Stöng

Wednesday Oct 5
Driving up the Pjórsá River valley, we stopped to climb a viewpoint and gaze over this glacial river to the volcano beyond. As we drove further up into the highlands, the landscape became more Mordor like, with very little growth on the volcanic fields. About a third on Iceland's hydroelectric power comes from the dams along the river and wind turbines.

We we are treated to another waterfall, Hjálparfoss, with its double chute, green pool and basalt formations. We have it all to ourselves in this rather untouristed valley.

Stöng is a 1930's archeological dig site of a Viking farm community, which had been covered in volcanic ash during Hekla's 1104 eruption. Imagining life then and trying to figure out the site plan was intriguing, and when we went to the reconstructed site at Pjodveldisbaerinn, we had been pretty accurate. Wish we could have gone in, but it closed for the season.

Dinner in Flúdir and an evening swim at the local pool and hot tube......