This was a long day's drive, but fascinating, eastwards through the Þjórsárdalur (valley of the Þjórsár), then south to the coast and down to Vik. We went around Hekla, Iceland's iconic volcano, but never saw it because of the clouds.
1 Landscape near Gullfoss
2 An auspicious rainbow
3 Heading east as we enter the Þjórsárdalur, with uncertain weather ahead
4 Cliffs looking like a cake
5 Another one of Iceland's incredible landscapes
6 Hjálparfoss is interesting for its double falls and the rock formations around it.
7 Amazing twisted basalt columns bear witness to tectonic forces.
8 Siv looking down at the falls
9 Our rented 4wd Hyundai was essential for the unpaved, potholed road to Stöng, where we saw this amazing landscape of (probably) false craters.
10 More incredible colors...
11 Path from the car park to the ancient farm at Stöng, which was buried under ash when Hekla erupted in 1104
12 Archaeological site of the Stöng farm
13 Þjóðveldisbaerinn farmhouse, built on the plan of the house at Stäng
14 Þjóðveldisbaerinn farmhouse
15
16 The chief's bed closet
17 Beds for everybody else
18 Þjóðveldisbaerinn main hall
19 Absolutly flat and desolate lava field along the road (recognizable almost only by the yellow road markers) in the Naefurholtsfjöll; remains left from eruptions of Hekla ("the queen of Icelandic volcanoes") - only brown and black colors. Incredible!
20 Seljalandsfoss seen from fairly far off, along with some sister falls
21 Smaller fall to the north under a beautifully colored mountain
22 Seljalandsfoss (60m high)
23 Seljalandsfoss rainbow
24 Smaller falls from cliffs along the roadside on the way towards Vík
25 Grazing cows are seen only rather rarely; goats are more common.
