I just wanted to thank everyone who helped with our trip. I am going to split up our trip into Scotland and Iceland segments. We spent close to two weeks in Scotland and 4 days in Iceland. It was a driving trip for both countries. It gave us lots of freedom but it was also very tiring. We followed the Rick Steves (RS) book for driving tours especially in Iceland. My husband used his phone with Google Maps and put in each stop the day before. This worked well. Sorry I did not put in all the Icelandic dialectal markers and that my trip report is so long but hope it is informative.
MAY 27TH (MON)- Arrived in Iceland from Scotland in the late afternoon. It took awhile to get our car. We rented from Fox. We stayed in an Airbnb and went to Gandhi Indian Restaurant which was excellent.
MAY 28TH (TUES)-WEST COAST
Stops made:
1. Borgarbyggo-Settlement Center-interesting and gets you into the area you want.
2. Grabrok Crater-not worth the stop but this maybe due to us having been to Crater Lake in the US and Ecuador’s Crater (Laguna de Quilotoa) so hard to compete. We wouldn’t stop there again.
3. Lunch at Hraunsnef Country Inn-excellent and close to the crater.
4. Deildartunguhver Hot Springs- very cool and had bathroom facilities (Very important by this time of day). This hot springs had hotel, dining and thermal spring facilities which could be interesting to check out and stay but you are really way out there.
5. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls- such a delight and my favorite waterfalls of the whole trip. We turned around after that and came back to Reykjavik so can’t report on that.
6. Returned to Reykjavik and ate at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur-for excellent lamb hot dog ($6.03) and Saegreifinn (another excellent reasonable dinner-fresh grilled fish/shrimp and veggies).
MAY 29TH (WED)-GOLD CIRCLE/SOUTH COAST- We combined the Gold Circle and South Coast RS driving tours. Not sure I would recommend this but we had just so few days and so many places to stop.
Stops made:
1. Tjaldsvaeoi Gorge and Law Rock- we did a little hiking around here but not all the way down like we should have done. We just kept feeling like we were running out of time which we did.
2. Geothermal Energy Exhibit-This was very interesting and we had lunch in the charming town of Hverageroi-ate at the Skirgeroin Café.
3. Geysir- really cool. There are facilities across the highway to grab a coffee, really good chocolate and a bathroom break.
4. Gullfoss Falls-amazing
5. Seljalandssfoss Falls- You can see them for miles as you are coming up to them. My hubby walked behind the falls (took pictures) and I walked along the river to several of the falls.
6. Dinner in Vik at a little brewery and then keep on driving.
7. Dyrholaey Lighthouse-the road was closed as you got closer I think due to the nesting of the puffins.
8. We stayed at the Hotel Geirland at Geirland, Kirkjubeajarklaustur, South Iceland. We arrived very late and it was REALLY cold that night. The room was ok.
MAY 30TH (THUR)-SOUTH COAST;
Stops:
1. Stjornarfoss Waterfall
2. Foss A Siou-just a private little waterfall.
3. Skeioara Bridge Monument-This was an interesting stop that showed how destructive nature can be.
4. Zodiac Tour at Jokulsarlon-Glacier Lagoon. It was an absolute highlight. We did the zodiac boat ride. They provide you with a wet suit that kept us nice and warm. They have the suits in ALL sizes. We made late reservations (about 3 weeks before we left). The other type of boat was all filled up. That was a happy accident as the zodiac rides were smaller and got us up close to the glaciers and wildlife.
5. Stopped at the Black Beach and then drove back to Reykjavik. Very long drive back.