The Ring Road

May 11, 2019

Splendor. Simplicity. Solitude.

Iceland is a place that forces you to fill in all the voids. Splendor and beauty abound along the Ring Road (Route 1) and the views fill you with wonder- wonder what’s around that fjord, that lava sculpture or icefield. It’s also that kind of wonder that stirs a deep appreciation and admiration of God. The intricacy of what’s at play behind the flowing water and the moss covered rocks is and of itself wonderful, and it brings me closer to Him.

I was particularly in awe when we rounded the east coast of the island into Borgarfjordur Eystri, where the ocean meets sheer rock cliffsides and pebble beaches. The long stretches of glass water creeping into town inlets and harbors with rugged cliffs adjoined at the base were equally spectacular. Some of the landscapes seemed to resemble what the Moon would look like, especially when combined with fog, snow and/or general dreariness.

The island is sprinkled with towns, most of which are not yet built to handle the increasing number of tourists. To me, it spells s-i-m-p-l-e, and I hope it stays that way! There are a few hotels/hostels/campgrounds, the latter of which we pulled into with our Cozy Camper(van). Everything you need is there, no bells or whistles. The people and architecture resembled this simplicity too- welcoming, sharp and efficient.

Aside from the sprinkled towns which are few and far in between, you see and feel solitude. Many homes were what seemed like at least 30 miles from one another. A church, rocky pasture, cliffside, fjord, mountain, lava field or waterfall…waterfall…waterfall (did I mention waterfall?!) filled every nook. We wanted to stop at every new viewpoint, but I found confidence in the next promising site with recommendations from the Lonely Planet guidebook and my brother (you can follow his stuff on MoseWorld).