#7: [28-Aug-23]

#5: [02-Aug-11]

#3: [08-May-04]

#4: [17-Jun-11] (incomplete)

#2: [04-Jul-03] (incomplete)

#1: [26-Mar-03] (incomplete)

02-Aug-2018 -- This is the 6^th out of 6 reports reaching confluence points in Iceland during a one-week bicycle trip. The story starts at 64°N 22°W and continues from 64°N 18°W.

This confluence is only 2 km from the ring road (N1). It is directly located at a river that flows out of the Vatnajökull Glacier (the biggest in glacier in Europe) in just 4 km distance. The good question is on which side of the river is the confluence point? While my map suggested that it is east of the river, the satellite image shows that besides some minor river branches the confluence is west of the main river. Therefore I left the highway N1 on the western side of the nearby bridge and followed a stony track up to a distance of 2.3 km.

It is tempting to approach the confluence from the east, because the road comes significantly closer. All previous visitors had to wade through the river or were stopped by the high water level.

I parked my bicycle at 2.3 km distance and walked on rounded gravel stones straight to the confluence without the need to wade through water. I found the confluence about 120 m from the river. The groundcover consisted of black rounded volcanic rock with some scattered weeds growing there. The impressive Vatnajökull Glacier (in 4 km distance) and Iceland’s highest mountain Hvannadalshnúkur (2110 m) located in the north-western rim of the Öræfajökull volcano can be seen from the confluence. Not long time ago, the confluence must have been under an ice cover.

After the visit, I spent the night wild camping at the Jökulsárlón Lagoon. I continued cycling further eastwards, but there are no more confluence points on land at the 64^th latitude. And for visiting confluences at the 65^th latitude I didn’t have enough time.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance of bicycle parking: 2300 m
• Time to walk to the CP: 30 min
• Time at the CP: 1:08 PM
• Measured height: 84 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy: 2 m
• Topography: flat
• Vegetation: weeds, grass, moss.
• Weather: partly cloudy, 17° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Left or Right River Confluence

The story finishes here.