still resident snow was sparkling in the sunshine when I crossed the mountain pass …
Even up here I was driving with the window open … it was warm with 12°C. Coming over the pass I soon caught sight of beautiful Eyjafjörður – one of the longest fjords in Iceland. Located in the central north of the country, on its shore the largest town outside Iceland’s more populated southwest corner – Akureyri – was situated. The fjord was long and narrow and measured 60 km from its head to its mouth. Its greatest width was 15 km between Ólafsfjörður and Gjögurtá at the fjord’s mouth, but for the greater part of its length it was mostly 5-10 km wide. The fjord was surrounded by hills and mountains on both sides – the mountains were taller on the west side, in the mountain range of the Tröllaskagi peninsula – which I had a spectacular view of.
In the outer part of the fjord there were no lowlands along the coast as the steep hills rolled directly into the sea. Further south in the fjord however there are strips of lowland along both coasts. The largest valley in the area was Eyjafjarðardalur, which ran directly south from the fjord itself. It was about 50 km long and home to one of Iceland’s largest agricultural regions.
The weather was a stark contrast to the rainy mess we had encountered laast time. I stopped at the same viewpoint and had a magnificent view over the city. Only this time around there was no cruise ship in port. Akureyri was nicknamed the Capital of North Iceland – an important port and fishing centre. The area where Akureyri was located, was settled in the 9th century, but did not receive a municipal charter until 1786. The area had a relatively mild climate because of geographical factors and the town’s ice-free harbour had played a significant role in its history.
I did not plan to stop in the city – while I had eyed the Youth Hostel as a cheap place to stay overnight, I had opted against it. I did not feel like staying in a dormitory and since I was headed to the Westfjords, I had felt that I should cover a few more kilometers today. But Akureyri was a good place to fill up the car – I remembered the cheap gasoline station from last time. The car drank 39.6 liters for ISK 8400 again … the gasoline was sure the most expensive aspect of this voyage … but worth every króna … I also stopped at a Bonus Supermarket … however as quickly as I was in I was out again … I did not like it and I did not find what I was looking for. Instead I found a shopping mall with a Netto not far down the road. I splurged in another portion of horse steak and stocked up on cream, instant rice mix, noodles and juice.
Still having a good 115 km to go to Sölvanes Farm, I was back on the road quickly. While last time we had taken the more scenic route around Tröllaskagi Peninsula, this time I followed the main ringroad #1. It was nevertheless a charming stretch of road leading to Varmahlíð. The highlight for sure was the Öxnadalur – a narrow, 30 km long valley. Stunning mountains and pinnacles flanked the mountain pass.
In the small and widespread settlement of Varmahlíð – a ringroad service center and only marginally more than just a road junction – I turned onto the mostly sealed sideroad #752. It was 21 km to reach Sölvanes Farm. The sun was still high up in the sky when I turned onto the driveway to the guesthouse just after 20:00.
They saw me approaching from afar and waved me towards the small guesthouse building. The friendly owner Eydís – who ran a traditional Icelandic Sheep and Horse farm with her husband – showed me in. There were 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. For € 38 only it had been another bargain. Only one other guest was there – Martha from New York. We decided to skip the mask routine since we were both vaccinated. Eydís immediately informed us that as of yesterday masks were no longer mandatory in Iceland! – Oh really? – Yes, you can wear them if you want and you should when not being able to maintain the 2m distance in public, but you do not have to anymore otherwise. – Well, now I know why I had seen so many people without masks in the supermarket today! It had been weird after so many months of covered faces to see people roaming in the supermarket without …
I parked the car and lugged all my stuff in, before I got cooking. I was hungry after another long and exciting day. Martha went for an evening hike – there were several good hiking routes around Sölvanes, both within the farmland and up to Mælifellshnjúkur, one of Skagafjörður’s iconic mountains just behind the farm. But I was beat. So dinner it was – ready-made rice mix with horse meat, corn, onions and carrots. Lucky there was some oil for cooking and even some spices in the cupboards of the kitchen!
Since it was so beautiful outside, I put a chair and a stool acting as a makeshift table outside in the sun. It was a great evening to have dinner with a view outside! In fact … it was marvelous! After dinner I took a quick shower and tried to sort and post some photos … but I fell asleep … it was already 22:45 … The posting had to wait until the morning …
Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.
Hans Christian Andersen
