It's a long way to make it up to Hrauhafnartangi Lighthouse – the most northern point of Iceland. But cool to have a look at it, and the arctic circle. But let's start with the beginning of the quest.
In Akureyri, I'd had a hard time finding camping gaz for my stove. Why? Because it was Saturday and all sold out in the stores whom still had been open. But luck hit me on the way to the local camping ground around 18:10 when I'd entered a small supermarket on the outskirts of town where I've found a fresh bomb.
Next up went hitching a ride at the bridge going up north. Soon a guy from Poland picked me up and drove me all the way to Húsavík. Soon after a German couple gave me a short ride out of town and i quickly swapped into the car of a Icelandic family. We had a nice conversation and they took me all the way to their final destination – Ásbyrgi campground.
I placed myself outside of the gas station and tried to hitch further north. But there was little traffic. Especially since it was already late, around 20:35. Unfortunately, all cars where just heading to that campground. But right when the station closed, a superjeep with huge tires pulled in and two guys got into the gas station for a coffee break. They talked to the owner and soon after I did so too. Coffee's had been offered and the Icelandic shepperd and his friend offered me to ride with them further north.
The two dropped me off at the intersection of Norðausturvegur Road (85) and the tiny road up Raufarhöfn, the most northern town of Iceland. There truck took off and – There I was. Standing in a rainstorm. All by myself. Out nowhere. At 22:30. With as little as 22km to go until Raufarhöfn. On the road.
After hiking for about 3 hours, I'd seen an excavator. And for sure, in typical Icelandic style, it wasn't locked. This is when I found shelter from rain and wind and sat down for the first time. Surely enough a car driving north turned up right then. What can I say? Embrace the suck and keep going.
Found a ditch around 01:45 that ran under the street. Like a tunnel. And it was dry! That spot became my home for the night. Didn't sleep much but got up at 06:00 to hike until the camping of Raufarhöfn, where I'd met an american couple. They then gave me a ride up to the lighthouse.
And after a final walk, there it was: Hrauhafnartangi Lighthouse – and the arctic circle.
It's august 4 around 09:30 and I'm about to start my FKT on the North - South traverse of Iceland. With approximately 560 km of rough wilderness ahead of me.
Time to move.
