Ali's Incredible World of travel in Iceland 2006: Day 7

Start location: Lake Myvatn (Northeast Iceland)
End location: Seydisfjordur (East Fjords)

Route travelled:
East out of Reykjahlid on Road 1 towards Egilsstadir over the Jokulsa river. Detour on Road 901 via Modrudalur before returning back to Road 1. Head through the Jokuldalur valley. Head towards Seydisfjordur on Road 93 which is a winding, 14% incline on loose gravel road. Step drops either side of the road with no barriers. The most spectacular views when I reached the top of the road before hitting the Fjardarheidi mountain pass. The pass is a twisting, turning 14% downhill road with a tarmac surface.

Distance travelled: 233.6km

Accommodation: Hotel Aldan

Sites visited:
Modrudalur - church built by a local farmer in the 1950’s in memory of his wife.
Egilsstadir - first houses built here 50 years ago.
Basalt monument - to the first postman of the region who used to deliver post when it was a far more dangerous journey than it is now.
Seydisfjordur - surrounded by sheer mountains & sitting at the head of a fjord of the same name. The ferry from mainland Europe docks here every Tuesday. Founded in the 1830’s & soon became the largest & wealthiest town in the East of Iceland, with houses being built out of wood in an elegant Norwegian style. Population of 800 with all being involved in fishing in some way.

Trip notes: The road scared me so much I thought I was going to be trapped in Iceland forever - it would have been a nice place to
have been trapped.

The hotel building where I stayed was the opposite side of the village to the 2nd building of the hotel & the 3rd where I had breakfast was 100m away to the west of the village lake.

Photo notes: 174 - 211

174. Road 1 Herdubreid mountain