Stage 14: Ţingvellir - Selfoss

Ţingvellir

Úlfljólsvatn

After the sightseeing I continue my way along the west shore of the lake. The wind has turned once more and I have head winds now. Along the lake I’m quite exposed and so even a minor climb becomes a real challenge.
Not for long though, because at the point where road 36 leaves the lake I turn left into road 360 to Nesjavellir. The road descents to the lake and follows the shore very close. Main advantage besides the total lack of traffic is the shelter from the wind by the hills. According to my map this road should be gravel but it has been newly sealed.
The area is not like anything I’ve seen in Iceland before; there are small pine trees, bushes and lots of small islands and inlets along the lakeshore. It reminds me to New Zealand if it wouldn’t be only 15 degrees.
At the southwest corner of the lake the road temporarily turns slightly inland over a very steep little pass. The narrow passage has a car park and to my surprise there is a tourist bus there, with nobody in it. The descent is as steep as the climb and the road now passes a thermal area with a large power station a bit further on along the hillside. Somewhere there should also be Nesjavellir. The tarmac stops here and the remaining kilometres along the lake are over a well-maintained gravel road.
I pass some farms and also a very idyllic little bay before arriving at a small group of houses called Villingavatn. There is some sort of a holiday colony here and to my surprise a camping site too. The road continues to the main road 36 but I turn right onto the 365 in order to postpone the point where I have to join the main road a bit more. I cross another nameless little pass over a road that has such a thick soft top layer that it is hardly possible to stay on my bike. Fortunately after the descent at the first farm the road becomes sealed again.
I take a look at my left and over the hills I see a huge black cloud that slowly comes my way. Since I still don’t feel like getting wet I increase my speed hoping it’ll pass behind me.
Another difficulty here is the birds that clearly see my as a threat and attack me. Most of them are small, black terns and plovers, and mostly harmless but at some point a herring gull attacks me which I find worrying to say the least. In fact, I’ve never ridden so fast uphill in my life just to get away of the bloody bird.
Finally this road joins the road 35 for the next 8 kilometres. The road undulates and the wind is annoying as usual. The road 35 ends at the ring road (1) just west of Selfoss. The last 2 kilometres are with strong back winds in heavy traffic to Selfoss.
The camping site is in the central sports and park area of the town. Just follow the the main road to Vík and turn right somewhere after passing the post office. This camping site is by far the most expensive I have encountered.

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