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Mum’s Visit Part Deux

Thursday 30th July

After yesterdays long slog today we all have a lie in.  It’s lovely to relax. We get up about 0930hrs, mum’s already up.  Once up, I update the blog and publish it.  That takes all morning! If anyone out there is reading this I hope you realise the blood and sweat I put into this!! 🙂 After lunch of bacon and cheese omelette we head off to Fluđir, checking out a tomato farm/ restaurant on the way.  In Fluđir we go to the secret lagoon and enjoy some time wallowing in the geothermal waters.  There are hot boiling pools of water all around the swimming area and every now and again a small geyser goes off, the waters from this at over 100 degrees come rushing into the swimming area to keep it warm… If you’re in the wrong place it gets toasty warm, probably why we all felt a bit out of sorts after and in need of cooling off!! But a really good experience.

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As its a lazy day we retire to the cottage, well… Daz and mum relax, as I cook on the tiny hob in the tiny kitchen… I wish I had picked something simpler than homemade Swedish meatballs, mashed potato, broccoli and gravy.  Four pans on two rings doesn’t fit!

Friday 31st July

Today we’re staying fairly local and our first stop is Hjálparfoss.  Hjálparfoss is one of several waterfalls in the south of Iceland situated in the lava fields north of the stratovolcano Hekla near the point where the rivers Fossá and Þjórsá join.  We all walk down to the pools at the bottom of the waterfalls and we see the ridges formed in the lava rocks.

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 From here it’s just a couple of kms to Búrfell Power Station, which we discover has a visitors’ centre.  It is excellent and extremely well put together.  Búrfell Hydropower Station took almost ten years to complete and came on line in 1969.   It was the largest power station in the country until the inauguration of Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Station in 2007. The River Thjórsá, which previously flowed south of Mountain Búrfell, is diverted above the mountain into Bjarnarlón Reservoir, and from there through a tunnel passing through the basalt strata of Sámstadamúli into the Thjórsdárdalur valley.

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From the powerhouse turbines, the water exits via draft tubes into a short canal before entering the River Fossá, which joins the River Thjórsá 2 km downstream.

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The station’s equipment was partially renewed in 1997-1999. This increased the station’s installed capacity to 270 MW, from 210 MW.  Iceland is self sufficient in energy neither exporting nor importing energy although an under sea cable to the UK is looking increasingly likely.   Iceland’s reliance on fossil fuels has reduced significantly and now 85% of their energy is provided by renewable energy sources.

From the powerstation it’s another short drive to Þjóðveldisbærinn.   This Commonwealth farm is a reconstructed Viking era Long house or farmstead in Iceland, located in the Þjórsárdalur valley. It is a replica of the building which stood at Stöng 7 km to the north which was buried under volcanic ash in 1104 following the eruption of the volcano Hekla. The reconstruction was built in 1974 as a part of the national celebrations of the 1100th anniversary of the settlement of Iceland in 874. Much of the interior and detail of the reconstruction is based on general ideas and guesswork, but the belief is that the result is quite telling about the dwellings of medieval Icelanders. In 2000, a turf clad stave church was reconstructed beside the farmstead at Stöng. The Bishop of Iceland, consecrated the church as a part of the 1000 year anniversary of Christendom in Iceland.   It is the beautiful surroundings of this reconstructed farm that we enjoy our picnic lunch.

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Then we drive to Stöng to see the actual remains of the original excavated farm.  The track to this site is a gravel road and we’re the only non 4×4 in the car park.  Daz is chuffed by this claim to fame, whether Ása is (car owner), remains to be seen.  After the ruins we follow the track another couple of kms to Gjain gorge.

 

This is a  beautiful natural phenomenum and oasis at the edge of the central highlands.  The Red River (Rauda) cascades into and through this gorge and the surroundings are amply vegetated. River Thjorsa ran through before a dike was built between the mountains Sandafell and Skeljafell to redirect it.

One of the younger Tungnaa-Lavas ran down the gorge leaving a thin layer on its bottom and walls as well as a thicker layer on the edges. The lava formations are worth taking a closer look at.  Some find this place so beautiful they (secretly) have strewn their ashes in the river to be forever be united with monumental nature in this “paradise on earth”.  After the gorge we continue along the gravel track and head home.

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Saturday 1st August

Today we’re leaving the cottage so after breakfast we pack the car and clean the cottage.   Our first stop is a geocache which is located by a beautiful, but not well known waterfall, Brúarárfoss.   The first access road we use is padlocked, the second controlled by a user code.  We’re sitting by this barrier when a car comes down and waves us through.  We’re in but will we be able to get out?  We follow the gravel track for several kms; there are many cabins up here in this beautiful area.  The waterfall is a fantastic blue and from the bridge we watch the torrent of water.  Daz and I go off in search of the cache.  An easy find but a fantastic spot!

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After the cache we head to Laugarvatn caves.  Two caves on the west side of the flats were often used to house sheep but were the home of people during the first decades of this century. A young couple lived there in 1910-11 and had an “inn” in a tent near by. It was again inhabited in 1918 by a single man who lived there for a year and a married couple who stayed until 1922.  During that time they had a daughter and the husband delivered the baby himself. Afterwards he had to travel far, through deep snow that closed all paths, to fetch the midwife. Everything went well and the daughter is the only living Icelander to have been born and lived in a cave.

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After the caves we stop in Thingviller National Park and stop for our picnic lunch.

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 Our last stop is Reykjavik and our hotel.  We all have a rest before walking through the city and up to the cathedral.

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We’ve booked dinner at the Sjavargrillid and it’s a fantastic meal and we’re treated by mum.  Thank you for our lovely treat!  Mum’s airport bus is expected at 3.30am and so we’re up at 3am to see her safely on her way.  And then it’s back to bed.

 

Sunday 2nd August

Today we head back to Bildudalur via Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls,  two of the best-known natural features in Iceland. Although both are on the Hvítá, it’s Hraunfossar (Lava Falls) that make for the best photographs; however, don’t expect thundering white torrents – the falls here are gentle cascades of bright, turquoise water, emerging from under the moss-covered lava to tumble down a series of rock steps into the river. From here, a track leads upstream to Barnafoss (Children’s Falls), which is far more lively – it was here that two children fell to their deaths when crossing a narrow stone arch that once spanned the river. A modern footbridge now affords an excellent view of the water churning violently as it channels through the ravine below.

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And then it’s a long drive back.  We’re both feeling tired and out of sorts and when we finally reach Bildudalur we head to bed even though it’s still early.

 

Monday 3rd August

It’s a late start today and when we finally get up we discover missed calls from Ása.  She went partying last night and she’s suffering this morning, so as soon as we turn up she wants to go to bed.  So we have to clear up the breakfast things, strip and make the beds and then do the cleaning.  Emilea has finished for the summer, (she’s going back to school), so Katerina is going to be cleaning here but she’s also going to be doing the afternoon in the algae factory. But she’s gone for a family break to Reykjavik and so there’s only us to do the cleaning but at least Ása is doing breakfast so we don’t have to get up early.  But we also have the cottage to clean.

 

Tuesday 4th August

Today we’re summoned from our bed because Ása has a meeting in patreksfordur.  So it’s pretty much like yesterday.   Ása has asked if we can cover whilst she goes camping with friends.  So she’s leaving on Wednesday.

 

Wednesday 5th August

Today it’s raining when we awake so we don’t even bother getting up until 1pm.  Then we head to the B&B to help Ása.  She spends most of the time writing a list of chores for us… Ahhh joy, but she’s off today so it will give us stuff to do whilst shes away.