Hit the North! or My Icelandic Drama, pt. 2

April 10, 2019 by Sarah

The first leg of our Icelandic trip was spent in the south, with trips out to the golden circle, and down time soaking up Reykjavik’s chilled vibe. When we left the UK, we weren’t sure how wild the weather would be, so we hadn’t booked accommodation up North just in case we couldn’t get there or get back. As the weather can turn on a sixpence, it was a bit of a risk, but the forecast looked kind, so we went for it, courtesy of Air Bnb.

My son and I shared the driving (due to my husband forgetting his driving license – doh!), and despite my anxiety, the ring road was a breeze, and the scenery spectacular. As we headed north, the snow came in, and came in fast. Suddenly we were in a blizzard and I could only see the road by the yellow poles that line the route. We made it to Akureyri fairly smoothly, but when we woke up to more snow the next morning, we weren’t sure whether we’d manage our trip to Siglufjordur, the northern town where the series Trapped is filmed, and Ragnar Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series are set. We made it, although the driving was definitely a little more hair-raising than on the ring road.

The next day was my actual birthday and we headed further east to see a volcano, some dramatic lava fields, bubbling mud, and a frozen lake. As a birthday treat, we went to a geothermal spa with views across the lake. It was spectacular. Swimming in the hot turquoise waters, surrounded by lava outcrops and white peaks, while it snowed heavily was completely surreal. An experience I won’t forget in a hurry! I needn’t have worried that Iceland wouldn’t quite match up to my high expectations of it. It was breath-takingly beautiful and wildly majestic. I can’t wait to go back.