Our 5th and last day in the West dawned, just now where we had settled into the cottage really nice.
In order not to have to start tomorrow completely exhausted the return trip to the south, a quiet day was planned. Only the Viking House nearby, was planned as a fixed destination. The rest of the time we wanted to look around along the fjord.
From late afternoon was already packing suitcases and cleaning up the house on the plan. For the next two nights it is enough for us to have the most necessary things on hand.
The story of the waterfall, which we have seen at the 59 on another tour, I understate you - we found no way to him, so there are also no photos.
In order not to have to start tomorrow completely exhausted the return trip to the south, a quiet day was planned. Only the Viking House nearby, was planned as a fixed destination. The rest of the time we wanted to look around along the fjord.
From late afternoon was already packing suitcases and cleaning up the house on the plan. For the next two nights it is enough for us to have the most necessary things on hand.
The story of the waterfall, which we have seen at the 59 on another tour, I understate you - we found no way to him, so there are also no photos.
So we made our way to Eiriksstaðir - Viking Longhouse, guided tours were offered from 10:00, we should be there shortly before.
We were then also the first visitors, which was really great, because we took part of an exclusive tour.
We were able to talk with the young Icelandic woman for almost 30 minutes. She is a music teacher and during the summer time she helps out here at the Viking House.
These are the moments when you learn more about the country and its people than you can find in any travel guide. She told us a bit about her childhood and the work on the farm where she grew up. Of course, there were also interesting facts about the life of the Vikings including trying on a replica helmet with armament.
The helmet was very heavy and uncomfortable, but the sword was much lighter than expected. I am less attracted to museums than my wife, but here the entrance fee was really worth it.
After this successful start to the day, we drove back to the end of the fjord. To the region where Krosshólaborg was located.
On the way there, we saw a smaller waterfall at an inlet, near which parked a white SUV. We agreed, we will stop there again on the way back, maybe no one is there until then - there is a rather unexpected story to smile about this later.
When we stopped at the intersection to the 590, we noticed a board, which we have not seen at all last - The Saga Circle. We both found this exciting and so we spontaneously decided to at least start the circumnavigation of the peninsula with about 100km.
Whether we would then make it completely, we left open - to turn back was always an option.
View to Búðardalur
The only named destinations on the entire route were two churches. Actually three, but I discovered one only when we were already back home in Germany to catch up on the trip. And at the Staðarhólskirkja we were already. So there remained only the Hjarðarholtskirkja. The church is marked on Google Maps, but so far without pictures - that awakened the spirit of discovery.
When we approached the location of the church on the map, there was no church to see, only a cemetery was in sight.
I suspected that might be the reason for the lack of pictures, so we paid the cemetery a visit.
It was not a large cemetery, estimated maybe 20 graves, although far and wide no settlement was in the proximity.
The condition of the graves showed that the Icelanders have a different relationship to the memory of their deceased than we have in Germany, and we find that in no way negative. As you can see in the pictures, trees have already grown out of several graves.
When we approached the location of the church on the map, there was no church to see, only a cemetery was in sight.
I suspected that might be the reason for the lack of pictures, so we paid the cemetery a visit.
It was not a large cemetery, estimated maybe 20 graves, although far and wide no settlement was in the proximity.
The condition of the graves showed that the Icelanders have a different relationship to the memory of their deceased than we have in Germany, and we find that in no way negative. As you can see in the pictures, trees have already grown out of several graves.
Unthinkable for a German cemetery that is still actively operated.
The freshest grave we could discover was from the year 2021. In addition, the bushes at the cemetery wall were cut not long ago, so there are many indications that this is a cemetery still in use.
But what amazed us much more were the reached years of life of some of the deceased. We discovered 5 graves where the person was born around 1850 and yet reached an advanced age of over 90 years.
We found the high age extremely remarkable, since the region is only very sparsely populated even today. If you transfer this to the middle of the 19th century, it can be assumed that the inhabitants have probably largely self-supplied and medical help was probably limited to simple home remedies.
When we then drove on, the actual expected church also appeared a few hundred meters later. It was hidden by a slope so that we had not seen it before.
At the church stood a large multi-story outbuilding that one would rather expect in a large city. With the commercial kitchen on the first floor, one could feed many people and accommodate them on the floors.
Perhaps some sort of seminar center, unfortunately there was no indication of the purpose of the whole facility with even more outbuildings.
The Icelanders always surprise you anew.
What you can find in many places in Iceland are cairns built by people. The original purpose was mainly as path markers.
But this does not mean so-called cairns, which are mainly built by tourists for various reasons. Icelanders, however, don't like this because it changes the landscape.
At Laufskálavarða in the south of Iceland, however, it should be allowed to build his cairn without getting problems.
From the cairns further to the banks full of birds. The trumpeting of the swans on the shore was so loud, we could hear it from far away with the window slightly open.
At a stop at the westernmost foot of the Klofningsfjall, we had from a hill again a wide view over the coastal sections of the 590.
The further coastal section was then very unpleasant to drive. The previously loose, but still grippy surface, went seamlessly into a wet greasy road.
On the side to the sea with steep slopes, there were of course not even guardrails, and that in an almost deserted area.
In such moments, despite the many kilometers on Iceland, the hands were then but the first time somewhat sweaty. We have then significantly reduced the speed and turned the road for us into a speed 30 zone.
On the side to the sea with steep slopes, there were of course not even guardrails, and that in an almost deserted area.
In such moments, despite the many kilometers on Iceland, the hands were then but the first time somewhat sweaty. We have then significantly reduced the speed and turned the road for us into a speed 30 zone.
At Tindar (whatever that may be) there was another small but beautiful waterfall to marvel at.
Although we had already seen countless different in the two weeks, the fascination just did not let up.
In order to get there unharmed, we first had to go around the sheep's treading mines in the meadow in front of the waterfall.
Although we had already seen countless different in the two weeks, the fascination just did not let up.
In order to get there unharmed, we first had to go around the sheep's treading mines in the meadow in front of the waterfall.
A few kilometers later, we finally had solid ground again.
When we passed Staðarhólskirkja, we could even orient ourselves without a map again.
We had circumnavigated the Saga Circle after all and made our way to the marked waterfall from the beginning of the tour.
Strangely, there was still the white SUV, on a very narrow and uneven dirt road. We assumed therefore already times that it was not tourists, but Icelanders. At least we had seen no sign that it was private property.
Of course, we didn't want to bother anyone.
First we turned around and then parked our car so that it didn't block the way. Then we made our way towards the waterfall, passing the SUV. As we did so, we saw that there was a woman sitting in the passenger seat.
At the river below the waterfall, when we tried to cross it, we quickly realized that at the shallowest part the water was still at least knee deep. Clearly too deep for the hiking boots. At the same time, we saw from afar a man at the waterfall casting a fishing rod.
So unfortunately there were no way getting to the waterfall and since asking costs nothing, we got into conversation with the woman at SUV. She was here with her husband, who was fishing. They come from Akranes, which is about 90min away. They come here because they grew up near here and her husband is already fishing all day at the waterfall and has already caught a single fish. They probably stayed until late in the evening.
We were of course curious what she was doing all day while her husband was fishing? As if there was nothing more natural, she told us that she had her smartphone with her. I don't really get bored waiting in the car. Even though we will probably never know the true motives for so much patience, we found this to be smiling in a positive sense.
We then chatted for a while, because their son also studied in Germany for a while, and at the end we wished them a good catch - unfortunately we didn't get any closer to the waterfall, but we were able to keep this nice anecdote with us as a memory.
Of course, we didn't want to bother anyone.
First we turned around and then parked our car so that it didn't block the way. Then we made our way towards the waterfall, passing the SUV. As we did so, we saw that there was a woman sitting in the passenger seat.
At the river below the waterfall, when we tried to cross it, we quickly realized that at the shallowest part the water was still at least knee deep. Clearly too deep for the hiking boots. At the same time, we saw from afar a man at the waterfall casting a fishing rod.
So unfortunately there were no way getting to the waterfall and since asking costs nothing, we got into conversation with the woman at SUV. She was here with her husband, who was fishing. They come from Akranes, which is about 90min away. They come here because they grew up near here and her husband is already fishing all day at the waterfall and has already caught a single fish. They probably stayed until late in the evening.
We were of course curious what she was doing all day while her husband was fishing? As if there was nothing more natural, she told us that she had her smartphone with her. I don't really get bored waiting in the car. Even though we will probably never know the true motives for so much patience, we found this to be smiling in a positive sense.
We then chatted for a while, because their son also studied in Germany for a while, and at the end we wished them a good catch - unfortunately we didn't get any closer to the waterfall, but we were able to keep this nice anecdote with us as a memory.
And when there is no landscape to admire, the sheep provide some entertainment...
Now we had to hurry a little, for the pending cleanup work in the house. Therefore, our last stop was another church just before Búðardalur - again without photos on Google Maps.
This had to be changed and we were surprised that the Hjarðarholtskirkja is such a special church. In this architectural style there is only one other church in Iceland.
This one is located in the north in Húsavík and is a very famous photo motif.
After we had packed everything, the day was already coming to an end and the west of Iceland said goodbye to us with a beautiful sunset.
We agree that we will almost certainly come back again.
In this one week we could only see a fraction of what the west has to offer.
But for this trip it is now for the last time: Good night Búðardalur!
In this one week we could only see a fraction of what the west has to offer.
But for this trip it is now for the last time: Good night Búðardalur!
