May 23, 2021: Day 6 of our 12-day drive around Iceland road-trip. The weather this morning was cold and raining. After a nice European breakfast at our hotel, we went in search of a bakery to pick up something for lunch on the road…no luck. All the shops were closed at 8AM on Sunday in Akureyri, so we pressed on.
Traveling East on ring road 1, we passed through the new 5-mile long Vaðlaheiðargöng toll tunnel. The rain had turned to snow as we reached the magnificent Goðafoss waterfalls. Ours was the only car in the parking area and we were the only people on the trails.
The snow had turned to howling winds and horizontal snow when we reached the Hverir (Hverarönd) geothermal fields. We bundled up and took an “out of this world” hike through the fields of steam vents and bubbling mud pots. It was an experience that will not be forgotten.
Retreating back to the car, we warmed ourselves with some “cup of noodles” soup for lunch (thank goodness for our Stanley thermos of hot water) and journeyed on to the Jarðböðin við Mývatn (geothermal nature baths) for a 3 ½ hour soak and steam while the snow continued to fall. This bath is smaller and more laid back then the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik.
We drove around Lake Mývatn to our hotel and checked in for the evening. We had to skip a couple of our planned stops today because of the inclement weather, but we hope to be able to pick some of them up tomorrow (Viti Crater and hike through the Dimmuborgir lava fields).
Tomorrow will be a long day as we back track some sites and then make our way further East to the town of Egilsstaðir.
