A Motorcycle Pilgrimage on Icelandic F-roads

Abstract

In June of 2022, I left my home in a small market town in the Southwest of England and headed out on my motorcycle across the width of southern England to catch a ferry. This transported me to continental Europe, where I would head north to Denmark before catching a two-day ferry to Iceland. I planned on spending three weeks exploring the remote and largely deserted F-roads of Iceland's mountainous highlands. Alongside this physical journey through breathtaking vistas, I also embarked on a journey of self-discovery as I explored how myths and legends influenced meaning-making of my travels through unconventional spaces. Rediscovering the transformative power of a quest instead of an expedition, I found inspiration from the concept of a ‘Wandering Pilgrim.’ The following vignettes and reflections explore my relationship with stories, culture, and the landscape and how they shape my identity. Navigating through these isolated spaces provided a unique opportunity for exploration and renegotiation of self-identity, and the journey became both the quest and the destination, with the F-roads serving as a portal to understand the role of myths in shaping my sense of self.