Table of contents

• Motorcycle trip in Iceland Out and about on the wildest island in Europe
• We sleep at home
• See whales
• A difficult language
• Alone in the arctic wonder world
• Tolkien sends his regards
• Info

Deleker

29 pictures

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Black sand, lakes and glaciers. Iceland has an incredible landscape to offer.

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With this rich green …

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… one might think that one is on the move in Ireland.

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But as soon as the first glaciers are in sight, Iceland is unmistakable.

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Even the houses are not spared from the plants.

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Whether mountains, water or meadows – Iceland is versatile.

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Whale lovers may also get their money’s worth when taking a boat trip.

Deleker

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With almost 320,000 residents in an area of ​​103,125 km², it is hardly surprising that you rarely meet another person.

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Here you can enjoy the peace and quiet.

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Unusual flora can be found on the volcanic island.

Deleker

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Not to be forgotten, of course, are the geysers.

Deleker

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The hot springs are also not to be underestimated.

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In Iceland, the active geysers are located in the Haukadalur hot water valley.

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Art in Icelandic: hot water shower and toilet in the middle of the landscape.

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Exciting ford on a highland slope near Landmannahellir.

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Nowhere is the magic of the Arctic to be felt better than at one of the glacial lagoons on Vatnajokull.

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Straight through.

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Some can’t get their beak full enough – puffins.

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The puffins enjoy the last rays of the sun.

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The Dynjandi waterfall becomes an imposing motif thanks to the 300 telephoto lens, three seconds exposure time and the tiny human being.

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In the uninhabited highlands there are only rough slopes. On the F 909 in Sanddalur.

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With 22 degrees and constant sun, the street cafes in Reykjavik are jam-packed.

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The huge Vatnajokull sends glacier tongues down to the sea, like the rugged Fjallsjokull near the ring road.

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Wood and corrugated iron were the preferred building materials in the last century.

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Dusty lava slopes cross through the uninhabited highlands. The signs are mostly perfect.

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Iceland is the land of waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss one of thousands.

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Seen from the plane, Iceland looks strange and magical. Ancient pseudocraters overgrown with grass and moss form a double island in Lake Mývatn.

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Rust never sleeps – old herring cutter in the Westfjords near Djupavik.

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The most famous geyser in Iceland is called Strokkur, in German “churn”.

to travel

Motorcycle trip in Iceland

Motorcycle trip in Iceland
Out and about on the wildest island in Europe

Icelandic summers have a reputation for being cold and wet. A cliche that does not always apply, because the weather is like the lottery: Jo Deleker was lucky enough to experience the summer of the century with his motorcycle with only six days of rain and 49 days of sunshine.

Joachim Deleker

08/13/2013

The sun burns from the deep blue, cloudless sky on a barren black-brown desert. Small dust tornadoes swirl in the shimmering air. A mirage gives the impression that a lake does not exist. Two enduros pull long plumes of dust behind them, rumble down a gray, sandy track. Where are we? In the Iranian desert of Lut? The Israeli Negev? Not at all, this is the Icelandic desert of Vikursandur. No less exciting than other deserts, but with the small difference that a huge white mountain on the horizon magically attracts the view: the Vatnajokull, a glacier the size of Corsica.

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Kverkfjoll rises up on its northern edge, a volcano almost 2000 meters high. A jagged glacier tongue flows down, ends in the black sand of the desert and gives birth to a wild river, the Jokulsá á Fjollum. This is exactly where Birgit and I set up our red tent, the only splash of color far and wide. At eleven o’clock in the night we climb an old crater and are speechless at the view. What an unbelievable vastness! In the north the broad ridge of the Askja volcano, next to it the striking Herðubreið, in front of it the black desert, over which the wind drives dust curtains that glow in the backlight of the midnight sun. Gray volcanic dust dumped here by the Grimsvotn eruption last year. Iceland is different, Iceland is unique and, for those who like such pristine landscapes, love. Often beguilingly beautiful, then painfully repellent, rarely indifferent and mostly very emotional.

We sleep at home

The sun dipped behind the horizon for barely two hours at the end of June, and drove us out of the heated tent at three in the morning. I can sleep at home too, Iceland is way too intense to sleep in. The highland piste F 902 demands a lot from us, sharp-edged lava rubble, groomed deep sand passages, a few refreshing fords, annoying corrugated iron. The enduro bikes don’t mind this, but we do. But that’s also why we’re here, happy that such slopes separate the wheat from the chaff, that only a few dare to venture into the lonely and demanding highlands and prefer to circle the island on the tarred “Iceland motorway”, the ring road. And so miss the heart of the country.

Days later we are at Mývatn. The desert is yesterday’s sand, everything is green here, an idyllic spot with a campsite and the village of Reykjalið. Time to relax. In front of the expensive hotel, there are three super-upgraded, squeaky-clean giant enduros, and the aluminum suitcases have stickers “Expedition Island 2012”. The pilots proudly report on their two-week tour of the Ringstrasse, but complain about the rough asphalt that eats the rubber off the potent studded tires. 25 years ago, when we were in Iceland for the first time, of course with the XT 500 and R 80 G / S, we hardly met any motorcyclists along the ring road, they were all in the highlands. Today it’s the other way around. Times change.

See whales

Deleker

Whale lovers may also get their money’s worth when taking a boat trip.

The streets too. We float over a brand new specimen to Dettifoss, the mightiest waterfall on the continent. Jokulsá á Fjollum plunges 100 meters wide into a 44 meter deep gorge, a thunderous inferno of muddy brown water, deafening, breathtaking, enormous. A few hours later we are in Husavik, one of the few metropolises in the north with 2000 inhabitants. Whoever comes to Husavik wants to see whales. Nowhere in Europe is this easier. With the Náttfari, a historic oak cutter, we chug across the Atlantic, ride a rollercoaster on high waves and meet humpback whales up close. An experience that nobody will forget and that makes you think. Because Iceland ignores the whaling ban, is still killing the endangered fin whales and selling their meat to Japan.

We follow the coast into the Westfjords. It is cold and sunny, deep clouds of fog are breaking against the mountains. Relaxed driving, our single-cylinder chug with 80 things. The almost traffic-free road does not miss one of the numerous fjords, fjord in, fjord out, 170 kilometers of road for 40 kilometers as the crow flies to Ísafjorður, always in view of the almost 1000 meter high mountains, which are still deeply snowed in at the end of June.

We drive over gravel passes rich in views to the westernmost tip of Europe. Four houses, a church, a deserted dream beach and a camping meadow, that is Breiðavik. The slope ends at the edge of Látrabjarg, a 400-meter-high vertical rock face that rises out of the North Sea. And it is densely populated by puffins, kittiwakes and guillemots that raise their offspring. A dignified end to the continent.

A difficult language

Deleker

The hot springs are also not to be underestimated.

At the campsite we meet Ragnar from Reykjavik. He tells of the nation’s near bankruptcy four years ago. Greedy banksters gambled away billions in the blind hunt for absurd returns. The government pulled the rip cord, nationalized the banks, mercilessly cleaned up and secured survival with international loans. The crown lost half of its value, which made life more expensive for people and cheaper for tourists. “And that’s why,” says Ragnar, “we no longer fly to Spain in the summer, but go on vacation in our country. It’s nice here too. “

He is right. But there are also boring regions, such as the northern section of the Kjolur highland route, a wavy gray nothing. For hours we rumble southwards, towards the large glaciers Lang- and Hofsjokull, until we reach Hveravellir, one of the most beautiful geothermal areas: deep, blue holes in which clear water boils, small geysers and bubbling mud springs, in between blooming cotton grass. Next to the mountain hut there is a hot pot, a pool with hot water that warms our limbs at midnight at minus two degrees. Icelanders love their hot pots and spend hours discussing and philosophizing in them. A couple from Reykjavik try to bring us closer to the Icelandic language. Hopeless. Simi means telephone, how easy it is, Eyjafjallajokull is the Inselberg glacier, we can do that too, but at Umferðarongþveití – traffic jam – tongues knot.

Alone in the arctic wonder world

Deleker

Nowhere is the magic of the Arctic to be felt better than on one of the glacial lagoons on Vatnajokull.

The first weekend in August is coming up, three days on which Reykjavik is perhaps the loneliest place on the island. Traditionally, almost all capital city residents go to the countryside to celebrate parties. Because of the brittle Northmen. You can only join in or escape. We flee into the highlands, circle the Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano that paralyzed air traffic in Europe in 2010, camp by crystal clear rivers and indulge in the peaceful tranquility. That’s all over when we’re back on the Ringstrasse.

It certainly has its charms, especially near Vatnajokull, which sends the imposing glacier to sea level. One of the most spectacular places for us so far has been the Jokusárlón, a large lake garnished with icebergs of all sizes. In the past you could camp here alone and fall under the magic of the Arctic. Today camping is forbidden, there are ten buses, 30 mobile homes and 50 cars in the parking lot. 1000 people roar the magic of it. Only after midnight does it calm down and for a few hours the magic is back. Fortunately, we find Lake Fjallsárlón, also decorated with icebergs. Here you are still alone in the arctic wonder world.

Tolkien sends his regards

Deleker

Straight through.

We turn around and aim for what is probably the most beautiful highland slope, the Fjallabaksleið to Landmannalaugar. A single-lane path, garnished with 15 fords, winds like a roller coaster through a strange landscape. Brown, black and yellow mountains, decorated with snow fields, rust-red patches of ash, green moss cushions and bizarre lava sculptures that are reminiscent of petrified trolls. The scenery could also have sprung from a Tolkien fantasy.

It leads straight to the most famous of all highland routes, the Sprengisandur. Here the loneliness of the highlands becomes tangible, two tiny motorbikes on this TV slope, always in close contact with the large glaciers. The key points are two wild rivers that come from Vatnajokull. Here the adventure often ends in disaster. 25 years ago I sank my XT into a chest-deep hole here. With difficulty we were able to pull the Yamaha to the safe shore, the cloudy glacier water was everywhere, in the engine, exhaust, carburetor, air filter and in the lamp. Screw and dry for four hours, then the XT ran again. Today we are more careful, tackling the fords early in the morning when the water level is still low.

Later we put the tent on a hill next to the piste, with an almost limitless view to Herðubreið and Askja. Look over the forbidding Sprengisandur, no grass, no moss, only brown stones, sand and lava. Plumes of dust swirl in the shimmering, crystal-clear air, the sun is burning, Vatnajokull shines on the horizon. The silence confuses the ears. Iceland – what a country on the edge of Europe, wild, rough, unique, monumental. Experiencing this island is like winning the lottery.

Info

Deleker

Dusty lava slopes cross through the uninhabited highlands. The signs are mostly perfect.

Iceland is the wildest country in Europe. You can go around the island on the largely paved ring road and never leave civilization. But it only gets really exciting on the adventurous slopes in the
central highlands.

General
Capital: Reykjavik
Area: 103 125 km²
Democrat Republic since: 1944
Currency: Icelandic krona
Population: 319,575
The near bankruptcy at the end of 2008 changed the country of 320,000 people. The government cuts were painful but successful. The international billion-dollar loans were repaid early, the economy is growing strongly, the number of tourists is increasing annually by around 15 percent to now 600,000 per year. Hardly anyone wants to join the EU
Icelanders. Iceland is no longer an expensive travel destination since the krone lost half of its value.

getting there
Most stylishly with the Norrona ferry of the Smyril Line. On Saturdays (with a stopover in the Faroe Islands) and Tuesdays, the ship leaves Hirtshals / Denmark and arrives in Seyðisfjorður in East Iceland on Thursday morning. In the preseason, the return trip including motorcycle and lounger costs from 486 euros, in the high season from 882 euros. Info at www.smyrilline.de or by phone on 04 31/20 08 86.
Alternatively, you can send your motorcycle to Reykjavik as sea freight and fly it yourself. The shipping company InTime
(Info: www.intime-ham.com) offers the complete sea freight for 1400 euros. Flight tickets to Reykjavik are available in summer from around 350 euros.

Motorcycle rental
In Reykjavik, Biking Viking rents (www.ridingiceland.is) BMW motorcycles. A G 650 GS costs 1820 euros for two weeks, an R 1200 GS 2660 euros. The company also offers guided tours. Package tours are also possible with the worldly experienced couple Rob and Dafne de Jong (Info: www.ride-onmotortours.com).

Travel time
Thanks to the geographical location just below the Arctic Circle, the travel time is limited to the summer from mid-May to September. In summer, the daytime temperature is between ten and 20 degrees, but night frost is also possible in the highlands. There are summer snowfalls, but also “heat waves” with more than 20 degrees. In June and July it doesn’t get dark, the sun only disappears for a few hours. The almost constant wind can be annoying.

Map: MAIRDUMONT / Claudia Werel

Duration of the trip: 2 months; Distance driven: 6000 kilometers.

Overnight stays
There are about 100 simple tent sites, mostly in a great location and cheap (www.camping.is). Free camping is allowed except in national parks and on private property. Iceland’s weather places high demands on equipment. A storm-proof and waterproof tent is the best insurance for peaceful nights. There are hotels in the populated areas, but they are often fully booked and expensive in the high season July / August.

motorcycling
The paved roads are mostly in good condition and can be used on any two-wheeler. The ring road is tarred except for short sections in the east. In the highlands there are only slopes, mostly hard, stony and contaminated with corrugated iron, rarely sandy. Highland stretches, marked with an “F”, have no bridges, all rivers have to be crossed. Waist-high waders help you explore difficult fords. Tires with a coarser profile make it easier to move forward. Driving off-piste is prohibited and will be severely punished. Petrol costs about as much as in Germany. The petrol station network is dense, but for longer tours in the highlands the range should be at least 300 kilometers.

literature
The Iceland guide from Michael Muller Verlag has proven itself very well for 24.90 euros. Also recommended are the travel guides from Reise Know-How-Verlag for 23.90 euros, from Lonely Planet and from Iwanowski, each for 19.95 euros. The DuMont picture atlas and the GEO-Spezial (8.50 euros each) help to get in the mood at home. The best and most up-to-date maps come from Icelandic publishers, such as the very good Ferðakort road atlas on a scale of 1: 200,000 or the detailed individual maps by Mál og menning, mostly available at petrol stations in the country. Ring road drivers are satisfied with the 1: 600,000 overview map from the same publisher or the Iceland sheet from Reise Know-How on a scale of 1: 425,000.

For internet research:
www.visiticeland.com
www.iceland.de
www.iceland.is
www.vegagerdin.is
Weather: www.vedur.is
Photos: www.jodeleker.de

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