Day 13: Þórshöfn – Ásbyrgi

Breaking camp in the rain and setting off without breakfast. Not pleasant. But no improvement of weather in sight.

Our first stop today is the Rauðanes headland. There is a really lovely hike here along the spectacular cliffs, featuring caves, natural arches, and plenty of puffins and other birds. Unfortunately, though, it’s raining, windy, and cold. Still, our rain jackets and trousers hold up against the elements. Even so, it stops being fun after more than an hour.

Next stop is Raufarhöfn. There’s an installation of stone arches here (Arctic Henge) aligned precisely with the sun's position at the solstice – a bit like Stonehenge. Nice.

We also drop by the pretty yellow lighthouse, and our GPS switches to night mode. Probably because we’re almost at the Arctic Circle (only 3 km away!). It’s crazy to think about: eight months ago we were at the southernmost point of Africa, and eleven months ago, at the equator for the second time. We are so lucky to be able to take these trips.

The campsite here offers nothing but a toilet and a shower; the village is tiny, it’s still raining, so we decide to drive on.

It’s a fantastic area – lots of water on both sides, an incredible number of birds, and a few sheep. Hraunhafnartangi, the northernmost lighthouse, is shrouded in fog; we actually drive right past it at first.

The campsite in Kópasker also consists of just a toilet and a shower, though the site itself is quite quirky, enclosed by an earthen berm. That doesn't help much, though; it’s very windy and still drizzling.

What to do? We drive another hour to Ásbyrgi, at the mouth of the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. The weather app predicts sunshine for tomorrow – hard to believe.

You can book the campsite via the "Parka" app. The grounds are spacious and lovely. We’re staying here. Since the weather is still lousy and we’ve had a long day, we’re having fish and chips from a rather quirky shop at the N1 gas station.