Alda Sigmundsdóttir
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Exquisite South Iceland
So, on leaving Þakgil we drove due east, but not before heading briefly into Vík again to take care of some business. And of course to snap some more photos with gorgeous scenery in the background. South Iceland is so exquisitely beautiful. I was reminded of this as we came upon one amazing sight after another ... ... Before finally arriving at our next night stop, this time at the farm Brunnhóll. We had been told that there were some really good hiking routes in the area that were slightly off the beaten track. Indeed, we had not been misinformed. Practically across the road fr
Þakgil: a beautiful hidden gem in south Iceland
We're on the road again, this time bringing you tips for things to see and places to stay on the Ring Road. We're travelling counter-clockwise, starting in Vík, and ending in Varmahlíð. The first night of our ring road tour we were scheduled to stay at a place called Þakgil (pronounced “thak-gil”), near Vík, on the southern coast. We knew very little about it, except had been told that it was well sheltered from the wind. This was a HUGE plus, since we left Reykjavík in a storm and weren’t particularly relishing having this be our weather for the rest of the day (or week). Having left Reykja
The necro pants revisited
A while back I wrote a post about our visit to the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft, on the West Fjords, and posted a picture of their famous necro pants. I failed to elaborate on the necro pants legend in that post, but alluded to the fact that I would do so later. So here it comes. First of all: there is a reason why the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft is on the West Fjords. It’s because this was the site of Iceland’s witch hunts in the old days. The folks up there were a bit, shall we say, heavy on the paranoia. “They travelled to some pretty dark places, metaphysically speaking. For
On the enchanting, sometimes terrifying beauty of the West Fjords
If you have ever travelled to the West Fjords of Iceland you will know that it is an unbelievably beautiful region, partly because it is so unspoiled. It is unspoiled largely because it is so remote, because the roads aren't great in many places, and because the terrain is such that you have to drive vast distances to get where you want to go, along seemingly endless coastlines of fjords that cut deep into the landscape. Often those roads take you up on heaths or mountain passes that are not for the faint of heart ... I don't know for how much of our trip we were driving along roads that were
Day six: beautiful Rauðasandur and the westernmost part of Europe
It was the final day of our West Fjords adventure, and guess what happened. This: After five days of pretty exceptional weather, we woke up to rain and, most annoyingly, FOG. Over there, across the sea, you would normally see mountains. On that day, they were completely obscured. That threw a bit of a wrench in our plans. You see, we had planned to visit two of the most beautiful sites in the West Fjords – Rauðasandur sands, and the Látrabjarg bird cliff. However, given the weather and the fact that a visit there would not yield any good photographs to share with you all, we decided, af
Day two: sublime pool, dramatic Djúpavík and a factory that defies all logic
Day 2 of our superexcellent West Fjords adventure: We woke up to the sound of birdsong in our lovely, compact cottage in Trékyllisvík. Got up and went for a run along the gravel road (the roads are pretty rudimentary around here), after which we drove the short distance to Krossnes for the express purpose of visiting the pool. That's because the Krossneslaug pool is AWESOME. It sits right on the shoreline, and when the tide is in and there is a wind the waves crash right over it. I was there once before, back in 1998 or thereabouts, and at that time the road was far worse than it is today a
Day one of our West Fjords tour: necro pants, scary landscapes and idyllic pastures
Day 1 - Thursday, June 12 Our plan was to leave Reykjavík early-ish to get to Strandir, on the West Fjords, as soon as possible. However, since we had to stop to pick up some booze necessary provisions on the way out, it was actually 12.30 pm by the time we were on our way. We drove more or less without stopping (excepting a short stop in Borgarfjörður to drop off some books at the Settlement Centre) all the way to Hólmavík, on the eastern part of the West Fjords. There we stopped at the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft a) because we were dying to see the necro pants b) because we wanted to
It's off to the West Fjords
Well as the Germans say, "tomorrow it is so far" - meaning it the time has come for Yours Truly to take off on a road trip to the wonderful West Fjords to drop off books and generally have a marvellous time. If you have not yet explored the West Fjords you are missing out on an incredible experience. They are the most sparsely populated area in Iceland (the population has drifted southward for various reasons, mostly economic - more on that later, perhaps) and also the area with the most imposing mountains and dramatic landscapes. Geologically they are also the oldest part of the country.
I'm exploring Iceland and you are cordially invited
I'm gearing up for the mother of all trips around Iceland this June and July. The plan is for me and EPI to travel the West Fjords first, up along the eastern coast , then veer off westward towards Ísafjörður, spend a day or two there, and then head back down the other side, stopping off at some stunning sites along the way. And believe me, there is no shortage of those. The West Fjords are among my absolute favourite places in Iceland - they are stark and rugged and sparsely populated and exquisitely beautiful. They totally get under your skin. So much, in fact, that a few years ago, a
Photos by me
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