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Iceland 2019 (#5)

Part 5: July 21th — 24th

By Watracz Is Traveling

March 20^th, 2022

Day 18: Tálknafjördur, Þingeyri, Dynjandi waterfall

July 21st

After breakfast I set out from Tálknafjördur, going north-east towards the Dynjandi waterfall (a.k.a. Fjallfoss). On the way I pass the Fossa waterfall, right by the main road.

Fossa waterfall

The route from Tálknafjördur to Þingeyri takes me on a paved road along the sea, and then through the F60 gravel road over the mountains, with a few small lakes along the way. I reach Þingeyri a little past 8 pm. I set up my tent at a campsite next to the pool in the northern part of the village (2,033 ISK) and after supper I go to see the Dynjandi waterfall.

Dynjandi waterfall

It’s pretty late, after 10 pm, when I arrive at the waterfall. At the parking lot, a tourist asks me about travelling on a motorcycle, but I keep it short, since I don’t have a whole lot of time to take my photos. The setting sun is about to hide behind the fjords.

The waterfall has a total height of 100 m, and it’s the tallest in the Westfjords and the 4th tallest in all of Iceland.

As I look around for interesting compositions, I try to find where photos I’ve seen earlier on the web were taken from, but most of the trails leading to those places are closed due to flora protection.

The sun sets at midnight, chasing the other tourists away, so I have the waterfall to myself. A few final shots and it’s back to Þingeyri for me.

And this is what Dynjandi looks like from the other side of the bay, some 5 km away in a straight line.

Sunset in the mountains on the way to Þingeyri, 2 am.

Day 19: Route F622, Hólmavík, Grundarfjörður

July 22nd, 2019

The plan for today is to tackle route F622, which is said to be one of the most dangerous routes in Iceland. It starts in Þingeyri and goes over gravel to Lokinhamar, 30 km away. Part of the route is at sea level and is impassable at high tide. Of course, it’s not an attraction I could miss during my trip.

I leave the tent and the top case to make the bike as light as possible. I reduce the tire pressure down to 1.8 bar and I leave around 10:30 am. It’s a warm, windless day. Perfect conditions to take on a hard ride.

Route F622 (Svalvogavegur)

At first it’s easy, just a normal unpaved road going along the coast. There are a few crossings over puddles and streams, but nothing I haven’t tried before. The first kilometers pass by slowly. I stop several times, enjoy the landscapes, take photos and videos.

Later on, the rocks on the road get bigger so I slow down and pay more attention. From time to time there’s a car going the other way, so I need to move to the side of the road. About halfway through, I pass the Svalvogaviti lighthouse, built in 1920.

A while later I reach the turn leading to the lowest section of the route. The tide is out, so the road looks passable. You can’t really stop on the way down, because it’s so steep that even with the brake engaged, the bike keeps sliding down. A Dacia Duster passes me, and if it can do it, so can I!

This is where the hardest part of the route starts, a few hundred meters of rocks and sea stones. They’re round and smooth, but very unstable. Going over them, I can feel the bike swerving to the sides, and one time I almost fall over.

The rest of the route is easier, but equally picturesque. I pass some houses that look deserted. I can’t see any electricity posts around, or any other infrastructure. Whoever used to live here probably had no access to power or running water.

I return to the campsite at 3:30 pm. I pack my tent, take a shower, boil some water for tea and set my satnav to the town of Grundafjörður. On the way there I’ll be passing through Hólmavík, so I have 450 km to go before I sleep.

I get to Ísafjörður, where I go shopping in a Bonus. Next to it there’s a Polish store with an inviting sign that says “Zapraszamy serdecznie” (or “You’re welcome here” in Polish).

It’s a fast ride from Þingeyri to Hólmavík, because the road is paved. I don’t have much time, so I don’t take photos, but the northern part of the Westfjords looks really pretty. On the way there are several spots where you can see the Dragnajökull glacier on the Hornstrandir peninsula which is an uninhabited part of Iceland.

Holmavik

In Hólmavík, I stop by a Bonus, get a bit of groceries, fill up the bike, oil the chain, and then continue southwards. It’s very windy as I cross the mountains.

Snæfellsnes

The sun is slowly setting, 10 minutes past midnight it’s already low over the horizon.

Some 25 km before Grundarfjörður, the landscape shifts to a volcanic character. Lava fields stretch on both sides of the road, with green and grey rocks strewn about. It’s too dark to really get the views, but I’m already liking it here.

Grundarfjörður

After more than 500 km on the bike I’m seriously cold and tired. I arrive at the Grundarfjörður Campground past 1 am, so I waste no time setting up my tent and getting into the warm sleeping bag.

Day 20: Kolgrafafjörður, Lake Hraunsfjörður, lava fields, Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall

July 23rd, 2019

With a Campingcard, the price is 333 ISK for a night and 500 ISK for a shower. There’s no kitchen or laundry facilities, the campsite is poorly equipped. In the town itself there’s a laundry place that looks like a wooden shed, standing next to a dumpster and a pile of used tires. But the washing machine seems clean and working, so I put on laundry (700 ISK), and go do some shopping and fill up in the meantime.

I come back, put my things in the dryer and go to the car wash — or rather, a water hose sticking out from a piece of wall. Hardly a pressure washer, but I manage to rinse off the bike at least.

On my way back from the laundromat I stop at a pharmacy and buy some cold medicine, because I’m feeling worse again. It’s almost 7 pm, so it’s time to finally take a ride around the area.

Kolgrafafjörður and lake Hraunsfjarðarvatn

Lava fields

East of Lake Hraunsfjarðarvatn there are some volcanic cones with huge lava fields all around. Going through them feels like you’re on a different planet. It’s one of the cooler places I’ve seen in Iceland so far.

The sun begins to set at 11 pm, so I head towards the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, one of the most visited and best-known spots in Iceland.

Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall

At the parking lot by the waterfall I’m approached by a group of Poles who ask me about my trip, where I’ve been, where I’m going, where I’m from and how cool it is to ride a bike around Iceland. The waterfall is crowded by photographers, so it’s easy to see, even from afar, where you should stand for a good composition. Sadly, the light isn’t great at this point, so it’s hard to take a good photo. I come back to the campsite around 1 am.

Day 21: Lava fields

July 24th, 2019

This is what breakfast in a tent looks like.

The plan for today is to spend the day riding around lava fields, taking photos and making videos. The wind is strong, so it’s not going to be easy.

Volcanic cones and moss-covered rocks make quite an impression.

Rubber frame cap got lost somewhere along the way.

At the end of the day I find a gravel road leading towards the mountains. Unfortunately, it goes through open areas where the wind is too much, so after a few kilometers I turn back and head to Grundarfjörður.

I go shopping, drink coffee and sum up my expenses. It turns out that so far, I haven’t spent more than 200 PLN per day, which is a pretty good result.