The North East

Akureyri surrounds.  A long day trip from Hvammstangi took us to Eyjafjordur and the 2nd largest Iceland city in the north of the country.

While Ahureyri is the second largest city by Iceland standards the population is only 18,000 so was a pleasant place to spend two nights.
This view back to the town from the causeway heading south.

 It is an area that is a mix of open grassland valleys, lonely buildings and raging rivers.

Punctuated with dark volcanic ash and debris, sometimes decorated with remaining snow drifts.

 Occasional orderly farmed land and...

... the stacks of winter saved grass for 5 months of indoor feeding of animals.

but living does have its blessings with some late morning to early afternoon views such as this.  This day, 12th December, the sun appeared just above the horizon for a while but the twilight lasted for hours - from sunrise to sunset.

 It was also where the effects of volcanic activity can be seen close at hand.

 Handy shelter, particularly if you happen to be a troll.

Steam also appears from the ground and is harnessed for heating and other industrial use, probably on a small scale in this location.

 There is plenty of steam.

Even in the villages like Husavik.

 The village is like many, a busy fishing settlement.

Its church is also more ornamented than many, particularly in its paint work.

While waterfalls are plentiful throughout Iceland there are two special ones here.  Godafoss, (Waterfall of the Gods), close to the ring road  approximately 46km east of Akureyri is named for throwing of Pagan carvings into the falls upon the declaration of Iceland converting to the Christian faith.

 Not the biggest in volume or height but still impressive.

Another view.

 Just beside the falls this flat lave flow plain.

A closer view of the vegetation. Some type of prostate conifer.

 Then to Dettifoss, said to have the biggest volume of water of any in Europe.  However it is, like Godafoss, relatively small in height and width being 44m high and 100m wide but carries 193m3/s over its crest.

Another quick glimpse as the twilight turns to night and we have yet to make our 1500m hike over ice tracks to the car park.

 It was goodbye and goodnight from us although probably not yet 4pm and on our 100km plus drive back to Akureyri.  It was dinner at a good restaurant that night.

The next post will take us to an eastern fjord.