Ring Road Iceland - Egilsstaðir

Along the second longest river on the island, known as Jökulsá á Fjöllum, are three substantial waterfalls; Selfoss, Dettifoss and Hafragilsfoss in close proximity. This glacial river is 206km (128mi) long and flows into the Greenland Sea. Its source is Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap in Iceland that covers 8% of the country.

The most spectacular of the waterfalls is Dettifoss. Incredibly powerful with its 44m (144ft) drop and 100m (330ft) width it is also deafeningly loud. The waterfall can be seen from both the west and east banks and on a good day a rainbow may be seen from the west bank. Selfoss, much smaller, is only a kilometer away upstream. Although it doesn't have the same volume or power and is only 10m (32ft) tall, Selfoss is much wider than Dettifoss and best seen from the east bank since most of the water flows from the west. Hafragilfoss is downstream of Dettifoss and just as powerful with its single 27m (89ft) drop.

My next stop was the Jökuldalur Valley, known for its forceful glacial river and basalt column canyon. The river used to roar its way from the Highlands, cutting through the valley which for many centuries due to its force and high level made crossing it inaccessible and very dangerous. However, in 2009 the river's source was diverted by a hydroelectric plant and created the Hálslón reservoir. From the reservoir the river flows with the same force for 60km (37mi) in underground tunnels to drive the hydroelectric turbines of the power plant.

What's left of the original river course is now fed from surrounding mountains, creeks and small rivers. No longer a glacial river carrying 120 tonnes of sand, mud and dirt, it is now a clear, blue river flowing to its final destination. The greatly reduced water level has exposed the basalt columns that makes up Stuðlagil Canyon. These hexagonal columns are a result of basaltic lava slowly cooling over time and as the columns shrink in volume they crack creating these symmetrical columnar patterns. The canyon is also home to pink-footed geese during nesting season when they lay their eggs along the gorge. A little further down is Stuðlafoss, a waterfall that cascades down moss-covered basalt columns. The shorter columns at the bottom stack in front of each other resembling an ancient throne.



When you think of Iceland, it probably conjures images of ice caps, glaciers, barren land, volcanoes but not of trees or forests. So it's hard to imagine that once, Iceland was heavily forested when the climate was warmer and the glaciers were smaller. Then the Vikings came and since trees were their main source of building materials for housing and boats and smelting metal, the forests diminished over time. Native trees were mainly birch with some rowan, willow and aspen trees. At the turn of the 20th century reforestation projects and woodland planting schemes commenced and have been ongoing ever since. Near Eggilstaðir is Iceland's largest forest, Hallormstðaskógar, covering 740 hectares. The forest has 40km (24mi) of hiking trails and a tree museum consisting of 70 species of trees. The most delightful part was being able to collect edible mushrooms and pick raspberries and redcurrants. When I ran out of water I was able to refill my bottle directly from the stream as it's clean and drinkable.



See you soon,

Richard



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Ring Road Iceland - Akureyri

I've arrived in Akureyri, the largest town outside the heavily populated south-west corner of Iceland. Nicknamed the capital of North Iceland, Akureyri was originally settled in the 9th century by Norse Viking Helgi Eyvindarson. Danish merchants used it as a trading port during the 17th century but always returned to Denmark during the winter. Permanent settlement began in the 18th century largely due to the ice-free nature of the port and rich agricultural conditions in the region.

During WWII, Allied units were based in town and the Norwegian-British squadron had an airbase here. The squadron flew Northrop N-3PB bombers and Catalina flying boats to protect convoys between US, UK and Murmansk in Russia from German submarine attacks.

Akureyri has a strong folk culture and it is home to Vefarinn, the folk dancing group. Each year the town hosts several festivals such as: Vaka Folk Arts Festival with performances from folk musicians and dancing groups like Vefarinn; and, the Medieval Festival held at Gásir, a trading post from the Middle Ages where a medieval market is held annually and visitors can experience the culture and occupations of the Middle Ages.

Eight main museums can be found in this small northern town. Anything from aviation, art, industrial history, folk art, literature to 20th century toys, motorcycles and general regional history. There's no shortage of history and exhibitions. Just consider the 28 full-sized aircrafts in the aviation museum or the motorcycle collection that tells its 100-year history since the first motorbike arrived on the island. The toy museum may be nostalgic but the building itself was once owned by the Independent Order of Good Templars (a sector of the Freemasons).

For a round of golf, the Akureyri Golf Club holds the title of the most northerly golf course in the world. Established in 1935 it is the second oldest club in Iceland. The Arctic Open is held here during the summer as a four-day championship event. Given the proximity to the Arctic Circle, I think a round of golf under the midnight sun is in order.

Cheers,

Richard



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Kokoda Trail - Efogi

The climb up to Mount Bellamy was so steep in some places I thought I was walking vertically. The ground was very muddy and slippery. The small brown snake slithering across the path just added to the mental challenge, although I’ve been reassured that it was not poisonous. Of the 100 snake species in PNG, 53 are poisonous, never mind the spiders, scorpions, wild bees, and numerous other critters making the jungle their home. I know I’d prefer to see PNG’s national bird, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise, with their fantastic reddish-orange plumage and long tail feather or Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, the world’s largest butterfly - it has a wingspan of 12in/30cm, 10 times larger than the average butterfly.

Anyway, I managed to stay upright, not burying myself in the mud and with a great deal of elation reached the highest point on this journey, Mount Bellamy’s summit of 7,185ft (2,190m). I cannot fathom the difficulties the soldiers endured carrying supplies or the stretcher bearers carrying wounded men.

Having made it to the highest point, I thought I was on the home run, but what went up had to come down. The incredibly steep descent was eye-watering. Though the track was drier, I felt the load on my knees, and I needed to be wary of the kunai grass flanking the trail before Kagi Gap. This perennial grass has a fluffy white, cylindrical flower but it is the sharp blade-like edges of the grass that is of concern as it easily cuts the skin. The leaf has silica crystals embedded in its finely toothed margins and as the soldiers moved through the trail it would tear through their clothing, slashing their skin.

As I exited the forest into the open grassland, I could see Kagi Village downhill in the distance and after a descent of 2,296ft (700m) I walked into the village. I stopped long enough to refresh myself and pushed on further downhill on an even steeper track until I reached a small creek at an elevation of 3,215ft (980m). After another log crossing, I was back up a very steep ascent. The track opened up into a clearing and into Launumu Village.

A small Japanese monument was raised in the village by Corporal Nishimura who was the sole survivor of his troop of 42 men. He survived by hiding in a hollow tree stump for two days. He pledged that he would return to release the spirits of his men and he did so 37 years after the war.

After another steep descent, I entered Efogi, a large village with a population of 350 residents. It was kitted out with both a primary and secondary school, a health centre, and a communal campsite.

Making my weary muscles as comfortable as possible, I settled in my tent and fairly swiftly dozed off, fitfully dreaming about the next significant downhill trek.

Photo © Jonty Crane

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Flower Route - Naaldwijk

Now this may not be for everyone but I couldn’t resist starting the morning with Hagelslag, which is toast with butter topped with lots and lots of chocolate sprinkles not unlike the Fairy Bread served at kids’ parties in the southern hemisphere. Apparently it was invented a century ago when the director of a liquorice sweet company wanted aniseed flavoured sprinkles for his bread. Then, it is said, in 1936 a young boy sent letters to a chocolate producing company asking for chocolate sprinkles for his bread. Today there are a wide variety of sprinkles in Dutch supermarkets that are enjoyed by both children and adults.

 

Hitting the road I left Leiden towards Vlietland, a recreational lake and park with a network of bike paths. From Vlietland, I veered off the main road to connect with the path adjacent to the Vliet canal. Travelling alongside it, as I neared the town of Leidschendam I saw the De Salamander windmill across the canal. Originally built in 1643 but destroyed by fire it was fully rebuilt in 1989 and currently operates as a wood mill. A section of the path is filled with cafes and restaurants with  pleasant views of the canal. 

 

Just before the town of Delft the route veered southwest. Whilst no time was spent in Delft, it was worth noting it for its famous blue and white pottery known as Delftware. Delft was the major centre of Delftware production during the 17th and 18th centuries. Of the 30 plus factories that once operated in Delft only one continues to exist today. The Royal Delft Factory has been in operation since 1653 and early in 2021 it successfully received its official museum status. 

 

Connecting to the N222 it became starkly obvious that I arrived at the centre of bulb trading. The small village of Naaldwijk is surrounded by some of the largest greenhouses in the world. Just northeast of the village is the Royal Flora Holland, the largest international flower auction house. Each day it sells over 20 million flowers and each year it turns over more than nearly 5 billion euros. The most popular flowers auctioned are tulips, roses and chrysanthemums.

 

This brings me to the end of my journey. This delicate looking flower that found its way from the wilds of central Asia into the gardens of Europe and beyond continues to bring joy to plant enthusiasts and whilst the once highly coveted and extremely rare Semper Augustus no longer exists, there is no shortage of colours and varieties to indulge the senses.

 

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Mines of Moria - 21st Hall

This great Dwarvish hall, located on the 7th and highest level of the city, is one of many built on the eastern side of the mountain. Once teeming with life and light, the vast columns only come alive when illuminated by Gandalf’s staff.

For a moment, the Fellowship forgets about the danger and gazes upwards in amazement at the Dwarven craftsmanship.

Mines of Moria - Fork in the Road

Apart from its wealth, Moria is known for its intricate tunnel systems and architecture. The geography of the place proves troublesome even for Gandalf, who has journeyed through the mines before, but who now cannot recall the right path forward.

While waiting for the wizard, Frodo catches sight of movement in the belly of the pit.

Mines of Moria - Mithril Ore

The true wealth of Moria did not come from steel, gold or jewels, but from a much more versatile and rare material: mithril. Soft and sleek as silver, yet stronger than any other metal, mithril was used to craft armor, weapons and jewellery.

Illuminated by Gandalf’s staff, the ore glistens and offers the Fellowship a rare sight.

Saqqara Necropolis

 Sitting modestly before the vast Saqqara Necropolis is the Imhotep Museum, housing archaeological artifacts pertaining to the history of Ancient Egypt. Opened in 2006, it was named after the royal architect Imhotep, who was credited for building the first monumental structure out of stone, being the stepped Pyramid of Djoser.

The Saqqara Necropolis is a vast, ancient burial ground with many pyramids and mastabas within its boundaries. Mastabas were rectangular, flat-roofed tombs, made out of mudbricks. They were used by eminent Egyptians, such as Mereruka in the Early Dynastic Period and Old Kingdom. Mereruka was a vizier, a high ranking and powerful official, and son-in-law to King Teti, the 1st pharaoh of the sixth dynasty. The Mastaba of Mereruka is the largest of all non-royal tombs in Saqqara. Elaborately decorated with vibrant reliefs and a lifelike statue, the tomb was hidden from view until archaeologist Jacques de Morgan discovered and excavated it in 1892. The mastaba is also the burial ground for his wife (daughter of King Teti) and their son. The mastaba has a complex floorplan consisting of 33 chambers of which 21 are dedicated to Mereruka himself and the rest to his wife and son.

Beside Mereruka's mastaba is the Pyramid of Teti. Once a smooth-sided pyramid, it now resembles more of a hill, largely due to poor preservation. However, the interior chambers and corridors are very well preserved. It is unknown how long Teti reigned but it is estimated at 12 years. Teti had several wives and up to 13 children (3 sons and 10 daughters). It is thought that he was murdered by his bodyguards in order to make way for Userkare's reign. It is debated whether Userkare was possibly a son of Teti and whether he was a legitimate heir. Regardless of circumstances, his reign was short-lived, less than 5 years, when he was succeeded by Teti's son Pepi I.

Teti's predecessor was Unas, the last pharaoh of the 5th dynasty. His smooth-sided pyramid built in the 24th century BC was the smallest of the Old Kingdom. What made it significant though was the discovery of Pyramid Texts which were funerary texts carved into walls of burial chambers to help a pharaoh's spirit to be preserved in the afterlife. Unas' pyramid was the first inscription of such texts and at that time was reserved for pharaohs only. The Pyramid Texts were the predecessors to Coffin Texts when the spells were written on coffins and the Book of the Dead which were spells written on papyrus.

Egyptologists weren't able to agree on Unas' reign so it is guesstimated at between 15-30 years. It seems that Unas died without a male heir, as his only son predeceased him. As such it brought the end of the 5th Dynasty.

Diagonally across from the Pyramid of Unas is the Pyramid of Userkaf, the founder of the 5th Dynasty. He reigned for about seven years in the early 25th century BC. He had one daughter and one son, Sahure, who succeeded him. Little is known about his activities other than ascending the worship of Ra, deity of the sun. Ra was believed to rule the sky, the earth and the underworld. He was the god of the sun, order, kings and the sky. Pharaohs were closely aligned to Ra, referring to themselves as "Sons of Ra". Pyramids, obelisks and sun temples were specially aligned to honour Ra.

Userkaf's pyramid was very roughly put together. The core was built with small, roughly-hewn limestone blocks which likely saved a lot on labour but also produced an inferior quality pyramid. However, the outer layer was of fine limestone giving it a grand impression. Sadly as stone robbers removed the outer limestone, the loosely built core was exposed and crumbled leaving a pile of rubble in the shape of a hill. It was customary for pharaohs to build burials for their wives nearby and Userkaf had built a smaller pyramid to the southwest corner of his own using the same construction material and style. Unsurprisingly, the Queen's pyramid is in rubbles too and her pyramid was stripped to such an extent that her burial chamber became exposed to the elements.

And this brings me to the final pyramid. Between the smaller pyramids of Unas and Userkaf stands the Pyramid of Djoser. It is a stepped pyramid built by the royal architect Imhotep and the oldest stone structure of its size in the world. Built in the 27th century BC, this six-tier, four-sided structure dominates the Saqqara landscape. The pyramid once covered in polished white limestone was originally 205ft (62.5m) tall with a base of 358x397ft (109x121m). Beneath the pyramid is a 6km labyrinth of tunnelled chambers and galleries that meets with a central shaft, providing the king with space for his and his family's burials and the storage of goods and offerings. Once completed it stood out from the large mastabas that were constructed out of mudbricks.

Djoser's pyramid is the only stepped-pyramid that was fully completed and continues to exist. A pyramid typically requires 20 years to complete. Djoser, one of the principal leaders of the 3rd Dynasty, ruled for between 19-28 years, as such he saw the completion of his pyramid. Djoser's successor Sekhemkhet planned to outdo the building of his own pyramid by making it taller with a bigger base but unfortunately he died within 9 years of his reign and the pyramid remained unfinished. After Sekhemkhet's there was one more stepped-pyramid just south of Giza but it is not confirmed whether it was finished or if it just eroded over time as it is a ruined structure now.

The Saqqara Necropolis has many more minor pyramids, mastabas and funerary complexes that are known of but there's nothing more exciting than when new discoveries are made. A recent discovery (late 2020) of 100 intact wooden coffins, brightly covered with hieroglyphs and well-preserved mummies inside has been found in the Saqqara.