Iceland - Round trip 2012
Iceland Round Trip - First Week
I spent a long time wondering if I should make the journey to Iceland by ferry. Since there is now only one ferry connection for the passenger traffic to Iceland, it seemed to me as not meaningful. The arrival and departure would have become too intense. For this reason I asked about a flight connection. I knew from my return flight from the North Cape that the bike transport by plane is not as dramatic as I used to think. At Iceland-Air there was a direct flight from Stuttgart to Keflavik. This is the international airport of Iceland. Such an easy connection to Iceland was then also the decisive point to take the plane. However, because I had not wanted to pack my bike for hours on the way back, the return journey by ferry was definitely set. Also I wanted to go again by a small ferry. By ferry the return journey is quite easy. You just place the bike somewhere in the storage room to the sides and then it is o.k. Of course not just somewhere in the way ...
But since the starting point and destination of my trip to Iceland were no longer the same place, I had to say goodbye to the idea of a circumnavigation of Iceland. This would not have been possible for reasons of time, or in any case very narrow. But to have a look at the Vatnajökull, I decided to go there for a day trip. By bus from Reykjavik direction south-east to Jökulsarlon, a fjord where the Vatnajökull calves small and large icebergs.
After this excursion by bus, I then started my trip around Iceland and went north to Breidafjördur.
But since the starting point and destination of my trip to Iceland were no longer the same place, I had to say goodbye to the idea of a circumnavigation of Iceland. This would not have been possible for reasons of time, or in any case very narrow. But to have a look at the Vatnajökull, I decided to go there for a day trip. By bus from Reykjavik direction south-east to Jökulsarlon, a fjord where the Vatnajökull calves small and large icebergs.
After this excursion by bus, I then started my trip around Iceland and went north to Breidafjördur.
Iceland Round Trip - Second week
The first week in Iceland has been quite exhausting. I just took some time to get used to the climate. When I broke up in Germany, it was almost 30 ° C. Since the 15 ... 17 ° C in Iceland were already a clear cooling. I also had to get used to my new bike. My old Nordkap-companion "Scotty" could not go on the trip because of a frame break, so I had to procure a replacement in quite a short term. With "Speedy" I found an adequate replacement, but it took some time to get used to.
I did not visit the Northwest of Iceland during my trip. Too few possibilities for camping and especially to get food, made the decision necessary. It would have been quite long distances to drive and I did not want to take over with all this. As far as "everyone's right" is concerned, there is this right in Iceland. You can camp anywhere for one night, as long as the terrain is not fenced. So I interpreted this right for myself. Sure you could camp in spite of fence, but it is simply not allowed. And far and wide no one could ask for permission.
The Breidafjördur is known for its whale watching. Also surely a real adventure to see these huge animals once with your own eyes. But adventurous prices are also required for such adventures. In order to spare my travel budget, I did without such an excursion.
I did not visit the Northwest of Iceland during my trip. Too few possibilities for camping and especially to get food, made the decision necessary. It would have been quite long distances to drive and I did not want to take over with all this. As far as "everyone's right" is concerned, there is this right in Iceland. You can camp anywhere for one night, as long as the terrain is not fenced. So I interpreted this right for myself. Sure you could camp in spite of fence, but it is simply not allowed. And far and wide no one could ask for permission.
The Breidafjördur is known for its whale watching. Also surely a real adventure to see these huge animals once with your own eyes. But adventurous prices are also required for such adventures. In order to spare my travel budget, I did without such an excursion.
Iceland Round Trip - Third week
Because I missed the visit to the fjords in the north-west, I wanted to go through the fjords in the north in every detail. It was also important to get off the ring road "1". Because on this road is always a lot of traffic. And when one of the few trucks and one of the many caravan-carriages meet at the same time, it becomes tight on the road. Especially for cyclists, where never the trucks were the problem ...
I wanted to make a nice tour of the Skagaheidi. A landmark in the north of Iceland, surrounded by a small gravel road. But unfortunately, for me, it was already ending at the junction to this gravel track. The street could only be driven by local residents. "Polar Bear Alert"! A few days ago, a bear was sighted, who was said to have come ashore from Greenland. Because the polar bears are very hungry after such a stretch, it is currently too dangerous for tourists. "... and cyclists like the bears especially ..." one of the firefighters told me who had blocked the road. In any case, I did not want to get it to dinner and just headed east to the next landmark (without a polar bear!).
The Solfataren area around the Myvatn was very exciting. Everywhere there were small holes, cracks and openings from which steam rose. A smell of sulfur was always in the air. Here the Icelanders operated some geothermal power plants. It is only by the warmth of the earth's interior that electricity is produced here on a fairly large scale. In the meantime, so much electricity is produced that the production of aluminum in Iceland is worthwhile. The raw material (bauxite) is transported by ship to Iceland in large quantities. In the arc furnace it is then made of raw aluminum for further processing in Europe or America.
Impressive was also the Dettifoss. The largest waterfall in the north east of Iceland. The Dettifoss is fed with the melting water of Vatnajökull. Over a width of about 100 meters the gray-brown water masses pour over 45 meters into the depth! A very impressive act.
I wanted to make a nice tour of the Skagaheidi. A landmark in the north of Iceland, surrounded by a small gravel road. But unfortunately, for me, it was already ending at the junction to this gravel track. The street could only be driven by local residents. "Polar Bear Alert"! A few days ago, a bear was sighted, who was said to have come ashore from Greenland. Because the polar bears are very hungry after such a stretch, it is currently too dangerous for tourists. "... and cyclists like the bears especially ..." one of the firefighters told me who had blocked the road. In any case, I did not want to get it to dinner and just headed east to the next landmark (without a polar bear!).
The Solfataren area around the Myvatn was very exciting. Everywhere there were small holes, cracks and openings from which steam rose. A smell of sulfur was always in the air. Here the Icelanders operated some geothermal power plants. It is only by the warmth of the earth's interior that electricity is produced here on a fairly large scale. In the meantime, so much electricity is produced that the production of aluminum in Iceland is worthwhile. The raw material (bauxite) is transported by ship to Iceland in large quantities. In the arc furnace it is then made of raw aluminum for further processing in Europe or America.
Impressive was also the Dettifoss. The largest waterfall in the north east of Iceland. The Dettifoss is fed with the melting water of Vatnajökull. Over a width of about 100 meters the gray-brown water masses pour over 45 meters into the depth! A very impressive act.
Iceland Round Trip - Fourth Week
After the impressive performance of Dettifoss and Hafragilsfoss in the inner part of the country, I then went north again to the coast of Iceland. I definitely wanted to circle the northernmost landmark of Iceland. There should not be polar bears here, but the view of a small island in the North Sea. The polar circle passes through this.
Seydisfjördur and the ferry it is now not far. I've been thinking about it for days, if perhaps even a detour to the upland is worthwhile. I have done a small excursion there already at the beginning of my tour. But I can not find such a round circuit in the map. And I do not want to go back and forth in the same way. In Egilsstadir, I decide finally to make a simple and small detour to the southeast. There are numerous small fjords that can be explored. There is also the possibility for a nice round trip. And so I go to the Stödvarfjördur before I make another stop in Egilsstadir on my way to the ferry in Seydisfjördur.
The crossing with the ferry was very relaxed. All in all, two and a half days at sea. That is enough, however, because somehow boredom soon comes up and the legs call for movement. The ferry makes a short stop on the Faroe Islands before continuing to Denmark. In Denmark you arrive in the north of the country. So you have to travel all the way through Denmark, if you want to travel further south with the train starting in Flensburg. Basically there is a train connection in front of Hirtshals in the north of Denmark to Flensburg. I did not buy a train ticket in advance, because I have already thought of driving the "short jump" through Denmark also briefly with the bike. The train has not driven from Hirtshals because of a damaged bridge, some cyclists have sweated because the rail replacement does not carry bicycles. Luckily, this has not affected me.
But with the short time the Denmark rushing on a "fly by" it was unfortunately nothing. But that was not because there were some insuperable mountains between me and Flensburg, but a very strong wind from the south, made life difficult for me. On some days I really had to fight properly. Nevertheless it was nice, to cycle Denmark "on the fly" ...
From Flensburg I made my way by train. Also here all the bike places in the IC were booked. Those who want to transport their bikes via IC train in the summer have to book really early. Or just go with the regional express (which is much slower). After a day on the train I put a stop in Göttingen and visited a friend there. After this break, the rest of the train travel was good.
From Flensburg I made my way by train. Also here all the bike places in the IC were booked. Those who want to transport their bikes via IC train in the summer have to book really early. Or just go with the regional express (which is much slower). After a day on the train I put a stop in Göttingen and visited a friend there. After this break, the rest of the train travel was good.
