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As we prepared to leave Mývatn, we stopped to speak with the receptionist at our hotel. He recommended that we stray from the Ring Road and head up Tröllaskagi from Akureyri. This would add some time to our trip, but he promised beautiful views and a more exciting drive than if we stuck to the Ring Road.
We were not disappointed. From the second largest city in Iceland, Akureyri, to our hotel that is also a horse farm, Gauksmyri, we saw some of the most magical parts of Iceland. Tröllaskagi is a mountainous peninsula that takes you around two massive fjords and some smaller ones. It wasn’t whale season, but I kept an eye out for them anyway (a girl can hope).
We also explored the neighboring peninsula, Vatnsnes. There, we experienced the worst roads in Iceland, which led to some of the coolest places. The struggle was real.
If your Icelandic journey takes you to the North, make sure that you explore these peninsulas and see some truly remote, raw parts of the land of fire and ice.
Akureyri
The second largest city in Iceland, Akureyri sits on the innermost point of Eyjafjörður. The colorful city with heart-shaped stoplights will steal your heart instantly.
Seemingly the must-have thing in each large city in Iceland, Akureyri boasts an interesting and beautiful church, like Reykjavik. Akureyrarkirkja is smaller than Hallgrímskirkja, but it has a uniqueness that distinguishes itself from most of the small wooden churches you will see scattered throughout Iceland. As we walked around the church, a family ran up and down the stairs before it. Even in the snow, Iceland is a happy place to be.
Our time in Akureyri was short-lived. We made a pit stop for a restroom, filled up on gas, and snapped some pictures of the church before heading up the Troll Peninsula.
If you have more time to spend in Akureyri, there are several museums, a botanical garden, and a Christmas store that is open year-round.
Tröllaskagi
Driving North along the Eastern side of the peninsula, you can look out to see Eyjafjörður. Tröllaskagi, or Troll Peninsula, was named for the Icelandic trolls that you will often hear about in Iceland. That mountain is not a mountain at all, but a troll frozen in the sun. The rock formation jutting out of the ocean is actually a troll that didn’t make it home in time. The glacier here was formed by a troll’s tears when his lover left him, and he got caught in the sun and he and his tears froze forever.
I am a sucker for a good troll story, and I heard plenty. As you drive up Tröllaskagi, you will see water to one side and mountains to the other. This peninsula has the highest elevation in Iceland after the central highlands.
You will pass through a few small towns along the way, so don’t worry too much about food or a lack of a toilet. While you won’t see many people, there are some! Towns to note include Ólafsfjörður, Siglufjörður, and Hofsós. In Siglufjörður you will find the award-winning Herring Era Museum.
Be sure to leave plenty of time to stop and take some pictures. Once you come out of the tunnel at the North end of the peninsula, you will want to stop. You are so close to the Arctic Circle here. Watch boats go out into the ocean, either to ferry people to Grímsey Island or to catch some fish.
The view going South is equally beautiful as you pass Skagafjörður. There will be places to stop to take photos of the islands in the fjord and of the rugged mountains.
Keep in mind that in the right season, you stand a good chance of seeing whales up here. It is rare, but I have heard tales of narwhals being spotted. Can you imagine? A girl can dream.
The Turf Houses of Glaumbær
If you are going to Iceland and want to know one thing about history, the turf houses at Glaumbær are a good place to start. You can stop and see the turf houses at any time, but if you want a tour, make sure to get there earlier than we did. Tours stop at 1600 in the winter.
Turf houses used to be the norm in Iceland. They provided insulation against the harsh climate. Additionally, wood was hard to come by. You will probably notice the scarcity of trees in Iceland.
Stroll around the turf farmhouse and imagine what it would have been like to live in such a house. I imagine patching up the walls and tossing dried dung into fires to keep warm.
There are two wooden houses on this property built in the Dutch style. One of them is a café and the other is a visitors’ center. Stop in for a cup of tea or to peruse the gift shop.
Vatnsnes
The small peninsula west of Tröllaskagi is called Vatnsnes. This area is worth exploring despite the horrible road conditions. It took us way longer than expected to reach Hvítserkur, a rock formation likened to a cow drinking water or even a dinosaur. This was one of the most interesting rock formations that I saw in Iceland. Worth the drive.
On the way back down the other side of the peninsula, make a stop at Tjörn Church. There you will find the burial site of Agnes Magnusdottir and Fridrik Sigurdsson, the last two people to be publicly executed in Iceland. Those of you who have read Burial Rites may have a bit of a fan moment like I did (as morbid as that sounds).
We learned later on that there is a petition out to the government to repair the road that goes around Vatnsnes (711), due to the popularity of Hvítserkur and people visiting the gravesite at Tjörn. Only time will tell if they listen. As of March 2019, the road was full of potholes. Drive carefully.
Hvammstangi
If you want to spot a seal, make a stop in Hvammstangi. This town is home to the Icelandic Seal Center. We made a quick stop for dinner at Sjávarborg. The food was incredible, and we were overlooking the fjord as we ate. I had the lobster soup and it was buttery and delicious. The restaurant is situated right by the Seal Center.
We stayed not far from Hvammstangi at Gauksmyri. This is a horse farm but also a wonderful bed and breakfast. If you stay here, you can visit the horses and even pay for a riding lesson. The staff was so friendly and helpful, and it felt like a home away from home. The breakfast was one of the best we had in Iceland (I attribute that to pancakes).
Blown Away
We would have liked to have explored this part of Iceland more. The wind prevented us from really exploring the stables and visiting the horses at Gauksmyri, but such is life. I know that I will stay here next time I visit Iceland.
The wind blew us onward to our next adventure the following day. I can already hear the North calling me back. I can only hope that it hasn’t changed too much before I return.
Have you been to Northern Iceland and explored Tröllaskagi and Vatnsnes? What was your favorite part?
While you are in Northern Iceland I also recommend traversing the Diamond Circle. There you will find volcanic lakes, hot springs, and giant craters.
I am actually really glad that you got to see the Burial Rites site. I wish we made it that far up. It’s not morbid at all. The fact that Agnes was the last execution in Iceland is highly interesting in its own right. The story definitely made me feel a lot of empathy for her, which I not sure was warranted or not. Women always tend to get screwed, though.
I would love to have seen Akureyri–I’ve heard amazing things.
This reminds me that I was going to ask you if you wanted to do a baby collab for TUL. I will message you, probably on Twitter. lol
I am glad that I found the Burial Rites site! We were already behind on time because the roads were worse than expected and getting hungry. Luckily it was just off the road. The book definitely made me feel empathy for her as well. It is hard to know what actually happened.
Akureyri is so cute! I would love to spend a couple of days there next time.
Can’t wait to collab!