The Traveling Widower

Iceland Historical Sites – Easy Walking

Written by

Richb

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A scenic view of traditional Icelandic turf houses and a church with a red steeple, set against a cloudy sky and green grass.

June 27th, 2026

This is the other story I did not post while in Iceland. 

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It has now been a week since I left home….seems like I’ve been running non-stop for a month! I’m not complaining (for once) – there are just so many things to see here, and our trip lead is doing his best to cover as much as he can. Today is the first easy day I’ve had since arriving – I had a good night’s rest, a good breakfast and an unhurried departure from the hotel. And it was raining again. Blah.

We had a long bus ride ahead, so I planned to catch up on my writing (I’m doing that right now). We did have a stop planned early on – another waterfall. Hard to believe that there are some we have not seen yet. Just kidding. 

But before we hit the waterfall, we did a quick stop at a hot water generating plant, where hot water is pumped from a geothermal spring (Deildartunguhver). The water is literally boiling out of the ground – the spring area is fenced off since regardless of the many warning signs, there is always some idiot who has to see how hot the water really is. It’s actually boiling…no kidding, it’s really hot. Don’t do it!

A geyser erupting water and steam in a misty landscape with rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.
Steam rising from a rocky hillside, with water splashing against the rocks in a geothermal area.

The next stop was the Hraunfossar waterfall and as advertised, the trail was short and easy. And yeah, the waterfall was absolutely beautiful. There are no mediocre waterfalls in Iceland. Too bad it was raining again. It was a quick stop, snap a few photos with the phone, and then we were off to the North coast. During the ride, our trip lead spent time to immerse our group in Icelandic music, most of which I muted by wearing my ear buds. Not that it was not interesting – I just wanted to enjoy the incredible scenery and maybe catch a few winks. Which I did. 

A scenic view of a river cascading over rocky formations, with lush greenery and hills in the background.

Our stop for lunch was for a bit more than food and a bathroom break. This area was known for a famous outlaw from the Iceland highlands who lived in a cave. The second floor of the restaurant (B&S Restaurant) had a replica of the cave with cave-like displays. Really. We toured that before lunch. Sort of like Casa Bonita in Denver, without the cliff divers, dancers and music. But the food was pretty good.

An interior view of a rustic dining area with wooden tables and chairs, surrounded by rock-like walls. The ceiling has a natural stone appearance, and there are small plants on the tables. Soft lighting illuminates the space, creating a cozy atmosphere.
A narrow cave-like passage with rocky walls, featuring a white fox positioned near a rock, illuminated by a soft light from the left.
A cozy living room with a brown leather sofa adorned with fluffy throws, a decorative vase filled with dried flowers, and wooden walls. A rustic wooden table sits in front with a candle.

I have this strange habit of photographing interesting bathroom signs or interiors. This one caught my eye.

A wooden sign featuring a stylized figure with a sad expression, holding itself in a desperate posture, indicating a restroom.

We continued our drive on to the next stop, the Glaumbær Folk Museum – sounds boring but it exceeded my expectations. The settlement dates back to the 1800’s, and the turf (sod) houses were in pristine condition, with each room filled with original items from the period. The buildings were very large, with thick turf walls and roof. They were probably nice and warm in the winter. Not that I want to live in one. A very interesting stop. 

A scenic pathway lined with grass and stone, leading towards mountains under a cloudy sky, with a tree partially framing the view.
Traditional turf houses with grass roofs, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and cloudy skies in Iceland.
Interior view of a rustic kitchen with wooden beams, a table with pottery, and shelves displaying plates and cups.
A scenic landscape featuring rolling green fields, mountains in the background, a weathered stone monument, an old wooden cart, and a bench for viewing the surroundings under a cloudy sky.
A long, narrow hallway made of earth and wooden beams, featuring a dirt floor and a thatched roof, leading to a lighted entrance.
An old rustic interior of a storage room with wooden shelves filled with various kitchen and farm tools, including barrels, a grinder, and lanterns.
Interior view of a room featuring a window, framed by historical portraits on the walls, overlooking a green landscape with mountains in the distance.

The buildings do look a little like hobbit homes. 

There was one more stop at a famous old cathedral in Holar – built in the 1700’s. I’m burned out on visiting old churches after a couple of visits to Italy, but the history of this one was interesting , and the location was beyond gorgeous. We motored on to our hotel in the beautiful little village of Siglufjordur. Home of the Herring Museum. And a normal meal for dinner – pizza. Definitely an easy day.

A scenic harbor view featuring colorful buildings in red and yellow, moored boats, and a calm water surface, set against a backdrop of mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Harbor scene with several boats docked at the water's edge, surrounded by a steep mountain covered in snow and mist.
Scenic view of a harbor with a white fishing boat docked beside green and white buildings, surrounded by mountains with patches of snow and cloudy skies.

There’s a local artist who makes strange wooden status of people – some of his work was scattered around town, and turned up in another stop as well.

A wooden sculpture of a seated figure with arms crossed, made from various pieces of wood, set against a bright yellow wall.
A wooden sculpture depicting a figure sitting on a bench, made from various pieces of reclaimed wood, set against a bright yellow wall.
Three metal sculptures of women interacting around a barrel on a wooden pier with a ship in the background.
A wooden sculpture of a woman in an orange dress and blue headscarf, seated beside a barrel of fish, displayed in a maritime setting.

That last one was from the Herring Museum – a Herring Girl

Peace

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