South Iceland - Just as spectacular

Green moss as far as the eye can see - it looked like an alien landscape from another planet.  Driving along the ring road in south Iceland near Kirkjubaejarklaustur, we saw miles and miles of woolly green moss covering the lava field - apparently it took decades for the moss to grow so it is protected. The Eldhraun lava field is supposedly the biggest lava field in the world from an eruption that lasted from 1783-1784.  It was astounding to look at the lava field and see no end to it.  

Then we came to the black sand beach and its off shore rock formations at Vik i Myrdal - more breathtaking scenery.  The beach spread out from both sides of the headland so we got a different perspective on either side. The lupines were also out in full bloom creating a great foreground for the landscape.  There were also basalt columns at the beach, which was very crowded with tourists and one could wait a long time to get a photo without people in it since there are some optimal spots where everyone wanted to pose.  That same headland was full of nesting birds - kittiwakes and fullmars among others - but they were too high up for photos.

We spent a couple of hours at the Skogar Museum, an interesting folk museum exhibiting a huge variety of tools and implements used for fishing and farming in Iceland, among other artefacts. There were also rebuilt turf houses on the property. These seem a little different from the ones we saw in the north.  Near the museum is the spectacular Skogarfoss. It had started to rain at that point and I was lucky to get some shots even in the rain.  Can't really complain as it was the first real rain in 9 days!

By the time we got to Seljalandsfoss, the rain had stopped. There was a ledge that allowed people to walk behind the falls but the rocks were wet and I didn't want to risk a fall. But it would certainly have been an interesting experience and major photo op.

We spent the rest of the afternoon driving to Reykjavik. This was our last day on the ring road and I have to say the Icelandic landscape continued to astonish me throughout the nine days of the trip. We have barely touched the surface of Iceland - in my mind there are still the highlands and the parts beyond the ring road, not easily accessible, but something to keep in mind for the future.

For now, we move on to western Scotland to finish in the Isle of Skye. Please stay with me for the journey.  

Green moss over the lava field - as far as the eye can see.

One of our fellow travellers gave us a sense of the scale

There were other plants other than green moss, but not too much

The black sand beach at Vik i Myrdal, this side of the headland

Lupines in full bloom - the Icelanders considered the lupines an invasive species because it has taken over native species

The Vik i Myrdal Church

Basalt columns on the Reynisfjara black sand beach

The rock formations at Reynisfjara beach

Inside the Skogar Folk Museum

Turf houses at the museum

Skogarfoss

Seljalandsfoss (see the people walking behind the falls)

This seemed to be a typical Icelandic landscape - I only just realized how similar it is to the landscape on the Isle of Skye

 

 

 

 

 

Coming up next week: Glasgow!