Day 8: Grábrók Volcano and Snaefellsnes Peninsula

1 October 2018

Another late start today but that gave us time to go and see the Icelandic horses on the farm we were staying on. First quick point of call was to a monument to the rural postmen.

Then after driving quite a while through snow and sleet we reached the Grábrók volcano. It is still active because it has a magma pool beneath it but it hasn’t erupted for thousands of years. It is a perfect size for us to climb up the side of and walk around the crater. It is raining so we don’t get much of a view out to the other mountains and volcanoes around us (apparently there are 3 volcanoes in a row) but it is pretty anyway.

Lunch today is at the Stykkisholmur fishing village. Lisa stops right down in the harbour and we decide to go to a tiny little cottage that Lisa tells us is a very good fish restaurant but we would have walked straight past. We had the most amazing fresh cod burger in a black bun with sweet potato fries – a very Instagram worthy meal. (Others walked miles up the hill to somewhere they had been told made the best burgers – I think we got the better deal).

We explored the harbour area and then walked up the cliffs at the other side of the bay where we got spectacular views back over the village, including the fish facility where our lunch was likely brought in. There were lots of different birds flying around, and we also learned that 3/4 of Iceland’s eider down is produced in this area. Lisa tells us that the farmers use car tyres filled with straw for the ducks to nest in; the ducks use their own down to push into the straw to keep their eggs warm and then the farmers harvest these by hand and replace them with sheep’s wool.

Then we head onto the Snaefellsnes peninsula which is reputed to be ‘little Iceland’ in that all the features of Iceland are found here (in miniature). At least we are led to believe that but is pouring with rain and very cloudy so we can’t see much of anything at all – although we do stop regularly for walks but it seems to rain more heavily whenever we do.

We stop at reputedly the most photographed rock in Iceland – the Church rock (Kirkjufells) and its nearby waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss. I’m sure it looks wonderful on a sunny day but we were wondering why it is so popular.

There is a glacier in the middle of Snaefellsnes peninsular that is said to be the inspiration for Jules Vern’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth – but we couldn’t see it at any point in our circuit of the peninsular.

We then stopped at Djupalonssandur which is a very rocky beach complete with ship wreckage and a series of different weight stones that apparently were used to test how much use you were likely to be on a fishing boat. Of course everyone had to try it out – 23kg most could do, 54kg was more of a struggle, and then after that … (I didn’t want to work on a fishing boat anyway).

A last stop of the day was at a walk along the cliffs (a short way at least) from one village to another). It was pouring with rain and we were already wet so only a few chose to do the walk; the rest of us went to the harbour in the van – but we missed the statue of the giant who was supposed to have had an affair with the troll lady of the area!

Then it was a last push to our accommodation for the evening at a horse farm. We go to look at the horses in the stables and in the fields. We are all staying in a couple of summer houses. Some choose to cook their own meals but several of us opt for the buffet meal cooked by the Icelandic owner of the place – and are a bit surprised when we were served horse (amongst lots of other things) and it was actually quite nice.

 

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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