Iceland, the Land of Ice and Fire, is such a one-off destination and we took the opportunity to visit the southern and western regions in early September (2025). You can visit Iceland year round with contrasting sights and activities, we were at the back end of the summer season (it was 10c cooler than London). It is very difficult, and expensive, to explore Iceland without driving so even in winter a self-drive holiday is the best way to see the country outside the capital.
You can read about our time in Reykjavik in our earlier blog however for most visitors Iceland is all about the wild and wonderful countryside and landscapes so we tried to pack as much in as we could in a week.
We drove east from the capital, on Route 1 that rings the whole country. Along the coast with the sea always on our right we admired the stunning countryside and landscapes on the left. One minute verdant fields and then a few miles further, black volcanic lava fields. Some of the old lava fields are covered in moss-heath fields which are a light, almost luminescent, green colour. As a back drop are the mountains, volcanoes and cliffs, with isolated brightly coloured farmhouses nestled beneath them. It is a changing view you quickly get used to but never fail to be impressed by. The fields are full of sheep and Icelandic horses, which are a unique breed and an important part of Icelandic culture. They are small and good natured and trekking on horse back is readily available for visitors. The only ‘large’ settlement we went through was Selfoss where we detoured down to the coast and the charming old fishing village of Eyrarbakki, small coloured houses and well kept gardens.
Our first major stop was the Seljalandsfoss which can be spotted from a great distance. They are four waterfalls in a row along the cliffs and one of them you can walk right behind the water, which is quite an experience. A short stroll takes you along the cliff base past the others to the fourth hidden waterfall, Gljufrabui, where you can enter the hidden cave/gully – there is no way to avoid getting quite wet here!
The next waterfall we visited was further along the coast at Skogafoss which appears from nowhere as you round a corner in the road. This is a much larger and stunning waterfall where you can climb steps to a viewing platform above it and look down on all its wonder. There is a walk from the viewing platform inland 3 Miles with 27 smaller waterfalls along it. We didn’t have time to walk it but speaking to those who did, it sounded spectacular.
Here we stopped for lunch at Mia’s Country Van, a little van by the roadside and ate the most delicious fish and chips sitting in packing cases on the grass in front of the van. The nearby Skogar Museum is really worth a visit. As well as showcasing objects from the settlement of the country, it had gathered together several old reconstructed buildings. There was a turf farm, which consisted of several little dwellings built into banks, with turf roofs. There were cabins from later eras demonstrating the rough conditions rural Icelanders lives in until the mid 20th century. Also a reconstructed church and rural school with details of all the pupils who had attended. It also had a reconstructed fishing boat with photos of the 20 or so fisherman who worked it at one time which gave insight into the hardship faced by this workforce.
Next along the coast was the small settlement of Vik, nestled under the mountains and famous for its black sand beach. It is a major base for the south coast, despite only having a population of a few hundred, and is dominated by its pretty red-roofed church on a bluff about the village.
From Vik eastwards it is a dramatic drive across mainly volcanic flood fields, and virtually no settlements to Kirkjubaejarklaustur. The final section was a gently rolling lush green region looking much like sand dunes – although it was lava. To our left, inland, were the looming ice caps and glaciers of Myrdalsjokull and then, in the distance, Vatnajokull. This really was a stunning day’s drive from start to finish. With the sun out and fine views we passed such a variety of landscapes with volcanoes such as famous Hekla and in infamous Eyjafjallajokull (of ash-cloud fame) on left and then the Westman Islands out to sea, Simply brilliant.
The ‘village’ of Kirkjubaejarklaustur (any easy place to name!) is at a junction of two roads, a river crossing and is famous for having the first convent in the island, founded by Irish hermits. The original church here is the location for a famous event in 1783 when the local pastor gave his ‘fire sermon’, reproaching the congregation for their sins, when the creeping Laki lava flows stopped at the door of the church. There is also a nearby basalt ‘church floor’ where the octagonal columns create a wonderful patterned flat area.
It is a small village and happens to have a gem of a little restaurant, Kjarr, with a waterfall running next to it which is on view from most of the tables. We ate there both night we were in the village and tried such great dishes: the freshest ling (not unlike cod), baked Icelandic cheese, lamb chops, beef ribeye and an amazing seafood pasta. We also tried the local version of the Icelandic national drink- brenniven- a caraway version of schnapps which although quite drinkable, we decided we preferred other local drinks better – such as the Icelandic excellent beer available throughout the country.
Using this as a base, the next day was all about the immense Vatnajokull region, an ice cap covering 14% of Iceland, and its attendant glaciers. With a constant companion of glaciers to the north we headed to Skaftafell on the southern edge of the ice cap. The visitor centre is fascinating with really detailed descriptions of both the natural landscapes and the settlements of the region – and how they had changed over time due to volcanic and flood activity. We walked to the base of the Skaftafell Glacier and in the hour or so it took to get there, through low scrubby woods, the temperature must have dropped 10 degrees. It was really cold as we reached the base with recently uncovered rocks and debris and plenty of meltwater rushing by. This late in the season the ice was very dirty although now and again you could see, where there had been a recent fall, some blue clean ice.
From there we drove further east to the Jokulsarlon Lagoon where icebergs are floating. The icebergs have a bright blue hue which makes them look almost Disneyesque. We took an open top boat (DUKW) out on to the lake to visit the icebergs which unfortunately coincided with a massive downpour which was a bit disruptive so perhaps we didn’t get to make the most of the floating bergs, seals and unique location. We had a late lunch of lobster soup in the cafe at the lagoon. Whilst billed as lobster, if was in fact langoustine, which is often called lobster. Absolutely delicious and probably one of the best of the many fish based souls we had on our visit.
The following day we headed back west and stopped at Vik to join a tour of a tour into a glacier cave. We were a small group taken in a SuperJeep by our guide to the bottom of the Katla Glacier where we walked across landscape which seemed akin to walking on the moon (used as a location set for the Star Wars film Rogue One).
The cave we visited was inside the glacier and it was quite surreal, with the roar of the glacier and the thawing water rushing past us- a real once in a lifetime experience. Our guide was very good and explained in great detail the changing nature of the glacier and the concerns for the speed at which it was melting. The path we used had changed 2 or 3 times in just the last couple of weeks. This was non-technical, we used ice grips for the last section, and it was inspiring to be inside a glacier. Katla is one of the largest of the volcanoes with a very active history, and sitting beneath an ice cap the potential for destruction is immense so it is very closely monitored.
We headed from there for lunch in the Vik version of the iconic converted American school bus cafes which are a familiar sight, the Skool Beanz cafe. It was very warm and welcoming after the low temperature of the glacier and had the most eclectic choice of hot drinks. We settled for a white hot chocolate with fennel and a hot chocolate with wasabi. They were both exceptional and we left with intentions of trying to recreate them at home. They washed down our bagels with Icelandic cream cheese while we were entertained by the antics of Jeffrey, the owners ginger three legged cat. All in all a unique experience.
That afternoon we drove back west to Fludir and spent the night there in anticipation of our tour of the Golden Circle sights. We began our day at the Secret Lagoon which was thermal pools just below our hotel. They were pristine and beautiful and we spent a good hour relaxing in the two hot pools, thinking that this must be the Icelandic version of going to the beach.
We could have spent more time there, but sightseeing beckoned. Our next stop was at the famous Strokkur Geysir- which spurts out water from the ground to a height of 5-6 metres every few minutes which is very impressive. Although billed as such, this is not the original famous Geysir which lies just behind but spits water far less frequently for the tourists.
The immense Gullfoss waterfalls are nearby and are a stunning variation on the waterfalls we had seen before. They were two falls in close succession, descending into a narrow canyon which carried the lively water away. They had an interesting story attached of the young woman who fought so hard to preserve them from being used for a power plant and took on the business world in the early 1900s. She is recognised as having saved them and being the creator of the eco movement in Iceland.
While in the area, which was more settled than anywhere we had been, we visited the Skaholt Cathedral, the Christian centre of Iceland. A simple modern church with atmospheric altarpiece.
We also had lunch at the famous Fridheimar greenhouse with its tomato based restaurant. We had the famous tomato soup, very good, and passed on the tomato beer, schnapps and cake. It is well worth a stop and is quite a surreal experience eating inside a greenhouse with tomato plants all around.
We then drove to Pingevellur, pronounced Thingvellir, which has a special place in the history and culture of Iceland. Shortly after the country was settled the chieftains from all over met and formed a sort of parliament which gathered once every year at this site in the centre of the country as it was viewed as being the most accessible point. It was an extraordinary gathering lasting 6 weeks, and vital in the development of the nation – it was also the site where Iceland declared independence from Denmark in 1944. Although the political decision making is now made in Reykjavík most Icelanders regard this old site as almost sacred. It is set in the middle of a national park, on the line where the Atlantic are meets the European plate, in dramatic fashion, and the prime ministers summer residence is nearby. It is a beautiful and awe inspiring place with a real sense of majesty about it.
We headed from Pingevellur to Borgarnes, a small town on the coast north of Reykjavik, it is well worth a visit. As well as a great location with beautiful views of the fjords, it has a long history as one of the first places to be settled and its setting as one of the most famous of the ancient Icelandic tales, Egil’s Saga. The sagas are unique to Iceland and are historic stories of the first settlers in the country. They are very entertaining and informative and a very important part of the culture. The area around Borganes is full of places which feature in Egil’s story.
The museum in the town, the Settlement Centre houses two exhibitions: the settlement exhibition and the Egil’s saga exhibition. They are quite illuminating and although not considered high tech by modern standards the innovative way in which the material is conveyed is excellent and highly enjoyable. Definitely a must. We ate at the gorgeous Englendingavik Restaurant on the inlet, with stunning view of the fjord. The fish soup and catch of the day ling were exceptional. As was the setting in a historic wooden building right by the water
Our trip around the Snæfellsnes peninsula was a whirlwind tour of this iconic part of the country. First a stop at the visitor centre where a very entertaining local guide talked us through what we should/could visit. We started with the seal beach at Yytri Tunga. Yes there were seals lying on the rocks and swimming around in the water. It was a bit windy and wet and so we spent less time there than we would have done if it had been sunny. Then on to the famous site of the black church at the Budir and then the lighthouse at Malariff.
We stopped at Djupalonssandur beach to see the famous four weighing stones, all of different sizes which would be fisherman had to try and lift to prove themselves before being given a job. The beach there was strewn with metal from a Second World War wreckage of a British ship which was quite sobering. Throughout the morning we approached the end of the peninsular dominated by the awesome summit of the awesome Snaefellsnes Volcano.
Rounding the end the next stop was to climb the Saxholl crater to peer inside an extinct volcano. It was a straightforward climb up a spiral staircase and definitely with it for the feeling of standing next to a crater. Our drive along the north coast took us through several fishing villages, it is much more settled than the south coast: there were good places to stop for lunch in all of them. Passing famous Kirkjufell Mountain, used in Game of Thrones we halted in Grundarfjordur the biggest settlement. Our last stop that day was the prettiest of villages at Stykkisholmskirkja, the gateway to Fjordland and the northern islands. It had clustered of brightly painted cottages extending down to the harbour and looked a lovely place to spend time. All in all it was a stunning drive with breath-taking scenery- well worth the effort as it is only about an hour or so north from Reykjavík and it was nothing like as busy as the Golden Circle.
We left Iceland determined to come back and spend more time. It is fair to say that the weather required a bit of adjustment when we arrived and a few late purchase in the 66 Degrees shop (the excellent Icelandic out door weather clothing brand). We learned not to mind being rained on regularly and to appreciate the sun when it came out- the Icelandic weather is more changeable and unpredictable than the UK weather. We were won over by the natural beauty of the country and its stunning physical terrain which offers you so many unique experiences. However the fascinating history of the early settlement and its culture tied up in the sagas is also a huge draw and one that deserves any traveller’s attention.
We are happy to organise all types of holidays to short Reykjavik breaks, self-drives or even round island cruises. You can go all year round, winter brings the Northern Lights into play, with different activities available throughout the year. Speak to us about planning your trip to this extraordinary country.
by TMS