by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:22nd May 2018
Day Eight, Circular trip from Akureyri
We were based in Akureyri, Iceland for two nights, so, having the extra night this gave us the opportunity to tour some of the northern peninsular and venture off of Iceland's A1 Ring Road for a while.
Back in the 4x4 we headed north out of Akureyri and picked up route 82, immediately the hustle bustle of a larger town has gone and we’re back on the quiet deserted Icelandic roads.
Iceland’s historical past has partially revolved around whale hunting, although nowadays the tracking of whales is mainly for tourism whale watching or scientific reasons. However, we came across a sculpture of a whale tail and had to stop.
(You can pick-up any part of our Iceland Road Trip at the bottom of this post, along with a map of our route and the 'Highlight of the Day' for each of us.)
Why not Pin it for later?
For our accommodation in Akureyri; we stayed at Hotel Kea, in the centre of town which was very comfortable and included breakfast.
A monument to the whale
Northern Iceland
and its fishing communities
Dalvik harbour
In this part of Iceland as with many others, fishing is still a large part of the day to day life, and as we toured through the small communities such as Dalvík & Ólafsfjörður, it is very evident, that this continues.
The view just outside Ólafsfjörður
We also stumbled upon was some great street art.
#TrolledInIceland
Where to stay in Akureyri
In Akureyri we chose to stay at the Hotel Kea.
We had a few essential requirements from each of our overnight stays in Iceland, which were:
Breakfast included or available nearby.
Scooby snacks along the way can be expensive.
Parking is a requirement, as this is a road trip after all.
Nearby cafés/eateries, or onsite restaurant for the evening.
Preferably a close-by fuel station; they can be few and far between en route.
Driving in Iceland
and then came the tunnelsHeading further north in Iceland we pick up route 76, and along here there are some very interesting tunnels, channelled into the sides of mountains, one was built as recently as 2010.
Route 76
Well, when I say ‘interesting’ Gary & I weren’t quite prepared that partially through the narrow dark tunnel, priority was for oncoming traffic and we had to pull over into a layby that was bored out in the side of the tunnels rock face.
There’s a first time for everything!
Useful tips for driving in Iceland
If you are planning a road trip around Iceland particularly over the winter months you need to be very aware of the ever-changing road and weather conditions. During winter, parts of the Ring Road may be impassable, and you may not get to areas of the country you intended to.
Regularly check the conditions by using these useful websites and apps, believe me, they will come in handy.
- Icelandic Met Office
- The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration – Vegagerdin also has an app.
We have also written a post packed with tips for driving in Iceland based on our research and experience than may be worth checking out.
Discovering Northern Iceland Towns
SiglufjörðurNearer the most northern tip of the headland, we pass through the small colourful fishing town of Siglufjörður. Nestled along a fjord, its heritage during the 1940’s and 50’s was the buoyant herring industry.
The view towards Siglufjörður
The bay at Siglufjörður
Although the herring are now gone, fishing is still a large part of this community, and you sense an element of pride within the town to maintain its picturesque upkeep.
The Herring Era Museum, Siglufjörður
The Sigló Hótel, Siglufjörður
Exploring Iceland
As far as the eye can seeWe reach the furthest north, we intend to journey on this trip, and after travelling along mainly tarmac roads and an occasional gravel one, all that stretches beyond are blue seas as far as the eye can see.
Trollaskagi Lighthouse
With a glimpse in the far distance to the east is Grímsey, an Icelandic island straddling the Arctic Circle.
Finding the right car for your Icelandic Road Trip
Discover Iceland’s enchanting Ring Road with its rugged landscape or the waterfalls and geysers around the Golden Circle for yourself.
If you want to explore Iceland's F-Roads, you must have a 4x4, but we'd recommend one anyway for the improved driving position, and if the weather turns, you have a touch of added protection.
We recommend Rental Cars as they search multiple well-known car hire brands and discovers the deals that suit you the best.
The best of North Iceland
I’ll say it againTrying not to be too repetitive but once again the scenery is incredible. In the depths of winter, the small towns and villages must almost be inaccessible by land.
The view over Miklavatn
We now continue our journey south down the 76 passing snow-capped mountains and frozen lakes. Jumping back onto Iceland's Ring Road, we then travel east and return to Akureyri.
If you're tempted to tour the Land of Fire and Ice and would love to discover the whole country, then take a look at this DK Eyewitness book. This Top 10 Pocket Travel Guide is invaluable, I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more.
You can now grab the revised copy.
A must try in Iceland
Ice creamNow I know what you are thinking, there is one thing missing from a winter Icelandic road trip, yes ICE CREAM…
Brynja - The Ice cream shop, Akureyri
I had read about the Brynja ice-cream parlour in Akureyri prior to leaving the UK, and I thought I must give it a try. After a brief conversation with the friendly lady behind the counter which mainly involved pointing, I managed to order a couple of ice creams.
Enjoying a Brynja Ice-cream
Brynja Ice-cream, Akureyri
Planning your trip to Iceland
So you're planning a trip to the Land of Fire and Ice? There is so much to see and do in Iceland that you'll wish you were staying longer. To ensure you make the most out of your visit, head over to the official website of Visit Iceland for a little help and guidance.
Have fun!
A look around Akureyri
Take a strollWe had a wander around the colourful fishing town of Akureyri, and discovered that Akureyri was first settled upon in the 9th-century. Not only is the town warming to the eye, but its traffic lights are also quite friendly too.
The Blue Café
Love the traffic lights
On our stroll we discovered Laxdalshús, Akureyri’s oldest house which was built in 1795. During the late 18th-century Laxdalshús was located along the shores of the fjord, which is where wealthy merchants were living.
Laxdalshús, Akureyri
Just a little further along is Nonnahús, built in 1850 and was the home of Jón Sveinsson, "Nonni", who wrote children’s books.
Nonnahús, Akureyri
In search of the Northern Lights
If you are Northern Light hunting, you need to be aware of the sunset & darkness times and the KP Index for the evening. It also requires dark and partly clear skies.
KP Index scale ranges from 0 to 9;
0-2: Low
2-3: Moderate
4-6: A big solar storm is coming
7-9: Highly unusual
You can monitor this via the Icelandic Met Office which is updated around 6 pm.
Our Iceland Road Trip
The routeThe route that we took today included a mixture of roads, mostly around route 82 and 76 and then hopping back onto the Ring Road into Akureyri.
In total, our journey was about 268km (166 miles) and with all the stops took us about 5 1/2 hours.
Highlight of the Day
Every trip Gary and I go on, whether it’s a mini-break near or far or a road trip we chose a ‘Highlight of the Day’, here they are for day 8.
Janis; The scenery along the coastal route was amazing, and I love it that it is so peaceful.
Gary; It has to be those tunnels - amazing to drive through. Along with Janis I agree, the scenery was stunning.
Trips to try in Iceland
Something from Get Your Guide?Why not check out what else is on offer through Get Your Guide.
Where we stayed in Akureyri
Our stopoverFor the two nights, we were based in Akureyri; we stayed at Hotel Kea, in the centre of town. The hotel was comfortable and had a broad range of facilities.
The only issue was that it had limited parking on site and certain in town areas of Akureyri require a parking disc. The hotel gave us a disc; however, it works on time restrictions.
Tomorrow we are heading to Laugarbakki, a total distance of 120 miles/200km; however, we will not be taking the most direct route.
We have a number of points of interest before we reach Laugarbakki. Why not check out the next part of our Icelandic road trip?
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