Reykjavík Grapevine - 23.05.2008, Blaðsíða 28

28 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 06 2008 | Destination
Distance from Reykjavík ca. 110 km
On the way back to the capital a short detour up
to Mt. Hekla comes highly recommended. This
dignified and scenic 40 km long stratovolcano is
one of Iceland’s most famous landmarks, tower-
ing above the Þjórsárdalur valley.
Hekla is among the world’s most active
volcanoes. Over the past 1000 years Hekla has
had about 15 major eruptions and more than 150
smaller ones. The volcano has erupted five times
in the 20th century, most recently in February
2000. Early settlers in Iceland understandably
feared this frightening fire-spouting mountain
and believed Hekla to be the gateway to Hell.
On May 5 a new geo-historical museum,
the Hekla Centre, will be opened at the farm Lei-
rubakki, situated at the foot of the mountain. By
using the latest technology, the permanent exhi-
bition centres on the volcano’s history and the
effects it has had on the country’s inhabitants for
more than a 1000 years and will undoubtedly be
extremely educational to those interested in vol-
canism.
The Hekla Centre will also feature art ex-
hibitions, host conferences and meetings and
house a nice restaurant with an incredible view.
With the star attraction nestling in the back-
ground, a better location for such a centre would
be hard to find.
Text by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir
Photos by Skari
Mt. Hekla
Distance from Reykjavík ca. 180 km
Dyrhólaey, a long preserved promontory stretch-
ing from the coast and out into the ocean, is the
southernmost part of Iceland. Surrounded by
black sand beaches and green meadows, this 120
metre high precipice was created by an eruption
thousands of years ago.
Walking to the tip of the promontory offers
an amazingly scenic view in all directions. On one
side there’s the North Atlantic and on the other is
the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. On a clear day you can
even spot the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)
far away. The promontory is also rich with incred-
ible birdlife and attracts bird watching enthusiasts
all year round. Various species of seabirds includ-
ing puffins and seagulls nest in the cliffs as well as
in the large rock pillars, named Dyrhóladrangar, a
little further out in the ocean.
On the southernmost part of Dyrhólaey, the
ocean has shaped a hole in the rock that looks like
a gate or a curved door. From this peculiar forma-
tion, Dyrhólaey draws its name, literally meaning
Door-hill-island (although it isn’t really an island).
If the ocean is calm, small boats can sail through
the door.
If, after exploring Dyrhólaey, you’re looking
for refreshments or accommodation, the nearest
town is Vík í Mýrdal, a small coastal village sur-
rounded by spectacular natural beauty. To name
just one option for recreation, a short but bumpy
drive leads to Þakgil, or ‘roof canyon’, a large cave
that has been renovated into a fine eating spot,
providing long dining tables and even a barbecue
grill. Just bring the food and dishes and enjoy your
meal out in the wilderness.
Dyrhólaey and Vík í Mýrdal
Distance from Reykjavík ca. 155 km
If you continue driving east along the ring road,
you will soon notice another one of Iceland’s
remarkable waterfalls, Skógarfoss, which falls
down some 60 metres into the river Skógá, and is
the main appeal for photo-enthusiasts arriving at
Skógar.
Located south of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier,
with the Eyjafjöll Mountains hovering in the back-
ground, Skógar is a wide grassy stretch boasting
incredible natural beauty, a modern hotel, church,
several reconstructed turf farmhouses and histor-
ic buildings as well as a unique folk museum.
The museum itself is located in a large build-
ing across from the farmhouses and features an
interesting exhibition all year round. Established
by Þórður Tómasson in 1949, the museum’s gen-
eral concept is to introduce Icelandic society to
interested visitors. It gives an insight into the way
the country slowly developed into a growing com-
munity and educates visitors about the everyday
life of farmers and fishermen in the country by
displaying artefacts, tools, clothes and house-
hold items which Tómasson has collected over
the years or which have been donated to the mu-
seum. The exhibition is divided into several sec-
tions, each emphasising a specific period in the
country’s history. These priceless items include an
18th-century fishing boat, and a haymaking tool.
In 2002 a new exhibition space, dedicated to de-
velopments in technology and transportation in
the 19th and 20th century, was added to the mu-
seum.
Skógar also has a nice camping site, located
only metres away from Skógarfoss. The site gets
quite crowded during summer, attracting weary
travellers who want nothing more than to be lulled
to sleep by the calming sound of the waterfall.
Skógar
Distance from Reykjavík ca. 150 km
When driving along the south coast of the coun-
try, admirable sights that will fill your camera’s
memory card pretty quickly are only minutes
apart, making the region a popular day-trip des-
tination. Numerous impressive waterfalls, steep
mountains, glacial rivers, hot springs and historic
tourist attractions are characteristic of the area,
providing the traveller with endless activities and
diverse hiking trails.
After passing through small towns and load-
ing your car with some food and beverages, it
would be ideal to make a lunch stopover next to
Seljalandsfoss, a spectacular waterfall that drops
60 metres over a large cliff in the Eyjafjöll Moun-
tains.
Seljalandsfoss has a distinctive feature,
which makes it among the country’s most photo-
graphed waterfalls. It is possible to walk behind
it without getting soaking wet, if careful that is,
and capture unusual images from the other side.
These shots will undoubtedly spruce up the pho-
to album, which by now is probably filled with
pictures of Iceland’s countless cascades. You
don’t have to worry about falling in the stream, a
marked footpath leads all the way.
After photographing Seljalandsfoss from
all sides, it’s time to drive to the next interesting
spot, Paradísarhellir (Paradise Cave), only min-
utes away. The cave is one of Iceland’s most noted
ones, not due to its size (it’s only five metres long
and three metres wide) but for being a refuge for
the outlaw Hjalti Magnússon in the 16th century.
You will need to climb eight metres up a rope to
reach the cave’s entrance, so you’ll better not be
scared of heights.
Seljalandsfoss
A Day Trip to the South Coast