The Faroes and Iceland

[Devon]

On the Tuesday I set off onthe ride north up the west coast. I only had two days left to get back along for the ferry at 9am on Thursday so I couldn't hang about too much. According to the Icelandic Farm Holidays website, my digs for the night were 120km on the left after the last roundabout north of Borgarnes

I didn't think the West Coast could hold a candle to the East Coast for dramatic scenary but it might be that I was starting to get Fantastic Scenary Fatigue which can set in after a couple of weeks of Iceland and the Faroes and messes with your perpective.

It would have been nice to explore the North West corner which is really isolated but I just didn't have the time unfortunately

Anyway, after an early start from Reykjavik I made the north coast in about 4 hours and explored the dirt road around Vatnsnes just north of Hvammstangi.



The track is advertised as the Seal road on the local road signs. Here's why:



I followed one of the signs for site of interest on the track down to Hvitserkur

 

[Devon]

Wednesday was a day to travel the North Coast A1 back towards the ferry for a Thursday departure.

I stopped at the hot springs at Myvatn.





There was a special LandRover in the carpark on British plates. It turned out to belong to a gent bcalled Owen Hunt who has moved to Iceland and now runs a Tour company. I only chatted to him for 10 minutes but he has an infectious Bellamy like enthusiasm for all things Icelandic. I don't know how good it is but here is a link to his website: http://www.odintoursiceland.com/da/100541

And anyone who has a Landrover like this must be OK in my books

 

[Devon]

The last 150km of the A1 saw my first rain of the week. 6 1/2 days out of 7 good weather is very good for Iceland.

Back on the boat I shared a 4 berth cabin with a gent from Salcome, South Devon and a teacher who has lived in Iceland for 20 years but came from Woolacombe originally, just round the corner from me. The return trip on the ferry cost about £400 for me and the M/C and included the 4 berth shared cabin.

A German couple on a 1100GS I met on the ferry going over had some bad luck during their trip. They did the A1 going anticlockwise around the ring road. Just north of Borgarnes, heading down the east coast he was caught by a speed cop who showed him a video supposedly coming around a bend at 159kph. As the German guy said: it was bollix, he might have been doing 110kph but definately no faster. The GS was fully loaded with his girlfriend and a ton of luggage: they had struggled to get to 130kph on the autobahn in Germany yet alone go through a set of mountain bends at 159kph. Still, the cop was having none of it and gave him an on the spot fine of 700 euros (some cops don't do themselves any favours do they )
Also, on the day before they caught the return ferry they parked their M/C in a supermarket carpark where it got knocked over by a local causing a fair bit of damage

A summary: travelling in the Faroes and Iceland is like riding straight into the pages of the National Geographic. In 2 days on Iceland I visited a glacier, waterfalls, a geysir, got covered in volcanic ash and attacked by a Great skua because I went too close to its nest

June seems to be a good time to visit as July and August gets busy. I used B&B but there is plenty of camping available, plus the interior roads are opened up in mid June. It's expensive but not outrageously so anymore.
The biggest downside to this part of the world is the weather: it is unpredictable and changes quickly. I read that if it's raining in the north, its usually dry in the south and visa versa so if possible travel to where the weather is good.

The ring road itself is about 1400km, I travelled about 2460km (1540 miles) in Iceland and 800km (500 miles) around the Faroes so a total of 3260km (2040 miles). Stick another couple of thousand miles on for the return trip from Blighty to Denmark and its a fair old hike: I did in 19 days including Ferrys.

Is the Ring Road around Iceland one of the best motorcycling roads in the world? Almost definitely

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Excellent....................really enjoyed that and thanks for the useful links too, very helpful

 

[Timolgra]

Nice one Andy, Iceland's held a facination for riding with me for nearly a decade and I've still not made it there.
This great report has prompted me to buy a lottery ticket to fund a trip

 

[roadrider]

Enjoyed that Andy

 

[franco]

Great report and pics

Definitely on my bucket list

 

[Barry G]

Nice one Andy, Now I wish I came with you


Cheers

 

[Bem]

Great report and stunning photos - a great sense of being there.
TFS

 

[Tarka]

Excellent...just caught up with this.

Great stuff...thanks for the time in compiling and sharing it.

Iceland has long been on my 'to do' list and is top of the wishlist for a mega Ural trip.

Shame it`s a bit of an arse regarding ferries and timings but Skaya and I will be there one day.

 

[happy pilgrim]

Nice one Andy, Now I wish I came with you


Cheers

"It was the worst accommodation of my trip: 81 euros for a single bed in an empty bunkhouse that was surrounded by a building site, run by a clueless teenage lass,"

but did she look after him well?

 

[yl100twin]

Looks and sounds like you had a great time andy, truly stunning scenary, now get back to work!!!

 

[bubbles]

Nice one Andy, Now I wish I came with you


Cheers

Me too, good write up Andy .

 

[Farmer Palmer]

Iceland....!

Excellent.........!

I was in Iceland in late may early june but cycling this time instead of travelling by motorbike.....!

It was my seventh trip there but first time cycling a Thorn Sherpa with full touring luggage. The headwinds are truly appalling but with a tail wind its great. Took me two days to cycle from Keflavik via Reykjavik down to the Eyjafjallajokull region where I visited Olafur Eggertson on their farm Thorvaldseyri at the foot of the current volcano Eyjafjallajokull.(over 4cm of volcanic ash then and not looking good on the farm)

The ash/duststorms were terrible and dangerous on the road near Skogar so i beat a hasty retreat back to Selfoss before taking the ferry out to Vestmannaeyjar for a couple of days before riding the 'Golden Circle'. I cycled over 1000km in nine days and what takes around an hour by motorbike could take a full days cycling.....!

FP.

 

[Timolgra]

I met my partner while she was learning to ride a bike.
Her objective was to ride around Iceland.......how fortuitous was that!

She passed her test and now rides a 650 Dakar, shortly we're going to get her an offroad bike and improve her riding, then a few trail riding/camping trips for her to practice and we're going to do a trip there next year

Getting there is still a pain so at the moment I'm thinking of taking the ferry from Harwich to Denmark saving the slog around.

As for the route in Iceland?
Well mainly the ring road but I'll probably use a KTM 640ADV so if her river crossings come good then a few tougher routes inland.........either that, or she'll kill me for taking her to such godforsaken places

 

[pkemppai]

Crazy girl-friend from Kittilä. Now a crazy wife and a family-in-law from Kittilä? My deepest condolances!

But, you have my word: as far as craziness is concerned, the people from Kittilä only repserent that of a mediocre Finn.

Cheers again,

pkemppai

 

[Ash]

just caught up with this.
Don't know how i missed this
Iceland was on my tour plan for 2005 before my wee off.
Can't see me getting there now

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Great report. I spent a few days on the Faroes for work some years ago. Amazing place, just so empty. Wish I'd had a bike there to explore.

Yes, like many people, Iceland is on my to-do list.

J.

 

[Timolgra]

Yes, like many people, Iceland is on my to-do list.

J.

Get your lady sorted on a bike and join us next year

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Get your lady sorted on a bike and join us next year

That might actually be possible. Let's keep in touch and see where we are next year.