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Iceland
June 18 - July 5, 2025
Day 1, Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven (US):
Distance Flown:
Distance Driven (Iceland)
Major Highlights:
Falmouth
Hotel Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik
74 miles
3,914 km (2,430 miles)
51.8 km (32.6 mi)
Iceland Air Flight #634, Arrival into Iceland
Hotel Reykjavik Edition. Everybody has been very quiet about the recent 'incident' (see https://www.icelandreview.com/news/fatal-incident-at-edition-hotel-under-investigation/ ).
View of Reykjavik Harbor from our hotel on arrival at 11 PM. Sun is still up. Hopefully the weather improves.
Downtown Reykjavik and Church of Hallgrímur as seen from our hotel.
Day 2, Thursday, June 19, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hotel Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik
Hotel Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik
0.0km
Reykjavik City Center, Downtown Reykjavik
Sun Voyager Sculpture, Reykjavik.
We were not overly impressed. Looked like something a high school shop class could make using a water jet.
Church of Hallgrímur, Reykjavik
Pipe Organ, Church of Hallgrímur, Reykjavik
Statue of Leif Erikson in front of Church of Hallgrímur, Reykjavik
We took a food tour. At this stop, slow cooked lamb, carrot puree, pickled red onions and pepper cream sauce. Smoked char, horseradish sauce, salmon roe, lentils and yuzu flower dressing.
Food tour. Boiled cod, mashed with potatoes, onion, garlic, celery, lime, white wine, cream and butter.
Arctic char baked in honey, butter and lemon with cherry tomatoes and almonds.
Food tour. Hot dog with Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic mustard, remoulade sauce, deep fried onion and raw onion. Evidently Billy Clinton ate at this on a visit. However, if I remember correctly, he was a frequent patron of McDonald's, so his endorsement doesn't mean much.
Food tour. Fermented Shark Meat.
They said it was 'Greenland Shark' which I thought was endangered...
Food tour. Lamb Stew. Locally called 'Meat' Stew. Very good.
Food tour. Rye bread ice cream with whipped cream and caramelised rhubarb syrup.
Day 3, Friday, June 20, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hotel Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik
Skálakot Manor Hotel, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
276.2 km (174 mi)
Thingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall, Fridheimar Tomato Farm, Kerid Crater, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Iceland is divided by the Mid-Atlantic Rift. Some parts of Iceland are on the North American tectonic plate, while others are on the Eurasian plate. Iceland is the only place in the world where this rift is above sea-level. In this photo, looking generally south, North America is on the right and Europe is on the left.
North America is on the right and Europe is on the left.
Oxararfoss Waterfalls
Strokkur Geyser
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall
Since Iceland is cold, wet, and rainy, many of their vegetables are grown in greenhouses. Frideheimer farm grows about 40% of all tomatoes consumed in Iceland. They also have a restaurant inside the greenhouse with tomatoes growing all around.
The house specialty is of course, tomato soup.
Frideheimer farm tomato soup.
For dessert, cheesecake with tomato jam made from green tomatoes, cinnamon, and lime. Served in a flower pot.
Frideheimer tomato farm.
Kerid Crater. A volcanic crater lake.
Kerid Crater.
Seljandsfoss Waterfall
Seljandsfoss Waterfall
Gljúfrabúi Waterfall
Day 4, Saturday, June 21, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Skálakot Manor Hotel, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
Skálakot Manor Hotel, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
91.2 km (57 mi)
Vestmannaeyjar Ferry, Vestmannaeyjar Island, Puffin and Volcano Tour, Puffins, Skógafoss Waterfall
Ferry to Vestmannaeyjar or Westman Islands
One of several private islands off of Vestmannaeyjar. That little white dot is a house.
Looking west from Vestmannaeyjar.
Replica Viking home.
It's springtime on Vestmannaeyjar.
Puffins
Puffins
Black sand beach.
In 1973, a volcano destroyed nearly one-third of the homes on Vestmannaeyjar. Here you can see where the lava stopped halfway in the middle of what was once a water tank.
View leaving Vestmannaeyjar.
Skogafoss waterfall.
View from top of Skogafoss waterfall.
Valley above Skogafoss waterfall.
Skogafoss waterfall.
Day 5, Sunday, June 22, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Skálakot Manor Hotel, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, Hnappavellir, Iceland
251.1 km (158 mi)
Skogafoss Waterfall, Crashed DC-3, Dyrholaey Viewpoint, Solheimasandur Beach, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Svinafellsjokull Glacier
Skogafoss waterfall.
Solheimasandur beach. Crashed DC-3.
Solheimasandur beach. Crashed DC-3.
Solheimasandur beach. Crashed DC-3.
Dyrholaey viewpoint.
Dyrholaey viewpoint.
Dyrholaey viewpoint. Evidently the arch is big enough that small planes have flown throught it.
Reynisfjall (Black Sand) beach.
Reynisfjall (Black Sand) beach. Note the hexagonal lava columns.
Reynisfjall (Black Sand) beach.
Fjaorargljufur canyon.
Fjaorargljufur canyon.
Fjaorargljufur canyon.
Fjaorargljufur canyon.
Skaftafellsjökull glacier.
Svinafellsjokull glacier.
Svinafellsjokull glacier.
Svinafellsjokull glacier.
Day 6, Monday, June 23, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, Hnappavellir, Iceland
Fosshótel Eastfjords, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland
329.3 km (207 mi)
Zodiac Boat Tour, Diamond Beach, Stokksnes Lighthouse
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon zodiac boat tour.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Note small boat in distance for scale.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon zodiac boat tour.
Even with the 'survival suits', we would only have about 5 minutes to live should we happen to fall in.
Diamond Beach, where icebergs from Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon wash ashore on black volcanic sands. It's called Diamond Beach, because the ice sparkles when the sun hits them.
Diamond Beach.
Diamond Beach.
Stokksnes Lighthouse.
Vestrahorn Mountain from Stokksnes beach.
Lupine on Stokksnes beach.
Fosshotel Eastfjords. Our digs for the night.
View from our hotel balcony.
Day 7, Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Fosshótel Eastfjords, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland
Fosshótel Mývatn, Skútustaðahreppur, Iceland
413.0 km (260 mi)
Seydisfjordur, Bakkagerdi, Studlagil Canyon
Seydisfjordur, Iceland.
This is where you would catch a car ferry to Norway if you so desired. Norway being the closet European country to Iceland.
Seydisfjordur was kind of an artsy-fartsy town. Not much to do except shop at a few overpriced 'boutique' stores.
The church was the only thing I found that was worth taking a photograph of.
Bakkagerði, Iceland.
A WWII mine that washed up shore and put on a pedestal.
Hopefully it was defused.
Bakkagerði, Iceland. Puffin colony.
Puffins.
Puffins.
Puffin.
Puffin.
Puffin. Notice the (what look like to me) sand eels in its mouth.
Puffin with grass in it's mouth.
Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland.
Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland.
Note the hexagonal basalt columns.
The hexagonal shape is a response to the stress of contraction as lava cools.
Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland.
Day 8, Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Fosshótel Mývatn, Skútustaðahreppur, Iceland
Arnes Fishing Lodge
83.4 km (52.5 mi)
Hverir Geothermal Area, Krafla Crater, Grjótagjá Cave, Hverfjall Crater, Dimmuborgir Lava Pillars, Fishing Laxá River
Hverir Geothermal Area.
Hverir Geothermal Area.
Hverir Geothermal Area.
Hverir Geothermal Area.
Krafla Crater.
Lake Mývatn.
Grjótagjá Cave.
Hverfjall Crater. Claimed to be worlds largest tephra cone volcano.
Dimmuborgir lava pillars.
Dimmuborgir lava pillars.
Dimmuborgir lava pillars.
Arnes fishing lodge.
Accommodations on par with Plummer's Artci Trophy Lodge or Larry's at Bennet Spring.
Both Bing Crosby and King Charles stayed and fished here... I'm not sure anything has been upgraded since their visit.
Laxá River.
Fishing Report:
Time fished: 6 hours (4 PM to 10 PM)
Beats (sections of river) fished: 2
Flies tried: More than 20
Fish caught: 0
Total fish caught by 4 other groups in camp: 0
Day 9, Thursday, June 26, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Arnes Fishing Lodge
Arnes Fishing Lodge
0.0 km
Fishing Laxá River
Laxá River Fishing Report:
Time fished: 11 hours (8 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 10 PM)
Fish: 11 Brown Trout hooked, 6 netted
(catch and release, barbless hooks)
Total fish netted by 4 other people in camp: 2
(but to be fair they spent a lot of time targeting Atlantic Salmon, and were skunked in that endeavor)
Laxá River.
Laxá River Brown Trout. First fish I've ever caught in Iceland.
Laxá River Brown Trout.
Laxá River Brown Trout.
Laxá River Brown Trout.
Laxá River Brown Trout.
Day 10, Friday, June 27, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Arnes Fishing Lodge
Arnes Fishing Lodge
0.0 km
Fishing Laxá River
Laxá and Myrarkvisl River Fishing Report:
Time fished: 11 hours (8 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 10 PM)
Fish: 11 Brown Trout hooked, 8 netted
(catch and release, barbless hooks)
Laxá River Brown Trout.
Video
Laxá River.
Laxá River.
Laxá River.
Laxá river valley seen from top of ridge.
Church near Arnes lodge.
Day 11, Saturday, June 28, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Arnes Fishing Lodge
Fosshótel Mývatn, Skútustaðahreppur, Iceland
155.1 km (98 mi)
Fishing Myrarkvisl River, Godafoss Waterfall, Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall
Myrarkvisl River Fishing Report:
Time fished: 4 hours (8 AM to Noon)
Fish: 5 Brown Trout hooked, 4 netted
(catch and release, barbless hooks)
Also fished for Atlantic Salmon with no luck
Drive to Mýrarkvísl River.
Mýrarkvísl River.
Mýrarkvísl River Brown Trout.
Godafoss Waterfall.
Godafoss Waterfall.
Godafoss Waterfall.
Godafoss Waterfall.
Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
Basalt columns in canyon below Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
Canyon below Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
Canyon below Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
Pam with gate duty on drive to Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall.
It's a public road, but still had farmers gates on it that needed to be opened and shut.
To honor my Grandfather Roberts, I thought about driving 50 yards down the road after Pam opened the gate. But I resisted the urge and didn't make Pam walk far.
Day 12, Sunday, June 29, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Fosshótel Mývatn, Skútustaðahreppur, Iceland
Hotel Kea, Akureyri, Iceland
324.2 km (204 mi)
Dettifoss Waterfall, Selfoss Waterfall, Hljóðaklettar Cliffs, Ásbyrgi Canyon, Akureyri
Dettifoss Waterfall. Mist makes it hard to see. We got wet.
Dettifoss Waterfall.
Selfoss Waterfall.
Selfoss Waterfall.
Lava pillar at Hljóðaklettar Cliffs.
Hljóðaklettar Cliffs. What happens to lava when it comes in contact with water. Lots of water.
Close up of Hljóðaklettar Cliffs.
Ásbyrgi Canyon. Horseshoe canyon. Belived to be created by massive flood event.
Eyjan hill in Ásbyrgi Canyon. In the big flood, water went around both sides of this rock, to carve out the valley.
North coast of Iceland.
Akureyri, Iceland. First real town we have seen in 10 days.
Main church in Akureyri.
Our hotel was right next door to Akureyri's main church. They had a Sunday night concert. Shockingly, we attended..... Two short videos.
Second video.
Day 13, Monday, June 30, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hotel Kea, Akureyri, Iceland
Hofsstaðir Country Hotel, Hofsstaðir, Iceland
223.5 km (141 mi)
​
Whale Watching, Grafarkirkja (The oldest church in Iceland), Glaumbær Turf Farm
Whale watching tour. Boat was built in 1974 to hunt whales. Now, the boat is used for whale watching.
Pam in her floatation suit.
I found in hard to get good photos of whales. But we did get a few photos. All of humpback whales.
Humpback whale.
TailHumpback whale tail fluke in distance.
Humpback whale.
Iclandic scenery.
Sauðanes lighthouse.
Grafarkirkja Church. Oldest wooden church in Iceland.
Grafarkirkja Church.
Note the earthen berm around the church. Presumably to keep the animals out of the graveyard.
Typical scenery while driving.
Glaumbær Turf Farm. The farm is a collection of interconnected 'houses' (really rooms) with each room having it's own function. Walls and roof are made of turf grass. This is what farmers in Iceland lived in until the early 1900's.
Day 14, Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hofsstaðir Country Hotel, Hofsstaðir, Iceland
Fosshotel Westfjords, Patreksfjörður, Iceland
554.9 km (350 mi)
Hvítserkur Rock Formation, Borgarvirki, Kolugljúfur Canyon, Dynjandi Falls
A developing dental hygiene crisis:
- Pam only has 2 days of dental floss left.
- She is rationing but doesn't think she will have enough to last the rest of the trip.
- I mentioned perhaps re-using the dental floss, but was told 'Why would you even suggest something so disgusting'.
- No CVS's, Walgreens, or Rite Aide to be found.
- My next suggestion will be 5X tippet that I have on hand (that's 5 lb fishing line for you non flyfishers). But I'm hesitant to use important fishing stuff for something like this.
Hvítserkur Rock Formation.
Hvítserkur Rock Formation.
Some people suggest it looks like a dragon.
Borgarvirki. A natural fortress.
Borgarvirki. A natural fortress.
Kolugljúfur Canyon.
Kolugljúfur Canyon.
Kolugljúfur Canyon.
Kolugljúfur Canyon.
Dynjandi Falls.
Dynjandi Falls.
Dynjandi Falls.
Dynjandi Falls.
Typical Icelandic scenery.
A horse picture for Owen.
It should also be noted that horse is readily available to eat in Iceland. This morning the breakfast buffet had thin slices of pig (ham), lamb, and horse. I tried all three.
Day 15, Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Fosshotel Westfjords, Patreksfjörður, Iceland
Hotel Egilsen, Stykkishólmur, Iceland
147.0 km (92 mi)
Látrabjarg (Western Most Point in Iceland), Brjánslækur Ferry, Town of Stykkisholmur
Látrabjarg, Iceland. Western Most Point in Iceland.
Látrabjarg, Iceland.
View from Látrabjarg, Iceland.
Látrabjarg, Iceland.
Puffin at Látrabjarg, Iceland.
Abandoned ship on beach.
Brjánslækur to Stykkisholmur Ferry
Island of Flatey
Island of Flatey
Coming in to Stykkisholmur, Iceland
Stykkisholmur, Iceland. A small fihsing village of ~ 1200 people.
Our hotel is the red building.
Day 16, Thursday, July 3, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hotel Egilsen, Stykkishólmur, Iceland
Hotel Hamar, Borgarnes, Iceland
285.7 km (180 mi)
Mt. Kirkjufell, Ingjaldsholskirkja Church, Svörtuloft Lighthouse, Dritvik Djúpalónssandur, Arnastapi Cliff Viewpoint, Snæfellsjökull Glacier, Búðakirkja Church, Ytri Tunga
Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall.
Upper Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall. Mount Kirkjufell on right.
Ingjaldsholskirkja Church.
Saxhóll Crater.
Svörtuloft Lighthouse.
Cliffs at Svörtuloft Lighthouse.
Black sand beach at Dritvik Djúpalónssandur.
Dritvik Djúpalónssandur.
Bottom of Snæfellsjökull Glacier. Top obscured by clouds.
Búðakirkja Church (Black Church)
The church also has a rather unusual history. The first church on this site was built in 1703. Unfortunately, it was later destroyed, and the local parish in liquidated it in 1816. However, one of the parishioners – Steinunn Sveinsdottir – set herself the goal of rebuilding, or erecting a new church here. Her requests, however, were rejected by the superiors of the Church of Iceland (it’s one of the Lutheran religions) and she only obtained permission to build at the Danish royal court, in 1848. That’s why the church’s knocker bears a rather unusual inscription: “This church was built in 1848 without the support of clergy.” Steinunn was naturally buried in the church’s cemetery.
Ytri Tunga (Seal Beach).
There are two seals in the picture.
Ytri Tunga (Seal Beach).
Day 17, Friday, July 4, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Major Highlights:
Hotel Hamar, Borgarnes, Iceland
Silica Hotel, Grindavík, Iceland
268.6 km (169 mi)
Glanni Waterfall, Víðgelmir Lava Cave, Hraunfossar Waterfalls, Barnafoss Waterfalls, Blue Lagoon
Glanni Waterfall.
Glanni Waterfall.
Víðgelmir Lava Cave.
Ice inside Víðgelmir Lava Cave.
Víðgelmir Lava Cave. Us in our beautiful caving (or spelunking) helmets.
Hraunfossar Waterfalls. Note there is no river above the falls. The water is seeping through the lava fields and coming out the side of the ravine.
Barnafoss Waterfalls.
Barnafoss Waterfalls.
Pam at the Blue Lagoon.
Day 18, Saturday, July 5, 2025
Start:
End:
Distance Driven
Distance Flown: Distance Driven (US):
Major Highlights:
Silica Hotel, Grindavík, Iceland
Falmouth
22.7 km (14.2 mi)
3,914 km (2,430 mi)
74 miles
Morning at Blue Lagoon, coming home on Iceland Air Flight 631.
Our hotel is set in the midst of a lava field.
Blue Lagoon.
Greenland.
Almost every time I have flown to or from Europe, Greenland has been covered in clouds. This is the clearest I have ever seen Greenland.
Note all the icebergs.
In the white at the top, you can just barely make out the line between the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the sky.
Greenland.
Greenland.
Lessons learned from this trip:
1) Rental waders are thin, cold, and leaky. Always bring your own.
2) To avoid a Dental Hygiene emergency, either:
a) Bring an additional suitcase loaded with a case of dental floss, or
b) Consider having dental floss shipped ahead of time and pre-positioned for pick-up at various stops along the way.
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