Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2011, Page 67

You’ve heard that joke, right? The
one about getting lost in an Icelan-
dic forest and standing up to find
your way out? Well, it pains us to
admit it but that joke rings pretty
true. However, there is a forest in
Iceland where, if one should get
lost, merely standing up will not
help.
We are of course referring to Hallor-
msstaðaskógur, the 1854 hectare for-
est that lies for 15 kilometres along the
banks of lake Lagarf ljót. It is a beautiful
forest, with numerous large trees and
some endearing scents to be smelled,
and moving sights to be seen.
According to an informational sign
we found there, Hallormsstaðaskógur
is comprised of 70% native birch trees
and 30% imported trees of various vari-
eties (there are many different trees to
be found—there is even an arboretum
on the premises). It was protected by
law in 1899 and has grown consider-
ably since through local efforts and
sheer force of will.
As it lies on the banks of Lagarf ljót,
there are beaches at the edge of the for-
est, where one can rent boats or sim-
ply frolic in the water (it can get quite
warm there, too). Hallormsstaðaskógur
offers several other activities to get up
to whilst there, aside from the expected
hikes in the forest and bird-watching.
For instance, you can rent a horse and
go horseback riding! In the forest! It’s
like something out of Lord of the Rings,
it is!
There are two campsites located
in the forest, the more famous of the
two being Atlavík, where Ringo Starr
once reportedly mixed Coke with his
fancy cognac. But both are very nice,
and a favourite of travelling Icelanders.
Why not pay a visit and see why they
(and Ringo) like it so much (assuming
Ringo liked it).
Hallormsstaðaskógur is 25 kilome-
tres south of Egilsstaðir. You should go
there if you’re ever in the area.
A twenty-five minute drive out of
Egilsstaðir along Lagarfljót lake will
take you to Skriðuklaustur, which
is a unique destination for those
travelling the East. The ravishing
environment will provide the wide-
eyed traveller with plenty to look at,
while those who wish to learn about
local history will have a field day in
the area.
Skriðuklaustur is the site of an old man-
or farm, and it is mentioned in the Ice-
landic Sagas. It was the site of Iceland’s
last built catholic monastery (founded
in 1493), which operated a hospital, a
children’s school and a church in its
heyday. Later, the area became the ad-
opted home of once-legendary Icelan-
dic author Gunnar Gunnarsson, who in
1939 built himself and his wife quite an
impressive house which was designed
by German architect Fritz Höger.
The building is quite unique by Ice-
landic standards and is a nice site to vis-
it. Skriðuklaustur is now a cultural and
research centre. It houses an exhibit de-
voted to Gunnar and his life work, and
also Kaffi Klaustur, a restaurant that
specialises in delicacies made out of lo-
cal materials, like the area’s berries and
mushrooms—and its reindeer meat.
Skriðuklaustur is also the site of
an ongoing archaeological excavation.
Guided tours of the site are given every
day at 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30. The
tours cost 300 ISK for adults, but are
free for children.
Vatnajökull National Park is also
represented at Skriðuklaustur, in the
form of the highly stylised Snæfellssto-
fa Visitors Centre, which opened in
June of 2010 and has been serving deli-
cious glacial information to tourists as
well as hosting exhibits on the area.
Kverkfjöll and Snæfell are the most
renowned destinations within the east
territory of Vatnajökull National Park.
Both are located in the highlands north
of Vatnajökull and a 4x4 vehicle is re-
quired to get there. Don’t have a 4x4
vehicle? There’s always the centre!
www.skriduklaustur.is
www.vjp.is
REYKJAVÍK
Northern Iceland
A region known primarily for its largest town,
Akureyri, there's quite a lot to see in this part of
the country (including famous sites like Mývatn,
Dimmuborgir and the ‘whale-watching town’ of
Húsavík). It's actually a very rich area—from the
plains in the west, to mountains in the centre,
to Arctic desert in the east, and of course some
beautiful coastline all along the top. Akureyri it-
self is about 300 km from Reykjavík, and is also
accessible by plane. There are gas stations along
the way on Route 1, but you should fill up before
heading out anyway.
Some interesting sights: Ásbyrgi, Dimmuborgir,
Kjarnaskógur
East Fjords
East Iceland, much like the Westfjords, is well known for
its stark mountains and narrow fjords, but it also has a
considerable number of towns further inland. The best
example of this would be the region's largest municipal-
ity, Egilsstaðir, which also happens to be home to Ice-
land's largest forest (Hallormsstaðaskógur). It is not
uncommon to see reindeer wandering around out here,
either. It's nearly 700 km or so from the capital, and eas-
ily reached by car (assuming you have the time—you
can get there in one (long) day, but you might want to
stay the night at a couple places along the way, to enjoy
the ride) and by plane. It goes without saying that you
will need a full tank of gas to start your journey, and will
probably need to fill up again, at Höfn if you go the south-
ern route, and Akureyri if you go the northern route.
Some interesting sights: Seyðisfjörður, Hallorms-
staðaskógur, Kárahnjúkavirkjun
South Iceland
Along with the northwest, south Iceland is one of the agricultural
hubs of the country. As such, you'll be seeing a lot of flat farmland
driving through here, but this is also home to two major glaciers,
Mýrdalsjökull and the famed Vatnajökull, around which lies Eu-
rope's largest national park. You can also visit the Jökulsárlón
lagoon, Skaftafell national park, or the region's largest town, Vík.
Only about 150 km from Reykjavík, it's easily reached by car, al-
though there is a landing strip for planes near the town. A half tank
of gas should be plenty for a day trip (about 6.000 ISK) but filling up
wouldn't hurt, in case you feel like exploring more.
Some interesting sights: Jökulsárlón, Eyrarbakki, Dyrhólaey
Hallormsstaðaskógur Is Iceland's
Only Largest Forest
You should camp out there, it’s wonderful!
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Distance from Reykjavík: ca. 450 km
Set right on the eastern border with
the huge and unquestionably magical
Vatnajökull glacier (the largest glacier
in Europe), the obscure Lónsöræfi is
a vast volcanic preservation area of
colourful hills, broad rivers, gushing
waterfalls, and lush vegetation that
is unique for Iceland. The area is sur-
rounded by sharp and snowy peaks on
all sides, and is often treaded by herds
of reindeer. For visitors who dare the
unpopular and rugged terrain, Lón-
söræfi offers several cottages for ac-
commodation. Also nearby is Skafafell,
a cool abandoned farm-campsite right
on the edge of Lónsöræfi.
Lónsöræfi 10
Map courtesy of Landmælingar Íslands - Map from 1928
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Glaciers, Catholics And German Architecture
Skriðuklaustur is worth a visit
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