Day 3 - 4.8. Going to North – Myvatn

It wasn’t hard to wake up early thanks to the Italians on ground floor. It needed little bit of assertiveness to conquer the kitchen and prepare morning tea. After breakfast we shortly explored neighborhood of camp.


Here you can see the tubes with hot and cold water leading to pool

Path going from the camp around the thermal area, nice walk for 1 hour

Old hut close to camp

Then we quickly packed ourselves and jumped into the car. Through the F35 road we headed to North again. Landscape changed little bit of „Mars“  was exchanged for little bit more green and grassy hills.

Green Iceland

First target of the day was Glaumbær – old buildings made from turfs, used now as museum.

View to whole historic area

Inside the turf house

Front side

Touristic center

By surprise we even received Czech brochure. All buildings are well preserved and give good overview how life was in past here. From here we went back to Road 1 and visited second largest city in Iceland – Akureyri. We came to the town during some festival so we had chance to see live music, street food and of course center itself – the dominant church, pedestrian zone and very small harbor. We took lunch in recommended Bautinn restaurant and as most tourists we tasted whale meat. It was ok; definitely different than anything else, we agreed that’s its something between steak, livers and wild. After meat stuff we took sweet bomb in Cafe Paris.

Some local heroes in Akureyri and me

Whale meat at Bautinn

Cafe Paris

Our sweet end at Cafe Paris

Next stop Godafoss – waterfall of gods. Again little bit different waterfall in horseshoe shape. We took longer path from gas station and it was really worth it. One hour later we reached our final destination for this day Myvatn Lake.

Godafoss

Myvatn lake

Already first stop justified the name – Lake of mosquitoes, they were everywhere, not biting but quite annoying. Our camp was beneath the small local airport, in front of lava field, as MasterCard says priceless view. We booked in advance a small cottage for 5 people and after first experience from Hveravellir was like Hilton for us.

Our hut for tonight

View to our hut (the one in the middle) photo from lava field

Hverfjall volcano

View from Hverfjall volcano to Dimmuborgir (we will go there tomorow)

We were allowed to use even luxury kitchen in guest house (pasta dinner), what we could have asked for more. Before we went sleep we made two small trips: first climbing on Hverfjall volcano, second natural thermal spa in Jardbodin. Both amazing, Hverfjall was our first volcano, we got here great overview above Myvatn area. It was also nice exercise and preparation for next daysJ. Jardbodin was also nice but price was little bit rubbish – 2800ISK per person.

Jardbodin baths

Driving 334km, road F35, ring 1, road 848

Day 4 - 5.8. Day of whale

August 5th was a busy day. There was time only for quick breakfast in our camp, then we spent about an hour in Dimmuborgir by walking between unbelievable lava shapes.

Dimmuborgir

Dimmuborgir

It reminded me some kind of prehistoric mountains miniatures. Then we had to go already to Husavik to meet whales. Booking in advance worked and our boat from North Sailing for 12 p.m. was available. As usual we took express lunch in harbor snack and quickly on the boat. Weather so nice in Iceland shortly changed and after few minutes on the sea there was only fog. Nevertheless we had luck and saw white beaked dolphins and humpback whale several times. I can only confirm that it pays off to take all clothes on boat, you will need them (including gloves, mask, cap etc.). After 3 hours we were frozen to ice and back in harbor.

Our boat Nattfari

Our host

Jellyfish

Dolphin under the keel

Humpback whale

Humpback whale

When everybody moves on left side boat lose the balance easily

It was realy cold, hot tea was priceless

Next hour we dedicated to Whale museum, which is located in former whale slaughter house (quite ironic), have to say super exhibition not only about whales but also how important it is to save them – if still possible.

Whale museum from outside

Whale museum from inside

The second museum we were looking for was Penises museum, yes you heard correctly in Iceland they have it. You can see all penises from different animals, but our two years old guide lied to us, museum was moved to Reykjavik. Thus no penis - no museum. After Husavik and whales we continued to Krafla area, still very active area where you can find geothermal power plant, volcano with beautiful blue Viti lake and a pedestrian path around boiling mudpoints and through smoking rocks. Of course everything surrounded by never ending lava field. That’s something what you get used to it, lava fields everywhere.

Viti lake at Krafla

Geothermal powerplant at Krafla area

Neverending lava fields at Krafla

Boiling mudpoints at Krafla

Guys took hot dog at a small kiosk on parking slot here, it was quite funny because the guy just finished toilet cleaning, hotdog felt him down on ground and generally hygiene was little bit discutable. Anyway both guys survived. Have to mention that in Iceland you can buy (and eat) chocolate bar named Lava, good name indeed. Our last stop for today was waterfall triangle Detifoss, Selfoss and Hafragilsfoss. But first we saw how to not drive on F road, see attached picture. Its dangerous to underestimate driving here. Waterfalls as usual breathtaking, Dettifoss with its giant power and Selfoss with the length.

Shortly before we get to waterfalls we met horses on the road, beutifull

Dettifoss



Selfoss

Hafragilsfoss

Dont underestimate driving here

Now we have to take decision where to sleep, there was no reservation for this day, originally we decided to sleep in Grimsstadir camp I or camp II (under tent), but on the way back from Myvatn (we had to go back to take fuel before the next day) we made much better decision, lets continue further to Askja and sleep under Queen of Mountains alias Herdubreid. It was „only 60 kilometers “.  After 1 hour of driving we found out that these 60 kilometers will be long ones, terrain was real off road. Still best should come – first serious wade. At midnight, with no light, Ivo took decision to be a hero and went to investigate how deep the water was. Luckily wade was shallow and we could continue.

How romantic, if you dont need on the other side

Guide how to wade

and quite motivating sign. Close to this wade was parked digger, we were sure that mainly because tourists and their cars in river.

There were next few rivers we had to cross and once we had to wade along the river. Absolutely destroyed at 1 a.m. we reached our camp site Herðubreiðarlindir. There is no better chance to build tent for first time then in the middle of the night under car lights. But we made it, not 100%, but good enough for sleeping. Ivo took car as a shelter.

Our appartment

 Driving 366km, roads 1, 87, 85, 87, 1, road to Krafla, 864, 1, F88

Day 5 - 6.8. Day with Askja

After that tough night we slept until 10 a.m. But our painful way here was appraised by beautiful area we reached; they call it oasis in wasteland. Land with grass, trees and a small river was big difference to everything around this place where you can find only dust and rocks (and lava of course).

Green oasis

Our tent

We took breakfast in guesthouse (which was absolutely free last night) and had to say goodbye to this lovely place. We had still 40 kilometers to Askja. It took us another hour to get there. We quickly checked conditions and decided to use reservation I made before in guest house. Dreki hut/camp was based on dust and sand and it was very windy, we were not sure if our „supermarket“ tent would like this weather. The guest house was very nice, clean and quite new, the kitchen well equipped. At 1 p.m. we started our trek to Askja. It was definitely one of the best ones, 9 kilometers, 500 metres elevation, 3 hours.

Approaching Dreki camp under Askja



Enjoy

Up to the hill through the Askja



Big lake inside Askja caldera

Area inside the Askja is enormous

View from the askja to the neighborhood (with Jirka in green)

Ivo that day on diet took only one bag of nuts, they were done after one hour. Anyway after 3 hours going up and down and up and down we finally reached big lake inside the caldera and also small Viti lake where it’s possible to swim. Water here  was 25 C and is blue. After short bathing we noticed that we stink like miners from sulfur mine (and mainly our towels). Have to say that this smell was with us for the rest of our stay in Iceland – yep some water really smells here.

Smelly Viti lake

and we are inside

For the way back we had two teams, one with Ivo practicing hitch-hiking back to camp and Jirka and I going back 9 kilometers over the whole Askja volcano. This time it took us only 2 hours. In camp Ivo in the meantime prepared our favorite Heinz beans and a goulash soup. Then it was time to pee and go sleep.

Coming back to camp

Driving 33km, roads F88 and F910