The Geripackers ©: Iceland 2024 Part 3. - North, North West and Westfjords

Will kick off again with a route map below covering the next section of Iceland.

The route in red is what is covered in this Iceland Part 3. post

North

By now we hope you have a better sense and feel of what makes up Iceland as we now venture across the northern sections of the island.

The northern areas of Iceland we travelled through felt more ‘tranquil’ than previous areas, possibly due to a longer history of less volcanic activity, giving the land more time to ‘soften’.

The fosses continued, first in the form of Godafoss, a broad waterfall we climbed down closer to for a better sense of its power.

A wide view of Godafoss waterfall

We climbed down to get a better feel of the power of Godafoss

Volcanic influenced formations along the banks near Godafoss

For a brief while we were experiencing a more inhabited area with the largish town of Akureyri being the temporary ‘home’ for some large-ish cruise liners and their passengers swarming around throughout the town. Here they had a quaint way of reminding people to stop at red traffic lights.

2 cruise liners berthed at the town of Akureyri

Heart shaped stop sign to
say 'thanks you' for stopping

Old home in the historic section of Akureyri

There was also an old historic and very small timber church we visited called Grafarkirkja, which is the oldest of 6 remaining turf churches in Iceland, parts of it dating back to the 17^th century.

Grafarkirkja is located in the middle of nowhere

The setting for Grafarkirkja is captivating

Farmers and small communities are very remote in the northern parts of the country.

Small community located in the north of Iceland

Very remote home

North West

As we progressed further into the North West it was time for the fosses to return in the form of Reykjafoss located on private property and then an area called Kolugljufur which was a combination of a canyon with multiple fosses within it.

Reykjafoss is on private property

The people standing above the falls
provides a sense of the scale of Reykjafoss

One view of Kolugljufur and the bridge used to cross the canyon

Further along the canyon at Kolugljufur

There were also times we came across fosses up in the mountains with or without a name, but still very beautiful and worth a stop.

A small no name foss when crossing a mountain

This foss is called Gervidalsafoss

We needed to divert and bump our way back to the coast in search of a favourite location for photographers officially known as Hvitserkur but simply described as Elephant Rock, a single formation standing alone in the ocean.

The solitary rock formation of Hvitserkur
otherwise called 'Elephant Rock'

Closer view of Hvitserkur

As we had travelled through Iceland, we soon learned how hardy the people are, living and farming in very remote locations and quite often there is a Lutheran church located very close to each farm. As a result, there are MANY little churches scattered around Iceland.

Look closely and you will see a small church located with the farm

A farm house and church is common through Iceland

West Fjords

We had now reached the West Fjords of Iceland and if you look at our route map below, you will see it pokes out by itself with its many fingers forming the fjords or alternatively looking like a big chunk of coral.

Closer view of the route we drove within the Westfjords area

This is where we were well off the ring road and doing a lot of driving around the edges of multiple fjords with green looking waters and very high mountain borders on either sides of most of them and again, diminutive farm houses below the mountains.

Do wonder what it must be like
to live here during winter

Another remote but scenic location for a farm house

Being a quite remote part of Iceland, we were pleased to find located along one arm of the fjords, the Litlibaer Cafe, a small rock-laden, turfed home from 1895 now offering good coffee and traditional Icelandic pastries or waffles.

Rob standing in front of Litlibaer Cafe

inside the old home part
of Litlibaer Cafe

We were not alone along the fjords apart from the few cars making the drive. There was wildlife within the waters either near the beginning of the fjords on small islands or hunting for food in the waters in the form of seals.

Seals resting on a small island in a fjord

We got lucky whilst slowly following the edge of one fjord, when Rob noticed some rippling in the water not far from shore. Something dark was under the water and finally, its head popped up, disappeared then popped up again with something in its mouth, Rob skilfully capturing it with the phone.

The seal had caught and was eating a wolffish

The fosses continued but there was one in particular in this remote part of Iceland was a ‘must see’… Fjallfoss!

So what is so special about Fjallfoss or strangely also called at times, Dynjandi. Its big and cascades down about 100 metres, whilst the top of the falls are around 30 metres wide and finishes at around 60 metres wide.

Only a few of the waterfalls of Dynjandi can be seen

To reach it involves a a scenic climb up a rough dirt track past 7 other waterfalls called Hæstahjallafoss, Strompgljúfrafoss, Göngumannafoss, Hrísvaðsfoss, Kvíslarfoss, Hundafoss and Bæjarfoss so the whole area is awash with fosses and quite spectacular.

Rob standing bottom left near Dynjandi

A lot of water flows off Dynjandi

One of the other waterfalls lower down from the main one

The puffins hadn’t left us either as we ventured along a long dirt road, again around the edges of mountains prone to avalanches, but the road also included some very scenic beach areas as we progressed.