The TJs Travel: Northern Iceland

We left the Fosshotel Stykkisholmur to drive further across the northern part of Iceland. It was raining off and on throughout the day, but it didn't stop us from seeing the scheduled sights. Our first stop of the day was the Glanni Waterfall where we walked down a short path to the viewing pathway.

After Glanni Waterfall, we made a stop at a rather strange site, Pristapar, the site of the last Icelandic execution. The stop consists of a field with a short path that has plaques along the way that commemorate the beheadings that took place in 1830.

Our next stop was not on the official itinerary, but was scheduled by our guide, Margret. She arranged for us to take a tour of one of the stations of Iceland's volunteer Search and Rescue Team. We had a presentation where we learned all about their volunteer program, the type of rescue calls they respond to, and the ways they receive financial support. It was interesting to see all of their equipment and to hear how there is an ever-increasing need for their services as Iceland grows in popularity as a tourist destination. Many of their calls are to provide assistance to tourists who have underestimated Iceland's extreme weather and terrain.

Rescue equipment

After a group lunch at a roadside restaurant, we visited Glaumbauer, an open-air museum that highlights the turf homes that were once common throughout Iceland.

The back side of the turf houses

After Glaumbauer, we arrived in Akureyri where we checked into the Berjaya Hotel and enjoyed a group dinner with our tour group.

The next morning, we were back on the bus for a short drive north to the town of Siglufjordur for our tour of the Herring Museum. This museum inhabits several old buildings along the waterfront and does an excellent job of detailing the importance of the herring industry on Iceland's economy. It was especially interesting to learn about the young "herring girls" who came from all over Iceland to gut and pack fish.

One of the Herring Museum's buildings

Another museum building

Our museum docent was a college aged girl whose grandmother had worked in Siglufjoudur as a Herring Girl.

The Herring Girls statue

After our visit to the museum, we grabbed a quick lunch at a bakery, and then spent our time wandering around the town of Siglufjordur enjoying the blue sky and sun.

The Siglufjordur harbor

The bus brought us back to Akureyri and dropped us off at the botanical gardens.

After some wandering through the gardens, we walked to the main street in Akureyri where we spent some time in the shops trying to avoid the rain. We ran into another couple from our tour group and had dinner with them in a downtown restaurant.

All of the red lights in Akureyri are heart shaped. So cute!

We saw several public trash cans wearing Icelandic wool sweaters

The next morning, we left Akureyri en route to the eastern side of Iceland. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and sun!

A viewpoint looking across the fjord towards Akureyri

Goddafoss

After our stop at the impressive Goddafoss waterfall, we made our way to the Skutustadagigar craters. These craters were formed by steam eruptions when lava from a volcanic eruption ran across the swampy wetlands.

The "marshmallows" in the field is the way the farmer wraps his harvest of hay

A steam crater

Afterwards, we stopped at the Dimmuborgir lava field. We wandered around this interesting landscape and even saw the cave where Iceland's Yule Lads are purported to live. The Yule Lads are 13 jolly, mischievous Santa Clauses who fill the shoes of children who put their shoes in their windows.