Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [96]
Stöng was excavated in 1939 – Iceland’s first proper archaeological dig – and is an important site, used to help date Viking houses elsewhere. The farm ruins are covered over by a large wooden shelter at the end of a bad, bumpy dirt road that branches off Rte 32 about 20km beyond Árnes. You can still see stone-lined fire pits and door lintels made from octagonal basalt columns, and the surrounding lava landscape is impressively desolate. A walking path behind the farm takes you a couple of kilometres to a strange and lovely little valley, Gjáin, full of twisting lava and waterfalls.
We happen to think it’s an atmospheric spot, but Þjóðveldisbærinn ( 488 7713; www.thjodveldisbaer.is; adult/under 13yr Ikr500/free; 10am-noon & 1-6pm Jun-Aug), a reconstructed Viking-era farm, is more photogenic. The farm exactly reproduces the layout of Stöng and its neighbouring church. The two farms are like a cosmetic surgeon’s ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos.
South of the reconstructed farm is the Búrfell hydroelectricity plant, decorated by one of Sigurjón Ólafsson’s largest sculptures.
From Stöng you can walk 10km northeast along a 4WD track to Iceland’s second-highest waterfall, Háifoss, which plunges 122m off the edge of a plateau. You can also get most of the way there by 4WD.
SLEEPING
From mid-May to September you can camp in a plantation of fir trees at Sandártunga ( 893 8889; sites per person Ikr600), about 7km before Búrfell.
Hólaskógur ( 661 2503; www.icesafari.is; sites per person Ikr800, sb Ikr2500) Offers the most remote accommodation in Þjórsárdalur, on the edge of the highlands. It’s effectively a mountain hut, big enough for 80 sleeping-baggers, with camping places outside and a great sauna (Ikr500). The company offers quad-bike (ATV) tours.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Reykjavík Excursions ( 580 5400; www.re.is) runs a 12-hour tour (Ikr17,000) from Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar that stops at the reconstructed Viking farm Þjóðveldisbærinn. The tour runs at 8am daily from July to mid-September. Iceland Excursions ( 540 1313; www.grayline.is) has a 10-hour tour (Ikr18,000) from Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar that visits Hjálparfoss waterfall. For tours focusing just on Þjórsárdalur, contact Gaukur Travel ( 557 1113, 897 1112; www.gaukur-travel.is), which runs 4WD (Ikr15,000) and bus (Ikr10,000) tours to the valley from Reykjavík.
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THE SOUTHWEST COAST
Coming from Reykjavík, this is one of the most exciting bits of the southern coast, simply because of the suspense. Rte 1 trundles through a flat, wide coastal plain, full of horse farms and greenhouses, before the landscape suddenly begins to spasm and grow jagged. Mountains thrust upwards on the inland side of the road and the first of the awesome glaciers appears.
Public transport isn’t bad along the Ring Road, which is studded with interesting settlements: Hveragerði, famous for its geothermal fields and hot springs; Hvolsvöllur, the leaping-off point for Þórsmörk, one of Iceland’s most popular hiking destinations; Skógar, further east, home to one of Iceland’s best folk museums; and Vík, surrounded by glaciers, vertiginous cliffs and black beaches, which will leave you giddy with love.
Treats lying off the Ring Road include the tiny fishing villages of Stokkseyri and Eyrarbakki; brooding volcano Hekla (a possible gateway to hell!); the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, where you can go dog sledding or snowmobiling; and farms and valleys rich with saga heritage.
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HVERAGERÐI
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At first glance, you might write Hveragerði off as a dull grid of boxy buildings. However, spend longer than half an hour here and your ominous muttering should fade away. This friendly town has soul, and lots of small, strange things to see and do.
Hveragerði sits on top of a highly active geothermal field, which provides heat for hundreds of greenhouses. Nationally, the town is famous for its horticultural college and naturopathic clinic. There are also some fantastic hikes in the area, so it makes a good walking