Iceland 2011

Monday13June

Today, we're staying in the area and going to visit the Hengifoss waterfalls and the Seyðisfjörður fjord.

A small path along the river will take us to the Hengifoss waterfalls.

The 40-minute walk passes by the Litlanesfoss waterfall with its magnificent basalt columns.

We cross paths with an alpine ptarmigan, also called snow partridge (Lagopus muta)

In the distance, the bridge crossing Lake Lagarfljót

There's another glitch in the space-time continuum!!! 

Youhou, we've arrived at the foot of Hengifoss!!! Uhhh, where is it??? Oh yes, we can just make it out over there through the mist...  

A giant troll has left his licorice bits lying around again...

Unable to photograph Hengifoss, I'm taking my revenge on Litlanesfoss.

Enjoy this photo! This is the only real forest in Iceland! The rest of the country has obviously been deforested by volcanoes but also by human hands.

Much more common in Iceland, the Bónus store pig! It's often in these stores that we stocked up on food.

To end the day, we set off to see the Seyðisfjörður fjord by taking Route 93 which crosses a mountain pass. We generally had good weather for driving, but this time rain and cold joined us and the dashboard put pressure on us with its "ice warning" and 3°C... We went anyway, crossing our fingers that the snow wouldn't prevent us from returning...  

At the end of the road, the small town of Seyðisfjörður faces the fjord of the same name.

A little Irish coffee to recharge our batteries in the Skaftell pub...

The fjord and in the background, the town of Seyðisfjörður.

Ultimately, the snow didn't come, and in the evening, we returned to our little cabin/stable in Fellabær, as well as the game Kill Bique which occupied all our long Icelandic evenings!  

Tuesday14June

Morning panoramic view of our residence (the small white box on the right)...  

The owner's house

Before leaving the region and heading further south, we take road, or rather track, n° 953 to "dive" into the Mjóifjörður fjord.

Here, winter hasn't yet given way to spring, and we have to cross snowy roads, but fortunately the local road authority has done its job well...  

The fjord is worthy of the scenery from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy according to the backpacker's guide... It's true that you'd think you were there, even if encountering Aragorn, Gandalf or Frodo would have been more convincing. 

No dragons to report. Only a few much more peaceful whooper swans...

At the start of the fjord, a beached boat, or what's left of it...

The Mjóifjörður mussels!!!  

We leave the fjord and follow the coast, passing by the Reyðarfjörður fjord, the longest in the country (30 km).

Lunch stop in the town of Breiðdalsvík with the simple but typical Nordic dish, "fish and chips" (fish and fries).

Mount Búlandstindur facing the Berufjörður fjord

The clouds have fallen to the ground and cover Mount Klifatindur as well as Skardsfjördur Bay.

Here we are at last at our final destination of the day in the town of Höfn. And this time, we get a real cabin worthy of the name!