Nearly Over

This morning's drive started in a damp gloom but as we travelled towards our first stop - Akureyri , it started to improve.

Akureyrarkirkja

Akureyri, nicknamed "the Capital of North Iceland," is an important port and fisheries centre, with a population of 17,304.  It is the second largest urban area (after the Greater Reykjavik area).  It stands on the shores of the country’s longest fjord :  Eyjafjörður which is about measures 60km long. 

Our bus dropped us off at the top of the town and we walked down through the most northerly botanical gardens which were well kept and quite pretty (but then gardening isn't my thing !)

Suspended Ship

After a short walk through the streets - past somebody's dumped sofa supplementing the stone bench at a viewpoint - we came to the Akureyrarkirkja.   It was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson and completed in 1940 - it sits, towering above the city .  There were two things that particularly caught my eye.   A model ship hanging from the ceiling which reflects an old Nordic tradition of giving offerings for the protection of loved ones at sea. The other , an opaque central window in the chancel that once belonged to Coventry Cathedral.

City Centre

Pigeon Clock

 From there we descended a long flight of steps into the city centre of a browse around the shops and a bite to eat.  On the way back to the bus, I came across a warren of a junk shop and had a flashback to my childhood - a pigeon racing clock similar to that used by my Grandfather in the 50/60s.  I was sorely tempted to buy it but sense prevailed : unfortunately !  

The afternoon saw a stop at a group of the best preserved traditional Icelandic farmhouses called Glaumbaer.  The buildings of the farm group date from different periods of the 19th century and all were built in the turf construction style, which was universal in rural Iceland until about the turn of the 19th century.  Extensive turf construction evolved in Iceland owing to acute shortage of large trees.  Hence, the buildings are the thin shells of wood, all imported, separated from each other and insulated by thick walls of turf, and roofed with a thick layer of sod.  The Icelandic grass grows very thickly making this turf and sod strong mixture of roots and soil.

Such buildings in areas of moderate precipitation can last a century.  The roof’s slope must be sloped at the right angle -too steep and the sods dry and crack during dry spells and the grass drains too quickly and withers and water will get through.  The same happens if the roofs are too flat and the sods get saturated with water.  It is too difficult to erect large structures of turf and sod.  Therefore, the Icelandic farm was a complex of small, separate buildings.  The most used of those were united by a central corridor, but tool and storehouses could only be accessed from outside.  The corridor at Glaumbaer is about 69 feet (21m) long and provides access to 9 of the 13 houses of the farm.  

There was a little white church next door and this had a small bronze statue commemorating the Islandic legend - Snorri Þorfinnsson - and his very well travelled Mother : Guðríður.  Inevitably there was an excellent tea room with a renown selection of cakes and pastries.

Our night stop was at another part time school / guesthouse - the Hotel Edda - Laugar í Saelingsdal.  This seemed to be slightly more upmarket than our previous experience with a nice communal lounge, WiFi and a TV.  There was also an outdoor natural hot tub up the hill but I think that only one of our hardy Celts actually tried it out.