I've been following this with some interest: it is the penalty we get in the UK for living on one island and trying to get to another one!

__________________
Dave

I mean how far can it be, the bloody Vikings rowed here for f*%$* sake. If there was a direct ferry maybe more would use it. Iceland is getting more popular with plenty of coverage by the likes of Top Gear. Maybe Smiryl will put Lerwick back on the schedule in 2009.

Just been quoted £1800 to ship a Land Rover over via Eimskip.......perhaps not then!

As I remember the timetable was very confusing it's maybe easier to call them and check - maybe if enough queries they might (unlikely I know) add Scrabster back in. They speak great English and using Telediscount: low cost international calls - from any UK-Phone it's less than 10p a minute. Obviously I have no relationship with either Telediscount or Symril - just a happy traveller to Iceland with them this summer. And Faroes are worth a visit too - just book accommodation in advance and prey to the sun gods!
(Good luck with the shipping option - if you can get a group it's the 'quickest' option travel wise)

__________________
www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/davies

Hello guys
My name is Johann and I live in Iceland.
There are three shipping companys currently sailing with freight between Europe and Iceland.
Eimskip - ForsÃ*ða
samskip.is
Atlantsskip

I guess is would be wise to get a qoute from them all

Flying to Iceland are:
Icelandair - Cheap Flights to Iceland | Vacation Packages | Discount Airfares to Iceland
Iceland Express: Cheap flights to Iceland every day with Iceland's low-fare airline low budget company flying from stansted.
British Airways
SAS Scandinavian Airlines - fly SAS! Book your low fare SAS tickets online! Fly to Scandinavia! flysas.com - SAS International Flying to Oslo Norway
They all have diffrent prices on diffrent times but most of the time Iceland Express and British airways have the lowest price.

Regards
Johann

PS: please check out my homepage Drullumallarafélag Íslands there you can find lots of biketravel pics from Iceland under a button called "Myndir"

This is about the Smyril ferry Narrona

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ke-wasnt-30701

I'm also interested in doing iceland next year so i sent an e-mail to smyril line and this is the reply i got-(hope it helps)
We are the General Sales Agent here in the UK and we have been advised by Smyril Line that you have requested a brochure. This has been sent to you by mail, and in the meantime we would just like to give you some information per email.

The Norrona departs from Scrabster every Wednesday starting from the 18th of June up until 27 August 08. The departure is at 0630hrs from Scrabster, arrival the Faroe Islands and Torshavn at 1900 on the Wednesdays, departs again at 2130 and arrival at Seydisfjord on Thursdays at 1200.

Return from Seydisfjord is on Thursdays at 1600, arrive Thorshavn at 0830hrs on Fridays.
The best thing to do is now to get off the Norrona and stay in the Faroe Islands for 3 days, or you depart Torshavn at 1100hrs on Friday and arrival Denmark and Hanstholm at 1800hrs on Saturdays,
Depart from Hanstholm on Saturdays at 2230hrs and arrive The Faroe Island and Torshavn on Mondays at 0900hrs..

If you stay 3 nights in Torshavn you can depart on Mondays at 1200hrs, arrival in to Bergen at 1000hrs on Tuesdays and depart again at 1300hrs for arrivals on Wednesday at 0500hrs in to Scrabster.

Prices in GBP starting from: GBP146

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in couchette below car deck
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP462

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in a inside B4 cabin sharing with others
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP526

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in a inside B2 cabin with 2 lower berths
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP782

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in a outside A4 cabin sharing with others
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP594

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in an outside A2 cabin with bunk berths
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP832

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in a outside A2 cabin with 2 lower berths
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP1018

Car package incl. up to 4 persons/ in couchette below car deck
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP632

Car package incl. up to 4 persons/ in a inside B4 cabin sharing with others
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP696

Car package incl. up to 4 persons/ in a inside B4 family cabin
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP888

Car package incl. up to 4 persons/ in an outside A4 family cabin
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP1160

Car package incl. up to 2 persons/ in an outside A4 sharing with others
(Up to 1,9 H & max. 5 m. L. & max. 2 m. W)
Return Price from Scrabster to Seydisfjordur from GBP764

Accommodation in a basic hotel in Torshavn starts from £87 per twin room and £61 for a single room.



If you would like to book:

Please advise names, dates of birth, outbound travel date, departure point and arrival point, cabin grade, type of vehicle, length in meters, height in meters, width in meters and registration number. We also require your passport numbers.

Height and length measurements should be given ‘overall’ to include any roof boxes, box trailers or bicycle racks, etc. (NB Smyril Line reserve the right to deny boarding or surcharge passengers with vehicles exceeding the dimensions booked)

got really pissed off that we would have to ride or ferry to denmark then faff about with a ferry to iceland. we have been planning to go in summer 2008 for a while now. i contacted scantours, the uk agent for smyril ferries and was told that scrabster is still a departure point for the ferry. they mailed me scedule info the same as in the post above. i mailed them once more to get the cheapest price for 2 bikes and 2 people and below is the reply.

Dear Sir,

If you were to depart with Smyril Line on the 23 of July for arrival to Seydisifjordur on the 24th and return on the sailing from Iceland on either the 21st of August or the 28th of August and spend 3 nights in Torshavn the price would be £464 in Couchette accommodation below car deck, with facilities down the hall. This is the minimum sleeping accommodation we require.

If you would like to book this, please return the attached form.

Kind regards/Med vänlig hälsning,

Ulrika Andersson

Scantours UK Ltd

73 Mornington Street, London NW1 7QE, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44(0)207 554 3530 Fax: +44(0)207 387 4496

mailto:ulrika@scantours.co.uk www.scantours.co.uk

so it looks like we will be booking fairly soon. will also double confirm that this is a sailing from scrabster, not from denmark.
hope this is of use and if it is i guess we will be running into you somewhere in iceland next summer
suerte
oz

Eimskip is a long-established Icelandic transportation company that offers regular shipping services between the UK, Europe, North America and Iceland. It's southern route (shown below) may be of interest. Check their website Eimskip - Home to check current schedules

Southern Route (operates on 14 day cycle)
Wed Dep Immingham
Mon Arr Straumsvik and/or Reykjavik
Wed Dep Reykjavik
Sun Arr Immingham

Oz

My partner and I are heading out to Iceland on 13 August 2008, sailing from Scrabster at 06:30hrs. Only got a week in Iceland unfortunately as we've got to factor in the 3 night stop-over in the Faroes which has played haoc with the planning. Auch well, such is life. £752 return for my girl and I in 2 berth cabin + bike obviously - not cheap, but what the hell

It looks an amazing place and we can't wait to go! Can anyone however advise what the road surface is like on the main road that encircles the island? Since my partner will be riding pillion I can't risk anything too risky - wouldn't want to risk damaging the bike!

Steve - your photos were exellent, although my girl is now doubting her sanity for agreeing to go on this trip!



Cheers.

John

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Hello John

About 95-7% of the circle road in Iceland has a paved surface
Here is a picture taken on that road: http://www.dmfi.is/geys2.jpg

The rest normally has a hard gravel surface that should not give you any problems
Similar to this one:http://www.dmfi.is/P6180104.JPG
The gravel can be a bit slippery in the rain but if you take it easy and wach out for pot holes and loose gravel on the sides of the road you will be fine.

Here is a picture taken on Kjalvegur F-35 a 200km road that crosses the country from north to south: http://www.dmfi.is/2003_0618_004714AA.JPG
Regards
Johann

Hi Johann

Thanks for the reply and pics. The paved road in your picture puts UK roads to shame! The gravel sections don't look too bad either. Riding the roads around Edinburgh will have prepared me just fine I'm sure!

Regards,

John

__________________

Hello John
I found this article on Wikipedia for you on the circle road
Route 1 (Iceland) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers
Johann

Drullumallarafélag Íslands

Has anyone been able to get a positive response from either samskip.is or
Atlantsskip ???

Iv been trying via email for some time, but no joy.

Thanks .. Mike

i had a reply from samskip saying their willing to take the bike but not passengers and the price was about £700 so your better off elsewhere.does anyone know if smyril line do an open return? i will be going straight from the HU-UK meet to iceland but not sure how long i need to stay there to see a bit of everything.might as well do it all in one go and i'm thinking of about a month.