On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
MissWimsey
Day 7 was spent on a day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a magical land of trolls and elves. I did spot a dragon and no one can convince me otherwise. The day trip to Snaefellsnes was a wonderful way to cap an amazing trip to Iceland.
The farm where we stopped for lunch had a barn with Icelandic horses. This little guy was sniffing everyone’s hands looking for treats. Sorry my boy no treats!
The black church of Budir.
Anyone else seeing what I’m seeing? The only correct answer is: Yes, a dragon.
A cave with those cool basalt columns.
This is a hidden waterfall; it’s not on any maps. The guide said that people often stop to take a look at the lava fields but often miss the waterfall, which is a little ways down from the road. There is a track that takes you behind the waterfall.
raven
KIRKJUFELL looks like Monument Valley with water!
Rusty
Thank you for sharing all the pictures this week. You beautifully captured what is clearly a wonderous country. Another place I now want to visit (dear God, I only need time and money…).
p.a.
This whole series has been amazing, thanks! Had a neighbor who went to Iceland on her honeymoon in the late 1970’s, well, I think, before it became a ‘destination’. Wonder what the tourist infrastructure was like then.
bjacques
Isn’t Mount Snaefellsnes how you get to the center of the earth? Though I can understand why they don’t advertise that.
JanieM
Thanks for a week of great pictures of an amazing place. It has been impossible to pick favorites, there’ve been so many to choose from, but in this set the first picture stands out. I love the stark, quiet emptiness set against the light coming through the clouds.
Wag
Loved the peninsula! We spent a couple of nights at an Air BnB in Arnestapi. Magical place. And loved the views from the summit of Snaefellsjökull. Did you by chance go to the place where they process the Greenland shark meat? Fascinating place. Fresh Greenland shark flesh is poisonous, but somehow someone figured out that if you bury the meat in the sand for a year, then dry it in the open air for a few months, you get something that approaches food. Shark jerky, if you like. Tastes like concentrated Brie infused into a theramrest pad.
Another Scott
Great pictures and well told stories.
A colleague went to Iceland in the Before Times to see the Northern Lights. He really enjoyed it.
We’ll have to put it on The List, and be sure to allow enough time.
Thanks again.
Cheers,
Scott.
WaterGirl
I have loved this wonderful series!
Seeing 3-5 days of photos from a particular place leaves me me with a much better sense of a place as compared to spreading them out over a period of weeks or months. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the single posts, too.
We have 3 more days of Iceland coming up in a couple of weeks, this time with Christopher Mathews who shared a couple of amazing days in Iceland with us in April and July.
I just add Iceland as a category under On the Road. I am trying to do that more and more, so let me know if I forget.
sab
I have just been re-reading Dorothy Dunnett’s House of Niccolo series. In one of the books Nicholaus has an adventure-filled expedition to Iceland. Dunnett describes the strange amd beautiful lighting, the roaring rivers, the weird mountains and rock formations, the isolated churches scattered across the landscape, the human struggle to survive the harsh but gorgeous environment.
What a thrilll to see photos
Bard the Grim
Definitely a dragon. Thanks very much for sharing these and your other pictures.
MissWimsey
Thanks everyone for the lovely comments. I loved my time in Iceland. I just wanted to share a small piece of a very special country.
stinger
This has been the most spectacular OTR series ever. (Earth-bound, anyway.)
Vernon Bush
This might interest you. Hofn Iceland. Late 70’s. Ring road was turned to dirt Jut outside of Kef. This was a remote Cold War location. Part of the LONG line of radar stations and Long Haul communication (not much Satellite than). Also SOSUS entry point for the Iceland/Faroe Island Gap. 100 people / 5 Bars together for a year. In 1979 over 400 intercepts of Russian Bear Bombers were run out of this location. Little known fact. At the far side of the Black sand beach is one of the early Radar stations. Run by the Brits in WWII. Remains can still be found. Ship is sunk in the water just off shore that provided the electrical ground for the site. If you want some photos from that period write me, [email protected]
MissWimsey
I’ve been thinking about why I had trouble choosing photos from Snaefellsness. I think it’s because I couldn’t quite capture its sense of quiet, remoteness — it’s sense of otherworldliness. The beauty in South Iceland was so in-your-face I couldn’t help but be wowed. Snaefellsness was completely different. It’s beauty is quieter but it’s still there. It started with the sun’s rays peeking through the clouds in that first photo above and it just kept building from there.
A guide told me that the peninsula is Iceland in miniature: one will find everything the island has to offer in Snaefellsness. A day trip wasn’t enough. I have unfinished business in the area. The peninsula will be my first stop on my next visit.
Mike in Oly
I’ll echo everyone else’s praise – this has been such a treat! I’ve looked forward to the post every day. Such a beautiful land and well captured.
Madeleine
Thank you for showing us your week in Iceland. How strange and beautiful . . . and harsh . . .it is. There is so much character in your photos, Miss Wimsey!