Iceland

Hofsstadir

2021-08-152021-08-15Sherry Felix7 Comments

The highlight of July 18 was the Hoffstadir Country Hotel. I wish we had arrived earlier because our room had a veranda overlooking the most gorgeous scenery and it would have been nice to sit there and soak it in. We have the end room in an outbuilding down the road (see link). We couldn’t find it at first because a tractor was blocking the road and we drove back and forth looking for it. Finally the tractor moved and we saw the road down to the rooms. That was amusing.

The delicious dinner was earlier than usual which was fine with us because we were very tired. There was a lovely little baby wagtail by our dinner table.

Next morning, we walked around the area and scared up some more nesting birds. It really is a gorgeous place, and I would love to go there again. Breakfast was at 8, an hour later than usual, which was inconvenient because we needed an early start. It was a great breakfast buffet though. I like the owners too.

An unusual thing is the bedding for couples in Icelandic Hotels. We each had our own single duvet which isn’t a bad idea. Marc couldn’t complain about me pulling the cover off him.

view from our room with veranda, Hofsstadir Guesthouse, Northwest Iceland 7/18/2021

Hofsstadir, Iceland by Marc Felix 7/18/2021

Holar

2021-08-142021-08-11Sherry Felix8 Comments

At Holar on July 18 we looked at the turf house, the church, and paid to go to the horse museum which was somewhat interesting. I enjoyed this website a lot horsesoficeland.is The tolt gait is very interesting.

I preferred the drive there better than Holar. The café was open, and we had a drink there. About Holar.

Northwest Iceland

2021-08-132021-08-11Sherry Felix8 Comments

July 18, we set out from Akureyri. The GPS point was probably meant as a guide not a destination was in the middle of the Troll peninsula. To get there we took a dirt road that definitely needed the 4×4. Some stretches of road are very steep and required us to use truck mode (auto braking for steep inclines) so that it could handle going down the almost 45 degree incline. Some hair-raising stuff! Believe it or not there were a few houses way off in the distance in the valleys.

We eventually made it to the shore road for more driving along the steep cliffs past Siglufjordur, Hofsos with its hexagonal basalt columns, and Holar (next post). Except for some of challenging driving this was a moreover relaxing day. I did some cliff road driving too.

Black-tailed Godwit flying by (lower right),
Northwest Iceland 7/18/2021

Akureyri

2021-08-122021-08-11Sherry Felix10 Comments

In the evening of July 17 we arrived at Hotel Kia in Akureyri – Wikipedia and ate dinner at the hotel. After dinner we went for a short stroll. It is a nice little town. Our hotel room could be accessed from the street in the right in the first picture.

Husavic

2021-08-112021-08-11Sherry Felix14 Comments

Then we high tailed it off to the Gentle Giants whale and puffin tour at Husavic, Northwest Iceland on July 17. I didn’t get to see puffins up close. The boat didn’t approach close to the island with the puffins. I was told that the currents were too fierce that day. We were supposed to head out to see the whales but the but one of the engine’s broke and we had to turn around and head back to harbor very slowly. I managed to get a few shots of Puffins, a Guillemot, and a Skua. They offered a refund or a later tour. We had no time, so we opted for the refund.

Myvatn Baths

2021-08-102021-08-11Sherry Felix4 Comments

I didn’t take any pictures so the link will have to do for pictures and information about the Myvatn Baths. Marc said he didn’t want to go but when we there I think he secretly enjoyed it. We had our bathing suits and had to take naked showers before we went in. The water was gloriously warm but there was a smell of sulfur which was a little off putting. We floated in an Infinity pool overlooking the valley. Many people had alcoholic drinks while soaking. We didn’t bother buying anything there. I had to cut the baths short so we only spent an hour and a half there.

Mývatn – Wikipedia tells about the area’s lake, volcanism, birds and flora. We had no time to see that because we had tickets to a boat trip in Hussavic (next post).

Northeast Iceland

2021-08-092021-08-11Sherry Felix8 Comments

Some scenes along Route 1 and 87 between Egilsstadir and Hussavic on July 17, 2021.

Fljótsdalshérað, Northeast Iceland 7/17/2021

Lagarfljót Lake

2021-08-082021-08-12Sherry Felix9 Comments

The Hotel Hallormsstadur, had room had a lovely view with a strip of Lagarfljót Lake visible. That night, July 16, we dined at the Nielsen. It was a gourmet meal. I highly recommend it if you are ever in Egilsstaðir. There was a lovely sunset that evening.

Lagarfljót is a long lake in the east of Iceland in the Fljótsdalur valley near Egilsstaðir. Its surface measures 53 sq km (20 sq mi) and it is 25 km (16 mi) long; its greatest width is 2.5 km (1.6 mi) and its greatest depth 112 m (367 ft). The River Lagarfljót flows through the lake. The biggest forest in Iceland, Hallormsstaðaskógur is found near the lake as well as a waterfall, Hengifoss. Hengifoss, at 128 m (420 ft), is one of the tallest waterfalls in the country. Below it is another waterfall called Litlanesfoss. Like Loch Ness in Scotland, a serpent, called Lagarfljótsormurinn, is believed by some to live in the depths of Lagarfljót.