Over the past few years we have made two trips to Iceland. The first was for a long weekend at the end of October 2000. We stayed in Reykjavik and took bus tours to the tourist spots - the "Golden Circle" and the Blue Lagoon etc. At this time of year the days were getting short so our touring was limited and mainly confined to the bus. So we promised ourselves we would go back and see more of this beautiful country.

Despite having bought the Lonely Planet Guide to Iceland about 2 years previous, we only made it back to Iceland in 2004. This time we spent 10 days touring the country by car. We followed the ring road - Route 1, and stayed in hostels and guesthouses. Yet again we were overawed by the beauty of the countryside.

The photograph above is of the church in Blonduos, which has been designed in the shape of a volcanic crater.