Third time in Iceland. This time I took my father with me. We spent a week up north and truly made the most of it. I revisited lots of places I’ve already seen but no matter. It was a super fun week and we were blessed with amazing weather.

Day 1

We started right away after arriving and drove around Reykjanes peninsula for some lava field action. We visited the Miðlína bridge, Gunnuhver geothermal area, Reykjanes lighthouse and Valahnúkamöl ridge with the stunning rocky beach. We finished with Brimketill natural pool and spend the night in Grindavik.

Day 2

We had hoped to visit the erupting volcano the next day, but it wasn’t active at the time. So we decided to push forward to Selatangar beach where we spotted our first seal and hiked through Katlahraun lava field. Next up was Grænavatn, Krýsuvík and a dip in Skátalaug hot spring. Needless to say, Reykjanes is really calm and we were mostly alone. We then passed Kleifarvatn and tried to cross Reykjanesfólkvangur but it was closed halfway. So we doubled back and drove to Hveragerði via Reykjavík for our hike to Reykjadalur, the Valley of Steam. Beautiful hike, stunning conditions and a hot reward up top. A nice stroll around Reykjavík was the perfect way to end the day.

I utilized the new Fujinon XF 70-300mm F4-5.6 R LM OIS WR for this trip and I was super happy with the results. I’m still rocking my Fujifilm X-T3 though. Happy with it but it might be a good time to switch to the newer X-T5 soon.

As usual feel free to contact Fujifilm Slovenija. They offer great deals on everything Fuji.

Day 3

Another clear morning and great forecast which we used for the hike towards Glymur waterfall. We tried to take the circular route again but it was closed off and rightfully so. The shaded side of the valley was completely frozen and it would be impossible to go on. Also the log on the river was removed, so there’s that. We reached the partly frozen waterfall anyway. As we were ahead of our plan we simply finished the day in a pool in Mosfellsbær.

Day 4

Intense day. We started early and departed Reykjavík for Snaefellsnes peninsula. That’s a truly spectacular drive. Our first stop was Gerðuberg from where we visited Ytri Tunga. We had better luck this time around as the beach was full of seals. And they weren’t shy at all. There must’ve been around 50 of them just laying around sunbathing.

We also caught glimpses of Snæfellsjökull which was a welcome sight that followed us through the whole day. Next stops included Bjarnarfoss, Búðakirkja with Búða beach, Rauðfeldsgjá gorge. We then parked our rental in Arnarstapi and walked by the shore towards Hellnar. The coast there is spectacular.

Lóndrangar was new for me. This dramatic basalt rock formation is worth a short stop at the viewpoint. Saxhóll crater was another stop and then onwards to Ingjaldshóll with its spectacular backdrop of Snæfellsjökull. We ended the day with an adventurous approach to Svöðufoss and spent the night in mural-covered Hellisandur.

Day 5

The next day was cloudy and rainy but no matter as we didn’t have much of a plan next to making the drive back from Snaefellsnes. So we started with Olafsvik and checked the nearby Bæjarfoss. Next up were the familiar Kirkjufell, Grundarfjörður and pushed on towards Berserkjahraun. We then turned right on Route 56 and crossed the peninsula. We made a quick stop at Landbrotalaug as well. Cute little hot pool.

Mosfellsbær was our final destination that day which we reached quite quickly. So naturally we opted out for a local pool again. Always a good idea. Such an awesome way to finish a cold day.

Day 6

We used our location well and visited Þingvellir the next day. Came in early, first ones there and we checked the whole area calmly. The golden circle led us on towards Kerið which was surprisingly crowded. Next up was Haukadalur valley geothermal area with Strokkur. Lots more going on regarding tourism there. 10 minutes away was Gullfoss. Partly frozen and massive as always.

Brúarhlöð was a random find by the road. Lovely gorge without the crowds. Our accommodation was in Flúðir which was kind of underwhelming. The Secret lagoon is super packed with plenty of buses from Reykjavík. The nearby Hrunalaug Hot Spring was also a letdown. The landlady is parked up front and collects tickets and the pool itself is packed. I was surprised by this central location in general as I expected a way less touristy area. It was getting late anyway so we hit the hay.

Day 7

Next day was south day. Or waterfall day. We hit 5 waterfalls, 2 of them new and just as spectacular; Gluggafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Árjánurfoss, Skogafoss and Kvernufoss. We made friends with two absolutely mental dogs at Árjánurfoss. They kept biting rocks and digging them up. The most random thing ever. Gluggafoss and Árjánurfoss in general were great as we were there completely alone. Except the dogs. We also checked out Skógar museum. Interesting place.

The weather was then getting shittier towards the south, so our visit of Sólheimajökull was a bit sour. Super dusty and windy. But we had to go on towards Dyrhólaey and Arnardrangur. The sea was mad! We got situated in Vík í Mýrdal, dried our clothes, had a quick drive around, grabbed some burgers, beers and hit the local pool.

Day 8

Our final day was here. The sun was shining as soon as we left Mýrdalsjökull’s reach. We were presented with some amazing views of Eyjafjallajökull and Westman Islands on the other side. We drove back west, stopped quickly at Urriðafoss and again at Krísuvíkurberg, another dramatic cliff location.

Until next time, Iceland.