Natural Hot Water

Yesterday morning we rented a car and went in search of hot springs. Our quest took us along a windy shoreline road with spectacular views and impressive stormy light. It started to rain shortly before pulling into the Heydalur farm where the Galtahryggjarlaug hot spring is located. The farm had a small restaurant in a beautifully converted barn and we stopped for coffee hoping that the rain would pass. Instead it settled in and we eventually ventured back outside and down the track to the pool.

Galtahryggjarlaug

After crossing a small river we found the spring in a meadow, surrounded by buttercups. The pool itself was built up with peat and rocks but otherwise natural. Warm water bubbled up between the pebbles of the gravely bottom and there was a complete absence of sulfur. The water was a delightful  quality and the temperature was perfect even in the rain.

Horgshlidarlaug

On the other side of Mijoifjordur is Horgshlidarlaug, a concrete pool fed by thermal water. It would be truly glorious to bathe there on a calm day with its stunning beach front location but the strong winds discouraged us from doing anything more than checking the temperature of the water with our hands.

Before turning around, we checked out the Reykjanes thermal pool which was built in 1927 with a boarding school beside it. The school is now a hotel in an extreme state of disrepair and the coffee was the worst that we have had in Iceland. The wind swept, steaming concrete pool was no temptation.

Reykjanes

After stopping briefly at Isafjordur, to check on how Snow Dragon was faring in the high winds we decided to drive through the three way tunnel, which gives quick access to the west coast. At Sudureyri we drove to where we could see the ocean. Impressive surf was breaking on the rocks from the passing gale and we were glad to be anchored in Isafjordur. At Flateyri we watched a French sailboat struggle to get docked in the wind. The seven people on board were clearly very tired so we did not stop to talk. Though many of the places we visited were accessible  by boat, some of them were too shallow for Snow Dragon. It was nice to be able to explore without worrying about depth or weather.

For more photos please click on Natural Hot Water Album.