Heading south along the east coast fjords of Iceland
Traveling the coastal route from Akureyri to Egilsstadin and then over the hill into Seydisfjordur, a small ferry port at the head of the fjord.
As everywhere trees and buildings are lit up for Christmas and alleviate the long hours of darkness.
Everything of significance in the village was floodlit. Here the church was only floodlit without other decoration.
The brighter illumination, centre of this port view, is the ferry that runs weekly to Denmark. It takes both passengers and vehicles. On the wharf were many freight trucks.
Typical accommodation where we stayed for two nights. Just the room, with meals at a local eatery. Winter routine seemed to be only one eating house at a time was open. The Hotel (down the street) for breakfast and during the day at the service station and in the evening a bar-cafe operated by the hotel breakfast kitchen, same staff but down the street in a different direction, which was very good, a pizza place but also had a Christmas platter. One between two was any amount.
The trip back over the hill, about 23km, on a good road but if there was ice and snow it may have been different.
A somewhat rugged landscape looking back into the fjord with the port village just out of view to the left.
Crevices in the gully leading up the hill out of Seydisfjordur.
Some tidy farms along the valley to Reydarfjordur.
Looking across Reydarfjordur toward the south side.
A large industrial aluminum smelter in the fjord which is a major source of export revenue using electricity for processing.
The entrance to a long road tunnel from Reydarfjordur to Faskrudsfjordur. avoiding a long coastal road journey.
Once through the tunnel back to the rocky coast from which there is is no escape for nearly 150km but it does offer picturesque views until reaching the glaciers.
Some impressive rock formations stretching out to the coast and the road.
Tortuous rock layers from volcanic activity which have weathered, forming lower talus slopes.
A map board at Breidalsvik shows the main highway hugging the coast with a causeway across a wetland area. This is a frequent occurrence.
A rock lava flow off a peninsular.
Then the occasional lonely house, once a farm.
A use for an old farm structure we thought may now be used as a smoke house or perhaps some part of thermal heating???
The next blog will travel along more open flats and glaciers where spurs of the great Vatnajokull National Park and ice field extend close to the coast.
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