Travel the North-West

Travel Iceland with Iceland Travel

Travel the North - West

North-West Iceland is defined primarily by the coastal areas around Húnaflói Bay and Skagafjörður Fjord. You can bypass most of this area by sticking to the Ring Road (Rte. 1) as, sadly, most people do. Among the things they are missing are seal-watching at Vatnsnes Peninsula, a 19th century stone church at Þingeyrar, Iceland’s bestpreserved 19th century farm buildings at Glaumbær, the seat of Iceland’s northern bishopric in the Catholic era at Hólar, and a stack of pretty lakes, waterfalls, rivers and peaks.

THE ICELANDIC HORSE Skagafjörður is known for wonderful horse breeding and you will find numerous farms offering horse back riding and shows in the area. The Icelandic Viking horse is renowned for being sturdy, independent, friendly, spirited and sure-footed. The Icelandic horse possesses five natural gaits: the Walk, Trot, Canter, Tolt, and Pace. The tolt is a fifth gait specific to only a handful of breeds in the world and provides a smooth ride that feels like gliding. In fact, riders often demonstrate this smooth gait by carrying a tray of drinks at full speed without spilling a drop!

Skagafjörður links the Arctic Ocean with the highlands and is an area central to Icelandic history and culture. It is the site of significant events during the 13th century civil war and of key cultural developments in the centuries afterwards. There are several large glacial rivers in Skagafjörður that are ideal for river rafting. If your journey is bypassing Skagafjörður via the Ring Road (Rte. 1) then one of the most striking landscapes you’ll see as you cross between the North and the North West is in the Öxnadalur Valley near Hraun. Keep your eyes on the mountain tops on the northern side of the valley and you’ll see the stunning serrated outline of a mountain ridge, reminiscent of Catalonia’s aptly named Montserrat (‘serrated mountain’). The highest pinnacle is called Hraundrangi (1,075m / 3,526ft), where climbers have found the flat area at the top to be less than half a square meter! The fishing hamlet of Hofsós, halfway up Skagafjörður’s eastern shore off Rte. 76, was a trading post as far back at the 1500s and later became a launching point for many of Iceland’s emigrants to North America. Many of these emigrants’ descendants still return to Hofsós to visit its Emigration

Museum and genealogical centre. Some of the town’s 18th century buildings are well preserved, and others replicate a similar style, giving Hofsós an appealing olden-days quality. We recommend visiting the town’s local swimming pool, which is located on the cliff tops with spectacular views across Skagafjörður Fjord to Mt. Tindastóll. The permanent exhibit at the Icelandic Emigration Center (Vesturfarasetrið) details Icelandic emigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the fate of settlements from Utah to Brazil. By 1914, 15,000 Icelanders—almost 20% of the population at the time—had left for the New World.

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Just south of Hofsós is Gröf, a pretty turf-roofed church dating originally from the late 1600s (off Rte. 76). Given the age of its timber supports, Gröf is the oldest church building in Iceland and has been kept by the National Museum since 1939. Hólar is a historic, cultural and educational centre, inland from Skagafjörður Fjord on Rte. 767. The Hóladómkirkja cathedral there displays perhaps the best artifacts of any church in Iceland. Hólar owes its existence to the 11th century northern Icelanders who insisted Skálholt – where Iceland’s first Catholic bishop was installed – was too far away to serve their spiritual needs. In addition to the cathedral, there is a small university at Hólar specializing in tourism, aquaculture and equine sciences. Built in 1763, the Hóladómkirkja cathedral is Iceland’s oldest stone church, built with local red sandstone and basalt. On display at the cathedral is a 1584 Bible and a 1620 painting of a Hólar bishop – significant for being the oldest known portrait of an Icelander. Other noteworthy features include a 16th century crucifix, a 17th century soapstone baptismal font and an impressive wooden altarpiece made around the year 1500, depicting a painted impression of the Passion of Christ. The altar’s side panels swivel inward, revealing additional paintings. Other structures at Hólar are Nýibær, a preserved 19th century turf farmhouse, and Auðun’s House (Auðunarstofa), a reconstruction of a 14th century bishop’s residence, built using 14th century building methods.

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Flugumýri (Rte. 7 6, 3 km off Rte. 1 heading north) is an Icelandic horse farm that arranges riding tours and horse exhibitions. Flugumýri was once home to a 13th century chieftain and the remains of a fort are still visible on a hill south-east of the farmstead. Varmahlíð is a small village situated at the junction of Rte. 1 and 75. It is a convenient pit-stop for travelers and a good place to arrange tours such as horse riding or snow-mobiling. Hestasport offers horse-riding tours in the Hofsós and Hólar area, as well as the Kjölur route through the interior to Gullfoss and Geysir, including tours in conjunction with local sheep round-ups in late summer/early autumn.

You can book your tour in your app or on the Iceland Travel website - icelandtravel.is

The small turf church at Víðimýri, off Rte. 1 as you head south-west from Varmahlíð, has wooden gables, a turf roof, and thick sod walls. The church was built in 1834 and its charm is only enhanced by the tranquil meadow setting.

Glaumbær Museum is an old farm with traditional turf buildings, parts of which date back to the 18th century. Glaumbær was a farmstead long before then too, and Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir – the first woman to go to America and the one who gave birth to the first baby in North America of European decent – lived at Glaumbær in the 11th century. There are several buildings at Glaumbær including a church. The buildings were constructed and rebuilt at different times over the centuries, and the size of the farmstead is an indication that it was once a prosperous farm. There are some fascinating artifacts at Glaumbær, including a driftwood bureau, a whale-tooth snuff box and a willow-root basket allegedly made by Fjalla-Eyvindur (‘Eyvindur of the mountains’), a beloved 18th century outlaw who appears in many Icelandic stories, myths, plays and songs. Glaumbær is north of Varmahlíð on Rte. 75, and in one of the 19th century houses is Áskaffi, a charming café that serves traditional pastries and other light fare in a grandmotherly living room. glaumbaer.is

TURF ROOF HOUSES OF THE FUTURE a number of factors led to the popularity of turf-roofed dwellings in Iceland. For starters, there weren’t enough trees to keep using timber as a primary building material, and turf roofs provided excellent insulation against the cold, wet and snow. The thick roots of the Icelandic grass ensured that structures were lasting, as shown by the many centuries-old turfroofed buildings that remain in use to this day. But it is by no means certain that turf roofs are a thing of the past. Today, some cities around the world are realising the benefits of turf roofing and are beginning to experiment. In Chicago, for example, the Greenroofs Project has found these benefits include better insulation, air quality, rain-water management and structural integrity, as well as beautification of the inner city.

Sauðárkrókur (Rte. 75) is the largest village in Skagafjörður. It is perhaps most recognized in recent years for its proximity to the place where two polar bears came ashore in the spring of 2008. The bears came from Greenland and had been drifting on a small ice floe for several days before landing on this headland. The two animals were exhausted after their long journey across the Atlantic, and although they didn’t seem to have the strength or endurance to pose any danger, no chances were taken and both bears were shot. Fishing has been the dominant industry in Sauðárkrókur, but the economy is also based on industry, agriculture and the provision of regional services. Minjahús is a museum, an information centre, and the new home to one of the polar bears mentioned above. The museum brings to life workshops of the past, letting visitors imagine a past life in Sauðárkrókur as a blacksmith, watchmaker, carpenter, or saddler.

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Sauðárkrókur’s Gestastofa Sútarans is the only tannery in Europe that processes fish leather. Its Tannery Visitor Center offers guided tours of the tannery, where fish-skin is processed to make high-quality leather. The tannery supplies Icelandic craftspeople with the fish-leather they use for clothing, wallets, bags and jewellery. Borgarmýri 5.

Interested in military or VIking history? The 1238 Battle of Iceland offers you the chance to experience this pivotal battle using virtual reality technology. Location: Aðalgata 21. website: 1238.is

Drangey and Málmey are picturesque, uninhabited, bird-rich islands characterized by striking cliffs and fairy-tale rock formations. Remarkably, sheep once grazed atop Drangey, which is surrounded by sheer cliffs up to 180 m. The sheep were hoisted up and down by ropes. One of Iceland’s bestknown saga heroes, the outlaw Grettir, spent the last three years of his life at Drangey, according to Grettis Saga. Málmey is larger and less of a fortress. A family farm prospered here until the farmstead burnt down in 1950.

Boat tours to Drangey and Málmey can be arranged, for example at Reykir, a guesthouse 20 minutes from Sauðárkrókur on Rte. 748 From the only landing spot at Drangey, a precipitous path, with ladders and cable handrails, leads to the top. drangey.net

In Grettis Saga, the outlaw Grettir mentioned above is said to have swum from Drangey to the western shore of Skagafjörður, where he bathed in a geothermal spring and fetched glowing embers to take back to Drangey. The Grettislaug pool (next to Reykir at the end of Rte. 748) has been constructed with natural stones at this legendary bathing spot, and is a great place to relax after a hike or after climbing Drangey. But you won’t be expected to swim back to the mainland like Grettir did!

Húnaflói Bay

Heading towards Blönduós and Hvammstangi on Rte. 1, takes you past some of the finest salmon rivers in Iceland. The small town of Blönduós, which sits astride the glacial river Blanda, is a long-established trading and service town, and the administrative center of the region.

The Textile Museum at Blönduós exhibits an unusual collection of Icelandic national costumes from different periods, wool-processing and tapestry-making equipment, century-old crocheted nightgowns and exquisitely embroidered undergarments from all corners of the country. Icelanders are still dedicated knitters and it is common to see people knitting in cafés, classrooms or on the bus. Part of the museum is dedicated to the work of contemporary Icelandic textile artists. Visitors are invited to try their hand at weaving wool on a loom. Perhaps the most curious item on display at the textile museum is a portrait made from lint. Árbraut 29 – 540 Blöndós - textile.is

Þingeyrarkirkja is an impressive 1877 church (Rte. 721) overlooking Lake Hóp, the fifth largest lake in Iceland, east of the Vatnsnes Peninsula. The church is unusual for the late 19th century because churches at that time were typically sided with corrugated iron. Instead, Þingeyrarkirkja was constructed from hewn basalt and limestone, a very pricey undertaking. The interior is also unusual, with a deep, broad apse that encircles everything in front of the pews – markedly different from the rectangular Icelandic norm. The church’s half-domed dark blue ceiling has about a thousand gold stars mounted on it. Several pieces inside the church are historically significant, including the altarpiece, originating in Nottingham in the 15th century. At the junction of Rte. 721 and Rte. 1, countless hillocks cover the landscape; the undulating Vatnsdalshólar hills, which are the result of a landslide. On the other side of Rte. 1 you can circle the beautiful Vatnsdalur Valley on the loop road, Rte. 722. Further south, Rte. 718 leads to the spectacular Kolugljúfur gorge and some lovely waterfalls. The canyon is named after Kola, a troll who dug it out and is said to live there still. If you’re willing to risk trespassing on the home of a troll, Kolugljúfur Gorge and its picturesque Víðidalsá River are the perfect backdrop for a picnic.

Vatnsnes Peninsula

The 82 km detour on Rte. 711 around Vatnsnes peninsula gives you the best view of Húnaflói Bay’s seal population. It also features the remarkably shaped Hvítserkur crag (15m / 49ft), which stands right on the shore like a giant cross between a buffalo and a Moomintroll having a drink. Hvítserkur

means White Cowl and the name is probably derived from the white color of the bird droppings that cover it. This area is very peaceful and sometimes dozens of seals can be spotted here, as well as at Illugastaðir, halfway along the western coast of Vatnsnes, at Hindisvík, near the tip of the peninsula, and Ósar, on the eastern coast. The seals tend to be quite friendly and even follow people at a distance, but please do not disturb or feed them. Note that some areas of Vatnsnes are closed during the nesting season, from late April to late June.

The Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi (Rte. 72) is a research center and museum with information about seals, seal colonies, the history of seal hunting and other ways in which seals are an important part of Icelandic culture, tradition and folklore. The center is also a source of information about the birds of the Vatnsnes Peninsula, of which there are unsurprisingly a great many. Strandgata 1 - selasetur.is

Staðarskáli crossroads

Travelers often stop at Staðarskáli (Rte. 1 & 68) before continuing south across Holtavörðuheiði heath towards Borgarfjörður and the capital; northwest towards the Westfjords; northeast towards Akureyri; or even west (via Rte. 68 & 59) towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Because of this, although the rest-stop itself is very modern, it has a warm atmosphere where snippets of conversation always reveal locals and tourists alike setting off on adventures, or heading home.

Borðeyri

Just north of Staðarskáli, en route to the Westfjords, is Borðeyri, the smallest village in Iceland. Borðeyri is a hamlet on a small sandbank on the western side of Hrútafjörður Fjord. It is the district’s service center with a local supermarket, a bank and a service station, and is simply a pretty place to walk along the beach with a view all the way down the fjord to its mouth and out to the Húnaflói Bay. This enchanting coastal area, called Strandir, extends all the way up past Hólmavík along the eastern edge of the Westfjords. It is characterised by its numerous rivers, rivulets, and small lakes. In many places the shoreline is dotted with driftwood from Siberia, which was once highly prized given the rapidly declining wood in Iceland after the settlement period. There are also many substantial eider colonies along the coastline, and inhabitants collect the down feathers from the nests. Seals are often seen playing and fishing in water close to the shore.