Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.06.2009, Síða 40

Situated 17 KM north of Reykjavík, Mos-
fellsbær is generally counted as part of the
greater-Reykjavík area. It does take around
20 minutes by bus or car, and is greatly dif-
ferent from the rest of everything around in
atmosphere and scenery. This makes it an
ideal location to get away from town, with-
out any actual getting away.
For starters, Mosfellsbær has plenty of nice little neighbourhoods you can have an
excellent time exploring. Mostly free of Reykjavík’s sprawl and ugly apartment build-
ings, Mosó gives off the ‘friendly small town’ vibe without really being small (or neces-
sarily friendly, even). A hike around the town, especially close to its edges, will give
you plenty to gaze at and even more to ponder; you will see suburbia somehow nicely
juxtaposed with beautiful nature stuff, like waterfalls and rivers.
Mosfellsbær packs a great bakery (Mosfellsbakarí) worth visiting for lunch (or bet-
ter yet, to pack a picnic basket for your sojourn around town). This is on top of their
excellent pool facilities, occasional farmers’ markets and lots of nice museums and
galleries, including the excellent Halldór Laxness museum at Gljúfrasteinn.
You can also attempt to stalk the hard men of Sigur Rós at their studio, but they’ll
probably kick your ass if you try.
A day in Mosfellsbær definitely comes recommended. If you don’t have a car or
aren’t up for taking the bus, you can always ride a bike there. It’s not too far, but the road
conditions (alongside raging traffic) are kind of shitty.
Travel | Bus or foot-friendly places ‘Borrow someone’s car and you’re set for fun.’
"Within Your Reach"
Five destinations that don’t take a lot of trouble or any huge cars to get to
Ah, mellow old Icelandic summer is once again upon us. We all know what that means. Midnight sun insomnia
interspersed with heavy bouts of wind and horizontal rain. And a lot of nice travel, of course. One of the great
things about staying in the greater-Reykjavík area – all of Iceland for that matter – is that cool, serene, epic nature
is right around the corner; and getting away from it all rarely takes more than 25 minutes (give or take). For as
great as Reykjavík is, getting out of there every once in a while is key to not going totally insane.
The following is a wholly un-thorough and random run-down of some of Reykjavík’s easy-to-reach destina-
tions – advice that can turn your week around with little to no effort. These are the trips to take if your budget or
schedule doesn’t allow for weeklong jeep-trips in the highlands - HAUKUR S MAGNúSSON
Note: all bus directions are from the Hlemmur central bus station
28
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 7 — 2009
Next issue
Marked by hills, trees, WW2 ruins and
the lumbering presence of revolving
restaurant Perlan, Öskjuhlíð is a Reykjavík
haven, as locals have known for decades.
Despite Reykjavík University’s recent
attempts to ruin it, it’s still nice and well
worth a visit.
Öskjuhlíð is essentially a part of
downtown Reykjavík, but the lay of the land provides ample opportunities to forget
all about the heavy traffic, gas stations and subpar bistro bars found past the hill.
A comfortable fifteen-minute walking distance from downtown makes it accessible
and as such a great location for spur-of-the-moment picnics and shorter expeditions.
Then there’s the added attraction of close-by Nauthólsvík and its fake beach of yellow
sand. It’s there, and it’s fun. Be on the lookout for friendly rabbits and gay men
snogging (it’s a reputed cruising spot); pick up your trash when you leave.
1 ÖSKJUHLÍð
19
Stuff to do
» Spot rabbits
» Get momentarily lost in the forest
» LARP
» Go gay cruising (if that's your thing)
» Enjoy a picnic or BBQ
» Tan on the fake beach
» Swim in the heated ocean
» Get annoyed at the University of Reykjavík
Biking the outlines of Reykjavík-town is a sur-
prisingly easy and pleasant experience if the
conditions are right. For instance, you can
start off in Öskjuhlíð (see above) or Seltjar-
narnes and let the bike paths lead you full cir-
cle around the city while taking in interesting
sights and new scenarios. Rent a bike if you
don’t own one (or have access to a friend’s) – your hotel, hostel or place of residence is
sure to have the full info.
3 BIKE AROUND
THE cITY
Pack a lunch + wear a helmet
= safe, fun times for all.
A mere 40 -minute bus-ride away from
downtown (give or take), Esja is that big
mountain across the ocean that has served
as Reykjavík’s staple landmark a millennia
before it was even built. The mountain is
914 metres high and is an eternally popu-
lar destination for hikers and outdoorsy
types. And understandably so, as it is well
fit for sneakered amateurs, yet fun for more experienced types. Plan a date, dress ac-
cording to weather (plus one) and read more about it elsewhere in this issue.
2 HIKE ESJA
5 - 15 - 57 (in that order)
Stuff to do
» Hike up there
» Look down on everyone
» Have a drink of water
» Bask in nature
» Hike down again
4 GO TO
MOSFELLSBæR
15
Stuff to do
» Stalk Sigur Rós
» Eat at the bakery
» Visit the Laxness Museum
» Go to a farmer's market
» Go swimming in their excellent pool
5 AN AFTERNOON
IN HAFNARFJÖRðUR
We couldn’t really recommend Mosfellsbær
while neglecting Reykjavík’s other brother,
Hafnarfjörður. Ten kilometres south of
Reykjavík, Hafnarfjörður is very much a
town of its own, sporting some excellent
local culture (their music scene has always
been top-notch, and a lot of Iceland’s most
favourite acts hail from there), fine restau-
rants and some excellent scenery to walk around in. Think of it as a kinda mini-city break,
if you have an incessant need to categorise everything.
If you flew into Iceland, you will have driven through Hafnarfjörður, but this third
most populous city in Iceland deserves a lot more of your time than a short drive-
through.
On a sunny day in Hafnarfjörður, you might traverse through town, starting down at
the harbour and slowly easing your way up the hill the centre. Make sure to stop over at
Hafnarfjörður’s very own Viking pub (Fjörukráin) for some mead – they’ve got all sorts
of engrossing Viking memorabilia and both its premises and staff are in true Viking
fashion, if that sort of stuff floats your boat.
Try and catch a local show at one of the clubs in town, go swimming in their pool, take
in the culture and watch the longshoremen do their jobs and act all thankful you don’t
have to lug around boxes of frozen fish for a living (I’ve done it, and you should be).
1
Stuff to do
» Play Viking at Fjörukráin
» Take in local culture
» Go swimming
» Watch longshoremen do actual work for
a living
Snorkeling in Silfra
from 9.990 ISK
www.adventures.is
info@adventures.is
+354-562-7000
Cycling
Diving
Sightseeing
CanoeingRafting
Super-Jeep
Ice Climbing
Whale Watch
Kayaking Climbing
Glacial Hike
Hiking
ATV Incentive
Snorkeling
Horse Riding Snowmobile
Caving