18.10 Akureyri: Mount Sulur, a climb of 3,700 feet in a beautiful environment, a true stunner.
A view of the first false peak after ascending towards the base. The actual peak is at rear although the route takes one over the prominent peak in the picture. A pond of water fed by streams, attracts plant life...and us. Arguably, it was one of our two or three best hikes and experiences in this country. There we go again, arguing. The town of Akureyri is in the north of the country, making it closer to the North Pole than Reykjavik. While we like both cities, the northern town is a delight. It is much smaller than the capital but the second largest, population wise. It is surrounded by mountains, all snowcapped. It lies on the water, an expanse of the most desirable blue liquid we have seen. The only people we met on the trail were locals. They are friendly, speak such good English that one forgets it’s not their mother tongue or father’s for that matter. Talking of fathers, it appears they don’t use surnames as other westerners do. They follow a system not exact...