Day 77. 15th September. Langisjór, Highlands, Iceland.
.
After surveying the lake, I headed off back towards civilisation. This is a last glimpse of a corner of the lake.
.
I was a little concerned because I had driven past the end of the F235 on a track to the house and the lake. I thought that as long as I could get back to the F235 I would be alright. The complicating factor that I had not anticipated was that though the snowfall was light, there was a fair amount of wind that had blown snow into some of the recesses of the road where there was a dip and a rise. The snow in these places was up to about three feet deep.
.
I came to such a place where I got bogged in a small incline, notwithstanding being in a 4wd in low range. I backed up and got out and walked around to contemplate the situation. It was possible to drive beside the road where there was little snow. I did that successfully and was able to keep going.
.
Now I was back on the F235 and the road conditions were better. There were also some majestic views of the cool landscape.
.
.
Visibility for driving was fine but distant visibility was intermittently constricted by clouds of snow driven before the wind.
.
.
.
Somewhat later I got bogged again, and again found a route to drive around it and keep going.
.
.
.
Another majestic vista.
.
There was still some moss poking through the snow at some places on the side of the road.
.
.
Fine patterns in the snow.
.
I got bogged a third time going up a slope. Again I backed up, got out, walked around and plotted an escape path. This time I got it wrong. I got too close to the road before I passed the part filled with snow and slipped in sideways. There was no going forward or backing up.
.
I was stuck and also I didn’t have a mobile phone signal. There was a storm due that night. I thought “Well at least I have shelter and food and also the rental car people know which road I was going to drive down and I’m due back in a couple of days. I’ll just wait it out for three or four days until it clears and if necessary walk out.”
To be continued….
A nail biting story . . . only I know you got out ’cause your telling the tale. A very different view of Iceland – both in story and wonderful images.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome, ethereal scenes. Such loneliness. Nailbiting story…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
The trials & tribulations of adventuring out into the back end of beyond !!! but then again if it was easy – everyone would do it, where is the adventure in that.
The main thing is you sounded very well prepared and came back with some stunning images and getting stuck happens to us all at some time or other: be it snow or sand, both as bad as each other.
Have worked through most of this series now and enjoyed the images/dialogue very much.
David.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks very much, David. The highlands of Iceland were stunning and I think I got to see an Iceland that very few from outside get to see.
LikeLike