Family fun

Me, listening to the silence

Only hours away to the west, the Greenland ice cap guards a country and people on a calm quest for survival. Journey west, and the Faroe Islands’ northern beat colours life and culture. Venture further south to Northern Ireland and Scotland, as curious to know you as you are to know them. Where to next?

Melting potCULTURE Music

01

Braedslan festival is a celebration of music, nature and community.

TEXT: Gabrielle Motola PHOTOS: Holmfridur Dagny Fridjonsdottir, Adalsteinn Svan Hjelm, Mareike Timm

On the scenic East Fjords route, I drive past waterfalls and over mountains, before reaching the village of Bakkargerdi, nestled into the arc of the fjord Borgarfjordur eystri. This humble but beautiful farming and fishing village (pop. 110) welcomes more than 3,000 people every year to Braedslan music festival, which is in every sense a family affair. The drive from Reykjavik takes nine hours, but I opted for flying from Reykjavik Airport. The fog lifted as the plane taxied, and we were treated to a stunning aerial view of Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier. We landed an hour later in full sunshine in Egilsstadir, where I rented a car and drove for another hour to Borgarfjordur eystri.

Local Askell Heidar Asgeirsson wanted to honour the 120th anniversary of painter Johannes S. Kjarval, who grew up in Borgarfjordur eystri. With the help of his family and friends, he put together the first festival in 2005. Heidar (as he’s called) reached out to singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini, as she’s also from the area. The following