After sleeping off our jet lag (to the tune of 10-12 hours!), we were looking for activities that would involve less driving and found a few destinations on a looped road around the Vatnsnes Peninsula that would start and end us at Hvammstangi.
Our first stop was the Kolugljúfur Canyon, a hidden gem that was a 25-minute drive from our village. A coat of ice over the parking lot made walking a challenge, but we were rewarded with incredible views of waterfalls. We were also the only ones there as well, which we assumed was attributed to visiting during the winter.
The roads in Iceland are filled with pastures of horses and a few sheep. Over the course of our two hours driving, we encountered fewer than ten cars on the narrow roads.
Our second stop was Hvitserkur, which is a rock formation nestled off of the beach. From the parking lot, all we saw was a trail, and after a five-minute hike, we were treated to an astonishing view from the observation deck. In all honesty, I expected the rock formation to be a bit larger, but it was impressive nonetheless.
After finishing making the loop, we ate dinner at the North West Hotel & Restaurant, where I enjoyed a bowl of Icelandic Lamb Soup. It was tasty, hearty, and the perfect meal for the chilly Icelandic weather. Today was colder than yesterday, with a high of just 16 degrees, but the lack of wind made it relatively pleasant.
We leave the north tomorrow and head south of Reykjavik for the next stretch of days. As for Northern Lights, it’s been cloudy for the last few nights. We’ll see what happens tonight, but our best bet will probably be Monday or Tuesday.