Once the weather lifted and the sun and warmth was back, it seemed like everything looked just a little bit better. We were now on the eastern side of Iceland, making the counter-clockwise circle down towards the southern coast. I don’t think many will rank this part of Iceland above the Golden Circle or the Snaefelles Peninsula, but this was the portion of the trip that I enjoyed the most. The dramatic drive south and then back west along the south coast was a succession of breathtaking stop-offs and vistas that put the ancient geology of Iceland into full view.

The AirBnB we stayed in was about 30 minutes north of Egilsstaðir near the beautiful spot called Jökulsá á Dal útsýnispallur, where a river ran through the valley. We checked it out on the way out after our stay.

We next drove south to Egilsstaðir. Just above the town was an excellent hiking trail that gave panoramic views of the surrounding region. From the small parking lot we climbed up a forested area until it opened up past a waterfall.

From there we kept going up until we reached a second waterfall near the top. It was a nice climb with only a few people around.

After stopping in the town to pick up a few things, we continued the drive southward. At this point we reached a fork in the road. We could continue along paved Route 1 or take the shorter and more scenic Route 95 and 939. The latter route included an 18 km unpaved section taking a rougher and more dramatic drive, and that’s the one we chose.

Although this was not an “F” road (requiring a 4×4), it required careful driving. I wouldn’t want to imagine driving it in a rain or snowstorm!

This area really highlighted the geology of Iceland in the wide open expanses we drove through. Although it was not a long drive to the coast, we stopped off multiple times just to take in the view. There were only a few other cars and it was generally quiet and peaceful. It was a memorable part of the trip.

After spending a few days inland, the Atlantic ocean was back in sight once again as we made it off the gravel road and back onto Highway 1. From here we were heading west along the coast.

But we still had hours of driving and scenic stop-offs to take in before we reached our destination for the night: Höfn. That part of the trip will be in the next one.