Iceland locations

julianhj

julianhj

Messages
635
Edit My Images
No
Mrs HJ and I are planning a trip in September next year. We've been before, but that was nearly ten years ago. At the moment, the only places I definitely have in mind are Vik and the Ice Lagoon (I forget it's proper name) Are there any must-sees on that southern route? Hs anyone stayed at this hotel? http://www.icelandairhotels.com/en/hotels/vik/about-icelandair-hotel-vik/about-the-hotel

I'm aware there's an equipment thread running, which I'm watching with interest, but I didn't want to hijack it with accommodation and location questions.
 
Lovely volcanic cinder cones at the Laki Fissures. Thorsmork, surrounded by mountains, rivers and glaciers is great too. The ferry to the Westman islands is well worth the trip.
 
Also the fantastic basalt columnar rock formations at Arnarstapi, with a beneficial red house at the foot of a massive conical volcano if you get bored of the basalt.

I0000O.4LSm5pz1g.jpg


I0000ITAMcMC5rww.jpg


More here with place names.
 
Theres a trip called 'inside the volcano' that is open for some of September - it's still a touristy thing to do, but might be of interest. I went to Krýsuvík geothermal area for the first time on my last visit (5th time), which more in the Reykjavik/Reykjanes area, there were plenty of tourists there so not exactly secret, but I'd never heard of it before.

That hotel looks a bit out of place in Vik, visually... that's a bit sad. However, we stayed in their sister hotel/accomdation that's mentioned on that page when we stayed in Vik and we liked that so I'd be happy to trust them in terms of service at this one too.

The same old places might produce the same old photos, but that doesn't make them any less stunning to experience aside from taking photos, so be nice to still include some of the usual suspects on that route like Seljalandsfoss etc.

This blog post might be of some use to give you an idea of the things of note around there:

http://www.iheartreykjavik.net/2015/01/drive-it-yourself-a-south-coast-adventure/

And the blog is useful for a whole host of other things, so have a poke around. We did the walking tour of the city with her and it was really interesting. I first went to Iceland in 2006 and then in 2007, but it was 2013 before I went again and found there were some different bits and pieces that had changed over that time, and this blog was invaluable at the time. She also has a deal with Budget rental cars that might work out cheaper than anywhere else for you - and she gets commission so good to support local business too.

http://www.iheartreykjavik.net/affordable-car-rental-in-iceland/

Cloudforest said:
Lovely volcanic cinder cones at the Laki Fissures. Thorsmork, surrounded by mountains, rivers and glaciers is great too. The ferry to the Westman islands is well worth the trip.
Click to expand...

are you allowed to go to Thorsmork by yourself? I've never been anywhere close to having a suitable car when I visited, but I thought you always had to be escorted - but I could be talking poop :)
 
Last edited:
We stayed in the IcelandAir hotel in Vik on our first trip in February this year. We stayed in one of the expensive rooms on the end, overlooking the stacks (kinda) which also had a nice vantage for checking Northern Lights when sleeping.

Before I went on the second time, I created a Google Earth file saving lots of well known, and I guess some not so well known, locations; photography, some food places, camp sites, waterfalls etc. If I get time I'll host it online and post a link.

I cannot wait to go back. Hopefully I don't have to wait 10 years like you guys.
 
Impspeed said:
We stayed in the IcelandAir hotel in Vik on our first trip in February this year. We stayed in one of the expensive rooms on the end, overlooking the stacks (kinda) which also had a nice vantage for checking Northern Lights when sleeping.

Before I went on the second time, I created a Google Earth file saving lots of well known, and I guess some not so well known, locations; photography, some food places, camp sites, waterfalls etc. If I get time I'll host it online and post a link.

I cannot wait to go back. Hopefully I don't have to wait 10 years like you guys.
Click to expand...
Hi David,
Yes if you have time, Id be very very grateful if you posted it.It would be good to see what others had done :)
 
Impspeed said:
Before I went on the second time, I created a Google Earth file saving lots of well known, and I guess some not so well known, locations; photography, some food places, camp sites, waterfalls etc. If I get time I'll host it online and post a link.

.
Click to expand...

Would be valuable all round for everyone i think. im hoping to head back more easterly on my next trip so all info about stuff on the way from all sources is appreciated. hoping to find the plane too.
 
The plane is relatively easy to find. Just make sure you get the correct gateway with the path marked with yellow posts. You MIGHT get a normal car down the track but there are a few largeish rocks sticking up right by the entrance which could do some serious damage to the underside of the car if you got it wrong (so I wouldn't recommend a normal car tries it!)

To locate the position of the plane, look on Google Earth and search for it. Note the Lat/Long coordinates and follow the path up to the ring road; note the coordinates there so you can tell the satnav where you want to go!
 
I put a very rough map of accommodation & location ideas together for my trip earlier this year. It's for the south coast heading east to Hofn

Google Link Here
 
Nod said:
The plane is relatively easy to find. Just make sure you get the correct gateway with the path marked with yellow posts. You MIGHT get a normal car down the track but there are a few largeish rocks sticking up right by the entrance which could do some serious damage to the underside of the car if you got it wrong (so I wouldn't recommend a normal car tries it!)

To locate the position of the plane, look on Google Earth and search for it. Note the Lat/Long coordinates and follow the path up to the ring road; note the coordinates there so you can tell the satnav where you want to go!
Click to expand...

Whenever I get to the plane (one day) I was thinking of parking up and doing the rest on foot, make it a bit more if an adventure, think I'd be paranoid about damaging the car whatever one I had, hahaha. Certainly not the hyunadi i10 I had last month thought :) ha ha.

Having said that my sense of direction is terrible so I'd probably get lost and die. Good place to die I suppose :)
 
dan_yell said:
Whenever I get to the plane (one day) I was thinking of parking up and doing the rest on foot, make it a bit more if an adventure, think I'd be paranoid about damaging the car whatever one I had, hahaha. Certainly not the hyunadi i10 I had last month thought :) ha ha.

Having said that my sense of direction is terrible so I'd probably get lost and die. Good place to die I suppose :)
Click to expand...

There is not much parking near the road (at least not at winter) and it is a 1Km walk through ice/snow/hidden streams ....

When we got to the plane there was a few walkers asking for lifts back as the weather was looking really bad & they were worried :eek:
 
mrgubby said:
There is not much parking near the road (at least not at winter) and it is a 1Km walk through ice/snow/hidden streams ....

When we got to the plane there was a few walkers asking for lifts back as the weather was looking really bad & they were worried :eek:
Click to expand...

Yeah i wouldn't do it in the winter and/or if weather looked s***, I know weather is changeable so would have to see on the day. And 1km isn't far if conditions OK. Can walk off some of the kleinur I will be eating copious amounts of :)
 
mrgubby said:
There is not much parking near the road (at least not at winter) and it is a 1Km walk through ice/snow/hidden streams ....

When we got to the plane there was a few walkers asking for lifts back as the weather was looking really bad & they were worried :eek:
Click to expand...

I'm looking at walking down and there will be no snow :)

1km each way doesn't sound to bad.

Cheers.
 
mrgubby said:
There is not much parking near the road (at least not at winter) and it is a 1Km walk through ice/snow/hidden streams ....

When we got to the plane there was a few walkers asking for lifts back as the weather was looking really bad & they were worried :eek:
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention how awesome the drive to the plane was in those conditions! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top