Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2011, Blaðsíða 67

Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2011, Blaðsíða 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! 12 11 13 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 8 9 Glaciers, Catholics And German Architecture Skriðuklaustur is worth a visit 5 8 10 9
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