Winter walks in Iceland? (1 Viewer)

[Winterdune]

Hi all,

Taking the family to Iceland for a few days over the Christmas period (second attempt to see aurora borealis) and wondered if anyone (eg Edward?!) can recommend any good dramatic, beautiful walks which are close to Reykjavik, not too strenuous for a nine year old (or a 52 year old!), achievable in the short daylight hours, and maybe even have some birding possibilities thrown in? We did a nice walk up the valley out of Hveragerði last time which was lovely and included some paddling in warm pools, so we might do that again, but I wondered if anyone had any other suggestions.

Thanks
Sean

 

[Edward]

Hi Sean

Glad that you discovered the valleys behind Hveragerði. I haven't been walking there for years but I remember when I first went there almost 20 years ago how astonished I was when I walked up to a waterfall in the river and suddenly felt this big waft of warm air in my face - I hadn't realised that the river was warm until then.

The obvious suggestion for a walk near Reykjavík is to walk up Esja, the big mountain to the north of the city. The advantage of this is that it is close to the city (20 minutes by car), there is an obvious path and there will be other people there (as a safety precaution). You don't have to go to the top (in fact reaching the top can be tricky in winter) but you can reach a good vantage point after an hour or so uphill, which takes you to about 600 metres asl. I found this info in English n it http://stuckiniceland.com/south/perfect_hiking_reykjavik/
You can branch off lower down and walk through the forest show in the photo if you don't want to go too high.

Another good one, which takes you into the heart of an old volcano (which should excite any 9-year old and 52-year old) is the walk to Búrfellsgjá. In fact the same people who did the above link also did one for this walk (great minds think alike) http://stuckiniceland.com/south/great-hiking-trail-near-reykjavik-if-you-can-find-it/ . This is certainly less strenuous than Esja and in many ways more interesting (although lacking the high mountain scenery). The directions on that link should get you there but in winter don't be tempted to drive much beyond where you park your car - the road is not ploughed. This site is also only 20 mins a most from the city.

If there's still plenty of snow around you might even enjoy just walking through the tree plantation at Öskjuhlíð in the city (this is hill where "the Pearl" or "Perlan" is located). Nothing spectacular but the conifers are pretty in the snow and there are plenty of trails.

Birding wise, you might see Ptarmigan on either of the first two I mentioned, Raven and Snow Bunting, but little else. Birding in Iceland in winter is mainly a coastal pursuit. The walk along the north shore of Reykjavík is nice in good weather, best for birding west of the harbour right out to the lighthouse at Seltjarnarnes (quite a long walk but doable) and Gyr Falcon occurs here. You wouldn't want to do it on a day like today though.

I know you don't need to be told this but I'd best say it anyway: Check the weather (http://en.vedur.is/) and road conditions (http://www.vegagerdin.is/english). After a very mild autumn it's very wintry at the moment and in conditions like we've had for the last few days, both of the above routes would have been out of the question for anyone.

There are many more possibilities but these should give you something to start with.

EDIT: I've just checked the links in the Búrfellsgjá article and they don't work. I'll try to post a map at some stage.

 

[Winterdune]

That's brilliant. Thanks Edward.
Sean

 

[Edward]

How did you get on, Sean? I know for a fact that you got a very white Christmas in Iceland but I was in England so can't be sure about the northern lights. However, there were loads of aurora pictures from Iceland on Facebook at Christmas so I hope you got lucky.

 

[Winterdune]

Fantastic aurora on two nights out of five, including really spectacular chasing green and purple patterns scattering across the sky right over our apartment in Reykjavik. A really wonderful experience. Reyk at Christmas was so twinkly and pretty with lovely warm golden lights everywhere - much more stylish than the garish displays on the average UK house. Scrambling up the hills beyond Hveragerdi in two foot deep snow was an experience we'll never forget too! A fantastic time and thanks for your advice Edward. Alas no Gyr but Ptarmigan in the snowy hills and flocks of Snow Buntings on the roofs in central Reykjavik helped me through...
Sean

EDIT - another thing - Icelandic houses are so incredibly warm! It was -8 outside and boiling inside. We got home to the UK where it was 2 degrees outside and our house was like a freezer! Is it down to really good insulation in the houses or a completely profligate use of geothermal energy??!

 

[Edward]

Good to hear, Sean. You picked a good time to experience nice winter weather - since I came back it's been mild and damp, with lethal ice-covered pavements and huge piles of filthy snow everywhere.

As for Icelandic houses, yes they are warm and it's a combination of the two reasons you mentioned - good insulation and profligate use of geothermal energy. Icelanders tend to open windows rather than turn down the heating...

 

[Winterdune]

Off topic now from birding but do Icelanders get their hot water/heating very cheaply then? I guess since it's already heated you only have to pay for distribution?

 

[Edward]

Off topic now from birding but do Icelanders get their hot water/heating very cheaply then? I guess since it's already heated you only have to pay for distribution?

Relatively cheaply but cheap enough that no one worries about the heating bill. I remember my student days in Hull where we sometimes woke up to find our toothbrushes frozen to the sink - this would never happen in Iceland.

Aurora showing nicely over the last few days. I was walking to the cinema on Friday evening and passed a group of American tourists oblivious to what was going on above their heads. I advised them to look up and they were amazed, they said they had no idea you could see the northern lights in the city.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

In Reykjavik for a few days. Really enjoying the city and the food and Icelandic stout/porter. Walked today from the hotel (Radisson Saga) over to the thermal beach (amazed at some hardy folk swimming in the open water), then up to Perlan through the pines over to the Cathedral down to the seafront and along to the old harbour before returning past the lake. The birds added a dimension that non-birders wouldn't generally pick up on. Mergansers and Eiders at the beach, Snow buntings all over the place on roofs or overflying, Whoopers and greylags on open water, numbers of Iceland gulls around the harbours and lovely dark Icelandic redwing dotted around the city seemingly preparing to roost. Off after the northern lights tonight forecast not great but some chance of a sighting. Forecast much better tomorrow but my wife doesn't fancy a late night before we fly back. We'll have a look out from the hotel tomorrow as it is forecast clear. I'm not really birding whilst out here but are there any easily accessible interesting species that I'm missing out on.

 

[Winterdune]

Grindavik harbour has lovely Harlequins and is a short detour en route to the airport.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Nice advice but given the forecast snow and my wife's complete lack of faith in my ability to drive on the right hand side of the road in snow we (she) decided it would be better to leave my driving licence at home. We are travelling around either on foot or coaches. I did see three Teal today in a very brisk snow shower and thought about checking them for green-winged decided against it due to weather. Turns out there is a green-winged teal in that area.

 

[Edward]

Hi John

Yes, there is a Green-winged Teal in the series of pools near the university and Nordic House, between your hotel and the Pearl. There are Gyr Falcons in this area (and the city as a whole) too, especially around the lake in the city and also on the seafront by the Harpa concert hall. The bay where the thermal beach is located usually has quite a lot of birds, including Long-tailed Duck and possibly divers (I cycle there every day but it's always dark!). There should be Black Guillemot around the harbour.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Hi Edward, thanks for your reply your advice is really helpful. I like the idea of Gyr Falcon but have just returned from an abortive trip to try and see the Northern Lights (2am) and am running out of time to go back over to the pools before I fly home. In fairness to the guy driving the bus on the tour (Time Tours) he worked his socks off trying to find gaps in the cloud cover and kept going long after the customers would have excused him giving up and going home. I'm loving the snow and it has really added to the ambience of the trip but it's difficult to halt a non bird-watching partner whilst I hang around to see if a Gyr goes over or I check the ducks either at sea or on the pools whilst snow/hail is coming in sideward. Just remembered as well that it doesn't get light until ten and we are off to the blue lagoon tomorrow at 11. I was thinking that if I woke early I'd pop back over to look for Gyr. Even if I wake up late it will still be dark. This is a wonderful place but why do people live here? It must have been astonishingly hard work in the days before electricity and even with electricity before the internet. No wonder the people here are hard enough to swim in open water when the air temperature is showing -4.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Another fabulous day in this beautiful country. I know this is not trip advisor but any-one that gets a chance should come here. Visited the blue lagoon today absolutely stunning. No sighting of Gyr around lake or Harpa, maybe next time. Did see a flock of Redpoll (first of trip). Update 2:50am!! Just back from our repeat Northern Lights tour (if you don't see they take you again). Spectacular show. Sometimes you just think to yourself "Life doesn't get better than this". The last few days have been one of those times.

 

[Houbara2]

Grindavik harbour has lovely Harlequins and is a short detour en route to the airport.

So is Gindavic the most accessible site for Harlequin in winter near Reykjavic? I am in Iceland next week.

 

[Winterdune]

I think so but I'm sure Edward will be along to confirm. The birding Iceland website says: "From late September to mid-April it can be readily seen at sea close to Reykjavík, some of the best places being the harbour at Hafnir, and the bay Hraunsvík east of Grindavík, and the Kjalarnes headland just north of Reykjavík." Hraunsvik was a great place for them with views from both sides.

 

[Edward]

So is Gindavic the most accessible site for Harlequin in winter near Reykjavic? I am in Iceland next week.

Grindavík (or Hraunsvík just east of town) or Hafnir are the easiest places in winter, better views generally at Grindavík and there is often a female Surf Scoter there too. See attached maps.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Hi Edward, wish I'd sent this when I first thought to do so. I saw a white-wing type gull with Grey Primaries in Reykjavik Harbour when I was over. Didn't have my bins with me at the time but thought about giving you the heads up just in case it was something unusual for Iceland. Got distracted with the trip etc and didn't get round to it. Wish I had now. At least it might have answered the question of what I'd seen. John

 

[Edward]

Hi Edward, wish I'd sent this when I first thought to do so. I saw a white-wing type gull with Grey Primaries in Reykjavik Harbour when I was over. Didn't have my bins with me at the time but thought about giving you the heads up just in case it was something unusual for Iceland. Got distracted with the trip etc and didn't get round to it. Wish I had now. At least it might have answered the question of what I'd seen. John

We usually have quite a few Kumlien's Gulls around and there has been a Glaucous-winged Gull there for three weeks now. Could have been that.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

I thought kumliens at the time but I recall very distinct mid grey primaries. If I'd have known more I might have thought GWG but too naive perhaps