The next stay is a very comfortable purpose built Hotel on what had once been a large farm for Iceland, very well positioned just north of Vik. This is on the border of the Myrdalsjokull (icefield), also in close proximity to Eyjafjallajokull - volcano that caused aircraft flight disruptions 18 months prior.
Vik, a small coastal town, well worth the two day stop.
Overlooked by its church, built in the 1930's, on the hill at the top of the hillside residential area.
The small hillside housing area.
Conventional style dwelling construction. Exterior cladding frequently corrugated iron.
Note the store name, a small chain seen in the south west.
At the far end of the buildings in the top photograph this building is now a stable for Icelandic horses that are hired out.
Inside the shed the horse pens, two double rows and two horses to a pen happily eating or being attended. The top of the pens are about waist high.
They were being taken out for schooling by this competent rider then after a short ride off for a trot, or tolt, along a sand track near the beach.
Here not far from the stable three hired horses being ridden along the sand track near the beach.
The sea stacks known as Reynisdrangur that can easily be seen from the town and particularly the church. They sit just off shore from the Reynisfjara (promontory) seen in the top photograph.
The promontory has caves that have been eroded into the rock.
At beach level these basalt columns, some just seen to the right of the cave above.
The caves are large and dark. Watch the tide does not come up.or a rouge wave.
These ends of the basalt columns can be seen inside the cave.
A view from the cave to some of the rock stacks.
There were prominent signs, in various languages, warning of the dangerous beach and risk of rouge waves. However some humans consider their powers greater than nature. None are known to have drowned that day but in recent times several tourists have become casualties.
Leaving the caves and, a glimpse of the rocky hinterland.
To the west what looks like an island, but is linked to to the mainland by a causeway, is the Dyrholaey rocky plateau. It is a nature reserve being a puffin nesting site.
A link to the past, this old rock wall, that appears to have been an animal holding yard in an earlier life.
Good pasture and a modern looking wintering shed on silt soils between the edge of the volcanic hills along the coastal plain to Skogar about 35 km west of Vik.
Not all the plain is in good pasture.
Most, if not all, of Iceland is well reticulated with electricity. This conductor line straight for as far as the eye can see across a black volcanic sand flat.
The Solheimajokull Glacier is one of the easiest to access coming off the main Myrdalsjokull ice field before reaching Skogar. Worth a visit to watch groups of tourists being fitted out with equipment to be guided up to the ice.
The cafe at the car-park was sufficient given its proximity to the glacier and terminal lake...
...as well as lumps of ice floating past.
Skogar was a very small settlement with a waterfall and folk museum well worth the visit.
The top of the fall all confined to one cascade of water...
...created a very wetting rain.
The viewers give a perspective of its size. This would be one of the more spectacular and had very easy access.
Another impression of the tremendous spray created.
The other place of interest at Skogar was the folk museum. It contained a lot of interest about Iceland in general.
This D4 Caterpillar bulldozer/loader the attribute of which was to load material in the front and elevate the bucket to discharge at the rear onto the truck without having to turn around.
Replica old buildings appeared very authentic.
An interior view of construction.
The passageway entrance.
A bit more up market.
Note the low doorways and...
...the substantial rock lower walls.
School is in.
School room exterior.
An early dwelling that was multipurpose. Below we look inside.
Note the rock basement that...
...housed a stable.
Kitchen and dining area.
An ornate Lutheran church.
A few random views before leaving the south coast.
Skogar also brought us close to a few cattle.
An old shed as the last glow of the sun reflects off the clouds in mid afternoon.
Wind catching a small waterfall on a hillside.
Another waterfall but one too many to be signposted.
Leaving Vik to its sunset or was it sunrise, either way it was never far above the horizon.
Thick rock columns that have not moved for a very long time have been clothed in a cushion plant, like an Icelandic woolen hat.
