Sunday, December 4, 2016

Day 12 - Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon -> Jökulsarlón Glacial Lagoon -> Check in Guesthouse Hvammur, Hofn

After lunch, we were on ring 1 again towards Fjallsarlon Glacier.
Fjallsárlón is a glacier lake at the south end of the Icelandic glacier Vatnajökull. Fjallsjökull which is part of the bigger glacier reaches down to the water of the lake and some ice-bergs are drifting on its surface. The glacier calving into the lagoon is a part of Vatnajökull National Park and the better known glacier lake Jökulsárlón is not far from there. From the glacier lake Breiðárlón a little river flows into the Fjallsárlón. Above, there is looming the famous volcano Öræfajökull.

Vatnajökull National Park covers 13% of Iceland with its 13.600 km2 and is the largest national park in Western Europe. The Icelandic word jökull means glacier and the National Park contains the largest glacier in the world outside the Arctics, called Vatnajökull. This massive glacier has many subsidiary glacier tongues, each of which has its own name and distinct characteristics. Vatnajökull National Park is unique in its range of contrasting natural wonders and is characterized by the perpetual struggle of fire and ice. In this area you'll see the white glacier descending to black sands, hot streams erupting from frozen banks of ice and, Iceland’s highest mountain presiding over its deepest proglacial lake. The visitor centre of Vatnajokull National Park´s southern territory is in Skaftafell, which is the most acessible.

Fjallsarlon Glacier

Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon



A short drive from Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon brought us to Jökulsarlón Glacial Lagoon where huge icebergs, sculptures of nature,
broken off Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, float and grind together in the deep blue waters of the lagoon.

Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The lake has grown since then at varying rates because of the melting glaciers. It is now 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) away from the ocean's edge and covers an area of about 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi). It recently became the deepest lake in Iceland, at over 248 metres (814 ft), as glacial retreat extended its boundaries. The size of the lake has increased fourfold since the 1970s. It is considered as one of the natural wonders of Iceland.

The lake can be seen from Route 1 between Höfn and Skaftafell. It appears as "a ghostly procession of luminous blue icebergs". Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: A View to a Kill, Die Another Day, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Batman Begins, as well as the "reality TV" series Amazing Race.

The lagoon before crossing the bridge.





The other side of the lagoon after crossing the bridge. Spotted a seal swimming here.


The agent arranged the night accommodation at Hofn – Hvammur apartment on the top floor of a hostel. No breakfast was provided for this accomodation.




Entry to apartment which was huge but a little rundown and weary. Even the utensils were tired.

540 Hallway

One oversize basic bathroom/toilet.

Bedroom 1 –


Bedroom 2


Kitchen & dining area


Kitchen

Living area



Apartment key

Nearby wharf.


We had maggie mee, brocolli, eggs and hotdogs for dinner.

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