Iceland 2024 Part 2. - Glacier Coast, East and North East

So lets get ourselves a little orientated with the route map below showing where we wandered along the Glacier Coast then East and North East parts of Iceland which is shown in red below.

The route for Iceland 2024 Part 2. is in red and the route for Part 1. is in cyan

The Glacier Coast

We coined the term, ‘glacier coast’ running along the southern coast line because of the prevalence of some major glaciers called Vatnajokull, Solheimajokull, Myrdalsjokull and Eyjafjallajokull in this part of Iceland.  Vatnajokull is one of the 3 largest glaciers in the world.

Driving the ring road towards the glaciers

Farm house and out buildings below the icecap and glaciers

Before reaching the main glacial area, we ventured off the road to look at a canyon called Fjaorargeljufur, and went for a 3 hour return hike climbing into the hills to view and isolated foss with basalt columns called Svartifoss.

Fjaorargeljufur canyon

Svartifoss was a long walk for not very much

We couldn’t research everything and saw some cars, then a bus in the distance, turn and drive up a narrow, rough dirt road.  We reached a car park to find a lot more cars and buses, so followed the people walking up a path towards another glacier Svinafellsjokull… yes there are a lot of ‘jokulls’ also.

Most people went straight ahead on the main path, but we saw a small track to the right, 2 people in the distance looking towards the ice so we followed the small track to a small rise and when we came over the top of it… oh my, no WOW!!

We were not expecting this view of Svinafellsjokull
when we followed the small track off to the side

Iceland is a country of big panoramic views like this one of Svinafellsjokull

People are so very very small compared to the glacier

With this experience in mind, we paid much more attention to small signs next to the road and started exploring more as we drove across very rough rocky roads, again towards the glacial ice and associated lakes in front of them.

A very rough road took us to this view of Fjallsarlon

Glacial ice chunks at Fjallsarlon

We also found another place to view Fjallsarlon

Nearing the end of the glacier coast, we first reached Diamond Beach with the attraction of varying sizes of ice lying on the dark sandy coast, glistening when the sun hit them just right, whilst waves and the tide waited to reclaim them again.

Rob walking past a large ice 'diamond' along Diamond Beach

More 'diamonds' to admire

The origin of the ice is from the already mentioned Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon filled with very large chunks of ice that have calved from the glacier behind the lagoon.  These varied size chunks of ice slowly make their way to the lagoon exit flowing under a bridge for the ring road, reaching the sea and some of the chunks being pushed back onto Diamond Beach.

Watching the mini icebergs making their way to the ocean
under the bridge on the ring road at Jokulsarlon

As mentioned in Part 1., Jokulsarlon is a location most tourists visit whilst in Iceland because it is within a reasonable distance from Reykjavik, even if requiring an overnight stop somewhere.

We had now reached and were re-visiting Jokulsarlon and it was again, well worth it.

Very simply... this is Jokularson

For a few hours we simply sat and watched these mini icebergs smacking into each other as they jockeyed for position to head out to sea.  

It was great to walk around the edge of the lake admiring the views

The sun certainly made the blue in the ice stand out

In amongst them were seals looking for a feed of fish, whilst boat tours or people in kayaks moved around amongst the ice chunks.

Kayaks making their way amongst the icebergs

Seals also looked for food in the lake

The moraine dirt left on the ice after it calved off from the glacier

It was along the Glacier Coast where the wind had blown those vehicles we described earlier off the road and there was even a mini foss or perhaps rapids to admire just next to the ring road due to all the water flow from the glaciers into an area called Pjodvegur.

The water flowing through Pjodvegur National Park

East Coast

We were now heading into and along the east coast of Iceland and as we progressed on long sections of paved ring road and its many ‘first in best dressed’ single lane bridges requiring attention to oncoming traffic, were impressive mountains to keep us admiring the scenery.   

Ring road following the east coast along the edge of the mountains

The scenery was very impressive

Ring road continuing along the east coast of Iceland

The landscape seemed to open up a little more with wider vistas and the beginning of some of the fjords we would see from now on.  

Negotiating a fjord meant driving down one side of it until reaching a point where a causeway and/or bridge had been built for crossing the narrower end before continuing driving along the other side.  There were small towns also located along the edge of the fjords.

Small town on the opposite side near the top of a fjord

Iceland is also known for its thermal pools for tourists to soak in, and on the south coast we began to see some of these.  The hot water rises to ground level and in some locations is fed into man made baths.  They are popular but we gave them a miss.

Man made baths using hot thermal water

In some of the fjords there were quite large circular pens housing 1,000s of salmon being farmed for the international market.

Salmon farms were operated within some of the fjords

There were many locations to visit along the east coast and below are photos of some of them.

Fog and low cloud in an area called Vesrahorn

Isolated rock formations along the coast

There is always a foss and this one is Nykurhylsfoss

There was even a balancing stone at Nykurhylsfoss

These green rocks were at a stop next to the coast

We detoured off the ring road and followed a river
discovering some colourful formations near the river

We had noticed a point of interest location in Google Maps one night, describing a USA WWII landing barge wreck, 20 kms away near the end of a fjord.  Leaving the paved road, we started our climb up a mountain on dirt roads with increasing twists, turns and blind corners, as we neared the top, patches of snow were now lying on either side of the road. 

The fjord is in the distance... the dirt road to the left

We were aware of yet another foss past the top of the mountain and when we eventually saw it, wow… Klifbrekkufoss was quite something with its multiple ‘steps’ down from the mountain top we had just crossed over.

Klifbrekkufoss was worth the 'interesting' drive to the top of the mountain

A short distance further on as we reached the point where the road started its winding way down to the fjord, a bunch of “wow, wow, wow’s” erupted from us whilst staring at the vista spread out in front of us, our dirt road disappearing into the distance.

Our road winding its way down the other side to the top of the fjord

There was great relief to see the fjord in the distance

We did venture down, steep drops off the side of the road in sections, until finally reaching the barge which was interesting but a bit insignificant compared to the amazing drive in to reach it.

The landing barge was a bit of an anticlimax after the drive in

The return journey was different because we had been stunned by what we had previously experienced and we were still talking about the drive when we reached our accomodation around 7 pm and in bright sunlight.

During summer there is so much daylight in Iceland and in fact, whilst there, we never ever saw a sunset or for that matter, a sunrise!

Sunset at midnight and sunrise at 3am BUT there was always light

North East

We were staying in a remote guesthouse near the north east coast, it was cold and light rain was falling, but we needed to get up early for a 60+ km drive, to treat ourselves at Eorgarfjordur Estri, a small harbour town.

We were treating ourselves to these cute and delightful little fellows!

These are one of our favourite birds

We had learnt during our research that this was one of a few locations where we could see LOTS of puffins, adult puffins, adolescent puffins, puffins in or next to their breeding burrows, puffins, puffins everywhere!  And there were!

Lots of puffins both young and parents near their burrows

A parent saying 'hi' to its baby after returning from sea

Coming into land

This puffin had been successful in searching for food

An expedition ship was in harbour and they too had come to see these lovely little birds and it was such a pleasure to watch them despite the cold and persistent rain before doing the return trip back past the guesthouse.

Throughout Iceland, either near the ring road or whilst making a diversion somewhere, we came upon examples of how the locals lived in earlier times within small turf covered houses.  The turf on the roof helped keep the houses warmer during the winter months.

Example of older style turf covered house

Remember the main church in Reykjavik, the Studlagil canyon was another example of the basalt columns Iceland abounds with.  It was a 45 min walk to reach the main canyon with a foss along the way naturally.

The people provide a sense of the scale of Studlagil canyon

We climbed down lower to get a better view along Studlagil canyon

A basalt column decorated foss we passes
whilst walking to and from Studlagil canyon

Talking about fosses, they kept on coming in the form of Selfoss and Dettifoss which involved yet another detour and rough roads before the obligatory walk to see them.

Selfoss waterfall

Dettifoss waterfall and raibow

Hopefully this provides a sense of the scale of Dettifoss

Iceland uses the geothermal activity for generating 65% of its power and hydropower produces another 20%, so eventually we had to come across both geothermal activity apart from geysers and a geothermal power station.

Hevir is a large area tourists can walk through with plenty of bubbling mud and the lovely fragrance of sulphur in the clouds of steam swirling around everyone.

Hevir is a large area of natural geothermal activity

Hevir geothermal

The geothermal powerplant at Krafla and
the Krafla volcano last erupted in 1984

The presence of all the volcanic activity over the eons is constantly on display as we’re sure you are very much aware, and 2 more examples of this were the Hljodaklettar rock formations sticking out in the middle of nowhere and then the Viti Crater, with its famed green lake and a at this time of the year, has the remains of a snow ‘collar’.

The rock formations of Hljodaklettar poke
abruptly out of the ground

The shapes in the Hljodaklettar rocks are fascinating

Viti Crater and look closely for the people on the left/right of the rim

Viti Crater

In the same general area were more signs of Iceland’s violent and tectonic activity at Grjotagjar where examples of profound movements of the surface were laid bare, including briefly going into an underground cave to look at some bright blue water, also the location for a scene out of Game of Thrones.

Brutal example of earthquake impacts at Grjotagjar

The climb into a cave revealed the bright blue lake at Grjotagjar

There were more spectacular fosses but by now you are probably becoming ‘fossed’ out so we will turn back to our favourite little birds… puffins.

Sorry... couldn't help ourselves with photos of Rjukandafoss and Hafragilsfoss

We were aware of another major location for watching puffins and other birds at a place called Hringsbjarg which was quite the drive to reach off the ring road.  It was dirt and rough, constantly skirting and climbing using a road cut into the edge of the very steep mountains, landslide warning signs keeping us constantly alert.

There were only a few puffins at Hringsbjarg

It was about a 1 hour drive to the final location and to view a few birds coming and going, we had to walk along paths next to cliffs, more warning signs telling everyone to be careful due to loose edges and strong winds.

Time to go fishing

It was yet another delightful way to finish off our time in the north east of Iceland.

CLICK HERE for more photos of Iceland 2024 Part 2.

Hope by now you are getting the impression there is a lot to see and do in Iceland, so with that in mind, keep an eye out for Part 3. of Iceland 2024.