Saturday 30 August

Today we climbed Mt Sulur ...one of the many mountains surrounding Akureyri in the north of Iceland. We started out in the rain and cold but the weather improved and we had the most sensational climb.

Little streams of water were cascading down the mountain and they were surrounded by this vivid green moss...

The streams were coming from the huge pockets of ice...I loved seeing the ice...

At the top..surrounded by cloud....my legs only just made it, it took 21/2 hours ....just as we started to descend the cloud lifted and we had magnificent views up the fiord and over Akureyri.

The trip down wasn't as taxing but it was slippery especially over the ice....I found I could stay upright if I walked in Pete's footprints.  Peter took this shot with his phone.

On the way down...Akureyri and Eyjafjordur...in sunshine!!!

Peter and I spent the afternoon in Akureyri ....had a wine and beer in a bar in town and watched the locals pass by, then went for a walk through the town and the botanical gardens. It was the warmest and brightest day that we have had in Iceland....it just keeps getting better!

Friday 29 August

Today we said goodbye to Langaholt and looked forward to our journey to Akureyri. The drive took most of the day ,we stopped frequently whenever something took our fancy. First stop was this gorgeous  Lake  Baularvallavatn. The whole area seemed untouched, like we were the only people to have been there.

Not too far down the road was Lake Sellvallavatn  ....the reflections were marvellous, we were in a valley so there wasn't any wind, nor was there a sound, it was so peaceful.

Surrounding these lakes were patches of these flowers , which we thought were rather beautiful but also unusual, like fairy floss. 

This is a photo of Stykkishholmur , a pretty little fishing town ...we climbed up to the old light house and we had a lovely view of the town and also the surrounding waters which contain over 2000 Islands in the sound called Breidasund. We also popped into the supermarket and bought some Icelandic chocolate and biscuits, will be interesting tasting them.

A black sheep with his mates in Helgafell....these sheep were sitting by the road being looked after by two dogs...no farmer in sight....we upset them a little by walking past but the dogs kept them under control. We have seen lots of black sheep and all the sheep have very woolie coats.

Thursday 28 August

Early morning walk before breakfast ....these lakes are just down the road from our hotel...between the mountains and the ocean...

A little farmhouse with a waterfall in the back yard!

The coastal walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar... This was so amazing, the rock formations were like nothing we'd ever seen before . At Hellnar we stopped at a cute little cafe for fish soup and beer then walked back to Arnastapi. It was surprisingly warm as there was no wind.

It doesn't look quite as astonishing in the photo but the rocks in the cliffs and the black sand were so striking...amd it went on for a couple of kilometres . 

Behind this rather attractive house is Snaefellsjokull ...a mountain covered in a glacier ....fell in Icelandic means mountain and jokull means sheet of ice. It is the predominant feature of the peninsular and we were on our way to see it up close.

After a rather hairy drive up the mountain and then a 30 minute walk ( my legs only just made it) we arrived at the ice.  It was so worth it. Cloud still covered the top but we could still see this great expanse of ice ..too dangerous to walk on but so interesting to walk around. 

What it looked like under the surface...so beautiful...

Wednesday 27 August

A brighter day today, still some cloud but no rain. This is Hvalfordur...fordur is Icelandic for fiord...and we are on our way to the tallest waterfall in Iceland.

In the distance is the fiord from the previous photo, where we have parked the car and began our ascent to the Glymur waterfalls.

After an hours climb we see the falls....they are stunning...onwards to the top where we will cross over to the other side of the gorge.

Almost there....

It felt wonderful to reach the top of the falls and then walk across the river....had to strip off our socks and boots and paddle up to our knees in freezing cold water. Peter refilled our water bottles with the ice cold water.

In the late afternoon we arrived at Langaholt, where we will be staying for two nights. It is again a country hotel on the Snaefellsjokull peninsula.  There are mountains to the right of us and ocean to the left. Peter and I went for a walk before our dinner along the beach and watched the cloud lift above the  mountain...called Snaefellsjokull . What a perfect day.

Tuesday August 26

Today we were tourists, visited three of Iceland's top 10 . Although it was cold, rainy and windy and a challenge to keep my camera dry we were amazed by the beauty of this country, it was a perfect introduction to Iceland's history, volcanic features and waterfalls.

Pingvellir National Park is the site of the foundation of Iceland as a nation,in AD 930 this dramatic setting was chosen by the island's chieftains as the site of their annual general assembly. It is also one of the world's great geological boundaries, a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates meet. It took our breath away. I am have a sudden interest in geology, (see last photo also).

The Geysir area....containing hot water blow holes and geysirs....more geology.

These are a couple of the many photos I took of the powerful two-tier waterfalls at Gullfoss. I chose photos that had people in them to give you some idea of how enormous the falls are. I used my underwater camera for these shots because of the fine misty spray . I particularly loved the second tier of the falls where the water dropped into this beautiful gorge.

Monday 25 August

The beautiful blue glacial water at Blue Lagoon....

The scenery is stunning, like nothing we have ever seen before and the clouds and mist come and go.

Our first night is spent at Hotel Hekla , which takes its name from the legendary volcano Hekla which can be seen from the hotel. Not only is there the accommodation, bar and dining room and outdoor spa area, there is also the working farm . This afternoon we relaxed in the 40 degree outdoor spa looking out towards the farm and mountains beyond...heaven.

Sunday August 24

A beautiful morning in London... Peter and I walked to Regent's Park from our hotel in Marylebone. This is a photo taken in the Queen Mary's Garden in the centre of Regent's Park.

Regent's Canal near Camden Lock...gorgeous.

After exploring the Camden High Street and Camden Lock markets and eating a tasy lunch from one of the many fantastic international food stalls, we walked on to Primrose Hill...wonderful views and a delightful park.

    We kept walking, eager to see Hampstead Heath.  Thanks Tash for encouraging us to visit this amazing parkland....and we loved the walk there...beautiful houses and lots of trendy shops and cafés.

August 23

       Dubai Airport

 

Todd took this photo of Tash and me with my new short hair...perfect for traveling.

 

Little teeny tiny flower petals all over our 18th green....it was fabulous to be back at golf today after three weeks away. I missed everyone so much.

 

What I love about my husband....

 

Finished! Day 10 ensuite bathroom renovation, and we are very pleased with the result. We will have the mirror and glass sheet between toilet and shower fitted when we return from our holiday. 

 

Day 9 ensuite bathroom renovation

 

Almond blossom..

 

 

Day 8 ensuite bathroom renovation