{"id":27347,"date":"2021-10-11T11:51:01","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T15:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/?p=27347"},"modified":"2025-05-07T20:34:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T00:34:52","slug":"travel-iceland-ring-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/travel-iceland-ring-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel Iceland’s Ring Road – The Ultimate Driving Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Tour of Iceland’s Ring Road<\/strong><\/strong> or<\/strong> Hringvegur<\/em> and an Introduction to Icelandic Language<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you an itinerary traveler? Like to have things ironed out in advance before you hit the road? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, Iceland might not be for you. This rumbling island nation, perched on top of volcanic mountains in the North Atlantic just below the arctic circle, pelted by gulf stream hailstorms and polar winds takes one look at your plans and laughs out the words, \u00deetta reddast<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Icelandic saying is something of a national motto, and it means something like, \u201cIt\u2019ll work out.<\/strong>\u201d It suggests that you go back inside, have a cup of strong coffee, tell some stories, and then try again later. This is a good motto to keep in mind when visiting Iceland because you\u2019re truly at the whim of the weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather in Iceland – What to Pack<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m from New England, and it can be said that we\u2019re a little bit obsessed with the weather, but our obsession is nothing when compared to that of Icelanders. It\u2019s a necessary obsession. The weather in Iceland can go from reasonable to outright dangerous in moments, any time of year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When packing for a two-week trip to Iceland in August, I brought three coats, three different pairs of shoes, two bathing suits, light socks, wool socks, a thick hat, gloves, t-shirts, tank tops, sweaters, shorts, leggings, and a dress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The daytime temperatures and conditions ranged from 52\u00baF with drizzly rain, to 82\u00baF and sunny. In general, the northeastern part of the country has better weather in the summer, with more sunshine and warmer temperatures than the southwest, but don\u2019t let a little cold drizzle stop you from exploring this incredible country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to protect yourself from the weather like a true local, pick up one of the beautiful handknit Icelandic wool sweaters known as Lopapeysa<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Made from glorious Icelandic sheep\u2019s wool, these sweaters naturally repel moisture and keep you warm. I recommend buying one in a small town outside of the city. You\u2019ll get a better price, and they\u2019ll likely be handknit by a sweet Icelandic grandma, or amma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lopapeysa
Lopapeysa<\/em> – Icelandic wool sweater<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waterfalls<\/strong> in<\/strong> Iceland<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m lucky enough to have local connections in Iceland and having a guide meant I got to see some less-traveled places. We began by touring some waterfalls in the south, starting with Seljalandsfoss<\/strong>, a very accessible waterfall you can walk behind. Wear shoes with good traction (this is good advice anywhere in Iceland) and be prepared to get a bit wet from the mist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nauth\u00fasagil Ravine and Waterfalls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, we visited the Nauth\u00fasagil<\/strong> ravine and waterfall, a truly magical place that does require some hiking ability and courage to maneuver through, but the payoff is worth it. A towering waterfall in a deep, fern-lined ravine with branching rowan trees on the ledges above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It truly feels like you have stepped into the realm of the elves. There\u2019s a rather dark story about this ravine involving murder and drownings and ghosts. You\u2019ll find that most Icelandic stories share these themes, and pretty much every land feature has some sort of story associated with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nauth\u00fasagil<\/strong><\/em> roughly translates as \u201cbull house ravine<\/strong>,\u201d named so because there used to be a barn with bulls in it near the ravine. This quite literal naming convention is very common in Iceland and can be amusing at times as the names tend to sound more romantic than they are to those who don\u2019t speak the language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
Nauth\u00fasagil<\/em> ravine and waterfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Glaciers<\/strong> in<\/strong> Iceland<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, we drove down a long dirt road through a very wide area of runoff from the Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull<\/strong> glacier on our way to \u00de\u00f3rsm\u00f6rk<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cmark of \u00deor<\/strong>.\u201d  You\u2019ll notice that this name has the special character \u00de<\/strong> <\/em>which is pronounced \u201cth<\/strong>\u201d and is referred to as \u00deorn<\/strong><\/em> or thorn<\/strong>. This letter was regularly used in Old Norse and some dialects of Middle & Old English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days it survives only in modern Icelandic. \u00deor<\/strong><\/em>, or Thor<\/strong> is the Norse storm god charged with the protection of mankind. Many names of Icelandic places and people contain the word \u00deor<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00de\u00f3rsm\u00f6rk is a wonderful place to camp in the summertime, but don\u2019t attempt to drive the road out there unless you have a 4×4 vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
\u00de\u00f3rsm\u00f6rk<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull Volcano<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might remember Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull<\/strong> from the volcanic eruption of the same name in 2010 which disrupted air travel across Europe for weeks in 2010. The name is notoriously difficult for foreigners to pronounce as contains the double L sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To pronounce it you need to place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your teeth and puff some air around the sides of your cheeks while saying a sound like \u201ctlah<\/strong>.\u201d It requires a lot of practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull<\/strong><\/em> translates literally as \u201cisland mountain ice cap<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restaurant<\/strong> on<\/strong> Iceland’s Ring Road<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After all that driving, we were hungry, so we stopped at a cozy roadside restaurant called Gamla fj\u00f3si\u00f0<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cOld Cow House<\/strong>.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the word fj\u00f3si\u00f0<\/strong><\/em> you\u2019ll see yet another special letter, e\u00f0<\/strong><\/em>, or eth<\/strong><\/em>, which was found in Old and Middle English, but today survives only in Icelandic, Faroese, and Elfdalian, a dialect of Swedish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s similar in pronunciation to \u00deorn<\/strong><\/em> but is never used as the first letter of a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"
Gamla fj\u00f3si\u00f0 <\/em>restaurant Iceland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our last waterfall of the day was Sk\u00f3gafoss<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cforest waterfall<\/strong>.\u201d Again, you\u2019ll need to prepare to get soaked if you wish to approach the waterfall as the mist generated by its 200ft drop is substantial, but on a sunny day, you might be blessed with a rainbow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sk\u00f3gafoss Waterfall<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"travel
Sk\u00f3gafoss<\/em> waterfalls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We also visited the Lava Centre, a highly interactive high-tech educational exhibit in which one can learn all about the volcanic history of Iceland, including the creation of the island itself. It\u2019s very cool and housed in a beautiful building. It\u2019s definitely worth a stop, especially if the weather isn\u2019t behaving for outdoor exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iceland’s Hot Springs and Sundlaugar<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One way to recover from a long day of hiking and exploring is to spend some time visiting one of the many luxurious hot springs including the Blue Lagoon, but I also recommend visiting one of the many local heated swimming facilities called sundlaugar<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re inexpensive and generally feature changing areas, showers, heated swimming pools, hot tubs in three different temperatures, a cold plunge pool, a steam room, and water slides for kids of all ages. These are social meeting grounds for locals, and they\u2019re a must for surviving the long, cold, dark Icelandic winters. Just be prepared to strip down to your birthday suit and shower before putting on your swimsuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Westman Islands – Vestmannaeyjar<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After exploring the mainland for a few days, we set off on the ferry to glorious Vestmannaeyjar<\/strong><\/em>, otherwise known as The Westman Islands. The main island of Vestmannaeyjar is called Heimaey<\/strong><\/em> meaning, \u201chome island<\/strong>,\u201d and is home to around 4,300 people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other islands are only inhabited by sheep, puffins, and the occasional hunter. Like the mainland, these islands were formed by volcanic eruptions. In fact, in 1973 the Eldfell volcano erupted, destroying a whole section of town, and forcing a long evacuation of the entire population of Heimaey to the mainland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lava flow threatened to seal up the island\u2019s precious harbor, but it was saved by the heroic efforts of engineers who pumped 6.8 billion liters of seawater onto the lava to prevent it from spreading further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a wonderful museum in town that preserves the history of the eruption and recovery effort and was built around a ruined house unearthed from its grave of fallen pumice which had rained down upon it during the eruption. The museum well-captures the spirit of survival and community against the harshness of nature which defines the Icelandic people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Vestmannaeyjar – The Westman Islands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iceland’s Puffin Rescue<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each August in Heimaey\u2019s main town of Vestmannaeyjab\u00e6r, residents participate in a month-long nightly ritual of puffling rescue. The Icelandic word for puffin is lunda<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puffins roost on the cliffsides above the town, and when it\u2019s fledging time, the parents leave the pufflings in their nests to encourage them to eventually jump off the cliffs to the water below to catch fish and mature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, the pufflings are attracted by the light of the moon shining over the water, but unfortunately, this natural process has been interfered with by the presence of humans. The pufflings are confused by the lights emanating from town and fly onto the streets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local residents of all ages don their sweaters and walk the windy streets armed with headlamps, flashlights, and boxes, snatching the pufflings as they fall, keeping them safe to be released in the correct direction the following morning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky enough to find two pufflings and as we released them out into the sea, I was filled with hope and gratitude for the ability to participate in this activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Puffin
Lunda<\/em> puffling rescue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Heimaey is also home to a pair of beluga whales who have been acquired from an aquarium in Shanghai and the hope is to release them into a protected area of the harbor so they can live as close to life in the wild as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landmannalaugar’s Hringvegur<\/em> \u201cRing Road\u201d <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After returning to the mainland, we had a rest day and then set off to circle the island\u2019s hringvegur<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cring road,<\/strong>\u201d starting with the southern highlands of Landmannalaugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hiked to a waterfall called \u00d3f\u00e6rufoss<\/strong> in the El<\/strong>dgj\u00e1<\/em>, or \u201cfire canyon<\/strong>.\u201d This is the largest volcanic canyon in the world and was formed by a massive volcanic fissure eruption in 939. Ash from the eruption disrupted weather patterns as far away as Alaska and Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
\u00d3f\u00e6rufoss<\/em> waterfall Landmannalaugar<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Camping in Iceland<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That night, we camped out at a cozy little campsite in Kirkjub\u00e6jarklaustur<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cchurch farm cloister.<\/strong>\u201d Renting a camper van is a great way to explore Iceland. There are many campsites throughout Iceland, and they usually have a well-equipped kitchen, showers, toilets, laundry facilities, wi-fi, and some have small cabins or lodges you can rent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just be sure to pick up a bunch of Icelandic 1 kroner coins for the showers and laundry. If your campsite doesn\u2019t have a shower, you can always visit the local sundlaug<\/em> in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iceland’s Glacial Lakes and Lagoons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Continuing along the hringvegur<\/em>, we paused at J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cglacial river lagoon<\/strong>,\u201d a glorious glacial lake formed from the run-off from the Brei\u00f0amerkurj\u00f6kull<\/strong> glacier, an outlet glacier of the massive Vatnaj\u00f6kull<\/strong> glacier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second-largest ice cap in Europe, Vatnaj\u00f6kull<\/strong><\/em> means \u201clakes glacier<\/strong>” in Icelandic. The lagoon features luminous icebergs slowly drifting through the glacial water. When I was there it was shrouded in fog, and it lent an eerie quiet beauty to the place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Icelandic companion and I weren\u2019t able to find an approved translation of Brei\u00f0amerkurj\u00f6kull<\/strong><\/em>, but our best guess is that it means, \u201cbreadth marks glacier<\/strong>.\u201d The word, brei\u00f0a<\/strong><\/em> means, \u201cbreadth<\/strong>,\u201d and merkur<\/strong><\/em> is the plural of m\u00f6rk<\/strong><\/em> which means, \u201cmark<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n<\/em> lake – Brei\u00f0amerkurj\u00f6kull<\/em> glacier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stu\u00f0agil Canyon and the J\u00f6kla River<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next day we hiked to the Stu\u00f0agil Canyon<\/strong>, through which the J\u00f6kla<\/strong> river flows. Stu\u00f0agil<\/strong><\/em> means, \u201cshock wave<\/strong>.\u201d The canyon was formed from crumbling fractured hexagonal columnar basalt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
Stu\u00f0agil<\/em> Canyon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Warming Temps and Rapid Snow Melt<\/strong><\/strong> Trigger<\/strong> Iceland Floods<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All the rivers we encountered in the northeast were raging with floodwaters since there was a heatwave going on, melting the snow from the north. The most noticeable example of these raging waters must be the massive Dettifoss waterfall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detta<\/strong><\/em> means, \u201cfalling<\/strong>,\u201d and foss<\/strong><\/em> means, \u201cwaterfall<\/strong>,\u201d so this name is a bit redundant! Considered to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss is almost terrifyingly magnificent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something I always want to mention to people considering a visit to Iceland is that you will rarely find barriers, guard rails, or signs telling you where not to go or what not to do. It\u2019s important to respect the power of nature and use your common sense when exploring. Make sure to wear appropriate clothing and pay attention to your surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iceland
Dettifoss<\/em> waterfall, Iceland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iceland’s \u00c1sbyrgi National Park<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our final visit of the day was to a glorious national park called \u00c1sbyrgi<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cshelter of the gods.<\/strong>\u201d The Norse gods are called the \u00c6sir<\/strong><\/em>, and the word byrgi<\/strong><\/em> means, \u201cshelter<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formed by glacial runoff, this area resembles a large horseshoe, thus a myth formed that it was created by the hoof of Norse god \u00d3\u00f0inn\u2019s<\/strong> eight-legged horse, Sleipnir<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lower pond at \u00c1sbyrgi is one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited. We got there later in the day and had the place all to ourselves. The bottom of the canyon is filled with trees and plants and the pond is home to families of ducks who play cheerfully in the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A notable feature of the park is a 25-meter-high rock formation known as Eyjan<\/strong><\/em>, or \u201cthe island.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u00c1sbyrgi
\u00c1sbyrgi National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Akureyri – Iceland’s Capital of the North<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there we continued on to Akureyri<\/strong>, which is probably my favorite town in Iceland. It\u2019s kind of the unofficial capital of the north, and it\u2019s just the coziest town ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perched on the edge of the Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur Fjord<\/strong>, the weather here is nearly always milder than on the coast, and the mountains provide a decent shield from the strong winds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a lovely botanical garden in town, and the stoplights are all shaped like hearts. Make sure to stop at my favorite caf\u00e9, Kaffi Ilumur when you visit Akureyri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Akureyri,
Akureyri, Iceland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Reykjav\u00edk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, we returned to Reykjav\u00edk<\/strong>, the capital of Iceland, which is a darling city if a bit more bustling with tourists than other parts of the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reykjav\u00edk<\/strong><\/em> is formed of two words reykja<\/strong><\/em> meaning \u201csmoky<\/strong>\u201d and v\u00edk<\/strong><\/em> meaning, \u201ccove<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When in Reykjav\u00edk, make sure you stop at the B\u00e6jarins Beztu Pylsur stand, otherwise known as \u201cThe best hot dog in town,\u201d and get yourself a wonderful Icelandic hot dog. They are my very favorite hot dog in the world, and you\u2019ll want to get yours the Icelandic way with crispy onions, remoulade, and special hot dog mustard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"
B\u00e6jarins Beztu Pylsur Icelandic hot dogs, Reykjav\u00edk, Iceland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I hope that you\u2019ve enjoyed coming along on my Icelandic adventure and that you\u2019ve learned a little bit about the Icelandic language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I happen to think it\u2019s a very cool language, the closest surviving language to Old Norse, from which English also received a lot of vocabulary and sentence structure. It\u2019s only spoken by around 314,000 people in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an effort to preserve their language, the Icelandic people have an Icelandic Language Council which creates new words as they are needed, ensuring their purity to the style and feel of Icelandic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example of this is the word t\u00f6lva<\/strong>, which means, \u201ccomputer<\/strong>.\u201d  It\u2019s formed from two Icelandic words tala<\/strong><\/em> meaning, \u201cnumber<\/strong>,\u201d and v\u00f6lva<\/strong><\/em>, meaning, \u201cfemale seer\/sorceress<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like to speak Icelandic, try Pimsleur\u2019s Icelandic Lessons<\/a>, and if you enjoy it, please write to Pimsleur and ask them to create more levels of Icelandic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why not start right now and try Icelandic Lesson 1<\/a> for free!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Tour of Iceland’s Ring Road or Hringvegur and an Introduction to Icelandic Language Are you an itinerary traveler? Like to have things ironed out in advance before you hit the road? Well, Iceland might not be for you. This rumbling island nation, perched on top of volcanic mountains in the North Atlantic just below Read More >><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":27415,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-language-learning","category-travel"],"yoast_head":"\nTravel Iceland's Ring Road - The Ultimate Driving Adventure | The Pimsleur Language Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Travel Iceland's Ring Road and learn Icelandic Language. 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