Northward Ho!

So for my last day in Iceland I thought it would be a great idea to drive North, as far I could, before I got tired and had to turn back. 14 hours later and I have one beautiful drive behind me.

I started with a 124km journey from Reykjavik to Hruanfossar. A very scenic route with the pay-off being a set of gorgeous baby waterfalls. From Hraunfossar I attempted to go to Hvammstangi. A simple 119km route that should have only taken an hour and forty minutes but instead took me nearly 3 hours because apparently Google Maps thought I had a rugged 4×4. I did not. And an hour and a half out of my way after the third time I got stuck and almost slid off into the embankment I decided to cut my losses on the proposed route, double back and take a more main route. Lesson learned. The quickest, most direct route in Iceland, isn’t always the best.

After finally arriving at Hvammstangi, I decided to say screw it and drove the entire Vatnsnes Peninsula, all the way around to Blönduós. Another 3 hour route, but one dotted with seals, horses, and beautiful vistas of the Arctic and snowy peaks of Northern Iceland.

From Blönduós I then tried to make it as far as Akureyri but only made it to Sauðárkrókur, a town halfway between both points, before deciding it was time to turn back.  The thought of the already 4 hour ride back to Reykjavik was none too enticing.