Iceland 2017

[zeratul]

Day 9th Aug 10th
Today we drive to Kverkfjoll from the western route F902. Beautiful scenery and really nice track, nothing too difficult (the amount of Dacia Duster rentals is impressive). We continued past the hut Sigurdarskali over a rough track to the ice caves. Cannot enter the caves anymore as they are too unstable but I've used my Dji spark drone instead for some amazing footage. We returned to the hut and climbed a nearby hill. It was very cold and rainy and decided to not stay in Kverkfjoll even though that was our original plan.

 

[zeratul]

We took the eastern return route via the Hvannalindir oasis then F910 east and 910 south to Kharanjukar dam instead of the Unnamed track I had originally planned from the Iceland track book - mainly because that area was so desolate and navigation was hard there.. If anything would happen you could wait for another car to pass for a long time. Not worth the risk. From Kharanjukar we drive to Hallormstadur and stayed in a great campsite by the lake.

 

[zeratul]

Day 10 Aug 11 after so many days of tough roads and many hours since the car we decided to take it slow for a couple of days along the east fjords and south coast. We drove F936 a steep rough track that was built to transport electricity from the Kharanjukar dam to the Alcoa factory to Faskrudsfjordur basically because it was the shortest drive. But not the fastest. The campsite from camping card Iceland had great free hot showers with change room... A unique thing in Iceland. Nice campsite for the children.

 

[zeratul]

Day 11 Aug 12 visited the south coast, mainly the beautiful south shore glacier lagoons. We were so lucky at Jokulsarlon that we were there in the annual fireworks day that we decided to camp wild on the beach just like 10years ago (many others did the same) because we were too far from any other campsite and the fireworks above the glacier lagoon was absolutely stunning.

 

[zeratul]

Day 12 Aug 13 halfway through our time in Iceland we headed for Skaftafel national park in great T shirt weather for an 8km hike with the boys just like 10years ago. Impressive how far the glacier has receded since then. Stunning area, hikers paradise but oh so crowded these days.. Now back at the campsite of kirkjubajaerklaustur where we prepare for F206 to Laki tomorrow. Perhaps we may take a track for return route, will depend on what the Ranger there tells us and how much time we have. But I don't really like taking the same route back if there is another possibility...

 

[zeratul]

Day 13 Aug 14 we did Laki craters today. Great track but so small and impossible to pass and that can be annoying if you're stuck behind someone driving 10km/h that doesn't let you pass. Beautiful scenery, great hikes, but not so lucky with the weather. Continued towards Vik for our next camping card Iceland campsite. It was horrible, no hot water, 50 people in a small kitchen from a completely overcrowded campsite sheltering from the rain and wind that lasted all day night and morning. Vik the place Iceland with the most rain, and the only campsite in the region unless for Pakgil but that's a detour. Next time we'll go for that one though.

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[zeratul]

Day 14 Aug 15 from Vik and Dyrholaey (4th visit,...) we went to the Secret lagoon near fludir (nice but too hot for me) then geyser (also 4th time but kids love it) to head back into the Highlands with Kjolur. This one was in a much better shape than Sprengisandur but there is nothing challenging about it as no rivers to cross just a bumpy road. Even met a vw golf halfway. The reason to do it are the areas with geothermal activity. We slept overnight at the kerlingarfjöll mountains which had become one of my favourite Highland spots. So beautiful amazing views and great weather even so high up in the mountains. The hike to hveradalir area was nothing but stunning. Fantastic place where I'm sure I'll return one day.

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[zeratul]

Day 15 Aug 16 From kerlingarfjöll to hveravellir where we enjoyed the hot pot (lost count but the fifth or so this holiday). Great area and also unique geothermal activity with smoking mini "volcanoes". We completed kjolur and exited the Highlands again, Continued to Hvammstangi which has a great campsite for the kids and free WiFi for the first time. The weather was nice the last couple of days, hopefully this continues as we enter our third and last week in Iceland where we'll visit the westfjords.


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[zeratul]

Day 16 Aug 17 hvammstangi along the south coast to Isafjordur. Boy those westfjords are beautiful. What a different landscape it's like a different country. A long drive but so worth it. Highly recommended. Ate in Icelands best fish restaurant Tjoruhusid (Highly recommended but book in advance). Overnight at the camping card campsite in Isafjordur - also a highly recommended one.

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[zeratul]

Day 17 Aug 18 drove back to Reykjavik today along wesyfjords north coast. Saw lots of seals and the beauty of the westjords will stick even though we could only spend 2 days there as the next day I was to run the Reykjavik marathon. Overnight on Reykjavik campsite. An extremely large campsite and very full but we slept great. We were allowed to put the call near the tents as long as we stayed on the gravel. The camper part was full.

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[zeratul]

Day 18 Aug 19th ran the Reykjavik marathon which I had decided just 2 days earlier in 3.32 and enjoyed it a lot. Afterwards we visited Reykjavik culture night which was a great atmosphere in the city. Great experience, stayed again in Reykjavik campsite.

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[Ignazio]

Day 18 Aug 19th ran the Reykjavik marathon which I had decided just 2 days earlier in 3.32 and enjoyed it a lot. Afterwards we visited Reykjavik culture night which was a great atmosphere in the city. Great experience, stayed again in Reykjavik campsite.

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Wow.


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[briwy]

Just looking at what we need to get our Cali sorted for Iceland next year so would appreciate a bit of advice on what's needed and what isn't.
Rival protection plates. What did you go for? Obviously engine gearbox
, probably rear diff, fuel tank? exhaust? Is this stuff a diy fit? I have access to a pit/ramp.
Seikel transmission breather extensions, are these really necessary as it comes out around 750 euros fitted from what I can see and doesn't look like a diy job as Seikel say the gearbox has to be dropped. We will be going inland and doing the river crossings.
Already got full VB suspension.
Raised air intake. The standard one is already pretty high, if we get in water that deep then we will be in trouble. I'm thinking of taping the joins in the plastic ducts to the air cleaner though.
Is it worth taking two spare wheels? Tyres, we have a set of Goodyear Vectors which we used off-road in Norway and they seemed fine.
Any other necessities?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Awesome, we did this in 2017 with a Land rover and roof tent driving from the UK, Two weeks in Iceland, a few days in the Faroe's on the way back, away for a month, this is where we got camper envy after 20 years of roof tenting decided getting too old to be climbing around on the roof, now we have the Cali we intend to go back sometime in the next couple of years. Absolutely loved it...

 

[bvddobb]

Seikel transmission breather extensions, are these really necessary [...]We will be going inland and doing the river crossings.

If you want to do river crossings, this is what you need first an foremost. The breather holes are at 30 cm and you don’t want to suck dirty water into your drive train.

Raised air intake. The standard one is already pretty high, if we get in water that deep then we will be in trouble

The standard is at 40 cm. That is not high. You will encounter deeper crossings on Iceland. You don’t need a schnorkel, the Relleum under-bonnet kit wehave raises your wade depth to approx 70 cm.

See our Iceland 2016 topic for details, or our topic in the off road corner.




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[zeratul]

If you want to do river crossings, this is what you need first an foremost. The breather holes are at 30 cm and you don’t want to suck dirty water into your drive train.

I would disagree on this. Talked to the mechanics prior to our trip and they told me the air vents would not "suck water" just like that. That they are made to get some water from time to time and that it would in no way mean the oil is washed out. Adding oil on regular maintenance would be fine.
He said the Seikel kid is only recommended if you'd do this constantly (a Cali living in the highlands).

It's been 2 years since we've been to Iceland with out Cali T5 4motion, we've done > 30 river crossings, deepest one was probably 60cm. No issues at all!

We have the air suspension, the Rival plates (full packages 6mm, installed it myself without a pit (though that would be easier), very straightforward), and the raised air intake (the one you can easily install yourself and reverse after that, from a German guy, Relleum kit, I'd recommend it).
Gearbox removal etc.. not necessary.

 

[bvddobb]

I would disagree on this. Talked to the mechanics prior to our trip and they told me the air vents would not "suck water" just like that. That they are made to get some water from time to time and that it would in no way mean the oil is washed out. Adding oil on regular maintenance would be fine.
He said the Seikel kid is only recommended if you'd do this constantly

Well, we disagree here. If you drive through relatively quickly you’re OK. If for some reason you are stuck in water for some minutes the cooling drive train will suck in a lot of dirty water. The oil won’t be washed out, a bit of water is also not the real problem, but the dirt/sand that comes with it will damage your drive train in the long run.

 

[zeratul]

I think we're more or less in sync; it's just a decision if it's worth the investment price and time to have it done (about 600 euro if you cannot do it yourself, and I for one didn't dare to try this), vs the number of times your car will be visiting Iceland.
Even though I plan to go back at least twice more with my car, I chose not to do this.
If you get stuck in a crossing, you probably did something wrong or took too much risk.
Risk can be reduced by wading through the riskier ones with a fishermans suit on foot first, to check if there are big stones and how deep it is.
I found the water in Iceland to be crystal clear by the way, at least in the time we visited, never saw any muddy currents - so not afraid of dirt getting in.

 

[bvddobb]

If you get stuck in a crossing, you probably did something wrong or took too much risk.

Well, where we are not risk takers, we have had a situation where we went in and when we were halfway someone from the other side dived in while we couldn’t pass each other in the middle (the driveable bed was just too small).
Before that was sorted, we stood longer in the water then anticipated...
And it may depend on the route you take. Don’t remember exactly where but we have been in the water for quite a long time, following a riverbed that was the road! And there is route F622 where you may have to drive through salt water - also something you don’t want in your drive train.

I found the water in Iceland to be crystal clear by the way, at least in the time we visited, never saw any muddy currents - so not afraid of dirt getting in.

The rain rivers we crossed were relatively clear yes, although that doesn’t mean there is no dirt in the water. But the melt rivers were quite murky.

But in the end you are right: you have to assess the risk you are willing to take i.e. the potential cost of damage vs the investment needed to avoid it. We didn’t dare to take it, you did!

 

[briwy]

Thanks for all the info guys, really useful.
A couple queries,
bvddobb I'm a bit baffled about you saying that the air intake is only about 40cm. Ours is behind the top of the front grille and is at about 90cm. Yes the ducting is lower but my plan is to seal the joins in the duct with waterproof tape. Looking at the Relleum kit I can see that it is a lot higher but what stops rain/washing water entering the intake from the slot in front of the windscreen and gathering in the bottom of the corrugated tube where it enters the air box?

Breather kit. I think we will go for this. Can you tell me how long it takes Siekel to fit them. We are in France again soon and can divert to Siekel to get them done. Days job or more?

 

[bvddobb]

Hi Briwy,

I was talking about the duct. That opening is at approx 40 cm. It will suck in water from there.

The Relleum kit duct is above the lowest point below the windscreen vents, where rain water is drained, and with a bend. W have never had water ingress there.

If you can read german, here is an interesting article where, among others, Peter Seikel comments on what makes sense and what is nonsense preparing a VW van for Iceland: under this link.

We had the Seikel breather kit and their underside protection fitted as a day's job while visiting there. While visiting, they gave us an interesting loaner for the day, to try :

 

[zeratul]

The air intake has a leak water separator just before the filter, so it's made to get some water. If you drive through heavy rain or deep splashes on the road it also gets some water.
So I think taping joints is not very useful.
The Relleum kit is still a couple of cm above the place where the front screen/washing water are collected and drained. Nice piece of kit, easy to fit and undo; gives a lot of certainty.

 

[briwy]

Ok thanks very much. I'll get the Relleum kit on order. Yes I did wonder if the duct had a water trap in at the bottom but couldn't see it easily.

Just discovered Seikel have an agent here in the UK so I'll give them a ring and see what they can do.