Day 1: arrive and settle in
Check in from 4 pm. The entrance lights are on, the hot tub is ready, and towels and bathrobes are waiting. Keep the first evening simple and take in the view over the Fnjóská from the terrace.
A longer stay at Lundsskógur works well because you can return to the same house between days out. The location is close to the Diamond Circle, the 250 km route linking Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík, with whale watching, horse riding, hiking, golf and fishing also within reach. Use this week as a starting point, then move things around for the weather and your own pace.
- Stay together
- Up to seven guests, four bedrooms
- The route
- The Diamond Circle, about 250 km
- The pace
- Unpack once and explore in your own time
Day 2: the forest and the river
Stay close to the house. Walk one of the 3.3 km or 4 km loops in Vaglaskógur, play nine holes at Lundsvöllur or leave the afternoon free for the hot tub.
Day 3: Akureyri
Have coffee at Bláa Kannan, swim in the town's geothermal pool and stay for dinner at North, Rub23 or Strikið overlooking Eyjafjörður.
Day 4: Goðafoss and Mývatn
Goðafoss drops 12 metres across a width of 30 metres. Continue east to Lake Mývatn for the lava formations at Dimmuborgir, the steaming geothermal ground at Námaskarð and a soak at Earth Lagoon above the lake.
Day 5: whales
Choose a whale-watching trip from Akureyri, Dalvík, Hauganes or Húsavík. If the forecast looks better earlier in the week, move this day. Keeping the itinerary loose gives you a better chance of good conditions on the water.
Day 6: Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi
Head north on the Diamond Circle for Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, with Selfoss nearby, the basalt formations at Hljóðaklettar and the horseshoe-shaped canyon of Ásbyrgi.
Day 7: one last morning in the valley
Have breakfast together before check-out at 11 am, then plan the next drive around the weather. In winter, check road conditions at umferdin.is before setting off.
Questions
Is Lundsskógur suitable for a week with family or friends?
Yes. The house at Lundsskógur sleeps up to seven across four bedrooms, with a full kitchen, laundry room, terrace and private hot tub, so there is room for both days out and time together at the house.
Is Villa North a good base for exploring North Iceland?
Yes. Staying at Lundsskógur combines a countryside setting with easy access to Akureyri and puts the Diamond Circle within easy reach. Ásbyrgi, Goðafoss, Dettifoss, Lake Mývatn and Húsavík can each be visited on a day out from the house.