Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
breakfast right on the lakeshore and overlooking the water,
though its exact future isn't certain; it was recently taken
over by the
Reynihlíð
hotel, and there are
plans to ren
ovate
and perhaps reduce the number of rooms.
27,900kr
Reynihlíð
T
464 4170,
W
reynihlid.is.
A modern, motel-
like affair next to the church whose well-furnished rooms
are bright (most are carpeted, too), with plenty
of Nordic
pine trim and bathrooms tiled in shades of white.
32,000kr
EATING
For food, make sure you try locally
smoked fish
, along with
hverabrauð
- steam bread baked in the underground ovens
east at Bjarnaflag - both which are usually available at the supermarket.
6
Gamli Bærinn
T
464 4270.
This cosy café-bar in a
converted farmhouse next to
Hótel Reynihlið
tends to get
packed solid around noon when tour buses pass through.
There's a broad selection of sandwiches (800kr), burgers,
pizzas and grills (from 2100kr), plus cakes, coffee and beer.
Daily 10am-11pm.
Myllan
T
464 4170.
Splash out at this plain but smart
restaurant in the
Hótel Reynihlið
, where much of the food is
sourced locally: there's smoked fish (1850kr), pan-fried
char with almond butter (4500kr), steamed lamb shank
(5550kr) and reindeer with blueberries and port (6950kr).
Daily 6.30-9pm.
The lakeshore
Moving clockwise around the lakeshore from Rekjahlíð, the Ringroad curves around
Mývatn via the hamlets of
Vogar
and
Skútustaðir
to where the Laxá drains westwards;
from here, Route 848 crosses the river and heads up the west shore and back to town. This
circuit is about 35km long in itself, but there are several places to make fairly extensive
detours, principally at
Grótagjá
hot springs; the rough lavafield at
Dimmuborgir
and
Hverfell
cone, both east of the lake; and
Vindbelgjarfjall,
, a peak on Mývatn's northwestern
side. Aside from the highly visible wildfowl, keep your eyes peeled for ptarmigan, Arctic
foxes and maybe even rare
gyrfalcons
. Also note that
erosion
is a serious problem at many
popular sites and that you should stick to marked paths where you find them.
No tours circuit the lake, so to see it all you really need your own
vehicle
- bicycles
can be
rented
in Reykjahlíð. You can of course
walk
; there's a well-marked, 8km
trail
linking Reykjahlíð with Grótagjá, Hverfell and Dimmuborgir. To explore away from
here, carry
Landmælingar Íslands
Mývatn 1:50,000 map - the Reykjahlíð visitor centre
might have these, otherwise Akureyri's bookshops are the nearest source.
Vogar and Grótagjá
Only about 2km from Reykjahlíð,
VOGAR
is a tiny farming hamlet some 500m from
the water offering alternative accommodation to Reykjahlíð; there are no other services.
A gravel road runs 2km northeast from here to
Grótagjá
, the best-known of Mývatn's
flooded fissures. From the outside, the lava is heaped up in a long, 5m-high ridge;
entering through a crack, you find yourself in a low-ceilinged tunnel harbouring a
couple of clear blue, steaming pools (one for men at 48˚C, one for women at 44˚C), lit
by daylight through the entrance. The drawback is that unless you're here in winter -
when the women's pool is just about bearable for a quick immersion (take care on the
rough rocks) - Grótagjá is a bit too hot to get into, though it is cooling down each year.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
VOGAR
Cowshed Café
T
464 4303.
Literally built onto the back
of a cowshed, with a view of the animals through a glass
panel in the gift-shop, this pleasant timber café has large
windows overlooking fields to the lake. Aside from coffee
and cake, try the “Vogafjós speciality”, a platter of smoked
lamb, smoked char,
hverabrauð
and home-made relishes
(3950kr).
May-Sept 7.30am-10pm.
Vogajós
T
464 4303,
W
vogajos.is.
Two long rows of
comfortable pine-and-slate cabins, each containing an en
suite room and neatly furnished in a minimalist Nordic way.
The price incl
udes an e
xcellent breakfast at the
Cowshed
Café
. Doubles
26,600kr
Vogar Þerðaþónusta
T
464 4399,
W
vogahraun.is.
Simple guesthouse with made-up doubles and sleeping-bag
twins, plus a campsite; rooms are pretty small and amenities
are shared, but there's a fair-sized lounge area. The dorms
have a kitch
en for self
-cateri
ng, and
there's a
pizzeria
here
too. Doubles
14,000kr
, twin
9500kr
, camping
1500kr
