The West Fjords

Well, after hesitating as about whether to make this long trip through the Fjords I woke to a magic sunny day and headed off. It was about minus 5,with glorious morning sun ( and a lovely car heater!)

As with every day the little building amaze me, using local things to keep out the cold

Or this fancy one

Every morning its colder as things just keep freezing more, the locasl say it will snow big time in the next two weeks

The Western Fjords are the most rugged part of Iceland, and at points are only 300km from Greenland

  They are only about 3 km apart at the mouth, but you need to drive 15 to 20 km in and the same out to get around

 And I had a wonderful view or Hornstrandir across the water, this is a magic hiking area with no services at all, you just ferry in, camp and hike...too wild for solo Margie, but great to see anyway

So as I'm driving in and out, trying to keep enjoying the views and serenity, and not think God its taking a long time to get anywhere, I see lots of birds, ducks, swans, and seals. Its just lovely, they splash about in the clear water. Then, right in the back of a fjord, as it turn to head out, I see a really big splash. It was a whale!!!! I tried to take some photos, which show only a splash, then gave up and just drove slowly for 8 km with it swimming beside me, coming up occasionally to splash its tail down.  Magic!! I was tingling all over!

Arrived as Isafjordur to see a whale sculpture!! This is the town at the end of the fjords, and boy are you glad to see it!

 Its very beautiful, and has wonderful ( but strenuous!) hikes around it!

 The headed south across the top, on dirt roads, but still with lovely views..

 On the top is magic, frozen solid, and with mountain top views all around

After a long day, but a great on, I reached the southern edge

They said the south edge was more isolated than the north, and they were not lying! Ended up thinking I would have to camp, but found a guesthouse (farmhouse) called Hotel Bjarkalundur, where I was the only guest, and the landlady had little English. But its nice and warm, and I had a great sleep dreaming of my whale!!1