Our route would take us to Akureyri, but with a detour to see Dettifoss, the areas most impressive waterfall:
We left Egilsstadir in the sleet and crossed the lake heading east. As the sleet eased we passed river gorge where I decided to pull over and check it out. Not the most impressive, but of interest.
Moving into the highlands Pink-footed Geese now became of interest. For the trip so far we had seen plenty of Greylag Geese, and a few groups of Barnacle Geese in the south east. Greylag and Pink-foots breed on Iceland, and it has always been the fact that the Greylags occupy the lowlands and the Pink-foots the highlands, but more recently the Pink-foots have been found moving lower down than traditionally found.
We were on the look out for the smaller and darker Pink-foots as we drove along and had brief views in flight of a pair just before we pulled over to see Rjukandafoss. The guide books do not refer to it, but it is an impressive waterfall.
The waterfall falls 139 metres into the plunge pool which was dotted with ice, and around the outside there was snow.
It was cold, it was windy, and ahead of us it looked like we would encounter some more snow.
For the mean time it was dry, and we came across a herd of Whooper Swan in a field. I was able to pull over and get some photographs with the snow field in the background. This enhanced the view of wild swans.
They started to move away but not too far.
A pair behind made there way across the field to join the others, almost in step.
Finally a pair with the mountain in the background.
Another field a little further along had what we were looking for a group of Pink-footed Geese, although they were very distant.
They breed high up into the highlands, but when they arrive from migration if the weather is still too bad they will gather in fields such as these waiting for the thaw. As I stood watching them a pair flew in and landed much closer to the road.
Helen the pointed out quite a dramatic waterfall hidden amongst the partially snow covered cliffs.
As we climbed higher along the road we passed into the snow on either side of us, but the road remained clear.
But it wasn't long until the snow was found gathering on the road surface too.
The mountains on either side of the road were gathering a good amount of snow.
We took advantage of a parking place to stop and to take in the scenery around us. The black sand contrasting with the brilliant white of the snow
The black and white monochromatic scenery a complete contrast to what we would have seen without the snow.
Looking out across the valley a river flowed amongst the snow.
Once again it was Helen who found a pair of Pink-footed Geese tucked away in a bend in the stream, and they were scratching away for grass.
Leaving the geese behind we returned to what was now a clear road through the snow covered mountains.
Clouds rolled in and out revealing the peaks either side of us contrasting the the black and white.
Dramatic scenery that was totally unexpected.
After about 160 kilometres into the journey we came across the turn for Dettifoss, from here it was another 30 kilometres which started dry but very soon the snow returned. As we arrived in the car park there were a lot of cars and people all huddled under warm and wet weather gear. We sat and waited, but the snow did not subside. It was a kilometre walk to the falls, and eventually we decided to take it. As we set out the wind and snow seemed to step it up, the walk threaded its way down a trail over wet and icy black rock. Finally we reached the falls and could see this.
The falls are not the highest (45 metres) or widest (100 metres) waterfall in Iceland, but a massive 400 cubic metres of water pass over the edge every second at this time of year. That makes this waterfall the greatest volume of any fall in Europe. Apparently on clearer days the spray produces many rainbows and can be seen from over a kilometre away, but, in the words of Noel Gallagher, "but not today".
We could have walked up river, we could have walked down to an observation platform but we didn't it was so cold. Instead we headed back to the car, and headed back again to the ring road. As we left Dettifoss the snow eased, and by the time we turned onto the ring road there was blue sky and signs of sunshine, this is an amazing place.
A trip to the volcanic crater at Krafla was aborted again due to more snow, so instead we pulled into the magical ochre-toned world of Hverir. This is a lunar like landscape of mud cauldrons, steaming vents and bright, radiant mineral deposits.
Despite the steam and hot mud it was still very cold as we walked around this un worldly place.
Streams of water evaporating and leaving salts
The area is flanked by high hills known as the Namafjall Ridge where vents let out steam from the activity below
Safe pathways through the various features have been roped off. In place the ground is very thin and below are life threatening scalding hot mud and water.
Steam vents covered by rocks belch out sulphur smelling steam that briefly warms the cold arctic air.
Here you can see the strength of the wind sending the steam horizontally across the desert like land.
Through all this heat and fire the ice on the top of the mountains still remain away in the distance over the Martian like landscape.
The ring road then climbs the pinky-orange Namafjall Ridge that back Hverir and tumbles down its far side towards Myvatn. The road drops down to the small town of Reykjahlid, we passed through this and headed around the northern side of Lake Myvatn. There is a sealed road that circles the lake for 36 kilometres. We would take the north and west side today. The road follows close to the lake shore while small pools could be found on the other side of the road too. We stopped in one bay where there was a collection of duck.
Another sleeping Long-tailed Duck.
While several Scaup were cautiously keeping an eye on me.
As the ring road meets route 868, the road that skirts the rest of the lake we crossed the river Laxa, and then followed it north on the ring road. After a short way there was a pull in and I was able to get the chance to watch the duck in the fast flowing water. Overhead three Barrows Goldeneye flew past.
There was a single Harlequin Duck but this drifted away, the dominate duck though was the Barrow's Goldeneye. Named after Sir John Barrow who was a second secretary to the Admiralty in the nineteenth century among many roles. He promoted a lot of Arctic voyages and as a result the duck was named after him.
Adults are similar in appearance to the common Goldeneye. Adult males have a dark head with a purplish gloss and a white crescent at the front of the face. Adult females have a mostly yellow bill.
The male Barrow's Goldeneye differs from the male common Goldeneye in the fact that the common Goldeneye has a round white patches on the face, less black on the back of the bird, a greenish gloss, and a larger bill. For the females, the common Goldeneye has a less rounded head, and a bill in which only the tip is yellow
The Goldeneye would drift down the river with the current, and then dive into the water battling up stream, popping up and drifting down water to then fly back again.
To rest they gather in a small bay where the water eddies and allows them the chance to rest and not to have to battle the current. A couple of Wigeon were present too.
Wind had been the feature of the day, and as we headed north west we passed pools where the waves were whipped up and lapping against the shore. Turning right at the junction with route 845 we passed the Godafoss waterfall, not stopping today and headed on towards Akureyri.
It all gets a little confusing then. We entered a 7.5 kilometre toll tunnel and arrived on what felt like the western side of the Fjord, but was in fact the eastern side having entered the tunnel from the north. The tunnel has only recently opened in 2017, and you pay the toll on line after passing through. The tunnel shortens the journey by 16 kilometres when it used to go over the Vikursard mountain pass, which can be blocked by snow.
From the tunnel we cross the Fjord in to Iceland's second city Akureyri. With a population of 18,000 it is once again far from a metropolis, but there were bars and shops in a downtown area. After checking in at our hotel we walked into town, found a bar and spend the rest of the afternoon, and also had dinner. For the first time on the trip we were staying two nights here, as tomorrow we were heading north to whale watch in Husavik. It would also be an opportunity to explore the area and to spend time around Lake Myvatn and Godafoss. The one hope was though that the weather improves, while it contributed spectacularly to the scenery and landscape we had traveled through today it would not have been fun to be out on the sea in.
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