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East fjords and end of the trip…
We are Tuesday, the ferry leaves tomorrow, so I have to end the route to the East.
1. A farm and its small church in the plain.
2. These plains are actually alluvial deltas (gravel bars) down the mountains that form the eastern fjords.
3. Short stop at the powerful Nykurhylsfoss waterfall, sometimes also called Sveinsstekksfoss.
4. VivaLaVida makes a small detour through the valley from which she falls, on a track that looks more like a river in places 🙂
5. This valley is a magnificent basalt staircase, each step of which creates a waterfall. Gorgeous ! Too bad not to have time to explore it longer…
6. With autumn colors now very present, it’s beautiful.
7. A little further, on a small pass, the fall of Folaldafoss.
8. VLV will take a chaotic path to find a beautiful Icelandic camp near a small lake, 2100 feet above sea level.
9. The night will be particularly turbulent, with winds to almost 70 mph and heavy rain. In the morning, the rain gives me some respite while the wind maintained.
10. As I have a few hours left before boarding, I decided to take the F936 trail and was surprised to discover it perfectly leveled, without washboard or potholes. After ten miles, I understand why..! I do not take the risk to pass and turn around.
11. So, VLV goes up to do a small exploration towards North…
12. … discover the beautiful church of Kirkjubaejarkirkja.
13. Details of door shutters.
14. Climbing a small pass, a large beach exposed to the Arctic Ocean revealed.
15. Small stop in a colorful side valley, obstructed by a wall of basalt.
16. Mineral colors.
17. Last picture of a rainy heath…
18. VivaLaVida finds back the Nöronna ferry for the return crossing cruise.
In conclusion of these few weeks in Iceland, I have some mixed feeling. The island is home to a wealth of incredible natural treasures for whom, like me, love desolate and wild Nordic landscapes. Combined with the omnipresence of sustained and often extremely recent volcanic activity, the cocktail is often breathtaking. On the other hand, because of tour operators eager to make money, this destination has become so touristy that the consequences of this mass tourism become visible almost everywhere. More and more frequent access bans, legislation seeking to limit the impact on the fragile nature, sites with often developed unsightly infrastructure and invaded by dozens of buses, mini-commercial campers rented by hundreds and, probably corollary, Icelandic not very affable and often even unfriendly with foreigners… Not to mention a exorbitant life costs : filling VLV was more than 400.- USD..!
Apart from the few indoor tracks that VivaLaVida allowed us to access off the beaten path, the pressure of this tourism really bothered me. And we were there at the end of the season, with significantly fewer people than in July or early August. Of course, I understand everyone’s desire to discover this raw nature. Yet there are other places on the planet, equally spectacular but less exploited by tour operators who still know how to preserve their country and are in my eyes much more pleasant to visit.
No regrets, however, to have had the opportunity to make discover to Isabelle – Emile is probably still too small to remember of later – this large island and its beautiful and so changing landscapes!
While the Nöronna ferry made a stopover in Torshávn on the way back, I was lucky enough to have some nice weather to offer you some new pictures of the capital of the Faroes.
19. This small town offers dozens of narrow streets with pretty houses that denote with the American-style pavilions of Iceland.
20. View on the city.
21. Marina.
22. The crossing to Denmark will be somewhat turbulent, with strong winds up to 80 mph and 18-21 feet waves.
23. Venting sinset…
The return to Switzerland was normal except for a turbo hose that dislodged, forcing VLV to drag on the last 350 miles…
Thanks to you for having followed the story of this Icelandic journey of VivaLaVida which will now be rebuilding a small health (axle simmering to change, kneecaps to replace, and complete frame check after more than 6000 miles traveled, of which probably more than a thousand on the various tracks borrowed. You can also view the route on the map “Europe” of this blog… 😉
And see you soon for following VivaLaVida’s new adventures! 😀
South-East coast
The ferry is waiting for VivaLaVida in two days and I still have several hundred miles to get to Seydisfjordur, so it’s time for me to move on. Without forgetting to stop at some new spots.
1. Same place same hour three weeks later and same rainbow… 😉
2. Short stop on another spot of Jökulsárlón Lake.
3. And another stop at Diamond Beach to shot some pictures especially for Isabelle! 😉
4. Further East, shortly before the Vestrahorn, another gravel bar in the rain.
The Vestrahorn Mountain, so often photographed, turns out to be a real tourist scam. In addition to the fact that it is next to a hugly military satellite antena, it has been appropriated by the owner of a camping-bar that charges for access! He even installed an automatic highway toll style barrier to control access. I am quite shocked by the fact that somebody can appropriate a piece of nature belonging to the state and refuses to lend me to this practice, preferring to go elsewhere. Travelers, keep away of that place, there are enough other beautiful sites in Iceland.
5. I sleep on a small pass along the old road. After a steady rain during most of the night, the morning offers me a nice sky.
6. And here is the Vestrahorn from the North-East, a less “conventional” view. 🙂
7. An example of the large sheep farms of the South coast.
8.After my disappointment at Vestrahorn, I spotted another less known site (but for how long ..?). The weather was not pleasant and I decided to explore the coast in search of cool compositions until it improves. Here is one first with this cove in the rocks.
9. The showers succeed one another, created by the strong wind that condenses the clouds on the mountain.
10. I take the opportunity to observe some ducks who hiding from strong wind behind the cape. Here a female.
11. And there a male who has just caught a crustacean.
12. He rinses it a little…
13. Before swallowing it!
14. In the foam…
15. I also go discover the large beach that runs to the West.
16. Vestrahorn in the distance.
17. Survival…
18. Finally, after 5 1/2 hours of waiting, a brief sunray of just a few minutes allows me to show you another composition.
Last article of this trip coming soon. 😉
Fjords of North West
1. Great weather in the morning!
2. Icebergs are still there.
3. Stop on our way to observe seals.
4. When some rest, others seem to play in the water.
5. Under the eyes of ubiquitous and placid sheeps.
6. Small lighthouse on the coast.
7. I draw the portrait to one of these famous Icelandic small horses with long manes.
8. Small church along a fjord. There are many, always small and often with only one house around.
9. As VivaLaVida crosses a small pass between two fjords, the horizon deepens.
10. …
11. To reach a large beach far west of the fjords, the road is endless: while in a straight line, the GPS indicates 55 miles, it will take 125 miles of winding road to get there!
12. The end of day light is spectacular.
13. Rauðarsandur beach is behind this point…
14. VivaLaVida will finally reach it at sunset, enjoying last sun rays on its pretty black church.
15. Calm morning on the inlet.
16. Rauðarsandur beach is Iceland’s largest and its color denotes with omnipresent black elsewhere. Wonder where does this colorful sand come from.
17. Refelction behind the beach.
18. Patchwork at rising tide.
19. Marine atmosphere…
20. In a nearby bay, stop near a ship wreck.
21. These fjords are beautiful and constitute the least visited part of Iceland and let us enjoy more solitude.
22. We camp on the bank of a fjord sheltering hundreds of swans.
Discovery of Snæfellsness Peninsula coming soon. 😉
North Coast and traditional habitat
1. The Ásbyrgi Canyon is amazing with its high basalt cliffs.
2. Beautiful bay on Arctic Ocean North of Husavik.
3. We stop there for the lunch…
4. … the opportunity for Emile to play on the beach.
5. The small harbor town of Husavik still has some old houses.
6. Its small harbor is famous for whale watching.
7. Old houses on the harbor.
8. We return to the bay to spend the night.
9. Sunset is gorgeous!
10. Deformed sun on the horizon. We even had two sunsets, the first on the cliff then, the race of the sun being almost tangent to the horizon, the second on the ocean.
11. Iceland is not that famous for offering colorful sunsets but this one was an exception.
12. On the road to Akureyi, the big city of the North.
13. Interesting feature: in Akureyri, to support the morale of the population during the last financial crash, the red lights are heart shaped… 😉
14. At the end of the day, we go to visit the historic Glaumbær farm, one of the few unspoiled which is now a museum.
15. House from the beginning of the last century.
16. The windows often had candles, supposed to limit the heat loss of the little insulated glass…
17. The farm, older, is partially buried for better insulation. Buildings are contiguous to limit areas exposed to cold.
18. Built in peat and covered with peat and moss, it was the best way to protect oneself from the cold for poor people.
19. Not far away, the beautiful old church of Vidimyrarkirkia.
20. Continuing our journey on the north coast, we come across this curious road going directly into the ocean!
21. Arrival at the end of the day on the site of Hvítserkur Rock.
22. A spectacular lava block that rises on the ocean and evokes a troll or some extinct dinosaur grazing algae…
23. Húnafjordur Bay.
24. We camp near this little house…
25. … and discover large icebergs far on the horizon.
Next coming soon in the Northwest fjords.
South coast…
1. As Gaël requested it, here is the whole family. 😀
2. An example of the language at the checkout of a store, inapprehensible and unpronounceable for us.
And to show you what the rain can be there, here is a short video
of Isabelle made the day before where it rained like that almost all day long..!
3. Continuation of the South Coast to the East. VivaLaVida crosses many Gravel Bars, large river beds that regular floods clear of all
vegetation.
4. Showers that offer beautiful skies.
5. Waterfall Foss á Síðu along road Nb 1.
6. Rainbow in frontof the Vatnajökull ice cap in the distance.
7. Another one to celebrate VivaLaVida.
8. Gravel bar.
9. Shower on the coast.
10. Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest in Iceland.
11. It is crossed by many volcanoes more or less active.
12. In the evening, VivaLaVida finds a nice boondocking place to camp near a glacial lake.
13. First colors at dawn.
14. Camp of VivaLaVida, close to the glaciers.
15. Light beams…
16. … on raw elements.
17. I couldn’t not show to Isabelle, a jewel fan, the “Diamond Beach”, famous for the icebergs that stand out from the Vatnajökull and flow
into the ocean by Lake Jökulsárlón before stranding on the black beach! 😉
18. Photo souvenir…
19. Jökulsárlón Lake.
20. Larger icebergs must melt before crossing the channel leading to the ocean.
In the next update, we will leave the coast to discover the Lakagigar area where new small volcanoes appeared only some decades ago.
First steps with family
My passengers well landed, we discovered the Reykjanes peninsula together before going to Reykjavik the next day to buy warm jackets to Isabelle and Emile.
1. Volcanic activity is strong on this promontory.
2. Emile is so happy to be back in “Dad’s truck”!
3. The lava that flowed to the sea creates beautiful cliffs.
4. Beautiful lake of Kleifarvatn.
5. Despite some showers, the weather is rather beautiful but a little cold, about 46F.
6. Lava fields covered with moss and lichen.
7. Iceland is undoubtedly the land of rainbows. 😉
8. Lava tunnel.
9. There are many here.
10. Assembly of 5 vertical images to show you a crater that appeared only a few hundred years ago.
11. After some shopping in Reykjavik, we had a very rainy day stretching the road on the South coast. We cross famous vehicles transformed to ride on the snow. Here, a van similar to VivaLaVida but mounted on huge wheels! VLV looks small compared.
12. The small church of Vik.
13. Dyrhólaey Promontory and its two natural arches.
14. Even if the site is very touristy, we take a walk to the Reynisfjara Beach and its needles.
15. Souvenir on the famous basalt pillars.
16. Dyrhólaey Beach.
17. On the other side, Reynisfjara.
More of the South Coast in the next update…
Faroes (III)
Let’s continue the journeye…
1. Arriving in Tjornuvik, another isolated village known for its black sand beach, one of the very few beaches of the Faroes. The place is famous for surfing because the bay opens on the North Atlantic and have big waves when it’s windy.
2. The village is nestled at the bottom of the bay.
3. Overview as the rain doubles.
4. Here’s something I hadn’t seen before: a method to dry the hay that will feed the sheeps during the winter. As it rains all the time, it is arranged in walls. The constant wind prevents the grass from rotting and allows it to dry.
5. Rest zone!
6. Little pass on the way to Gjógv.
7. Arriving at the village, still in the rain.
8. It has a privileged natural shelter.
9. Traditional houses…
10. …
11. Last seen before leaving…
Because three days pass quickly, the next article will introduce you to the old city of Tórshavn, the capital, and the ferry crossing.
See you soon here 😀
Start…
After a few busy days before holidays, I left Emile and Isabelle who will join me in a few days and took the road to the North. There are 1’200 miles waiting for me to reach Hirtshals, at the Northern tip of Denmark, where leave the only ferry that joins the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Obviously not the most fun part of the trip but you have to do it…
1. Boondocking in Northern Germany.
2. Arrived at destination in the middle of the afternoon the day before the ferry, I took the opportunity to discover an abandoned lighthouse in the middle of the dunes…
3. Enjoying a spectacular sunset on the North Sea.
4. …
5. …
6. I then went to sleep on the beach, East of Hirtshals, where the sunrise was colorful.
7. …
8. After a visit to a local hairdresser, visit the Hirtshals lighthouse.
9. It’s then time to go in line for VivaLaVida to board.
10. Right on time, the ferry lifted anchor towards the Faroe Islands, with a good gale announced for the crossing…
That’s it for this short update written on the ferry while it was beating quite a bit… 🙂
I will stop tomorrow for three days in the Faroes, to discover these islands that have attracted me for a long time…
To be followed soon !
Cape Corse
We continue the ascent of Cape Corse, the wildest part of the “Island of Beauty”.
1. Botticella village.
2. The small Giraglia Island which gave its name to one of the most important sailing race in the Mediterranean Sea.
3. Old mill.
4. My darling 😉
5. Tollare Marina, at North end of the cape.
6. Swell…
7. Barcaggio marina.
8. Paradise beach.
9. Emile plays…
10. … with his Mom’s hat.
Last sunrise before return ferry crossing in the next update…
North West shore
Our stay in Corsiaca continues…
1. Familly walk on the coast.
2. Emile still loves the baby carrier !
3. And Isabelle appreciates these landscapes
4. But the rain catches up…
5. Fortunately, it will only last an afternoon and a night.
6. Breakfast.
7. Outdoor lunch.
8. St-Florent again…
9. La fantasmagorique plage noire de Nonza, en remontant la côte ouest du Cap Corse.
10. Sea clouds…
11. Pino, small village in Cap Corse
12. Boondocking in a pretty cove.
13. Horizon…
14. Afterglow…
Next of our Cape Corse discovery to come soon…
D5 Creation