Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.08.2006, Qupperneq 25

Tourist-tailored representations of the country – so
focused as they are in selling glaciers, hot springs and
volcanoes – often tend to neglect the sea as a central
element of a travel experience in Iceland. Peculiar and
quite unfair: after all, the sea is a dominant part of the
Icelandic landscape, and it is the place where Icelanders
have found the core of a pioneering national identity in
the course of their history and upon which they have
built their wealth over the last century. And – it cannot
be denied – it is where the land meets the ocean that
Iceland can still offer some of the most awe-inspiring
instances of its beauty. Take Hornstrandir, for example,
a place beloved, respected, almost feared by Icelanders,
and yet unknown and largely ignored by the main
tourist f lows.
Located in the northernmost appendix of the
Westfjords, Hornstrandir is a claw-shaped peninsula
attached to the rest of the country by a thin 6 km
isthmus. Whereas the Westfjords are usually considered
as Iceland’s least reachable area and – in virtue of their
beauty – the country’s best kept secret, Hornstrandir
constitutes the region’s most inaccessible and remote
location and its hidden treasure. A cruel and still
irresistibly charming land, facing the Greenland Sea,
homeland of tales of trolls, elves and witchcraft – the
Icelandic witch-hunt (yes, there was an Icelandic
witch-hunt) struck hardest here. Hosting a small and
scattered community until the 1950s (“enduring people
who feared nothing” in the words of a fisherman I had
the pleasure to share a cup of coffee with), Hornstrandir
was eventually deserted by its inhabitants, tired of the
isolation and hardships the location imposed on them.
In 1975, it was turned into a privately owned nature
reserve and today it represents one of the main wild
areas in Iceland, offering a display of f lora and fauna
among the richest in the country. A rather convincing
confirmation of the natural value of the place seems to
be provided by the number of people who come here
to carry out fieldwork in the context of environmental
science.
Hornstrandir greets the visitor with no facilities
whatsoever: you will find no roads, no hotels, no
organised campsites, nor even toilets. The amount of
comfort you will be able to enjoy – from food to toilet
paper – is basically what you carry with you. Your GSM
phone will not help you communicate with the outside
world once in Hornstrandir. And you won’t get far by
car; walking remains the only possible way to move
within the region, while travelling by sea is surely the
best option for approaching the peninsula. All the
major bays are well served from Ísafjörður, with daily
trips running: the boat takes you to the coast, where
the captain says, “Enjoy your stay and good luck.” You
watch it leaving and know that you are left there alone
– or perhaps in the casual company of few other visitors
– until the time for pick-up comes.
It goes without saying that walking in
Hornstrandir’s solitude is a most exhilarating experience
– one which Icelanders in particular approach with
some sense of awe, as a sort of hiking initiation.
Open ocean, plastic bags
I am sailing to Hornvík today, at the northeastern
corner of the region – the most popular destination
for visitors, they tell me. I boarded at 9:00 on Monday
morning, after a night spent at Ísafjörður campsite and
a cosy breakfast in the adjacent Hotel Edda. It is an
about three-hour trip to get there. Of the 20 passengers
The Lonesome Traveller: Hornstrandir
Sheer cliffs and high water in the most remote corner of Iceland
by fabrizio frascaroli photos by fabrizio frascaroli
on the boat – most are Icelanders, though there are
several tourists on a day tour. The atmosphere onboard
is electric with apparently everyone enjoying the trip,
charged with excitement and expectation. Until a cute
and innocent-looking little girl starts it all. We have
reached open sea by now; the ocean is not particularly
rough today, but we are facing an ominous headwind.
The young girl does not handle our first wave collision
well. The first plastic bag – provided in timely fashion
by the only crew member – makes its appearance. It
won’t be the last one: the chain reaction is irresistible,
and in a short while a good half of the passengers is
nailed to their seats, helplessly struggling against the
contagious sea-sickness. The rest of the trip will be
a neverending via crucis for some, an inebriating run
on the waves for others. A few people are even out on
the deck, boozing around under the splashes – they
are clearly having a good time. “If you feel something
strange going on in your stomach, look to the horizon!”
my seat-neighbour suggests, a biologist from the
University of Iceland with some years as a fisherman
behind him. I gladly follow the advice and feel
thankful to be among those able to enjoy this two-hour
experience.
Fortunately, sailing to Hornvík is not the only
option to reach the shores of Hornstrandir. Going to
Hesteyri or even Aðalvík, for example, offers a much
more sheltered passage: you never enter the open ocean
and, unless you hit adverse weather conditions, you
should be able to avoid that kind of tormenting sickness.
The northern part of the peninsula is probably the
best place to start in approaching the region. The large
majority of the yearly visitors used to roam between
Aðalvík, Hælavík and Hornvík: paths there are more
clearly marked and easier to follow and the locations you
cross simply magnificent. I already walked the northern
area three years ago, so I have picked a slightly different
itinerary this time: my plan is to walk southwards from
Hornvík, towards Hrafnfjörður and finally to Dalbær in
the southwest, where a road (a real road!) will take me
back to the populated world.
There is no dock in Horn (the final destination
of our boat trip) so we have to jump onto a dinghy to
land. A thick veil of mist is hiding the vastness of the
landscape at our arrival (thick fogs are unfortunately
common here), the south-easterly wind is blowing
harshly and the temperature feels rather cold (less than
10°, I suppose), but at least the weather is dry: we are
at not even 100 km from the Arctic Circle here, so the
bargain is acceptable, even in summertime.
The weather is dry, but the soil certainly isn’t: it
recently rained and the pouring water has left the terrain
soggy. My steps often sink deep into the muddy ground,
and it is a matter of a mere couple of hours before I feel
the humidity finding its way inside my boots.
The cliffs of Hornvík are a renowned wonder in
Iceland (for some, the most spectacular view Iceland
has to offer): sheer walls covered in green moss and
perpetually confronting the ocean. From the top, it is
well above 100 metres of vertical fall towards the water:
not the dream-place for those who do not enjoy heights.
These cliffs are one of the most populated nesting
locations for birdlife in Europe. Given that, today, the
visual range is reduced to only a few meters, I decide
that a visit to the bay’s rocky edge would be a pointless
effort: I will walk due south.
During the first day, the trail leads me from bay to
bay all the way down to Smiðjuvík. It is a continuous
walk on high, sheer cliffs, towering above the roaring
water underneath. At least for the first half of the
route, the path is clear and easy to follow. I have the
“The cliffs of Hornvík are a renowned wonder in Iceland (for some,
the most spectacular view Iceland has to offer): sheer walls cov-
ered in green moss and perpetually confronting the ocean.”
travel travel
Outside Reykjavík
Hornstrandir
A relatively large percentage of foreign tourists in Iceland
travel around the country by car. Conditions in Iceland
are in many ways unusual, and often quite unlike that
which foreign drivers are accustomed. It is therefore very
important to find out how to drive in this country. We know
that the landscapes are beautiful, which naturally draws
the attention of driver away from the road. But in order
to reach your destination safely, you must keep your full
attention on driving.
This article is intended to point out the main dangers when
driving in Iceland, especially the unusual ones that may
come as a complete surprise to foreign drivers.
What are the speed limits?
The speed limit in urban areas
is usually 50 km/hr. Speed limit
signs are usually not posted
unless it is other than 50 km/hr.
The speed limit is often 60
km/hr on thruways, but in
residential areas it is usually
only 30 km/hr. The main rule on
highways is that gravel roads
have a speed limit of 80 km/hr,
and paved roads 90 km/hr.
Signs indicate if other speed
limits apply.
Gravel roads, blind hills &
blind curves
A common
place for
accidents to
occur on urban
roads is where
a paved road
suddenly changes to gravel.
The main reason is that drivers
do not reduce speed before
the changeover to gravel,
and consequently lose control.
Loose gravel on road shoulders
has also caused a great
number of accidents. When
driving on gravel roads—which
are often quite narrow––it is
important to show caution
when approaching another
car coming from the opposite
direction by moving as far to
the right as is safely possible.
Blind hills––where lanes are
not separate––can be very
dangerous, and should be
approached with caution.
There are also many blind
curves in Iceland that test a
driver’s skill.
Single-lane bridges
There are many
single-lane
bridges on the
Ring Road.
The actual
rule is that the
car closer to the bridge has
the right-of-way. However, it
is wise to stop and assess the
situation, i.e. attempt to see
what the other driver plans to
do. This sign indicates that a
single-lane bridge is ahead.
Livestock on the road
In Iceland, you can expect
livestock to be on or alongside
the road. It is usually sheep,
but sometimes horses and
even cows can be in your
path. This is common all over
the country, and can be
very dangerous. Sometimes
a sheep is on one side of
the road and her lambs
on the other side. Under
these conditions––which are
common––it is a good rule to
expect the lambs or the sheep
to run to the other side.
Seatbelts are required by
law
In Iceland, drivers and
passengers are required by law
to wear seatbelts, regardless
of the type of vehicle or where
they are seated. Investigations
of fatal accidents in recent
years have shown that a large
majority of those who died
did not have their seatbelts
fastened. Wearing seatbelts is
especially important because
of the nature of accidents
in Iceland: many of them
involve vehicles driving off the
road and rolling over. In such
accidents, seatbelts often
mean the difference between
life and death. It should be
noted that children must either
wear seatbelts, or be in car
safety seats, depending on
their age and maturity.
Necessary to bear in mind
It is against the law to operate
a vehicle in Iceland after
having consumed alcohol,
and the punishment for
violating this law is rather stiff.
Iceland requires that vehicle
headlights be on at all times,
day and night, when driving.
It is strictly forbidden to drive
off-road. Such driving results
in serious damage to sensitive
vegetation, which may take
nature decades to repair.
Foreign travellers requiring
information regarding road
and driving conditions
should visit the Public Road
Administration’s website at
www.vegagerdin.is
It should be noted that the
Road Traffic Directorate
has produced a video for
foreign drivers, which covers
all the points that have
been mentioned here. The
video can be viewed on the
Directorate’s website,
www.us.is (under the English
version).
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How to drive in
Iceland
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