I’m not going to lie, I’m mentally fatigued from driving all day, the car needs gas and I’m hoping this sketchy dirt road doesn’t take us to the center of the earth. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, but my eyes can only stare into uninhabitable landscape for so long before they need to lock onto something. Squinting, trying to bring a distant ridge into focus. Is that the basalt columns? and when my inner voice confirms it with there it is, a sense of relief floods through me and awestruck wonder lights up the rest of the gang.

To stand beside the enormous stacks is about a ten minute walk from the car. The terrain transitions from dirt to lumpy bumpy grass, through a boulder-strewn area, then a field of rock-fall and finally the steep pitch to the foot of the pillars, Mary and Monique lead the way followed closely by Tracy while I bring up the rear. I carefully pick my way over the uneven ground, pausing to take photos. Just at the incline Mary decides she is going to take a seat on one of the large rocks and will be up shortly. We should “Go on up.”
Tracy and Monique are already posing with the 14-meter-high hexagon columns. I stand below them snapping keepsake pictures for them, then swivel around to take one of Mary who is happily sitting on her perch. I put the cap back on my camera and head up to the stand beside columns myself.
I can see the wheels turning in Tracy’s mind as her eyes draw a line from where we are to the top of the stacks. There is a faint eroded path proving people do go up there. She says, “Think I can do it.” She swings around one of the boulders and makes her way over. I look up and judge the effort and risk involved then speak up. “I’m not going up there, you are on your own.” Monique slides a look down the hill towards Mary, neither of them are even entertaining the idea of going up to the top. Within a minute of moving up the path Tracy reconsiders and says, “Um maybe not.”

When everyone has a selfie against the cliff wall, we make our way down to the foundation of a building. Our self-drive tour print-off says it is a historic site but gives no other details. We spend a few minutes walking around it, paying homage to a long ago settler’s home. After a few photos we head back to the car.

A couple of kilometers down the dirt road is a church but there is a chain across the driveway with a private property sign. I do a three point turn and head out back on the main road. Our forty-minute stop here finalized an amazing day that started with Reykjavik #2, onto Akranesviti Lighthouse, Iceland, Hraunfossar & Barnafoss Waterfalls, Deildartunguhver Geothermal Area, Iceland and Fossatun and here.
Monique puts Kast Guesthouse into Google Maps and we turn right, heading west on highway 54. It is another 50 km before we are home sweet home – for tonight, anyway. Please join me again as we eat drink and are merry under the northern lights of Iceland. Happy travels from Maritime Mac
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Wow, what a beautiful landscape! I understand how it would become boring if you are driving all day.
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It was a beautiful . I so hope I get to go back
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I hope you make it back there!
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Thanks, I’m going keep visualize getting there
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Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Beautiful! Iceland is one of the most gorgeous countries I’ve visited 😍 But I definitely understand the feeling of driving, driving, driving 😴🥱 Though every stop seemed to re-energize me along the way. Beautiful photos, too!
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Yes, i couldn’t agree more. Every stop was amazing and energizing. My sister was getting fatigued hungry and grumpy. It was a big day for her. She doesn’t tour well, but loves slow travel.
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Such a unique and interesting rock formation!!
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Thanks Anne. I hope you are well.
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I doing well. Thank you 😃
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Looks like a lovely stop to break up the drive and enjoy the scenery and nice weather. Awesome pictures!
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Thank you. We had excellent weather. It was a fun stop
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Great fun – thank you for bringing us along on yet another fine adventure!
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I appreciate your comments. Thank you so much, for everything. 😊
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I love the blue sky, the landscape looks so pretty!
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Thank you. We couldn’t have asked for better weather on our trip
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Fascinating….thank you very much for sharing!!
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Thank you for reading and commenting
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This is such an landscape.in Iceland. Beautiful Rock formation. Thanks Anita
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It’s breathtaking. I dream of it daily
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Absolutely magical landscapes once again – stunning, Kelly, thanks for sharing!
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Thank you
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We visited Iceland in 2021. We saw a number of basalt cliffs. I always thought the geometric shapes were so interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience.
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Thank you Stephen. It was an amazing place for geology and volcanology enthusiasts. I loved it. Thanks for reading and commenting
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My Iceland experience indicates that anything but a tour can be a very challenging ride along the way. Did you encounter hot springs along the sides of the roads? You might try podcasting your blogs on Anchor through Word Press to earn some more money.
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Iceland can be very remote. Although, we did pass several touring cyclist.
I really wouldn’t know the first thing about pod casting. I don’t listen to them. But perhaps some day I look into it. Thanks
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Remote and expensive, correct?
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Getting there is expensive. We got a self drive tour from Artic Adventures it was $1150/per person, ( it has gone up a lot since) includef hotels and breakfast. We didn’t always get lunch had lots of snacks in the car, but always bought a good meal for diner. I didn’t find the meals-out too bad. $25-30.
Which is same in Canada. An alcoholic beverage was very expensive $12-15 per so didn’t drink much and their culture doesn’t appear to consume much not readilyavailable.. Gas was expensive but our economy car was still cheaper than filling my truck at home. There was no admission fees to any of the tourist sites which is unheard of in North America. Taxis are way over priced. We only used one-a drive from. airport to Blue Lagoon $100 about 15 km.
I bought a beautiful long rain coat at Icewear store $119 which is excellent quality. I felt it was a fair price and 3 pairs of angora wool socks $12 each. Smart Wool socks at home are $25.
I didn’t find it expensive. If flights were cheaper id be there now
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Great job doing this without an organized tour if I read this right.
What’s after Iceland? How about Antarctica?
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Oh my Usfman, Antarctica is very far and expensive. I went on my first cruise in December, and I have booked a 6 day cruise to Bermuda in September. I went to Grand Manan Island last weekend. I have a shoulder replacement surgery April 5th and I will be laid-up for several weeks if not months. My long list of must sees places Include Peru, which will be my next big trip if they ever stop rioting. Jordan and I have a burning desire to go back to the UK see some ancient, Anglo-Saxon, Medival historical stuff. I also want to go back to Africa. so much to see so little time and money LOL stay well
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That’s quite a diverse array of places Kelly. Good luck on your plans.
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