Non UK Crashed DC-3 on Sólheimasandur beach

dan_yell

dan_yell

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Hello all.

I want to try and finally make it to this on my next visit. I don't plan on driving to it, as I will have the tiny Mctiny hire car - has anyone ever parked at the road and walked there - I understand it's about 4km, which, weather safety permitting, I'm happy to do.
Can anyone recommend the best time of day to go for photos? I am staying in Vik so could either go on the way to my accommodation, or get to Vik and get settled and then drive back if later in the day would be better. It will be mid September.

thanks in advance :)
 
We're also visiting Iceland around then, and have this on our list. Would be keen to know the answers. We were planning on driving down though - is the access road that bad? I understand that some of the roads to attractions in the Vik area had been upgraded - the cave round the headland from Vik now has a cafe by the car park, for example.
 
@julianhj I've read that it may be possible to do it in a 2wd but that a 4wd is better. I don't want to take the risk of getting stuck and I'm not confident driving on unmade roads. I did do the road to Dettifoss which was pretty gnarly but was in a Vitara, I'll prob in a yaris or Hyundai i10. I'll also be by myself so if I got stuck in the car, I'd be a bit buggered. I suppose walking isn't that safe either (in regards to if bad weather came in, or my foot fell off, not that I'd get mugged), but I think I would find it less stressful! I doubt the insurance taken out on the car would cover damage on this route and I just don't want to take that risk. Unless you're going at the same time, and you can pick me up by route 1 ha ha ;-)

As this isn't an official 'attraction' like the waterfalls etc, I don't think anyone maintains the road to it.
 
Dan, am going there next week as part of doing the south coast so can't answer your question yet but what I have read it's safe to drive down to it preferably with a four wheel drive car.
Stick to the marked out route and all should be ok, or if you wish to walk it from the road it takes about an hour.
I am sure many on this forum have done this so hope they spot this thread and give some info.
 
There is a sign at the small parking area where the track leaves the road. This says that 2WD vehicles are not allowed. 4WD only. You may wish to ignore this - at your peril! It is a rough road. Your insurance probably will be invalid.
There is a marked route that initially seems to go in completely the wrong direction, but do follow it - it does go to the right place. You won't see the wreck until you are virtually on top opf it.
We did see people walking out to it, but there appeared to be some gulies that they had to cross. They seemed to be some distance out when we set off, but by the time we had driven there and taken our shots they still hadn't arrived. In good weather and if you have plenty of time then it shouldn't be a problem. When we went everywhere was covered in snow and ice and there's no way we ever contemplated walking out.
 
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@KEV145 would welcome your thoughts when you return. As i will be 2wd, i am unlikley to attempt it. I'm happy to walk, weather permitting :)

@mickledore yes, i'm pretty sure any insurance would not cover such a route, so i quickly ruled out driving it. I believe it takes about an hour to walk it, which I'm happy to do, weather permitting. It will be mid September, so i'm *fairly* (as much as you can be in icelandic weather) that I can walk it. If it was snow and ice, then no thank you ma'am - I will have to make a final decision at the time. I had thought about going for sunset, but if I am walking, I think walking back in pitch black, by myself, might not be a good idea. I'm hoping there will be others on this page who may have done it on foot that can advise. It's unlikely that I will have a 4wd drive car on any visit as it's too expensive for me but I'm determined to see the bloody thing, this will be my 6th visit! (although to be fair i didn't know about it on the 1st two trips in 2006, 2007)
 
I wouldn't advise walking it, mainly because there are some relatively deep dips on the way down and in snow/slush, it would be easy to get VERY wet (and then cold) feet. Similarly, I wouldn't advise using a 2WD to get down the track. You might get down the track OK but when we visited the second time last March (same trip as Mickledore but different car), the snow had melted and we could see the very jagged sump ripping rocks at the gateway to the semi official track. I have a feeling that a dose of overexuberance driving down the track might have contributed to the cracked windscreen the third car suffered - uninsured... (£800 or so IIRC.)
 
@Nod i think i will have to see how the lay of the land is at the time, i'm not expecting snow/slush, but you never know and would prob be water otherwise. it's really annoying as i highly unlikley to have a 4wd, it's just so much more than the 2wd that i wouldnt be able to go. i'd really like to be able to walk, it would be a much more relaxing walk than it would be drive!
 
Nod said:
ack. I have a feeling that a dose of overexuberance driving down the track might have contributed to the cracked windscreen the third car suffered - uninsured... (£800 or so IIRC
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Our car also experienced some rather exuberant driving. Great fun it was. Think Andy was just unlucky. Don't think we had insurance. There but for the grace of God....
 
Two years ago(at the beginning of April) I walked down to it with no problems, it took me 45 minutes each way at a brisk rate. I was put off driving by our hotel host warning about soft gravel and that they had towed a few cars out in the past.....as most car hire excess more or less buys the car:D...I walked! That said I was passed by two 2wd cars on the way down, who did there visit and passed me again on the way back!......but I did have the place to myself. At times I did feel 'isolated' because most of the walk you cannot see the highway, the sea, the plane until your on it - but I just followed the car tracks. Certainly would not do it in a snowstorm/fog/rain:D
Well worth the effort.....enjoy.
 
your insurance won't cover you for that part of the drive.

In november, we had no issues in a 2WD.

It's quite a way and nowhere at the main road to park really.

It's one of the most surreal things I've ever seen.
 
yeah @itsdavedotnet i am not risking it for the insurance for that reason :) heard too many stories. Perhaps im just not risky enough to do it, but not comfortable driving on unmade road either so dont fancy getting stuck either as ill be by myself

@mulch thanks for your input. Im hoping sept weather will be good to me, but of course Iceland is unpredictable. I may consult with my air bnb host what they think too. I'm quite happy to walk, it will feel more rewarding. its good to hear from soneone who's done it! was there anything water or anything you had to pass?
 
@mulch thanks for your input. Im hoping sept weather will be good to me, but of course Iceland is unpredictable. I may consult with my air bnb host what they think too. I'm quite happy to walk, it will feel more rewarding. its good to hear from soneone who's done it! was there anything water or anything you had to pass?[/QUOTE]

I don't recall any features I passed, just lots of undulating gravel/ash. I just followed the tracks of vehicles which had driven down. I parked the car just off the highway where the gap is in the fence, on some grass/gravel with no problems.
 
@mulch yes thats what i was hoping to do, not a car park exactly but somewhere to leave the car. i guess there will be enough vehicle tracks to follow, good point. I had thought about going for sunset, but walking back in the pitch black might be less advisable, even if i have a head torch...
 
@mickledore ha nice! i've not got there yet! I think this is one thing i wish i wasnt going by myself for. i'd like to see the aurora from there, if they are about obv, but just a bit concerned about getting lost solo!
 
@dan_yell - We'll be there a couple of weeks after you, and we'll definitely have a 4 wheel drive of some sort.
@KEV145 - would be interested to hear what condition the road is currently in, for example is high clearance a must, or can it be safely passed with for example an Octavia 4x4? We're just about to book the car and I'm not sure to go for an SUV or estate (will be 4x4 regardless)
 
Julian, the road conditions over there change in hours, if not minutes. Ground clearance is the key (as I'm sure you're aware), especially when trying to get over snow and a couple of inches can make all the difference. Studded tyres helped us a lot too and we were there (as mentioned) in March last year so probably a bit warmer than now.

Whatever you hire, drive safe and have a great time! Traffic on the ring road (pretty much the only road we used) was very light and everybody seems to be pretty good about their speeds. Plenty of long straights if you do get stuck behind something but look out for sudden deeper snow if the weather's throwing that at you.
 
@julianhj cool, maybe I'll change my trip so I can hitch a ride with you then :p

Don't know who you are renting with, but I found best price (for small car anyway) with Geysir. You could also try the rental offer that you'll find on I heart Reykjavik blog.

Of course ignore me if that's where you've been looking :)
 
Nod said:
Julian, the road conditions over there change in hours, if not minutes. Ground clearance is the key (as I'm sure you're aware), especially when trying to get over snow and a couple of inches can make all the difference. Studded tyres helped us a lot too and we were there (as mentioned) in March last year so probably a bit warmer than now.

Whatever you hire, drive safe and have a great time! Traffic on the ring road (pretty much the only road we used) was very light and everybody seems to be pretty good about their speeds. Plenty of long straights if you do get stuck behind something but look out for sudden deeper snow if the weather's throwing that at you.
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Thanks, sounds like an SUV the way to go then? We're hoping there won't be snow in early October, but I guess anything is possible.
 
dan_yell said:
@julianhj cool, maybe I'll change my trip so I can hitch a ride with you then :p

Don't know who you are renting with, but I found best price (for small car anyway) with Geysir. You could also try the rental offer that you'll find on I heart Reykjavik blog.

Of course ignore me if that's where you've been looking :)
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I'm not sure who we're going with, it's normally Hertz for our US trips, and my wife ( @sarahhj ) has been doing the research. I'll check out those too.
 
julianhj said:
I'm not sure who we're going with, it's normally Hertz for our US trips, and my wife ( @sarahhj ) has been doing the research. I'll check out those too.
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Sorry, i meant to say the special offer on the i heart reykjavik blog is with Budget and is cheaper than going direct through them (she said anyway). I found Geysir cheaper, and included all the possible insurance you could get. but as i say, just for a small car, but i cant see why they wouldnt be good value for the rest too. The office for Geysir is not inside the terminal building, but a few mins walk, which i didnt have a problem finding.
 
Going there tomorrow morning so will give an update when I get back. We have a four wheel drive booked with studded tyres so hoping that should see us down to the crash site but will decide on the day as has been said conditions change quickly,
 
Thanks @KEV145 - weather has been a bit gnarly along the South Coast the past few days so i'd be hoping for better conditions in mid Sept, to be considering walking.

Stay safe and have a great time :)
 
sarahhj said:
I'm not sure - it would still mean passing over private land I guess.

The cynic in me says this is leading to a booth where you can pay to access the land, or perhaps pay more for a "guided tour"...
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If the Icelandic people were that way inclined there would have been booths at the major attractions for years. The farmer's probably fed up with dragging people out of his field when they get stuck. The plane's also wearing away and is getting pretty ropey in places as well as being gradually removed for scrap.
 
The road wasn't in the best condition when we went this time last year. Andy cracked his windscreen doing a mere 50 mph!
 
Rather than a 2wd, is there anywhere you can hire a local guide to take you? We've found great successin the past with local guides (local language) overcoming barriers
 
Nod said:
If the Icelandic people were that way inclined there would have been booths at the major attractions for years. The farmer's probably fed up with dragging people out of his field when they get stuck. The plane's also wearing away and is getting pretty ropey in places as well as being gradually removed for scrap.
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I was basing this on having heard about a booth at Kerid, which wasn't there when we last went. Also the farmer charging for road access to Stokksnes, which again sounded like a fairly recent thing. I've also read about paying at the road to be driven to the plane wreck... whether that is the farmer or someone else doing that I don't know. In researching our next trip, I am discovering how Iceland seems to have changed since I last went in 2007. Tourism in on the increase and some people do seem to be taking advantage of it.
 
mickledore said:
The road wasn't in the best condition when we went this time last year. Andy cracked his windscreen doing a mere 50 mph!
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Didn't stop us having a pretty awesome drive to it in the snow. That was great fun!

Glad I got to do that drive before they closed access to the road. :(
 
@sarahhj it is pretty amazing the increase in visitors since i first went in 2006 and then in 2007 - i wish i had known about this plane wreck then (not sure how i didnt) as i would have done it then as had a 4wd car then (& someone to share the costs). So annoying that things like this are happening because people are stupid.

@Byker28i i guess it depends if they have permission from the land owner. i was planning on walking (hence my starting this thread) so i am *really* hoping i might still be able to do that. Altho that will mean an increase is cars being left on the road side and i dont believe there is a lot of space :-/
 
Get a guided tour in a 4x4 if you are going on the beach.
It gets pretty hairy in places especially crossing the 'streams' and the locals know best regards any recent changes.

The cost is not exorbitant and you will get as long as you want. Ask at the hotel they will know who to contact.
 
Based on when I went to Iceland, I didn't fancy walking many wild places, especially with no-one around. In some places they've markers leading to either a road or a safe hut for those lost in bad weather.
We got talking to a couple of DJ's in the sauna (and Bjork, but thats another story) who took us out onto the glacier in their 4x4 with ridiculously big wheels and showed us stuff we'd never have seen otherwise.
 
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