There’s plenty to see in Iceland’s northern wilderness and following the 250km route of the Diamond Circle from Akureyri means it’s possible to hit the highlights in a single day. The easiest (and cheapest) way to experience the Diamond Circle is by hiring a car and driving yourself. The limited number of roads in North Iceland means taking a wrong turn is rare. If, like me, driving isn’t your thing, tour companies run day trips around the Diamond Circle thanks to a demand for shore excursions from the Greenland and Arctic cruise ships that dock in Akureyri Harbour.
The route follows Route One east for half an hour until I hit the first awe-inspiring scene: Godafoss Waterfall. These horseshoe-shaped falls are some of the most powerful in Iceland and could give the Golden Circle’s Gulfoss a run for their money. Walking paths snake across the moss-green expanse and I get close enough to the falls to feel the mist on my face. Next, the Diamond Circle passes the expanse of Lake Myvatn, sparkling teal against the volcanic landscape. Lake Myvatn is home to a geothermal lagoon just as milky blue and ethereal-looking as the south’s famous Blue Lagoon. Like its southern sister, Myvatn Nature Baths are geothermally heated pools created by run-off from a nearby geothermal power station. The silica-rich water is a natural by-product and perfectly safe to bathe in. The minerals in the baths leave skin feeling baby-soft and are said to have healing properties for conditions like psoriasis.
Emerging soft and squishy-feeling from Myvatn Nature Baths, it’s just a couple of minutes’ drive to the ochre plains of the Hverir area of geothermal activity. With bubbling mud pots and yellow, sulphur-stained hills, it feels like I’ve landed on another planet. Walkways wind between each geyser and boiling hot pool and, unlike at Geysir in South Iceland, I don’t have to wait long for the smattering of visitors to dissipate for a people-free shot of this ethereal landscape.
In the geothermal area of Hverir you’ll find an ochre-hued plain with bubbling mud pots (Visit North Iceland)
Some may recognise Dettifoss waterfall from the opening scenes of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. Cubic tonnes of grey and white water flow over a chasm as the Jokulsa a Fjollum River cuts through the landscape. From afar, human figures are dwarfed by the mighty cascade. Forty-five minutes further along the route, Asbyrgi Canyon is a vast, horseshoe-shaped glacial canyon shaped by millennia of slow ice melt. Meaning ‘shelter of the Gods’, Viking legend has it that Asbyrgi is the hoofprint of Sleipnir, the Norse god Odin’s trusty, eight-legged steed.
Just under an hour’s drive from Asbyrgi, the final stop on the Diamond Circle is the pretty fishing village of Husavik. The shamble of wooden buildings on the waterfront prompts an endless loop of Ja Ja Ding Dong to start up in my mind – this was the filming location used as Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams’ hometown in Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Boats putter out into the wild North Atlantic where minke and humpback whales frolic and breach the waves. You might even spot a majestic orca or two in the right season (April and May). Husavik is a great place to spend a night outside of Akureyri, affording you enough time to embark on a whale-watching trip. A lifelong fan of the camp spectacle, I opt to spend my time here at the Eurovision Museum — showcasing Iceland’s glorious history of weird and wacky song contest entries.
My day on the Diamond Circle ends back in Akureyri. With the airport so close to town I can just make out the hum of an aeroplane engine echoing off the white-tipped hills. Wheels hit the tarmac of the runway that appears to float on the fjord. I imagine passengers taking in that first breath of fresh, near-Arctic air as they disembark. Now’s the time to experience this northern outpost before the selfie sticks truly take over.
Husavik is known as one of the best places for whale-watching in Europe (Visit North Iceland)
How to get there
EasyJet operates direct weekly flights from Gatwick to Akureyri Airport from £85 return between October and March. Flight time is around three hours 30 minutes.
Alternatively, EasyJet, Wizz Air, Jet2, IcelandAir and British Airways all fly direct from across the UK to Keflavik Airport and there are several daily flights from Reykjavik domestic airport to Akureyri. Hiring a car is the best way to get around North Iceland and there are a number of car hire outfits in Akureyri, or you can drive from Reykjavik. The drive takes around five hours.
Where to stay
Hotel Akureyri is split across four townhouses in downtown Akureyri and radiates sleek sophistication from low-lit lounges. Its NORTH restaurant is a fine dining affair with a tasting menu curated by Iceland’s only chef with a Michelin star.
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Saeluhus Apartments & Houses are a short walk from the city centre, up on a hillside overlooking the fjord below. Stylish studio apartments come with kitchenettes and balconies with hot tubs. On a clear winter’s night, you might spot the Northern Lights.
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Read more: Whirlwind Iceland – how to see the wow-factor peninsula in just a few days
Source link : https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/iceland/diamond-circle-iceland-b2530573.html
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Publish date : 2024-04-20 07:00:00
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