I stopped by at Hvitserkur and Hraunfossar Waterfalls as I made my way from Akureyri to Reykjavik. The past 3 days in Akureyri were time well spent and eventful. For I get to visit some of the natural wonders in Northern Iceland and catching the Northern Lights in action. It’s a long drive so I have to refrain from pulling over for photo taking too frequently. That alone is an immense task as there are so many photography opportunities in the “Land of Fire and Ice”. But I have to stick to my plan in order to return the rental car on time. As it’s the final day of my 8 days Iceland Road Trip before departing for Berlin tomorrow morning.
I would love to visit Iceland again! The diverse landscapes here are amazing and stunning. These captivating experiences will remain vividly imprinted in my memory for a long time.
The rock formation of Hvitserkur
The morning drive started bright and sunny before the fog and rain joined in. It’s almost a 3 hours’ drive from Akureyri to Hvitserkur. Henceforth, I had a break at the modern church of Blonduoskirkja before continuing. From the Ring Road, I turned into Route 711 followed by Route 713 before arriving at the surprisingly empty parking lot of Hvitserkur. I then followed a short walking path which leads to the rock formation of Hvitserkur.
According to Icelandic folklore, Hvitserkur is the evil troll which had been turned to stone. But to me, the basalt stack rock formation looks somewhat like a creature standing on three legs. It’s amazing how it manages to withstand the powerful Arctic Ocean. It’s even possible to walk right next to it during low tide.
The Lava Waterfalls of Hraunfossar
The next stop was Hraunfossar, commonly known as the Lava Waterfalls. But the drive there was slow and stressful because of a thick fog that morning. It was a great relief to get through all that and seeing the lava fields thereafter. The cautious drive drastically reduced the time which I could spend at the waterfalls. Safety comes first! I ended up skipping Barnafoss altogether in favour of Hraunfossar to remain on schedule.
Hraunfossar is a series of small waterfalls cascading down a lava cliff and into Hvita River. The waterfalls are so wide that it’s impossible to capture all of them in a single frame shot!
STAY: Airport Hotel Aurora Star
I returned the Hyundai Tucson to the rental company and walked over to Airport Hotel Aurora Star. The main reason to stay here was none other than its close proximity to Keflavik international airport for my departing Berlin flight at unearthly hour. The hotel was pleasantly comfortable amid the noise from the airport, which is expected. I was informed by the friendly staff that their breakfast starts very early too. I ordered a sandwich for dinner before my well-deserved rest. The room was functional and it’s rather spacious. The bed was comfortable enough for a one-night stay. And I would probably stay here again for the same reason.
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