Iceland, Day 3

The howling wind woke us up this morning. Weirdly everything looked still when you look out of the window. There are no trees to speak of in Iceland and so nothing really to show the strength of the wind!
What did show the strength of the wind was stepping out of the hotel to take some bags to the car before breakfast. My plastic Starbucks travel mug was instantly whipped out of the side pocket of the rucksack and disappeared off into the darkness at about fifty miles an hour. Closely followed by its lid!
It wasn't the end of the world to lose the mug - although it's been handy for all the hot chocolate we've been been drinking - I can drive and drink it at the same time! But I felt bad that it was probably in the sea within seconds adding to all the other plastic crap.
Breakfast was delicious as usual then as it was getting light we headed off for our last day's exploring. 
More in hope than expectation I drove to the far end of the car park in the direction my mug had flown off in, hoping there may be a fence that had stopped it.
To our amazement on the grass bank at the end there was the mug - unbelievably lying still despite the howling gale. And a few feet past it was the light, flimsy lid. Whoop whoop!!!!!
Before going further afield we drove round the parts of Stykkisholmur we didn't see on foot the other day before. What a lovely little town it is!
Our first stop was Budir. We went there when we came eleven years ago and were keen to go back. The Hotel Budir is wonderful - definitely worth coming back to stay! Like last time we went in for hot chocolate (me) and cappuccino (mum) What a view!! Picture windows over looking the crashing waves and the storm coming up the coast. 
Then we headed up to the beautiful little black church. Getting out of the car and getting coats, hats, gloves and scarves on was a feat in itself - my glove blew off and I had to run after it and you couldn't get the coat to stop flapping off behind you to get it done up. My God!!! It was how I imagine the top of Everest to be!!!!
As luck would have it a priest arrived at the same time we did and went into the church. We've not had the chance to look inside any of the churches before and it was beautiful (see extras). A sanctuary from the gale!
The priest - who didn't speak a word of English and who, to be honest,  seemed like a character out of The Omen  - was robing up for a wedding so we didn't stay too long.
We braved the wind and set off to the beach. We had the most incredible walk - wonderful stormy light, rainbows, lava fields, golden sand - unlike anywhere else in Iceland, crashing waves, snowcapped mountains in the distance. We even saw a mink which scared the life out of me at first but was so cute snuffling around in the lava!
We walked for ages not wanting to stop and not wanting to turn round because that would mean heading back straight into the wind!!
Eventually we dragged ourselves away and headed back to Hellnar wanting to find an arch in the cliffs I'd seen on Instagram. We ate our half board option overlooking the beach and the cliffs and then set off.
What a magical walk! Through giant lava formations on the clifftops, it was like something out of Lord of the Rings. Alas we didn't find the arch but it was our favourite walk we've done!
It turns out the arch is actually in Arnastapi - the next village along, which we almost reached before turning back as it was getting dark and because, despite what the guide books tell you, Arnastapi is rubbish. We were there yesterday and it's rubbish!!!!!!
When we were almost back to the car I realised I only had one glove. I'd taken them off because it was getting warm hiking through the lava fields! We re-traced our steps for a few hundred yards before giving up. Who knew where it was and it was impossible to do the whole walk again. So somewhere out in the wilderness is a grey fleece glove. Hopefully something will make good use of it in a nest!!!!
We took a new pass across the peninsular to get home. What a shame it was getting dark, it was spectacular!!!! 
It turned into a gravel road as it got higher into the mountains - always exciting!! Then it started snowing, whoop whoop!!!! The yellow poles got higher and there was proper snow on the ground. Brilliant!!!
Dinner was another posh pot noodle, chocolate biscuits and some M&S tiffin. Tonight's film was Pain and Gain with Mark Wahlberg. I thought it sounded a bit rubbish - weightlifting obsessed gym buddy con artists!! But it was good. Naturally I fell asleep so will have to rewatch it on my return to England!