I'm going to split this part of our trip into a couple of sections, as we saw and experienced so many wonderful features of Iceland during this part of the journey; and I have too many pictures for one blog.
Before I start though, if you take a trip to Iceland and want to experience all of its glory, fury and splendor, be prepared to walk and walk uphill. And not just small inclines. I don't know how many kilometers we climbed, but my legs and lungs at times were protesting.
We stayed in Laxá Hótel in Mývatn - a lovely new accommodation building, more expensive than the other places we had stayed. I found it didn't have the atmosphere of the older style places we had experienced previously, with their character and charm.
In Akureyri we stayed at Ytri Vik. Ytri-Vík is by Árskógsströnd on the west side of fjord Eyjafjörður in North Iceland. These are the most gorgeous little cottages situated slightly up the hill overlooking the fjord. There was an outdoor hot tub in each cottage, so we spent time relaxing in the tub and watching the snow-caped mountains and miles of greenery and water - well those times we weren't hiking, walking, climbing or watching the whales.
The stops included Hverfjall Crater. The boiling mud pots which are sulphur springs and fumaroles at Námafjall Hverir. The smell is strong from the hydrogen sulphide which is produced at these hot springs, so the area smells like a chemistry lab.
We then went in search of the lava cave Grjotagjarvegur (better known as Grjotagja) – the inside has this beautiful blue water which is perpetually warm.
The view from the top of Hverfjall Crater.
Hverfjall Crater.
Grjotagja - lava cave.
The water you find once you climb inside the cave.
The crack in the rock above the lave cave.
Blue Lake.
