I didn’t sleep much on my first night in Iceland, mostly from excitement and anticipation of what today could bring….I get out of Reykjavik before the morning traffic, and soon find myself on highway 1.
I find driving in Iceland easy, mostly due to the country driving on the same side of the road as the USA. More two lane roundabouts than I am used to, but I get the logic and they don’t cause me any problems. I do go through my first undersea tunnel though, which was quite the experience. I emerge from the tunnel to find that the morning rain has dissipated.
I can barely handle the scenery and landscapes around me. Seemingly I would find a new soul enriching, life affirming, awe inspiring beauty every five god damn minutes. I soon come to realize that I can’t stop to photograph everything, or I would never make it to my final destination each day.
I find a small village to explore, thinking I would get a cup of coffee but instead find a dirt road that calls my name. I just wander down it for a spell, taking in my epic surroundings. After this I decide to venture off highway 1 and try to find Barnafoss, my first waterfall.
The country road to Barnafoss is in itself a true delight, full of beautiful glacial valleys and iconic mountains far off in the distance. Eventually I make it to Barnafoss itself, and I have to remember to breathe…..
The blue glacial water is stunning, and the water seems to magically emerge from the ground itself before falling into the mighty river. The place also has a very haunted aura about it, which I learn about soon enough…
“Many Icelandic folk tales have been associated with Barnafoss, the most famous being about two boys from a nearby farm, Hraunsás. One day, the boys’ parents went with their ploughmen to a church. The boys were supposed to stay at home, but as they grew bored they decided to follow their parents. They made a shortcut and crossed a natural stone-bridge that was above the waterfall. But on their way, they felt dizzy and fell into the water and drowned. When their mother found out what had happened, she put a spell on the bridge saying that nobody would ever cross it without drowning himself.“
After leaving Barnafoss, I see a canyon that just begs for me to hike it. I am the only person at the trailhead. I enter this canyon and feel the power of this volcanic land coursing through my bones. The small river that carved this landscape over a millenia still flows, and I can hear music emanating from the babbling water.
After this hike I see that I still have quite a few miles before I reach my destination, so I stop diddling around and get to driving. After a couple of hours I seem to be back on schedule so I stop at Grabrok crater. I should have just enough time to climb to the top and get a scenic viewing of my current surroundings before continuing onward to Akureyri.
The afternoon is quickly disappearing, but I make it to the Capital of the North right at 4 p.m. I find the Forest Lagoon and go enjoy my second soak. Enjoying the natural hot spring baths is part of Icelandic culture, and something I really get into. It soothes my muscles and elevates my spirit perfectly.
After my soak I check into my hotel for the next two nights. I have a lovely meal and start planning out my adventures for the following day.
