2016 Ski trip, France

Off to Beaufort again .. this time there was just 5 of us, Sue had to go back to college during the week and Steph was busy at work, and no holiday left.

Chris, M-J and Dom were starting from M-J's parents , with KT and I setting off mid-friday morning.

We grabbed some food on the ferry, then drove solidly on down the autoroute network aiming for Bourg en Bresse where we had booked a F1 room.

There was freezing fog along most of the route, apart from a short section around Dijon. When we stopped there was a collection of ice on the wing mirrors, and awning. the front bumper was also impacted and the parking sensors covered.

Saturday morning started early with a continuation on the normal route, and we made good time to Annecy. Short stop for food at the supermarche, and we arrived in Beaufort for lunch.
The place was very bare..  little snow, but plenty of ice...

We wandered around to see the chalet, or rather where we thought it was.

A quick trip up to Areches and Le Plannay... similar lack of snow, with the single ribbon at Le Plannay, of man made snow.

Back at Beaufort we waited for the others, and before long we were carrying all our stuff up 2 floors to the apartment.It was not where we had thought, but near by, and central.

Trip Time Line

	|
	|	Arrive Beaufort
Le Plannay	|
	|	Le Plannay
Heautleuce	|
	|	Areches
Areches	|
	|	Go Home

Laugarvatn, Geysir, & Gullfoss

Time to finish the golden circle ... still low cloud and a little wind... we were also on the move having run out of time at this (main) hotel and were moving to our second and final hotel.
This time we paid the money and took the tunnel ... and along the coast road towards Reykjavik .. then turning off east on the road towards Pingvallavegur, then taking the road to Laugarvatn. There was lots of traffic (relatively) however the sun breaking through the clouds from time to time got a lot of photo opportunities.

Views of the mountains from the road, Panorama as we neared Laugarvatn

At the famous site - Geysir - we really joined the crowds, definitely a commercial enterprise, with the site being free, but the retail opportunities huge. We wandered around the various ponds and streams, as well as climbing up behind to get out of the crush.. and in that time we saw the main geyser go off several times.
As we finished it started snowing big flakes, and we took the opportunity to grab a soup for lunch waiting for it to pass.

Following the main trail we then headed for Gullfoss, the snow stopped, but then started with a vengeance .. Everything at Gullfoss was covered in snow ... very slushy. With the crowds we wandered around the viewing platforms, amazed at the lack of preparation of most people, who had expected pavements and snow clearing

From Gullfoss we headed South aiming for Selfoss and traveling through lush farmland.

From Selfoss we picked up route 1 again and headed back towards Reykjavik, from here we turned towards the airport trying to avoid the city, but met the end of day traffic a little.
Turn back down past Blue Lagoon, it cleared and all was quiet when we got to Grindavik.
The hotel was a basic rubber stamped travel hotel , and we had to fend for food ourselves, so headed out to the fish and chip shop - in the wind and rain ... still expensive but not restaurant prices. The fish was really good, large cod fillets.

That night we had the closest to the northern lights .. not green but red.
Tomorrow we return home so very timely.

Dieldartunguhver, Arkanes, & Glymur falls

Low clouds and still a strong breeze .. the book recommended some springs and waterfalls to the north (east from yesterday), and we still wanted to visit the waterfall - Glymur falls - which gave its name to the hotel, beyond the end of the fjord.
Setting out after breakfast along a similar route to the one from yesterday ... However once past Borganes we continued on route 1 for a little longer and then turned east along a river basin.

First Stop Dieldartunguhver - hot springs.. we had seen the steam vents on the other side of the valley.. but nothing up close, here we could get right next to them inside the clouds of steam.
There was not many people around, and we had it to ourselves

Leaving the steam vents behind, and we continued East to the dual waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss... one is wide open side and the other is a narrow gorge... this was more frequented by people.. and we were not alone which was a shame as others rushed by to met their schedules. We took our time and made sure we got all the views. The other indication that we were on the tourist trail was that there was a collection for using the toilets.
From here we were to return to the coast and seek out the port of Arkanes

On the way to the waterfalls we had passed a small collection of houses around a church on a slight rise to the side of the road ... this turned out to be Reykholt church. The part that intrigued me was the old church next to a modern one, so we pulled into the vast (and empty) car park.
The modern church was connected to a library and also a museum (underneath it all with a long saga of the Snorri Sturluson story.. a big name in the history of Iceland.
The old church and the "Snorri" bathing pool, with a secret door into the village compound.

In Arkanes .. a modern port and very similar to the other towns we had been through, but at the end of a spit of land was an old lighthouse as well as a modern one (further in).
The wind was fierce here whipping the waves up, but walking out to the old structure took us past an intriguing sculpture memorial to some fishermen.
the modern light house was open and we could go up inside .. However the top walkway was closed due to the wind speed, which was unfortunate.

Outside the lighthouse there were some interesting painted stones piled together ... this was one example
From here we had a further stop before going back to the hotel ... past it and at the end of the valley was its namesake ..the Glymur falls.
We drove up the road and parked in the indicated space and headed off .. there was a warning about the river but we did not take in the full consequences...

The path headed up the side of the hills, before emerging at the side of a drop down to the river. The path went through a cave in the rocks to drop down, before following it for a while.
Then we approached the issue ... the path crossed the river using a thin steel rope and (now submerged) log. In the summer when the river is lower this crosses here and continues up the other side. We could hear the falls around the corner but could not see then, and so disappointed we turned around and retreated to the car.

Back at the hotel Sue persuaded me to get into the hot tubs outside ... luckily they were sheltered from the wind, but could do with being a few degrees warmer ... so it was only a quick dip.
Dinner in the restaurant again as it saved driving to find a place.... nice food but expensive, however we could drink the expensive alcohol as well..

Snaesfellsjokull peninsula

Second day of the trip ... the weather was not very good .. as seen outside the room ... low cloud, with a very strong wind which caused the occasional rain flurries to drive horizontally.

After a breakfast of usual fare we settled for a drive around the Snaesfellsjokull peninsula, taking in a number of sites around this ancient volcano. The guide had some recommendations, but the main plan was to drive and stop when the interest was tweaked.
Setting off from the hotel around the fjord continued as from yesterday, until we met the main road that goes all the way around Iceland. Identifiable because it had some speed cameras, although most people ignored them.
This led us to Borganes, the next major town around here... but much smaller than Reykjavik and the road mostly bypasses it. First across the long viaduct, then heading out before taking the coast road.

Following the 54 road, that goes around the peninsular ... First cutting over we passed a lake - Bretavatn lake - not really different to others but the wind was whipping across and raising seahorses.
Then we arrived at the mountains showing the start of the Snaesfells range. this peak just appeared out of the gloom.

From here the road cut across the coastal plain .. the flat land between the mountains and the coast.
The road curves in and out away from the Coast, so we dropped down to Budakirkja, a coastal town .. only to find the only place that looked like a cafe in town shut.
However all was not lost as it gave us the first sights of Snaefellsjokull.

The next ridge brought us to some old lava flow, green in colour flowing across the road like avalanche debris. The road worked it way through it picking the path of least resistance.

We dived down the next road to the sea ... again keeping an eye out for food. Port Arnastappi, had a harbour at the end of the road. with the wind whipping up the waves it made for spectacular views.
Once again the café was closed, so we continued on to the next village.
Hellnavegur opened at the end to another harbour, but flatter. However, up the coast was more cliffs and a spectacular rocky pinnacle.
This time the café was open - Primus kaffi.
A brilliant soup and bread together with free refill coffee. Just what we needed to keep out the cold.

Fortified now we set off to the end of the peninsular, however we got distracted by a car park and a walk at Londrangar .. the path headed off up to a hillock above the sea ... driving rain and fierce wind.
At the end of the wooden slatted path was a viewing area of the coast and cliffs, as well as inland to the lava debris.

As we got to the end of the peninsular, and changed to go north, the sun started to try and breakthrough.
This brought out a number of rainbows, however they were soon blown away in the wind.
We stopped off at something called the Well of the Irish.. not sure where the name came from, but the mechanism was based on a whale bone structure.

Driving around Rif, the town at the end, and then back along the northern side. The road was a bit busier and more like a main road.
This side of the peninsular was more sudden, with the road hugging the mountain sides not really a place to stop often. Then we arrived at a more open area with a roadside parking area. Lots of tourists milling around, so we stopped to join in. Kirkjufellsfoss .. a spectacular waterfall.

From here it was a long drive back to the hotel.. so we continued after a short pause ... the road continued hugging the mountains weaving in and out of the valleys.. with a couple of viaducts over sea inlets.
Passing the major road back south, we took a diversion up to the main ferry port of this part at Stykkisholmur, much like Grindalvik from yesterday, however it did give us an opportunity to stop for a coffee, at a café.
From here we continued around the coast, although it was now sometimes a gravel road and sometimes tarmacked.
As time was passing and it would be dark soon, we cut back south on the 55 rather than continue around. This was a gravel road taking the obvious pass back to the road we started on this morning. As we were nearing the summit of the pass it became truly dark, and the driving became interesting on the gravel.
Down the other side we were soon back on a metalled road, and with no scenery to look at we made good time back to Borgarnes. Here we drove down to the port, looking for a restaurant to eat in, having opted not to go to the burger bar. Just before the road ended we stopped at the Settlement centre, which had a restaurant above... a good cod fillet - more like a beef filet in size, but very good eating. A look around the shop below and then back to the car.
Before long we were back at the hotel, and soon relaxing .. not quite ready for the hot tubs in the wind and rain, but chilling, and planning for tomorrow.

Grindavik, Selfoss, & Pingvallavatn

No real idea for today, so a cruise past the Blue Lagoon, so see if it would be worth a visit later in the trip, and down to the coast. From there a plan to go east and pick up the route of the golden circle tourist trap before heading north to find the hotel.

We came to the first lava field shortly after we had turned South, and stopped to have a look around.. The lava field was very old and generally the roughness wore down slightly, but it still looked like avalanche debris (only green and black. In the distance we could see the steam plumes of the vents near the Blue Lagoon and just beside the lay-by was a set of steps going down into a "lava cave".
The wind was howling around and there was a bite to it from the wind chill - definitely required the use of several layers and a windproof jacket.

Besides the road was a trail of crushed lava - we worked this out to be a new cycle route ... It looks like they are building them close to all the major roads. The full sulfurous impact of Blue Lagoon hit us as we drove past - this coupled with the astronomic entry price veered us away, and over the ridge.
The road ran down to Grindavik .. an operational port and our first view of a typical rural town/ village in Iceland. bungalows spread around the major roads, with a few shops clustered together.
Still a little early for lunch - not that my stomach cared about time, we had been going long enough - everything was yet to open. So we continued along the coast. To the east you could see the waves crashing against the black lava cliffs, as we climbed up over some ridges, and down the other side. Here the lava was much finer and lay more like large black icicles over the landscape. The road was very recently renovated, maybe even built, as it ran inland from the coast and bypassed all the villages. There were steam vents up one of the valleys (I think we could have gone to see them but I was not ready for gravel roads yet), and we passed over a causeway on the seaward side of a lake - Hlitharvatn.

Once I realized we were not able to stop near any of these items, we took a turning off to find somewhere .. This led down towards a lighthouse... and a spread out village - Strandakirkja ... the road actually led to an old church sitting on its own and a walkway up over the dune break to the sea, and boulder shore.
A windy walk along the shore for a bit reminded me that I was hungry, so the hunt for a café continued. Now we knew we had to get off the road, we took the next likely turning to a town called Porklakshofn, another fishing port.

We looked around for somewhere to stop ... every building looked similar, we eventually found a bar and bakery from the outside it all looked shut, with the lights low ... once you knew what to look for it became easier .. and the bakery was also a café .. so coffee and cake for lunch.
Back on the road we took the junction to Selfoss ... still heading for the golden circle route, but now knowing a lot more about the distances involved and the time left.

As we drove between another inland sea and the real thing we could see a viaduct ahead and pulled into a small lay-by beside the inland sea with a good view over the viaduct, a walk over some sea grass and we were on black sand ... amazing stuff - so similar to golden sand but yet looks odd.
On the other side of the road was a small track that I thought may go to the sea ... good guess and we found a pristine black sand beach, which gave Sue the opportunity to get her feet wet while I took some photos.

Back in the car and through Selfoss ... a lot busier than we had been for a long while, and we soon got on without stopping. New destination Pingvallavatn ... and a part of the circle route.
Rising up the valley ... it initially looked out over a flat plain - very green and lush farmland, as we turned up north and the valley tightened it looked much more like Scotland or the lake district. It then opened into a wide valley again.

More by chance than anything else we pulled into a car park for a hydro dam ... we had seen the waterfall coming off it, but once in we were tempted by the free exhibition. Good details around the physics involved as well as the engineering - even the coffee was free.
Continuing up the road, which disappeared into the clouds as it got higher ... not very high in meters but enough for Iceland.

Pingvallavatn all around the lake we just caught glimpses, and even the entry into the national park did not show much.

Around the meeting of the tectonic plates and the large coach car park did not look inviting. However just up the road climbing the other side there was an innocuous lay-by which promised a view over the lake between the clouds.
There were a number of cars in the area, but very few people ... so we soon found a footpath leading over to the cliff edge, and what turned out to be a trail down into a deep gorge ... damp in the rain and slippy, but promising ... The scenery was tremendous, and the trail then met a lower path which was more like a boardwalk and led to a waterfall. A great unexpected bonus.

Back in the car we continued along the road above the Pingvallavatn lake, pausing to get some pictures when the cloud parted.

The road went up between two mountains and seemed to follow a pass over towards the Hvalfjordur inland sea water lake or fjord.
Driving carefully on the gravel I was glad there was not much coming the other way as the road seemed to only have one well used route through the potholes.
As we reached Porufoss near the top of the pass we entered a section of roadworks and some deep muddy quagmire in the temporary road .. Here I was glad we had a 4x4.
All the way we had snow lying beside the road and the temp was hovering around zero degrees. We picked up the river going down the other side and watched as it grew in size and intensity, before our attention was drawn to steam vents on the other side.
We arrived at a road junction ... I had seen on the map a "short-cut" to avoid the trip to Reykjavik and out again and also bypassed the tunnel and tolls. We turned down this, and within a quarter of a mile this had turned to gravel .. no backing out now.

Before long we were approaching the fjord, with good views out across the still water towards where our hotel should be...
Once again back on tarmac as we picked up the road around the fjord, driving became easier.
Before the end as the sun had come out for us there was a waterfall (Sjavarfoss) looking out to the lake, which prompted a stop.
Then it was back driving around the lake and finding the road to the hotel.

Hotel Glymur, situated up a track above the fjord circumnavigation road. A big pink building, in the Scandinavian style... We had a room (or suite) overlooking the lake.
Big patio doors from a seating area, leading out to the hot tubs just down from the hotel.
We ate in the hotel as we did not want to drive to find anything else ... a very stark reminder of the prices in Iceland (£7 for a beer). However the food was excellent and we were only there for a short break.