Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.08.2004, Qupperneq 37

In the middle of the wastelands
stands something resembling an
airplane crash or modern sculpture,
but it´s actually two warped, iron
girders from the road that used to
run through the sands. They stand in
testament to the immense power of
the glaciers, coyly hiding beyond the
mountaintops, but peeking out with
greater frequency as the road contin-
ues east. Up the road is the turnoff
for Skaftafell national park, but I
suggest stopping here on your way
back to Reykjavík, because Jökul-
sárlón is very popular and becomes
unpleasantly congested by noon.
Jökulsárlón is truly a spectacle unlike
anything you’ve seen. A host of ice-
bergs and ice floes drift in a lagoon
of oddly blue water. It’s possible to
walk around the shore of the lagoon,
but it’s best to take one of the am-
phibian vehicles into the water. Each
piece of ice presents its own striking
sculpture: some are completely black,
covered in silt, while other pieces
glow blue. The tickets for the boat
are very expensive, 2000kr per per-
son. Our guide, Helga the scowler,
barked commands at us like a cattle
dog while we cowered in fear wear-
ing our Day-Glo orange life vests.
Halfway through the tour the driver
killed the engine and the scowler
regurgitated five minutes of stats and
stale puns. She pulled a piece of ice
out of the water and crushed it so all
could try a piece of 1000-year-old
ice. It tastes like ice, but it’s a pretty
novel thing to do all the same. Helga
proved to be as chilly as the bergs,
but the ride through the lagoon is
one of the most dazzling views in
Iceland so shell out your 2000kr and
enjoy your ice cube.
There´s even a tree
On the drive back there is plenty to
see. Sandfell is one of the first mark-
ers after leaving the lagoon. It’s the
site of an old farmstead and church.
All that’s left of the church is the
cemetery with mysteriously lumpy
graves. A stately tree (by Icelandic
standards) stands at one corner of
the old farmstead. Remnants of
turf houses can be seen at the other
corner. A nice, short stop if you have
food for a picnic. There is also a pull
off in the lava fields meant to serve
as a scenic view of one of the gullies
formed by the glacier. However, if
you climb the small hill behind the
information placard you’ll gain access
to a vast, moss-covered lava field.
You’ve been seeing them from your
car windows all this time, now you
can finally satisfy your urge to frolic
in nature’s astro-bounce. Still further
up the road is another turnoff filled
with cairns. Laufskálavarða stands
on the site of an old farmstead. It’s
tradition to stop and add a rock to
one of the cairns the first time you
stop there, and provides a fantastic
backdrop for a weird photo op.
One the return visit Skaftafell, a na-
tional park which boasts the highest
point in Iceland, Hvannadalshnjúkur,
countless hiking trails, and views of
the glaciers. Hike to Svartifoss, a
waterfall flanked by columnar basalt,
which is the rock that inspired the
facade of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykja-
vík. But if you enjoy hiking, consult
the information center for a hike that
suits you. Be warned - during the
weekends the camping grounds here
become quite raucous, but if you’re
looking for a party...
There are a number of other small
turnoffs marked by red signs on your
way home. One recommendation I
have is to turn towards Eyrabakki
on route 34 and take the Þrenglsi
road back to Reykjavík instead of
driving over Hellisheiði on route 1.
This will take you past Hafið Bláa,
one of the southern coast’s best kept
secrets, where you can have a bowl
of seafood soup or sit and watch
the ocean on the black beach at the
mouth of the Ölfúsá River--a mo-
ment of southern coast peace before
returning to Reykjavík.
OUTSIDE REYKJAVÍK
LIFE BEYOND GULLFOSS
by Jónas Moody
From Hvoll, it takes about an hour and a half to drive to Jökul-
sárlón, the glacial lagoon and a good point to turn around and begin
the drive back to Reykjavík, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Venturing out further into the sands from Hvoll you’ll find long,
single-lane bridges spanning a number of glacial rivers. The land-
scape here is rather lunar, and the bridges are something straight out
of a 1930s sci-fi flick; if you drive down them fast enough, you’re
liable to take off.
Day Two
37