Day 3 – Travelling around Iceland’s South Coast

We started the day with a great buffet breakfast at our accomodation. The weather was colder than in the previous 2 days and we also had a bit of rain early on. Our first stop was at a café and information centre near the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which in English means Ice cap. This centre had a lot of information about the history of the volcano activity over the years. Specifically the information indicated that in this area in March 2010 this volcano started to erupt and lava poured down the valleys. The eruption threw volcanic ash several kilometres up in the atmosphere, which led to air travel disruption in northwest Europe for six days in April 2010 and again, in May 2010, including the closure of airspace over many parts of Europe. The eruptions also created electrical storms. We also watched a movie of the 2010 eruption. A very interesting visit indeed. Afterward we headed to see another impressive Icelandic waterfall, the Skógafoss waterfall. Climbing the stairs to see the waterfall from the top certainly gets your heart pumping, but both Pam and I made it to the top and walked alongside the river bank which feeds this waterfall. Our next stop was at Dryholaey, where, as well as puffins and other sea-birds, one can also see the black sand beach. There are also amazing rock formations in this area. I spent a while taking photos and admiring the views and geo formations of this area. Nearby there is a lighthouse very high on the hill which we visited, the views from here are truly amazing. On the road we went again, this time heading towards the town of Vik, famous for its black sand beaches and troll rocks. We also admired the view at a small church on a hill above the town. Also visited the local supermarket to buy things for dinner tonight, as where we are staying is in an eco farm, where we have to do the cooking. On the way to our destination, near the town of Kirjubaejarklaustur, we visited two other interesting places. One is a UNESCO protected area, a lava field in the Katla Geo Park. Our final stop was a visit to the Kurkjugolf natural park, “The Church Floor”, which contain lava hexagonal formations. Another great day in Iceland.