2020-03-01_Wanderlust

ICELAND

92 wanderlust.co.uk March 2020

lighthousesandcolourfulchurches.Forme,itwas

achancetogetfarawayfromcrowds,toexperiencesomeof

Iceland’stimeless,otherworldlylocationsthatI’dnevervisited

beforeandhopefullytoseethenorthernlightsandafew

whalesalongtheWay,natureallowing.

I’dpickedupacarfromKeflavíkInternationalAirport,

nearReykjavík,andheadedthreehoursnorthtotheord-

sidetownofHvammstangi,thegatewaytotheArcticCoast

Way.Thenextmorning,Istartedthejaggedrouteeastwards

byheadinguptheVatnsnespeninsula,stoppingto

photographSkarðsvitilighthouseandtohikealongthecoast

atSvalbardbeachandIllugastaðir,whereharboursealspeered

backatmefromthewaves.Thegravelroadcutthrough

ragged,weather-beatenlandscapes,marshandmoorland

litteredwithcraggyvolcanicrocks.

“Iceland’snotjustaboutthesights.It’sabouttheelements,”

guesthouseownerGisliEgillHrafnssontoldmeinBlönduós.

IfeltthefullforceoftheseelementsdrivingaroundSkagi

peninsulathenextday.Horsesbracedagainstthewindand

lashingrain.Tractorssatidleonsecludedfarms.Thickcloud

engulfedtheislandofDrangeyoutatseaandhid989m-high

Tindastóll,sinkingmyplanstohikeupit.

Horsevalley

FromthetownofSauðárkrókur,Idroveoutthenextdayto

hillsidestablesinHellulandthatarehometo 100 horses.

“Technically,they’reponies,”Johannawhispered.“But
Icelandershavenowordfor‘pony’,just‘hestar’for‘horse’.
Icelandersareveryproud,sowesayit’sahorse.”
Wetrottedalongaquietroadwithviewsoverthesandbanks
intheord,myselfastridethelightbrownhorseBylur.
“Icelandichorsesareverycalmandsure-footed,”Johannatold
me.Bylurtookthecueperfectlyanddecidedtobeanythingbut
calm,boltingalongtheroad,ignoringmyattemptstobringhim
undercontrol.Racingoverunevengrassbanks,Istruggledfor
balance,onefootcomingloosefromthestirrup.Ijustmanaged
tostayon,Bylurslowingaswereachedabarbedwireface.
Thatheart-quickeneroutoftheway,welumberedcalmly
downtotheblacksandofBorgarsandur,wavesbreaking
softlyontheshore.IfollowedJohanna’sleadandwesped
alongthecoast,moreincontrolthistime,anexhilaratingride
towardsTindastóllandthetown.
Veeringintograssydunes,wesawagroupofhorsesrunning
fromonemeadowtoanotheroutsideSauðárkrókur.“Many
Icelandersownhorseshere,eitherfortheirfarm,togetaround,
orjustforfun,”Johannatoldme.“ThisareaofnorthIcelandis
knownasthe‘horsevalley’.”
Icontinuednorth-eastbycarupintomountainousTröllaskagi
(TrollPeninsula).WithSkagaörðuronmyside,thecoast-
huggingroaddipped,rolledandclimbedhighovertheocean.So
desolateinbadweather,northIceland’sgreenfields,hillsand
mountainscamealiveunderthesun.Isawneatredandwhite

churchesandafarm’ssilotower,half-white,half-orange,like

agiantcigarettestubbedintotheground.Eleganthorsesgrazed

infieldsbytheroad,foalslazinginwarmlonggrass.

Afteranightintheord-sidefishingtownofSigluörðurat

thenorthernendofthepeninsula,Ireachedtheoldherring

factoriesfurthersouth-eastatHjalteyri,nowabaseforStrýtan

DiveCentre.“Iceland’ssurroundedbyocean,”instructor

ErlendurBogasonsaid.“It’salmostlikewe’remeanttobeafraid.

We’reonlyjuststartingtolearnwhat’sbeneaththewater.”

Gearedupinneoprenedrysuits,wemotoredintotheordin

anorangeRIBboat.Thewaterdidn’tlookinviting,ahardrain

andacoatingofsnowonthemountainsaddingtothewintry

feel.NorthAtlanticOceanwatersherecanbe5°Cbeneaththe

surface.ButthedivingattheArnarnesstrýtansiteisunique,

withhydrothermalchimneysthatpumpoutjetsofhotwater

that’stravelledfromtheIcelandicHighlands.

“I’llshowyoumyfriends,”Erlendurpromisedwithaproud

smile,aswejumpedofftheboat.Wedescended,followingaline

intothedepths.Erlendur’s‘friends’cametogreetus,agangof

codexpectingafeed.Takingafewlargemusselsfromhiswaist

bag,hesmashedtheshellsanddishedoutbrunch.

Afarodderfisharrived,agiantwol§shwithagrey-blue

appearanceandastrangelyexpressive,alien-likeface.Itwasas

obedientanddocileasadogwelcomingherowner.Erlendur

crackedopenamusselandfedher,battingoffthemore

aggressivecod.Afamiliarfriend,Erlendurcallsthiswol§sh

StoneAgeStefanie.“She’slostherteeth,soIhavetofeedthe

shellfishtoher.Shecan’tbitetheshell,”helaterexplained.

Wesawmorewol§shswimming,othersguardingeggsin

darknooksbeneathrocks.Atlanticwol§shnumbersare

declining,though.Iwastoldthecauseswerestilluncertain,but

climatechangeandoverfishingcouldbefactors.

Erlendurpointedaheadtowherehotwaterwasleakingoutof

arockchimney.Itookoffmyglove,thecoldoceanbiting,and

putmyhandcautiouslyintotheheartofthestream,which

alternatedbetweenpleasantlywarmandclose-to-scalding;the

thermalscanhit82°C.Icould’vehappilystayedthereallday,the

underwaterequivalentofsittingbyafire.

FromnearbyÁrskógssandurharbour,Itookadetourfromthe

WayandmadetheeveningferrycrossingnorthagaintoHrisey,

thesecondlargestislandinIceland,outinEyjaörðurord.In

earlymorninglight,Iwalkedpastthevillage’sstrikingprotestant

churchandmetafewoftheisland’sresidentPtarmigans,hurrying

acrosslawnsinwhitefurryboots.Fishermenoutintheirboats

werebeingmobbedbyseagullsasImademywaytoaduckpond

atthetipoftheisland.Ipickedupahikingtrailandcrossed

throughmossymoorlandfromonesideoftheislandtotheother

side,findinggreat,silentexpansesdevoidofotherpeople.

Abitofaluke

Backonthemainland,IreachedAkureyri,thecapitalofthe

northandapopularbaseforwhale-watchingandnorthern

‘Thecoast-hugging roaddipped, rolledandclimbedhigh

overthe ocean.NorthIceland’s hills camealiveunder the sun’

⊳

⊲