Driving ICELAND's Ring Road: Reykjavik to Kirkjubaejarklaustur

Southwest ICELAND

Part 1/4

Reykjavik>Selfloss>Kirkjubaejarklaustur

Geysers - Waterfalls - Alpine Rivers - Craters - Sheep - Vikings 

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Fun Facts

Geographically ... ICELAND is in the North Pole. 

Geologically ... it is formed on 2 tectonic plates; EURASIA & NORTH AMERICA. 

Politically ... it is considered part of EUROPE and is the smallest of the Nordic Countries.

A volcanic eruption took place off the southern coast of ICELAND on October 14, 1963 which led to the formation of Surtsey Island; the Earths' youngest.

ICELAND follows GMT: Time Zones are a Canadian Innovation by Sir Sanford Fleming

800,000 sheep roam ICELAND; more than twice the human population.

Icelandic words I've learned so far - 'takk' = thanks, 'Islandi' = Iceland

And more ... some Official Information

Population Density          CANADA     pop. 38,654,738 million

                                                                            landmass 9.985 mil km squared

                                                                            territorial size ranking -  2 / 195 nations

                                                                            density 4.2 people / km squared

                                                    ICELAND    pop. 376,248

                                                                             landmass 103,000 km squared

                                                                             territorial size ranking -  108 / 195 nations

                                                                             density 3.5 people / km squared

                                            Difference   0.7 people / km squared

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Route

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JOURNAL

I've used the Iceland font for Icelandic placenames where we stayed on our driving route or as sidetrips we took and for some Journal details.

My sincere apologies to any native Icelanders for any spelling errors I may have made.

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Photography

Cameras: NIKON Coolpix P610 & CANON DSLR EOS Rebel T8i

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Day01                                                                           

Route: BASECAMP Wellington ON CANADA > Toronto > Reykjavik ICELAND

Camp01: 3 nights @ Center Hotel Grandi

Departure from BASECAMP @ 2:30 pm, then a 2.5 hr drive to Toronto & a 5 hr flight to ICELAND, we landed around 2:30 am EST (time zone change 6:30 am GMT), no darkness here, a 40 minute drive to the Center Hotel Grandi, sleep for several hours, a light breakfast at the hotel, a burner phone purchase (H forgot her phone in the Rav), a great lunch at the Himalayan Spice Restaurant near the harbour, some walking, back to the room by 4:30 pm, still sleep-deprived.

... navigates ME through life ... researching OUR tomorrow!

... might just be the BEST mushroom soup I've ever had! ... earthy terroir, maybe a hint of cream, are the mushrooms local? I discovered later they were. Apology ... soup bowl not in this photo!

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Day02

Hiking (Daily / Total): 9.35 / 9.35 kms 

Mostly caught up on our sleep (a -4 hour time difference), walked the waterfront/harbour neighbourhood for several hours early-morning to mid-afternoon, always hearty restaurant fare in a working harbour area and todays lunch was no exception, packed up for an early departure tomorrow to pick up our rental vehicle and begin the Ring Road drive (we'll miss LOAF).

HARPA ... Reykjavik Concert Hall (stock photo)

Thufa Viking Settlement 

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Day03

Route: Reykjavik > Selfloss   

Sidetrip: Hwy35 > Geysir & Gullfloss                                          

Distance (Daily / Cummulative): 179 + 30 = 209 / 209 kms          

Hiking (Daily / Total): 10.55 / 19.9 kms 

Camp02: 2 nights @ Hotel Grimsborgir

A very nice European styled breakfast (breads, pastries, cheeses, meats, condiments, yogurt, oatmeal, cereals, fruits, eggs, hot meats and cakes, juices, coffee)  an 8:30 am shuttle to Hertz for the rental vehicle pickup, our drive began at the start of the Golden Circle route, we made stops at Pingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and photo-ops in the towns of Geysir and Gullfloss. Great weather; sunny, high 21C, mild wind ... lotsa tourists everwhere!!!

Restaurant prepared meals have been exceptional, but our appetites our small now (rarely an entree) ... a reminder -  bring cameras for photos tomorrow ... anyhoo; tonight's appetizers were (Helen) 'black tagliolini, tiger shrimps, tomatoe jam & basil oil' and (Dann) 'tuna tartar, mango, garlic, avacado sauce, wasabi and peas'.

The Drive ...

Twin Geysers

The Icelandic Prime Ministers summer residence until 1943

Helen walks between the rifts of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates; the only location in the world where walking between two continents is possible.

The Geysir geothermal region where the Strokkur geyser erupts every 2 minutes. It is both, the oldest and the first geyser discovered in Europe. 

Active geysers like Strokkur are rare around the world, due to the fact that many conditions must be met for them to form. They are thus only found in certain parts of highly geothermal areas.

The first condition that is necessary is an intense heat source; magma must be close enough to the surface of the earth for the rocks to be hot enough to boil water. 

Secondly, you will need a source of flowing underground water. In the case of Strokkur, this comes from the second largest glacier in the country, Langjökull. 

Finally, you need a complex plumbing system that allows a geyser to erupt, rather than just steam from the ground like a fumarole. Above the intense heat source, there must be space for the flowing water to gather like a reservoir. From this basin, there must be a vent to the surface. This vent must be lined with silica so that the boiling, rising water cannot escape before the eruption.

The above 3-photo sequence took less than 15 seconds

Gullfoss waterfall

Because of the waterfall’s two stages, Gullfoss should actually be thought of as two separate features. The first, shorter cascade is 11 meters tall (36 feet), whilst the second drop is 21 meters (69 feet). The canyon walls on both sides of the waterfall reach heights of up to 70 meters (230 feet), descending into the great Gullfossgjúfur canyon. Geologists believe that this canyon was formed by glacial outbursts at the beginning of the last age.

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Day04

Route: @ Grimsborgir

Sidetrip: Hwys 32, 30, 31, 01 > Stong & Selfoss                               

Distance (Daily / Cummulative): 173 / 382 kms 

Hiking (Daily / Total): 7.4 / 27.3 kms

Overcast, some nearby rain, visited Kerid Crater, watched the annual sheep herding (called Rettir), visited the Viking Longhouse in Stong ... lunch, groceries, wine, fuel in Selfloss.

Kerid Crater

Kerið is approximately three thousand years old, making it roughly half the age of most volcanic calderas found in Iceland. This is the major reason as to why Kerið’s slopes are red in colour, rather than a volcanic black; the iron deposits are, geologically speaking, fresh.

The September Rettir

The nationwide roundup where people on foot, ATV's or Icelandic Horses retrieve their stock from the mountains and valleys, aided by trusty sheepdogs. The gruelling endeavor sometimes requires days in the saddle, and entire communities turn out in support. The following sequence of photos shows the roundup portion. On Day06, we were fortunate to witness the first stage of the Rettir.

The road to Stong

Viking Longhouse @ Stong

The road from Stong

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Day05

Route: Grimsborgir > Kirkjubaejarklaustur                           

Sidetrip: none                                                                       

Distance (Daily / Cummulative): 234/ 616 kms 

Hiking (Daily / Total): 7.94 / 35.2 kms

Camp03: 2 nights @ Hotel Klauster

Overcast, lotsa drizzle & some rain, fog hung around all day, high 12C, saw some sun. Two waterfalls, a black sand beach, an ancient cave.

My hiking partner ... a soggy day!

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall that can be fully encircled, situated on the South Coast of Iceland with a drop of 60 meters (200 feet).

Rutshellir Caves

There are two man-made caves in the rock. The main cave is arched and at least 20 meters long and 2.5 meters high on average. It was used as an outhouse, for storing hay, and at a certain time, stockfish was stored in this cave. People might also have lived in the cave.

Skógafoss Waterfall

Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, with a drop of some 60 meters and a width of 25 meters.

On a clear, early summer day. (Stock Photo)

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach in Vik (Vik i Myrdal)

With its enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves, and stunning panoramas, Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s black sand beaches. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet.

Columnar Basalt 

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Day06

Route: @ Kirkjubaejarklaustur                                                    

Sidetrip: Hwy. F206 > Fjadrarslgufur Canyon                            

Distance (Daily / Cummulative): 49 / 665 kms 

Hiking (Daily / Total): 7.2 / 42.4 kms 

Camp03: 2 nights @ Hotel Klauster

Rained most of the night, heavy morning fog, high 12C, the Rettir sheep sort, 2 canyons, several waterfalls, a dead Irish hermits' grave and a basalt floor.

Phase Two of the Rettir, where smaller groups of sheep are broken off from the main flock and herded into a circular corral. There, farmers, townsfolk and tourist volunteers catch and manhandle individual animals into a series of smaller corrals. Owners identify their animals by ear tags.

Video of sheep being herded into the central corral

I 'betcha wondered how they knewe ? (stock photo)

  Fjaorarglufur Canyon

The canyon on a clear day. (Stock Photo)

Dverghamrar Canyon

Dverghamrar, or "Dwarf Cliffs", is a small yet impressive canyon full of unusual, hexagonal basalt columns. Located east of Kirkjubaejarklaustur just off the sout side of Route 1, the rock formations are thought to have been shaped toward the end of the last ice age, when the sea level was higher around Iceland and strong waves were battering the rock.

Foss a Sidu Waterfall

Stjornarfoss Waterfall

Hildishhaugur - Hildir's grave mound

"The first inhabitants at Kirkjubær were Irish hermits and the story goes that heathens were forbidden to live there. The Christian Settler Ketill lived all his life at Kirkjubær, but when the pagan Hildir Eysteinsson planned to move there, "he fell down dead as soon as he set foot on the estate and he is buried in Hildishaugur"."

Kirkjugolf, an 80 square meter area of columnar basalt stones.

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Next

The drive continues with, " Kirkjubaejarklaustur to Faskrudsfjordur "                                    

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We're Kanoe Tripping with a Mitsibushi Eclipse Crossover Hybrid this adventure 

... LOAF stayed at BASECAMP. 

  

You can follow all our travels from here.

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