Island Tag 15: Through the Land of Horses to Akureyri

One might think that we have seen enough of the "countryside" in Iceland. And we have seen quite a bit, but there are always new perspectives, different landscapes.

Today, we had a long look back at the Westfjords, at snow and sea, and at mountains that are not as high, flat, and striped ("lined") as before. We also drove on gravel roads again. The N1 now has significantly more traffic than last week. Icelanders have been on vacation since July 1st, and they are now out and about. Tourists are also increasing, as the high season has begun.

After Blönduós, the N1 turns into a wide valley, with higher mountains on both sides. It almost looks a bit like the Alps. Except that there are no cows, but horses, many horses. They roam around the pasture like the cows in Austria. They are sold abroad for riding and are also used as riding horses here. The northern part of Iceland is where most horse farms are located.

In the late afternoon, we arrived in Akureyri, the capital of the north, with a proud population of 18,000. There is a small pedestrian zone with a few shops, a hospital, a relatively large harbor, and a large church with many stairs right above our hotel. And sun. There is still snow on the surrounding mountains, making it a pleasant place.