Iceland Road Trip: Day 4 - The Glacier Lagoon
We had been driving along the South coast of Iceland for three days and had seen everything from waterfalls to dwarf homes. Today however was an exciting day as we were to visit the beautiful Glacier Lagoon.
After a slight lie in, we started day four with a hike in the Vatnajokull National Park. This is where you will find Svartifoss, the waterfall you may have seen in pictures with the iconic hexagonal columns next to it. It is just as impressive in person as it is in photos.
The hike is easy but as we continued past the waterfall to Sjonarsker viewpoint, we came into some very strong winds. It gave us great views of the land below and you did feel like you were on top of the world. I would allow at least an hour or so for the round trip.
After making our way down, we drove around to the Svínafellsjökull and ate our packed lunch in the carpark. You can then walk out closer onto the glacier and it is absolutely beautiful. It was marbled with the dirt from the earth contrasting with the white and blue of the glacier. Be careful not to go out too far as there are stories of people falling through the cracks, never to be seen again.
From one glacier to what could be considered a glacier graveyard, Jökulsárlón. We parked away from the main car park and wandered up which is where we managed to spot the seals, bobbing their heads up in between the icebergs. I haven't seen anything like this place. As you wander along the beach, chunks of ice are banked along the shore. It was absolutely beautiful.
We were bloody starving and I had read about this little shack called Hafnarbuðin in Hofn that served langoustine rolls. It was so fresh and delicious, you definitely need to grab yourself one (or two).
Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better, we were greeted by two sheep dogs as we arrived at Guesthouse Birkfell. It was a super comfortable wooden cabin on a farm near Hofn.
After playing with the dogs, we settled down in our cosy and comfortable beds. Looking out the window to the stars I felt so content that I truly never wanted to leave this cottage or Iceland.
This is the fourth post of a six part series for my road trip along the South coast of Iceland. The others can be found below:
Day One - Reykjavik and the Golden Circle
Day Two - Glacier Hiking and Hot Pools
Day Three - Planes, Canyons and Dwarfs.
Day Five - Stokksnes and Black Sand Beaches
For ideas on how to plan for a road trip in Iceland, read this post.
Flights from London to Reykjavik can be purchased relatively cheaply if you book far enough in advance. Look on Skyscanner or Kayak to compare prices.
A lot of the places we stayed at were booked through Booking.com as they seem to have the most availability when I went to look. Book in advance so you don't miss out as Iceland is super popular!
