Varmahlid to Grundarfjordur

Another long days driving, with spectacular views and fantastic weather.  I have run out of adjectives to describe the scenery.  just when you think it can't make you gasp anymore it comes up with something new.  we are now in the Western Fjords on the Snaefellsnes peninsula.  The scenery is much older volcanic and has quite a lot of glacial and water erosion too.  So here the lava fields are moss and lichen covered and the valleys have rivers meandering in the bases.

Grundarfjordur from the top of the pass.

We started the day with a trip to a museum of traditional turf houses.  They need no heating as they are very warm and snug and the Icelanders all wore thick wooly jumpers.  An excellent example of communual living with everyone living and working together for their own warmth and survival.  Fantastic construction using just turf and wood with the walls made from turfs laid in layers and the rooves made of turf.  A wooden end is then put upto give a door.  Sharon thinks the entire new Bicester Eco Town should be built this way.

We stopped at a place that will always be known as Stikkiwotsit.  It has a much longer Icelandic name, but it is on a tear in Sharon's map so we never new what the end bit was.   There was a local festival going on here which again highlighted Icelandic attitudes to health and safety.  There was an arial runway with a bit of rope between a hill and a truck which kids were hanging from a fishing net boy and sliding down.  There was a 'Slippy Football' tournament going on.  This is five aside played on a large plastic sheet covered in cold soapy water, you imagine what happens, it was hilarious.  The highlight though had to be the crate tower building, pictured below.   Here a small child was hung from a HIAB on the back of a lorry in a safety harness whilst they built themselves up, higher and higher, on a tower of old beer crates until it all fell over.

I love this place.  More after dinner, but off for a beer and some food now.