Today we started off by heading for Fjaðrárgljúfur, a canyon fairly close to the ring road. It was pretty impressive – we walked along the top of it – there was a river in the bottom. At this stage it was drizzly (dreich according to Janine). Next we headed across firstly a lava field (from the 1762 eruption), then another Sandur plain – looking very eerie in the mist, before arriving at Vik. We had lunch in a diner that’s got a view somewhat better than your average diner-in-a-service-station (or would have, had the mist not hidden the sea stacks). Still, we tried to get a photo, but it wasn’t easy! Next stop was Dyrhólaey – the most southerly point of mainland Iceland. (Today, I think it was also the windiest, my waterproof trousers made several bids for freedom every time we opened the boot).  We  were nearly blown off the top of the rock, luckily it was a bit calmer down at a lower level, from where we had a great view of the sea stacks we’d missed at lunch – and the black sand beaches.

Given the weather, we decided to abandon the idea of another couple of waterfalls (well, other than the view from the car), and just stopped at a volcano exhibition at a farm more or less below the Eyjafjallajökull volcano – they’d got videos of them trying to repair the damage done. Today, there was no obvious evidence of the ash – unlike other areas that had been totally black, this area was as green as you could have expected.

Got to the hotel somewhat earlier than usual, which gave us time to check out the pool -lovely & warm, and the steam hut (judging by the smell, right on top of a fumarole)

Black sands, Dyrhoaley

Farmhouse below Eyjafjallajökull

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon