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I have booked flights to Iceland for a week from 22nd December. We plan to hire a car, see something of the country rather than just stay in the capital. I'm really struggling to find information about how much snow we can expect and if any of the hiking trails will be passable with an axe and crampons, or will snow shoes/skis be needed?
Also, what are the road conditions like, obviously we will hire a 4x4, this one looks interesting...http://www.geysir.is/products.php?productid=6 but how much extra should we allow for driving to Myvaten from the 6 hours given on google maps?
Anyone got suggestions for interesting/cheap places to sleep? All of the yha and climbing club huts I have found seem to be shut.
Thanks for any other ideas/suggestions.
Also, what are the road conditions like, obviously we will hire a 4x4, this one looks interesting...http://www.geysir.is/products.php?productid=6 but how much extra should we allow for driving to Myvaten from the 6 hours given on google maps?
Anyone got suggestions for interesting/cheap places to sleep? All of the yha and climbing club huts I have found seem to be shut.
Thanks for any other ideas/suggestions.
In reply to ablackett:
I am not sure you have thought this one through...
>>> We plan to hire a car, see something of the country
That might be tricky, as there will be no daylight to speak of at that time of the year.
>>> Also, what are the road conditions like, obviously we will hire a 4x4
The majority (all?) of the F roads (i.e. mountain roads for which a 4x4 is compulsory) will be closed in December. The Lada you are looking at on the website is not much more than a toy for going up and down the odd kerb...have you seen any pictures of the 4x4s the locals use?
>>> All of the yha and climbing club huts I have found seem to be shut.
That might be because very few people are mad enough to travel to Iceland (at least outside Reyjkavik) in December?
>>> how much extra should we allow for driving to Myvaten
If you mean Mývatn near Akureyri, I assume you were planning on driving the F-35 Kjölur route? That will be closed in December. Have a look at this:
http://www.vegagerdin.is/english/road-conditions-and-weather/the-entire-cou...
I am not sure you have thought this one through...
>>> We plan to hire a car, see something of the country
That might be tricky, as there will be no daylight to speak of at that time of the year.
>>> Also, what are the road conditions like, obviously we will hire a 4x4
The majority (all?) of the F roads (i.e. mountain roads for which a 4x4 is compulsory) will be closed in December. The Lada you are looking at on the website is not much more than a toy for going up and down the odd kerb...have you seen any pictures of the 4x4s the locals use?
>>> All of the yha and climbing club huts I have found seem to be shut.
That might be because very few people are mad enough to travel to Iceland (at least outside Reyjkavik) in December?
>>> how much extra should we allow for driving to Myvaten
If you mean Mývatn near Akureyri, I assume you were planning on driving the F-35 Kjölur route? That will be closed in December. Have a look at this:
http://www.vegagerdin.is/english/road-conditions-and-weather/the-entire-cou...
In reply to Nic: I have thought it through, and I thought it will probably be ok! Perhaps I need to think it through again.
3-4 hours daylight should be ok so long as we take head torches.
No, I thought the sensible route would be the ring road round the west. Do you know if this is likely to be open?
Thanks for the roadmap.
3-4 hours daylight should be ok so long as we take head torches.
No, I thought the sensible route would be the ring road round the west. Do you know if this is likely to be open?
Thanks for the roadmap.
In reply to ablackett:
I went to Iceland last November and hired a car. It really depends on the weather as to the road conditions. On our 2nd day we went from Reykjavik to Solheimajokull glacier. The roads were fine, no issues driving there or back at all. On our 4th day, we had planned to drive to the glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón, Google says this should take 4 hours 26 min. 5 hours into the drive we were not even half way there. This was because the roads were covered in ice from snow over the last couple of days. It was probably the most scared I had been while driving a vehicle as it just kept getting worse, then after passing 2 cars in the ditch, 1 of which had just happened, we decided to turn back to the capital. This was on the main road for the south coast, no back roads or mountain roads. We had hired a 4x4 with winter tires and we were still skidding around all over the place doing less than 25mph. I've driven in snow and ice before plenty of times in the UK, but attempting to drive 230 miles on what is essentially glass was definitely pushing it, especially as in November there were only 6 hours of daylight before everything plummets to below zero again.
I went to Iceland last November and hired a car. It really depends on the weather as to the road conditions. On our 2nd day we went from Reykjavik to Solheimajokull glacier. The roads were fine, no issues driving there or back at all. On our 4th day, we had planned to drive to the glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón, Google says this should take 4 hours 26 min. 5 hours into the drive we were not even half way there. This was because the roads were covered in ice from snow over the last couple of days. It was probably the most scared I had been while driving a vehicle as it just kept getting worse, then after passing 2 cars in the ditch, 1 of which had just happened, we decided to turn back to the capital. This was on the main road for the south coast, no back roads or mountain roads. We had hired a 4x4 with winter tires and we were still skidding around all over the place doing less than 25mph. I've driven in snow and ice before plenty of times in the UK, but attempting to drive 230 miles on what is essentially glass was definitely pushing it, especially as in November there were only 6 hours of daylight before everything plummets to below zero again.
In reply to BStar: Thanks, that's very helpful.
It seems a lot of people on travel forums who say, it's fine, probably just take day trips out of Reykjavik. Hummmm....
Anyone been snowholing from Reykjavik?
Might be our only chance of a bit of an adventure!
It seems a lot of people on travel forums who say, it's fine, probably just take day trips out of Reykjavik. Hummmm....
Anyone been snowholing from Reykjavik?
Might be our only chance of a bit of an adventure!
In reply to ablackett: When I visited Iceland it was midsummer. Even at that time of year it was noticeable that Ladas weren't up to the river crossings and we came across several which had broken down halfway across and had to be pulled out by a tour bus. Not sure there will be many of those about in December. Hire something substantial - we used diesel Land Rovers.
I think the roads have improved since I was there, but then there weren't really any proper roads in the interior, just a route which people follow and which gets opened up each summer until the winter closes them again. I suspect many of these are still the same. Don't assume any will be passable, and take local advice. Even in summer they can be closed by sudden floods, The ring road might be OK in sections, but who knows? Once again you should take local advice.
It's not a cheap country, and outside the tourist season I guess you will struggle to find many places to stay, let alone cheap ones.
And, of course, it will be dark most of the time.
Nevertheless it's a fascinating place, and I hope you manage to see some of it.
I think the roads have improved since I was there, but then there weren't really any proper roads in the interior, just a route which people follow and which gets opened up each summer until the winter closes them again. I suspect many of these are still the same. Don't assume any will be passable, and take local advice. Even in summer they can be closed by sudden floods, The ring road might be OK in sections, but who knows? Once again you should take local advice.
It's not a cheap country, and outside the tourist season I guess you will struggle to find many places to stay, let alone cheap ones.
And, of course, it will be dark most of the time.
Nevertheless it's a fascinating place, and I hope you manage to see some of it.
In reply to ablackett:
You're not mad! We went in January last year and drove right round the island over two weeks, and despite the heaviest snowfalls they'd had for many years (apparently) we had a really amazing adventure and saw plenty of what is a really unique and amazing place.
Check out sadcars.is for rental, when we went it was far and away the cheapest place. I would definitely recommend hiring the biggest 4x4 you can afford, as driving conditions will be hairy even if there is not as much snow as last year. We had the cheapest 4x4 which was actually a car and though it did very well, I'd definitely upgrade if I did it again.
Myvatn in six hours is probably optimistic - doable in good conditions but the snow slows you down a lot, and don't underestimate how tiring it is to drive in! Requires constant attention. Eight hours there, or doing it with a stopover is probably more realisitic. Well worth the visit though, the nature baths there are in an incredible setting, and will be pretty quiet if not deserted during the day.
Route 1 is generally pretty good. We often found it covered in deep fresh snow, but that is manageable for driving in - it's the ice that's really a problem and the only place we encountered that on route 1 was in the north-east corner on the way to egilstadir where the locals don't really use it and they don't bother opening it much, so bear that in mind if you plan to go further than myvatn.
If you do, Dimmu Borgir is well worth a visit (beware the icy approach road!) especially at that time of year, when the Yule Lads will be out and about getting up to mischief. We were too late for them sadly!
Daylight will be an issue too, but is manageable if you plan so that you arrive at your destination at sunrise. We had six or seven hours which was fine, but you'll need to plan really well with only four. It's the perfect time of year to see the northern lights though, we managed to see them a few times.
We didn't hike, as we didn't have appropriate gear, but we did venture on to the very bottom of a couple of glaciers. Based on the amount of ice around generally I'd say crampons would be a prerequisite, and snow shoes would be wise. You'll also need to plan that very carefully as you'll likely not find hiking maps until you're there (bookshops in Reykjavik are a good place to get them) and just getting to the trails could take a long time.
As for places to stay, you're pretty limited to what's available - as you say the hostels and campsites will all be shut. You'll find places in the bigger conurbations without too much trouble, but for the more remote areas Icelandic Farm Holidays (www.farmholidays.is a partnership of farms with varying degrees of accomodation) is invaluable, if a little expensive for what you get.
Right, stream of consciousness over, I could go on and on but I'll have a think of any other useful tips. Obviously all this is only my experience but if you've any more questions I'll happily share as much of it as I can!
If you plan it right and know what to expect it really will be an amazing trip and I wish you all the best.
Ben
You're not mad! We went in January last year and drove right round the island over two weeks, and despite the heaviest snowfalls they'd had for many years (apparently) we had a really amazing adventure and saw plenty of what is a really unique and amazing place.
Check out sadcars.is for rental, when we went it was far and away the cheapest place. I would definitely recommend hiring the biggest 4x4 you can afford, as driving conditions will be hairy even if there is not as much snow as last year. We had the cheapest 4x4 which was actually a car and though it did very well, I'd definitely upgrade if I did it again.
Myvatn in six hours is probably optimistic - doable in good conditions but the snow slows you down a lot, and don't underestimate how tiring it is to drive in! Requires constant attention. Eight hours there, or doing it with a stopover is probably more realisitic. Well worth the visit though, the nature baths there are in an incredible setting, and will be pretty quiet if not deserted during the day.
Route 1 is generally pretty good. We often found it covered in deep fresh snow, but that is manageable for driving in - it's the ice that's really a problem and the only place we encountered that on route 1 was in the north-east corner on the way to egilstadir where the locals don't really use it and they don't bother opening it much, so bear that in mind if you plan to go further than myvatn.
If you do, Dimmu Borgir is well worth a visit (beware the icy approach road!) especially at that time of year, when the Yule Lads will be out and about getting up to mischief. We were too late for them sadly!
Daylight will be an issue too, but is manageable if you plan so that you arrive at your destination at sunrise. We had six or seven hours which was fine, but you'll need to plan really well with only four. It's the perfect time of year to see the northern lights though, we managed to see them a few times.
We didn't hike, as we didn't have appropriate gear, but we did venture on to the very bottom of a couple of glaciers. Based on the amount of ice around generally I'd say crampons would be a prerequisite, and snow shoes would be wise. You'll also need to plan that very carefully as you'll likely not find hiking maps until you're there (bookshops in Reykjavik are a good place to get them) and just getting to the trails could take a long time.
As for places to stay, you're pretty limited to what's available - as you say the hostels and campsites will all be shut. You'll find places in the bigger conurbations without too much trouble, but for the more remote areas Icelandic Farm Holidays (www.farmholidays.is a partnership of farms with varying degrees of accomodation) is invaluable, if a little expensive for what you get.
Right, stream of consciousness over, I could go on and on but I'll have a think of any other useful tips. Obviously all this is only my experience but if you've any more questions I'll happily share as much of it as I can!
If you plan it right and know what to expect it really will be an amazing trip and I wish you all the best.
Ben
In reply to ablackett:
I've been in February, ie well after the equinox, so I can't talk about daylight in December. But we had temps from -10 - +5 in the space of three days; snow storms to torrential rain that stripped everything. Think Scottish winter conditions - but colder - and you won't go too far wrong. Even in summer, Iceland can be seriously hostile.
Road conditions: we hired a Nissan Micra which, with snow tyres, was simply astonishing in what it would cope with, including sheet ice. I'd do the same again if I was going again in winter: 4WD gives a false sense of security. The kind of places that are accessible in winter will, by and large, be accessible by 2WD or not at all, unless you have a jacked-up F3500. I'd also carry a sleeping bags, food and drink in the car. The road conditions link someone else posted is very useful and there'll be a link to webcams via that website, too.
The principal value I can see in a small 4WD in Iceland is for river fording and clearance. If you are going seriously off-road a Lada won't get you very far in winter, and I wouldn't be going off-road in winter unless I was doing it Iceland style: in convoy.
I haven't driven to and from Myvatn in winter but the only way it'll be possible is via the ring road (the routes through the interior were open for 10 weeks this year) and whilst it could be fine, you could spend all week getting there and back (or not!).
Places to visit? Plenty to do within a couple of hours (normal driving!) of Reykjavik.
I've been in February, ie well after the equinox, so I can't talk about daylight in December. But we had temps from -10 - +5 in the space of three days; snow storms to torrential rain that stripped everything. Think Scottish winter conditions - but colder - and you won't go too far wrong. Even in summer, Iceland can be seriously hostile.
Road conditions: we hired a Nissan Micra which, with snow tyres, was simply astonishing in what it would cope with, including sheet ice. I'd do the same again if I was going again in winter: 4WD gives a false sense of security. The kind of places that are accessible in winter will, by and large, be accessible by 2WD or not at all, unless you have a jacked-up F3500. I'd also carry a sleeping bags, food and drink in the car. The road conditions link someone else posted is very useful and there'll be a link to webcams via that website, too.
The principal value I can see in a small 4WD in Iceland is for river fording and clearance. If you are going seriously off-road a Lada won't get you very far in winter, and I wouldn't be going off-road in winter unless I was doing it Iceland style: in convoy.
I haven't driven to and from Myvatn in winter but the only way it'll be possible is via the ring road (the routes through the interior were open for 10 weeks this year) and whilst it could be fine, you could spend all week getting there and back (or not!).
Places to visit? Plenty to do within a couple of hours (normal driving!) of Reykjavik.
In reply to Howard J:
It's all bitumen now.
> (In reply to ablackett)
>
> The ring road might be OK in sections, but who knows?
>
> The ring road might be OK in sections, but who knows?
It's all bitumen now.
In reply to ablackett:
Iceland is a fantastic island, but one thing you will quickly learn is that the words "Iceland" and "cheap" can't be used in the same sentence. When budgeting for your trip estimate how much spending money you think you should take from reading travel brochures, articles etc,
then, double it.
Enjoy!
>
> Anyone got suggestions for interesting/cheap places to sleep?
> Anyone got suggestions for interesting/cheap places to sleep?
Iceland is a fantastic island, but one thing you will quickly learn is that the words "Iceland" and "cheap" can't be used in the same sentence. When budgeting for your trip estimate how much spending money you think you should take from reading travel brochures, articles etc,
then, double it.
Enjoy!
In reply to Solaris:
Last year there was still a short section (somewhere in the north east) that was dirt track...but I don't think it's the road surface that will be a problem, it will be the snow/ice cover, as many above have suggested.
If the OP really wants to get out of town, I would suggest the Snaefells peninsula - only an hour or so out of Reykjavik, on busy (for Iceland...) roads most of the way. Heart-stoppingly beautiful.
Re the light - 22 December is bang on the solstice. I am sure there are websites which will tell you this stuff, but the northern part of Iceland is almost on the Arctic Circle, so by definition the sun will not rise...so the only light will be twilight!
>
> It's all bitumen now.
> It's all bitumen now.
Last year there was still a short section (somewhere in the north east) that was dirt track...but I don't think it's the road surface that will be a problem, it will be the snow/ice cover, as many above have suggested.
If the OP really wants to get out of town, I would suggest the Snaefells peninsula - only an hour or so out of Reykjavik, on busy (for Iceland...) roads most of the way. Heart-stoppingly beautiful.
Re the light - 22 December is bang on the solstice. I am sure there are websites which will tell you this stuff, but the northern part of Iceland is almost on the Arctic Circle, so by definition the sun will not rise...so the only light will be twilight!
In reply to ablackett:
We were there on an arranged trip at New Year 2012/3 for 5 days, based around the main tourist spots. There had just been a snowfall, but the main roads and the ring road were cleared quickly. The tour bus got around with no problems, but only to the main sights, including the waterfalls, geysers etc and the SW part of the ring. There was lovely peaceful, quiet weather and usable light from about 10.00am until 3.30 or so. While expensive I didn't find any more expensive than Norway/Sweden, though that isn't saying much!
I loved the place and definitely recommend it.
We were there on an arranged trip at New Year 2012/3 for 5 days, based around the main tourist spots. There had just been a snowfall, but the main roads and the ring road were cleared quickly. The tour bus got around with no problems, but only to the main sights, including the waterfalls, geysers etc and the SW part of the ring. There was lovely peaceful, quiet weather and usable light from about 10.00am until 3.30 or so. While expensive I didn't find any more expensive than Norway/Sweden, though that isn't saying much!
I loved the place and definitely recommend it.
In reply to Nic:
This isn't really true - I think that theoretically on the arctic circle (which all of Iceland is south of) on the solstice, the sun shouldn't rise but actually it does because of atmospheric refraction and you can make it do so just by walking or driving up a hill away from sea level.
I've skied in Finnish Lapland well north of the Arctic circle, hence some 100 or 100s of kms north of Iceland and well north of Reykjavik 10 days after the solstice and the sun is up for a good few hours, plus you have hours either side of twilight which can be really beautiful. Lots more daylight than I was expecting. It does help though if it is snowy and clear, neither of which I think are anywhere close to guaranteed in Iceland by the sounds of it!
In southern Finland (I reckon I live about 350 kms south of the latitude of Reykjavik) it is guaranteed to at all to be snowy by Dec. 21 and I can promise the days feel really short and depressing around then if there is no snow!
> Re the light - 22 December is bang on the solstice. I am sure there are websites which will tell you this stuff, but the northern part of Iceland is almost on the Arctic Circle, so by definition the sun will not rise...
This isn't really true - I think that theoretically on the arctic circle (which all of Iceland is south of) on the solstice, the sun shouldn't rise but actually it does because of atmospheric refraction and you can make it do so just by walking or driving up a hill away from sea level.
I've skied in Finnish Lapland well north of the Arctic circle, hence some 100 or 100s of kms north of Iceland and well north of Reykjavik 10 days after the solstice and the sun is up for a good few hours, plus you have hours either side of twilight which can be really beautiful. Lots more daylight than I was expecting. It does help though if it is snowy and clear, neither of which I think are anywhere close to guaranteed in Iceland by the sounds of it!
In southern Finland (I reckon I live about 350 kms south of the latitude of Reykjavik) it is guaranteed to at all to be snowy by Dec. 21 and I can promise the days feel really short and depressing around then if there is no snow!
In reply to ablackett: I was there December-January 2012/13 this is my advice.
You will actually get a decent amount of light, you just have to plan carefully so that you travel in the dark and arrive at the sight in light. The great thing is you get an almost permanent sunset/rise which is great for photos.
http://www.vegagerdin.is/english/road-conditions-and-weather/the-entire-cou... this website should be your bible. It has up to date and accurate information, most hotels will have wifi so check it regularly.
Hiring a 4x4 is a good idea. We had a Ford Kuga with winter tyre (all hire cars will have these) and it was fantastic. I drove in some horrific conditions i.e. full on blizzards iced up roads with f' all visibility and it coped just fine. In fact it was probably me holding it back as locals were over taking me and I thought I was going at a good pace.
If youre looking to go proper off roading then you will need one hell of a 4x4. Youre probably better off getting a guide to take you as you are unlikely to be insure and a lot of the smaller roads are unmade and probably pretty dangerous in the wrong car without the skill set.
As previously said driving times drastically vary. Out of the city it is not the traffic which slows you but the bad weather should you get it. We planned a full ring road trip but had to turn back once we got to the east coast because the roads to Akureyri blocked.
I personally think that without a guide and unless you're very experienced that the hiking trails will be out of bounds for you.
Sadly there is nowhere cheap to sleep in Iceland but all of the hotels are of an ok quality. Plus side is there are very few tourists compared to summer (so im told)
Places worth visiting IMO.
Blue Lagoon - Big hot outdoor swimming pool, great when it is snowing.
Jokulsarlon - Glacier ice floats at sea.
The two big Waterfalls on the south Coast if forget there names.
Glacier walking
Dog sledding was ok, but do it when there is snow (snow is not guaranteed in Iceland as daft as that sounds)
Ive got a few photos on my profile with the correct spellings of the places.
Have fun its a great place. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
You will actually get a decent amount of light, you just have to plan carefully so that you travel in the dark and arrive at the sight in light. The great thing is you get an almost permanent sunset/rise which is great for photos.
http://www.vegagerdin.is/english/road-conditions-and-weather/the-entire-cou... this website should be your bible. It has up to date and accurate information, most hotels will have wifi so check it regularly.
Hiring a 4x4 is a good idea. We had a Ford Kuga with winter tyre (all hire cars will have these) and it was fantastic. I drove in some horrific conditions i.e. full on blizzards iced up roads with f' all visibility and it coped just fine. In fact it was probably me holding it back as locals were over taking me and I thought I was going at a good pace.
If youre looking to go proper off roading then you will need one hell of a 4x4. Youre probably better off getting a guide to take you as you are unlikely to be insure and a lot of the smaller roads are unmade and probably pretty dangerous in the wrong car without the skill set.
As previously said driving times drastically vary. Out of the city it is not the traffic which slows you but the bad weather should you get it. We planned a full ring road trip but had to turn back once we got to the east coast because the roads to Akureyri blocked.
I personally think that without a guide and unless you're very experienced that the hiking trails will be out of bounds for you.
Sadly there is nowhere cheap to sleep in Iceland but all of the hotels are of an ok quality. Plus side is there are very few tourists compared to summer (so im told)
Places worth visiting IMO.
Blue Lagoon - Big hot outdoor swimming pool, great when it is snowing.
Jokulsarlon - Glacier ice floats at sea.
The two big Waterfalls on the south Coast if forget there names.
Glacier walking
Dog sledding was ok, but do it when there is snow (snow is not guaranteed in Iceland as daft as that sounds)
Ive got a few photos on my profile with the correct spellings of the places.
Have fun its a great place. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
In reply to mike_uk82: Sorry for crap spelling etc. Had to write that during lunch break.
In reply to mike_uk82:
Yup - it's fantastic light - if there's any sun!
Not sure I completely agree with this. We drove similar sounding conditions and it was the winter tyres that made the difference. Of course, if you get into deep snow you'll be in trouble in a 2WD, but so will a 4WD eventually. And that's the problem: knowing when to stop and turn round. We managed 3" snow and sheet ice way better than our 4WD Impreza would in the UK on summer tyres - in fact, it wouldn't have. In terms of overall expense, for the difference a standard 4WD would make to where you can go in winter, I don't think hiring one would be worth it.
It depends on conditions and what the OP wants to do and how confident s/he is with navigation but there are excellent walks within 2 hours of Reykjavik that'll give a fantastic experience of all that's unique about Iceland. Takes a bit of initiative to find them, mind! This'll help:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Trekking-Iceland-Cicerone-Guides/dp/1852846...
Yes, way fewer! I was astonished how many tourists there were this summer but once away from the honeypots it was as bleak and empty as you could wish. But even in winter in 2012 there were considerably more than when I was there in summer in the 1980s!
> (In reply to ablackett)
>
> The great thing is you get an almost permanent sunset/rise which is great for photos.
>
> The great thing is you get an almost permanent sunset/rise which is great for photos.
Yup - it's fantastic light - if there's any sun!
> Hiring a 4x4 is a good idea. We had a Ford Kuga with winter tyre (all hire cars will have these) and it was fantastic. I drove in some horrific conditions i.e. full on blizzards iced up roads with f' all visibility and it coped just fine.
Not sure I completely agree with this. We drove similar sounding conditions and it was the winter tyres that made the difference. Of course, if you get into deep snow you'll be in trouble in a 2WD, but so will a 4WD eventually. And that's the problem: knowing when to stop and turn round. We managed 3" snow and sheet ice way better than our 4WD Impreza would in the UK on summer tyres - in fact, it wouldn't have. In terms of overall expense, for the difference a standard 4WD would make to where you can go in winter, I don't think hiring one would be worth it.
> I personally think that without a guide and unless you're very experienced that the hiking trails will be out of bounds for you.
It depends on conditions and what the OP wants to do and how confident s/he is with navigation but there are excellent walks within 2 hours of Reykjavik that'll give a fantastic experience of all that's unique about Iceland. Takes a bit of initiative to find them, mind! This'll help:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Trekking-Iceland-Cicerone-Guides/dp/1852846...
> Plus side is there are very few tourists compared to summer (so im told)
Yes, way fewer! I was astonished how many tourists there were this summer but once away from the honeypots it was as bleak and empty as you could wish. But even in winter in 2012 there were considerably more than when I was there in summer in the 1980s!
In reply to Solaris: Thanks for all the details here it's fantastic to get the opinions of people who have been there.
I'm pretty experienced at winter nav, happy at night in winter in the Lakes, so hope that I can do a bit of walking. I haver got the Cicerone guide, but find it pretty hard to make out what is accessible and possible in winter without snowshoes/skis. Guess I will have to just give stuff a go and find out!
I have gone off the idea of the Lada now, might go for a jeep wrangler.
I'm pretty experienced at winter nav, happy at night in winter in the Lakes, so hope that I can do a bit of walking. I haver got the Cicerone guide, but find it pretty hard to make out what is accessible and possible in winter without snowshoes/skis. Guess I will have to just give stuff a go and find out!
I have gone off the idea of the Lada now, might go for a jeep wrangler.
In reply to ablackett:
You might find this book useful: http://shopicelandic.com/en/store/summit-100-mountain-hikes-in-iceland
It has some shorter walks up lava cones etc. as well as bigger mountains.
You might find this book useful: http://shopicelandic.com/en/store/summit-100-mountain-hikes-in-iceland
It has some shorter walks up lava cones etc. as well as bigger mountains.
In reply to Trangia:
Iceland isn't that expensive since the crash in 2008. I have spent quite a bit of time there in he last few years and it is on a par with UK for petrol, food etc (shop in Bonus supermarket).
You might struggle on the roads east of Akureyri, there are 2 high passes to get to Myvatn which are often snow chains only. Accommodation is cheap on bungalo.is and you can get good 4x4 (older models but excellent) at
http://www.cheapcarhireiceland.is/
Enjoy the Skyr
> (In reply to ablackett)
> [...]
>
> Iceland is a fantastic island, but one thing you will quickly learn is that the words "Iceland" and "cheap" can't be used in the same sentence. When budgeting for your trip estimate how much spending money you think you should take from reading travel brochures, articles etc,
>
> [...]
>
> Iceland is a fantastic island, but one thing you will quickly learn is that the words "Iceland" and "cheap" can't be used in the same sentence. When budgeting for your trip estimate how much spending money you think you should take from reading travel brochures, articles etc,
>
Iceland isn't that expensive since the crash in 2008. I have spent quite a bit of time there in he last few years and it is on a par with UK for petrol, food etc (shop in Bonus supermarket).
You might struggle on the roads east of Akureyri, there are 2 high passes to get to Myvatn which are often snow chains only. Accommodation is cheap on bungalo.is and you can get good 4x4 (older models but excellent) at
http://www.cheapcarhireiceland.is/
Enjoy the Skyr
In reply to ablackett:
I'd plan on the basis of the supposition that, subject to the vagaries of the weather, walks that start on or very close to the ring road or to other tarmaced roads ought to be reasonably accessible. I haven't used snow-shoes but given the maritime climate and the fickle conditions, I would guess that they are more likely to be of use than skis. Ski touring in the interior would be fantastic but also potentially extremely challenging.
>
> I have got the Cicerone guide, but find it pretty hard to make out what is accessible and possible in winter without snowshoes/skis.
> I have got the Cicerone guide, but find it pretty hard to make out what is accessible and possible in winter without snowshoes/skis.
I'd plan on the basis of the supposition that, subject to the vagaries of the weather, walks that start on or very close to the ring road or to other tarmaced roads ought to be reasonably accessible. I haven't used snow-shoes but given the maritime climate and the fickle conditions, I would guess that they are more likely to be of use than skis. Ski touring in the interior would be fantastic but also potentially extremely challenging.
In reply to ablackett: This site has web cams for the more popular areas of Iceland and will give you an idea of what the weather is like. http://www.livefromiceland.is/
In reply to mike_uk82:
Gullfoss? This shouldn't be missed especially if it's frozen. Not too far from Rejkyavik.
> (In reply to ablackett) > The two big Waterfalls on the south Coast if forget there names.
Gullfoss? This shouldn't be missed especially if it's frozen. Not too far from Rejkyavik.
In reply to pasbury:
Skogarfoss was the one I had in mind. Gullfoss is a must too, near to the Geyser as well. Only problem with Gullfoss is that getting near to is impossible when there is ice and much of it is blocked off by barriers, still a must see.
> (In reply to mike_uk82)
> [...]
>
> Gullfoss? This shouldn't be missed especially if it's frozen. Not too far from Rejkyavik.
> [...]
>
> Gullfoss? This shouldn't be missed especially if it's frozen. Not too far from Rejkyavik.
Skogarfoss was the one I had in mind. Gullfoss is a must too, near to the Geyser as well. Only problem with Gullfoss is that getting near to is impossible when there is ice and much of it is blocked off by barriers, still a must see.
In reply to ablackett:
An idea here as to the light:
http://ericajgreen.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/winter-solstice-in-iceland/
An idea here as to the light:
http://ericajgreen.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/winter-solstice-in-iceland/
In reply to mike_uk82:
Yup, and then the walk up to Skógagil and even to Fimmvorðuháls would be brilliant with its 20ish waterfalls. What a challenge if they were frozen!
> Skogarfoss was the one I had in mind.
Yup, and then the walk up to Skógagil and even to Fimmvorðuháls would be brilliant with its 20ish waterfalls. What a challenge if they were frozen!
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