Getting off the beaten track: the hot pot at Grettislaug
Iceland has no shortage of 'hot pots', and they can mean just about anything. It could be a plastic pool with warm water and slides, the Blue Lagoon its alcohol and masseuses, a hot rocky pot in the middle of (seemingly) nowhere, or anything in between.
Grettislaug is a pair of manmade hot pools just north of Sauðárkrókur in the north of Iceland. A group of artists from the residency loaded into the car, made a quick stop off at the bakery in Sauðárkrókur (a must-do if you happen to pass through) and head to Grettislaug for an afternoon dip. It's the perfect mix of manmade and natural, with small rock walls providing some protection from the wind, but still feels a little bit raw and exposed.
There are some makeshift 'change rooms' and a shower out in the open, or a toilet at the nearby cafe you can use to change (they don't emphasise showering before use like many other hot pots). When you arrive, pay at the cafe (admission is a super affordable 750ISK) and then head on down to the pools.
(I had a fresh tattoo, so did the responsible thing and kept my leg out of the water, which made for this ~glamorous~ shot)
As for getting to Grettislaug, the road north of Sauðárkrókur is a bit iffy, but definitely not the worst I've seen in Iceland. It's unsealed, but suitable for 2WD cars... just go slowly and admire the towering mountains as you drive.
It's a pretty magical experience, a great way to breathe in some of the mountain air without freezing, and it's remote enough that you might have the pool to yourself!
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