Nature, travel, pets, home renovation, and geekery
Another site in the Mývatn region of Iceland that we explored is Dimmuborgir. It is an area of unusually shaped formations from volcanic activity. That is a boring way to describe it really. It is awesome, and it looks like hell, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. The formations are just bizarre really. Also the rocks vary in color and are quite pretty.
Dimmuborgir
Dimmuborgir
Dimmuborgir
Dimmuborgir
Dimmuborgir
Formation with clear layers of volcanic rock
Colorful volcanic rock
While exploring the Mývatn region of Iceland, we visited Grjótagjá. Grjótagjá is a small cave that has a geothermally heated natural pool inside it. It used to be used for bathing until volcanic activity in the 1970’s raised the temperature of water too high. It is still really cool though. The water is crystal clear, and steam can be seen rising from it. Above the cave, the landscape is fissured from the volcanic activity. It is just an incredibly interesting area.
Grjotagja
Grjotagja
Grjotagja’s crystal clear water
Grjotagja cave entrance
Fissured landscape above the cave
Fissured landscape above the cave
Fissured landscape above the cave
Day 8 in Iceland had us exploring the Mývatn region of northern Iceland. It is a rather geologically active region, even relative to the fact that it is in Iceland, which is essentially an island of geological activity. Mývatn is located close to the Krafla volcano and besides being pretty and interesting, also has birds in abundance due to the huge lake. If you are ever in Mývatn, I highly recommend lunch at Vogafjos, which has incredibly delicious food, including geysir bread, which is cooked underground using geothermal heat, and insanely fresh cheese due to the cows which sleep in the same building in which you eat. They are very friendly cows too. If you are there, go pet them.
Myvatn
View of Krafla
Myvatn
Quiet inlet of Myvatn
Crystal clear water of Myvatn
Golden Plover
Scaups
View of the Vogafjos farm, from the dining room
A friendly Vogafjos cow
While traveling the Ring Road north, we stopped at Dettifoss. Dettifoss is another waterfall in Iceland, but it has the distinction of being the largest waterfall in Europe by volume of water. It is pretty of course and flows through a dramatic canyon. One of the things I found most interesting about it was the patterns in the snow of the other side of the canyon from it. I am not actually sure how the patterns formed, but I assume it has to do with the topography of side and the time difference in which the snow fell.
Dettifoss
Dettifoss
Valley into which Dettifoss flows
Dettifoss
Patterns in snow
Rainbow formed from Dettifoss
River that flows into Dettifoss
Before traveling the Ring Road north on Day 7 in Iceland, we detoured to the east to visit Seyðisfjörður. Seyðisfjörður is a small village where many artists have taken up residence, and it also happens to be where the ferry from Denmark docks. The road to Seyðisfjörður travels through the mountains before quickly changing altitude to the fjord where the village is located. Near Seyðisfjörður is Gulufoss, another pretty waterfall because you can’t go five minutes in Iceland without passing a waterfall.
looking to Seydisfjordur
Seydisfjordur houses
Seydisfjordur bay
Seydisfjordur church
road to Seydisfjordur
Gufufoss
Day 7 in Iceland had us mainly traveling the Ring Road from the east to the north. The Ring Road takes your through the highlands then finally to the fjords and the coast. Much of the highlands were still covered with meters of snow.
Ring Road crossing mountain top in south
Lagarfljót
near Fljótsdalshérað
view of Herðubreið
Herðubreið
River in the highlands
Day 6 in Iceland had us traveling the Ring Road from the center south area to the east. Iceland is a country of dramatic landscapes, and I just can’t get over the beauty of the land. We traveled over lava fields, along rocky coasts, and along fjords into the mountains. Below are a few photos of what we saw traveling the Ring Road.
view of Vestmannaeyjar islands
Eldhraun lava fields
Another waterfall
Rocky coast
Fjord
Looking down the glacier valley right before crossing the mountain top
Reindeer
Reindeer
Day 6 in Iceland, we traveled from the south to the east via the Ring Road. We made the obligatory stop at Jökulsárlón, the Glacier Lagoon. It is a major tourist attraction for good reason. It is beautiful. The lagoon is at the end of Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, and the glacier breaks off pieces to form icebergs in the lagoon. Icebergs just slowly float through the lagoon before entering the sea. Many types of birds can be found in the lagoon, as well as seals. We spotted at least 15 seals playing in the water, and I managed to get a few photos of some of them.
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón
Birds on Icebergs
Iceberg
Iceberg on beach
Close up of an iceberg on the beach
Seal
Seal
Harlequin Ducks
Eider
Day 5 in Iceland, after hiking up a glacier, we decided we needed more hiking, so we hiked to Svartifoss, yet another waterfall in Iceland. Svartifoss is particularly neat because it flows over basalt columns. Also there are of course more waterfalls on the way to Svartifoss, including Hundefoss.
Svartifoss
Svartifoss
Svartifoss
Svartifoss closeup with basalt columns
Basalt Columns
Basalt Columns morphed
Basalt Columns pieces
Hundafoss
Hundafoss
Stream from Hundafoss
Day 5 in Iceland started with us taking an amazing hike up a glacier. We went on a tour with Glacier Guides (our guide Robin was great!), who gave us crampons, ice axes, helmets, and safety harnesses (in case we fell down a crevasse!?), and then we hiked up a glacier. I still can’t believe I hiked up a glacier. Part of the reason I can’t believe I hiked up a glacier is because I have known issues with gravity, especially when frozen water is involved. The amazing part was, that with crampons on, walking on ice was much easier than walking on snow. Anyway, we hiked up Falljökull which is located in the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park. We completely lucked out with the weather. A storm passed to the south of us, which made for some absolutely amazing photographs, but we didn’t get any precipitation. I am not one to brag about my photography, but I got some amazing photographs. I can’t really credit my skills though because with the scenery I had, I could not shoot a bad photograph. The glacier was white with amazing blues, and the sky was gray then white then blue, ever changing with the storm.
