Tracker Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 peterjl - 2015-08-23 3:54 PM Taken round Holland for a shakedown then round Iceland. Iceland is a tour we very much fancy - how did it go and how did you get there please as ferries seem a bit on the scarce side - and would you do the same trip the same way again knowing what you now know? Thanks for any experience based info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Hi Tracker There is just one ferry to Iceland from the top of Denmark. Its a Faroes ferry so you have to have a stop on the Faroes either going or coming but that is no hardship. We went to Iceland for 3 weeks (the ferry only stops in Iceland once per week) and stopped in Faroes on the way back for 3 days (2 nights - not that there was much night). If you want to go you need to think about booking soon to get the dates you want - i think we booked the previous October and did not get first choice of dates. There is Route 1, a circular road round Iceland, some gravel but mostly tarmac. We went clockwise and started off the route to places of interest and probably clocked 500+ miles on gravel. The gravel speed limit is 50mph but we drove at a speed that was comfortable, sometimes 20mph is road rough, other times rolled along at 40mph. Fuel is a little cheaper than UK and plenty of places to fill up but we always filled once down to 1/2 tank.(its a lot cheaper in the Faroes!) Campsites cheap. facilities generally OK/good - electricity, heated washing block, hot water. We could have wild camped but the sites were not busy so always plenty of space, and cheap enough that it wasn't worth the effort to find anywhere else. Out in the remote parts most towns have a little campsite. One town had a free site you just paid about £2.50 if you wanted electricity. The only two busy sites were Rekjavik and Akureryi. It was worth using the Rekjsavik site because of its location, easy access to town where there is plenty to see. Akureryi, we looked at the town site, which was full and chaotic, and went to an empty site out of town. Not much to see in the town where we parked the van with no problems (you get a cardboard clock from a garage (free) and put your time in. Most towns also have a swimming pool and a golf course, however small the town and plenty have less than 100 inhabitants. Plenty of food shops as you drive around. Most food is on a par with our prices, meat a little expensive and very narrow choice unless you want some sort of bacon product. It might be warm in the sun but as soon as you walk into the shade its cold. single figures droping to low single figures at times. Plenty of woolies required and if you forget they sell them. All the locals wear icelandic jumpers. For us the weather was mostly dry but i get the impression its not always like that. The locals said it was a good summer for them. we left home 11th June and were home 21st July. Met a guy in a Murvi who arrived a week before us in the snow so you need to be prepared. Overall it was a brilliant trip. The only reason i would not go again soon is that we have seen all the main sights and there are so many other places to visit. I will visit again. Saw lots of birds including 000's of Puffins, a Blue whale, Plus i was lucky enough to see an Arctic Fox but didn't get a pic, it went off like a rocket when it saw me. Also there is some good walking. In remoter areas the tracks aren't always that well marked but we never got lost (much). The volcanics were the best we have seen, geysers and steam vents and craters. Regrets? Well a 4th week would have given time to get right into the far NW which is very remote, we just brushed the surface of that part. Also you need a specialist expedition vehicle for the centre and it would have been good to go on a couple of the all day trips on offer but time was too short (+ they are not cheap). On balance 3 weeks in Iceland was a good compromise. Sooooo, not sure if thats what you are looking for. KeithL who also posts on this forum was over there at the same time. We met on the ferry but he went round anti clockwise. There were two other UK motorhomes on the ferry, one on a two week trip and the other on a four week trip. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Many thanks for the most helpful info Peter - glad you enjoyed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Hi Tracker, Well as Peter says we just happened by pure coincidence to be on the same ferries to and from Iceland and the Faroese. We met in Northern Denmark prior to the ferry and then chatted on the way over, 48 hours on a ferry is a long time! The only issue we had prior to going was getting insurance for the Faroese, most companies we asked did not include them and weren't prepared to offer cover for them. Agree with virtually all of what Peter has said, Iceland really is a 'Must do' destination. Silverback is going soon and we've passed on a lot of info to him. Ask if you have any questions. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.