[Road trip in Iceland] Day 5: Glaciers, Lagoons, Langoustines & Hot Tub
After an excellent breakfast (buffet) at the Adventure Hotel Hof 1(link Booking), we first visit the two places we passed by quickly yesterday, retracing our steps a bit. We are going to see many, many, many glaciers today, because we are at the foot of Vatnajökull.
Part 1: Travel Diary Part
2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Diary
Itinerary
As usual, the complete logbook & the day by day itineraries are available on Google Maps
Stop 1: Vatnajökull
Vatnajökull is the largest ice cap in Iceland. It is the second largest glacier in Europe. And one realizes its immensity by approaching it closely. Search Haoldukvisl on Google Maps, you will see this picnic table, so well placed and in the distance, a piece of Vatnajökull. As far as the eye can see!
We follow the track perpendicular to Route 1 to get closer to it. It’s good to have a 4×4, we feel really confident on this kind of road, even if a standard car can manage well anyway, we are less afraid of gravel with our Dacia Duster.
Stop 2: Svinafellsjökull Glacier
While searching a little on Google Maps I discover a trail leading to the foot of a glacier. Good because I hate walking (there’s a hiking trail leading to the glacier next door, but it’s 1h round trip). You have to search for Svinafelljokull Parking on Google Maps. This time, it’s the real trail. It shakes in all directions, my bones scream “ow” and we had to switch to 4 wheels mode to have more power.
Arrived on the spot, as the pictures show, the sun is at the appointment and we can see the blue color of the glacier. A lagoon is formed because of the melting of the icebergs and we notice that the surface is a little frozen. The purity of this glacier leaves me speechless, there are only a few icebergs blackened by the lava, the rest is blue.
A family comes with a drone and shows us what we can see on the screen. Iceland is perfect for drones, there are so many inaccessible corners on foot that a drone will be inevitably useful to discover still many things. In some places, drones are forbidden though, because there is a lot of wind, and you risk losing your drone and inadvertently injuring someone
Stop 3 : Fjallsárlón Lagoon
There are two lagoons not very far from each other where you can see icebergs floating (and get very close to them). Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón. The first one is less frequented because it is smaller and the icebergs are less blue, but we are much more quiet too.
On the spot, one can pay for a tour on the lagoon by zodiac, but the surface seems to be frozen at the moment. In the distance, you can see the glacier at the origin of this lagoon.
Stop 4 : Jökulsárlón Lagoon
The particularity of this lagoon is that it communicates with the ocean. The icebergs break away from the glacier and float to the sea. Moreover, when we cross the bridge next door, we see huge icebergs too heavy to move. We can also take a zodiac tour to get closer to the icebergs and the glacier.
The lagoon in itself isn’thing exceptional. I don’t know if it’s because of the gray sky but the blue color just comes from the icebergs, I don’t have the impression that the water is blue.
There are foodtrucks on the parking lot (look for the one called “humar…” something, it’s the most economical way to taste the famous langoustines of the area, in the form of hot dogs). If there are too many people, go around the lagoon to get away from the thirty or so tourists who remain concentrated near the parking lot.
We cross the bridge again to go to the beach named Diamond Beach. The icebergs run aground here, the white of the icebergs contrast with the black of the sand, it’s beautiful! It looks like diamonds.
We notice that some icebergs are bluer than others. After inspection, we realize that blue icebergs have less oxygen bubbles inside than white icebergs. It is a question of “age” as well. Young glaciers are formed by the accumulation of snow, and contain quite a lot of oxygen. The older they are, the more pressure there is, and the bubbles disappear => blue color.
Stop 5 : Scampi restaurant in Höfn
This is only the 2nd restaurant that we offer ourselves since the beginning of the stay. And for a good reason: in the town of Höfn, we are served the best langoustines of the country (and probably of Europe), wild langoustines, fished by the boats that we see just in front of the restaurant.
We noted two addresses
- Humarhöfnin Veitingahus, well known for its secret black sauce
- and Pakkhus
The last one was warmly advised to us by Martha, from the guesthouse of the 2nd day so we will rather trust the locals 🙂 We arrived around 15h without reservation and were very well received.
I was expecting a tiny plate. Finally, but I was served 300g of grilled langoustines, delicious, with a pink sauce, salad and homemade bread (to fall). As for JB, he opted for Icelandic farmed salmon, very very good too. We highly recommend it!
Note: at the restaurant & even at the fast-food, tap water – very pure – is always served free of charge
The note is salty compared to France, but very correct compared to the Icelandic rates: 51€ for my langoustine plate.
Stop 6: Hoffell
After this unforgettable lunch, we retrace our steps a little to take a hot bath, but not just any bath. In the middle of a field with a view of the mountains and a glacier.
The entrance (+ towel provided) costs 1000kr/person, very affordable. There is even a shower (outside), and super clean changing rooms for changing clothes. We have the choice between 5 baths, the water varies between 38° and 40°C. The wind is partly blocked by a huge rock that hides the baths. By sticking to the hot water inlet, the most cold will appreciate this type of bath so icelandic.
The water isn’t 100% clean, there is some algae floating around, but it is much cleaner compared to the pool on the 3rd day. We recommend that you take the flip-flops with you to walk between the changing rooms & baths.
Stop 7 : Village of Vikings & Stokksnes
The village of Vikings & Stokknes is located in a private property, which has to be paid for (900kr/person). There is also a campsite on the spot (2000kr/person I believe)
This village (which they call “Old farm”) is a fake, since it was built for the shooting of a film – which was never finally produced. The sets are no longer in very good condition, but we were accompanied, during the 10 minutes walk to this fake village, by Brusi, the farm dog… Thanks to him, the walk became super interesting. Seeing him running (super fast) behind the birds, bathing in the ponds, feeling his happiness, it did us a lot of good too. It seems that Brusi accompanies all the visitors because as soon as he comes back to the reception, he hurries to make friends with another couple and accompanies them back to the village 😀 The village itself isn’t very nice in winter, but I’m sure that the green roofs in summer will seduce the instagrammers.
By badging the entrance ticket, we have access to a road (accessible by car) leading to the beach of Strokksnes. From the black sandy beach we have a breathtaking view of the Vestrahorn mountain, the paradise for photographers (and rock climbers). Unfortunately my photos were not a great success because of the weather. In good weather, we can see Vestrahorn reflecting on the water (look on google maps)
During the Second World War, it was a military base for the British army, then the United Nations built a radio station here. Now the Icelandic air defense system uses this station to monitor Icelandic airspace. You can walk to the (ugly) lighthouse.
On the way…
Just after that, we take a small tunnel (the first of our journey), in direction of our cottage for this evening, near Djupivogur. The landscapes remain sumptuous in spite of the bad weather.
Bragdavellir Cottages
Tonight, we have a youppiiii cottage just for us! This type of chalet is available just about everywhere in Iceland. It can accommodate a whole family (in this case 6 people in our case). Of course, the price isn’t the same whether we are 2 or 6. With a last-minute reservation and in low season (April 2019), we paid only 90€ (against 336€ in July 2019), for two people. I let you watch the video if you want to know more about Bragdavellir Cottages(link Booking)
In any case, thanks to a private bathroom, we were able to wash some clothes for the first time of our trip. I wear in 1st layer merino wool, which doesn’t need to be washed often (especially when we take a shower every day). It dries in one night, very practical!
Despite the “end of the world” location of the farm, unfortunately, the sky is too overcast to see the northern lights, so I received an alert on my app. Too bad, we’ll have other opportunities.
Our next article in Iceland? it is by here
Part 2: Practical Tips
Budget
Rate in April 2019: 100kr = 0.75€
- Restaurant Pakkhus in Höfn: 10940kr
- Hot bath in Hoffell: 1000kr/person, towel included. Credit card accepted
- Entrance to Strokksnes & Viking village: 900kr/person (credit card accepted)
- Tunnel : free
- Accommodation : Bragdavellir Cottages(Booking link) : a private cottage for 2 for 90€ per night
- Gasoline: 6816kr
