Iceland Day 3 On the Ring Road from Akureyri to Hofn

 When we last left off on our five day drive around Iceland's Ring Road, we had settled into our hotel in Akureyri. So let's get on the road again and cover our third day from Akureyri to Hofn!

Godafoss

Our first stop was at Godafoss, a waterfall about 45 minutes from Akureyri. At 39 feet, the Waterfall of the Gods is not the tallest, or highest waterfall but it is steeped in legend and history. The history of the waterfall is connected to the conversion of Icelanders to Christianity - European countries, especially Norway, were pressuring Iceland to convert so the leader at the time decided that they would become Christian. He threw his idols of the old Norse religion into the waterfall and it has been known as Gotafoss ever since. 

There is parking available and stairs with paved walkways down to the falls where you can see the views from both sides. It was quite cold and windy when we were there with moody skies highlighting the falls. 

Lake Myvatn Geothermal Area

Myvatn is a volcanic lake in northern Iceland. Some locals consider it the most beautiful in all of Iceland. This lake was created as a result of a massive basalt eruption. We drove around the lake and stopped at the Sigurgeir's Bird Museum which displays the largest private bird collection in Iceland (be forewarned that this is a stuffed bird collection so don't go if that freaks you out) Sigurgeir collected some 180 species and 300 specimens, plus a few eggs, of birds. The museum is right by the lake with great views and some bird hides for bird watching.

As with so many places in Iceland, this is a unique and quirky place to stop. We hadn't planned to stop here - it was just a pop in on a whim - and we just kept laughing "Who knew?" afterwards.

Iceland is positioned on a volcanic hotspot and is a global leader in geothermal energy using it to heat homes and generate electricity. There are several geothermal areas that you can visit. One of the most famous is Namafjall, an area of fumaroles and bubbling pools that you could see from a mile away. We stopped in this area on our way east from Lake Myvatn.

Permanent hot shower 24/7

Seydisfjordur

After seeing many photos of this little town online, I put in a request to stop here. It was no easy feat. It sits 16.7 miles from the Ring Road so it sounded easy, right?  The drive in was up a mountain (the Fjaroarheidi Mountain, do you know it?) - with fantastic views on the way up - and then we hit some of the thickest fog I've ever been in at the top. Luckily, our driver (Mr. UR) was able to navigate through this pea soup and managed to keep our car on the road. (We came to find out that this fog, and rain and snow are very common here due to it's location)

Seydisfjordur is located in the inner corner of the fjord of the same name. That mountain road that I just wrote about is the only way to get to the rest of Iceland - unless, you're going by boat. (It is a key transportation hub for a ferry to Denmark and The Faroe Islands - the only ferry from/to Iceland) The population is only 700 yet it has a vibrant arts and culture scene. It also has retail shops, a library, hospital and campgrounds. In the past its economy was run by the fishing industry, settled by Norwegian fishermen, but now it is a hopping cruise ship port. (One was in town when we were there)

Some little known facts about Seyfjordur:

 - In 1906, it was the first spot for a cable between Iceland and Europe

- It was a base for Allied Forces during the Second World War

- It was a filming location for the tv series Trapped

 - In December 2020, the largest landslide ever to hit Iceland happened here destroying 13 buildings. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Once we made it to town, the first order of business was to take photos of the rainbow street. Then we hopped into a few shops, got gas at the pink gas station and had a bite to eat at . It's a charming little place but I'm not sure about staying for a long time - though, there are tours that head out from here and supposedly lots of nature and outdoor things to do.

Beljandi Brewery

We stopped at this microbrewery in the town of Breiddalsvik for a beverage, something to eat and to stretch our legs (This was one of our longest days in the car) Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn't serving so we talked to our Hungarian bartender and grabbed pizza from the general store next store. It's another funky place - it's in an old restored house with retro furniture - and their small batch brews are brewed here. A fun stop - and good pizza, too!

East Fjords

The East Fjords of Iceland are a dramatic, remote region with a jagged coastline and colorful fishing towns. I think it is one of the most stunning and beautiful parts of Iceland. 

We spent the better part of the night driving through this gorgeous area of the country - which was incredibly deserted - before we ended at our guest house in Hofn at about 10pm. It was however, still light out as it was the time of the midnight sun. Here are some photos of around 11:30pm:

Once again, I'll reiterate that if you have a chance to visit Iceland, do it. It's such a beautiful - and quirkily delightful - place!

How about you? Have you driven the Ring Road in Iceland?

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!