Can anyone help with Iceland?

[David Henderson]

I'll be making my first visit to Iceland in late August, and in planning my route I was wondering if one of the people who live there or know the country well could help me with an issue of viability. I'll have a 4x4 vehicle- something like a Rav4 I imagine. I'll also have good maps. The problem is that without any experience I have absolutely no idea how fast (or slow) I'll be able to drive on Icelandic gravel roads.

Is it viable to plan on driving from Fludir (sp?-south of Gulfoss anyway) via Landmannalaugar and then via the F208 and Ring Road to Vik in a day comfortably? I know there are easier ways to do the journey, but my objective is the most photogenic way, not the fastest. I know the route I've described is about 230km- but as I say I've no idea what this means on Iceland's roads.

I have other dilemmas, but frankly if what I'm describing here works then I think the others are shorter or look easier.

Thank you.

 

[herb]

email Michael Smith- he has been there before, and is going again this year.

good luck

 

[kapro]

Go ahead man. I managed to do that trip on motorcycle last August. Was tough but beautiful. Maybe you will have difficulties with water crossing. Some of them are pretty deep and you have to ford them in the morning when the river level is not so high.
Here you can find short movies from the "swimming with the motorcycle":
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2114.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2198.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2199.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2433.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2434.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2436.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2437.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2438.AVI
www.atryx.cz/Kapro/Brody/CIMG2442.AVI

Sorry for the quality, it was taken with small digital camera.

Landmanalaugar seemed to me to be most beautiful part of Iceland.
Don't be afraid of roads, we were fast on motorcycles.

 

[Peter Rockstroh]

Contact Bill Wright ( bwright@abilene.com ), a Texan photographer who was there last year. He might be able to give you some pointers.

Good luck,

Peter

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Hi David,

billschwab will be going to Iceland around that time, and was looking to see if any APUG'ers were interested in meeting there and going as a group. I would post a link, but (for some reason) my computer is cranky and won't let me copy or paste...? Just search "Iceland Anyone?" in the advanced APUG search - titles only - and you'll find it. His group is much cheaper in price than what M. A. Smith's group will be paying, just don't expect to have your hand held

Murray