KEVIN McCLOUD'S WILD SIDE OF ICELAND

The Grand Designs presenter heads to Akureyri, where ferocious waterfalls and elemental beauty await — and dining out is an expedition in itself

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Where is your favourite destination and why?

Akureyri. It’s Iceland’s second city, which means it's the size of a small town in England, and it’s in the extreme north. It sits at the end of a fjord and it’s a long way from anywhere. As a result, it feels like you're entering the 1940s.

It’s a sort of timewarp as well as a placewarp! You can drive there, or you can get a flight, though in winter you'd be lucky to get there in a car because often the roads are shut or they're ice. You need a 4x4.

When was the last time you were there, and who were you with?

It was a few years ago, with my wife and a great friend, Ned, who speaks Icelandic. It was winter, when you need to be with people in search of a particular kind of atmosphere or calm. They need to accept driving for three hours to go to lunch only to find that the restaurant is shut, and then driving home in the dark at three o'clock in the afternoon. That can constitute a really satisfying day! There’s so much to see on the journeys — they’re an adventure, which is very special. I remember the trip to Akureyri so fondly, and I know it won't be long before we go back.

Where do you like to stay there?

Some little modern plywood cabins, named Sunnuhlid. They are super-contemporary cubes sitting in the snow and they rock very slightly in the wind. They're just big enough for a week’s stay. I originally found them on booking.com and was struck by how far they are from the usual offering. If you go along the south of Iceland, there’s all these expensive hotels with thermal spas, where you can just hang out in a white dressing gown with other people who've got more money than you. But these three little wooden huts are the closest thing to camping you can do in Iceland... without dying!

What were your favourite meals there?