Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2011, Qupperneq 70

Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland · Tel. +354 483 1550
Fax. +354 483 1545 · info@fjorubordid.is · www.fjorubordid.is
At the Restaurant Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri
> Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavík
By the
sea and
lobster
a delicios
www.geysir.is
call: 893 44 55
every
trip is an
adventure
rent your
ride with us
Licensing and
registration of travel-
related services
The Icelandic Tourist Board issues licences to tour operators and travel agents,
as well as issuing registration to booking services and information centres.
Tour operators and travel agents are required to use a special logo approved
by the Icelandic Tourist Board on all their advertisements and on their Internet
website.
Booking services and information centres are entitled to use a Tourist
Board logo on all their material. The logos below are recognised by the
Icelandic Tourist Board.
List of licenced Tour
Operators and Travel
Agencies on:
visiticeland.com
As you might have heard, the bridge
over the glacial river Múlakvísl (which
comes off Mýrdalsjökull glacier) was
swept away in a jökulhlaup (“glacial
run” – also plz factcheck the term and
following date) that started on July 8,
most likely by a small eruption under
the glacier. A vital link on The Ring
Road (Route 1), the bridge’s demise was
devastating news for many inhabitants
east of the river that depend on the
summer tourism boom for sustenance
(and Route 1 for mobility).
(“Jökulhlaup” is a term to describe
what happens when water that has
been trapped under a glacier is sud-
denly released from underneath it due
to pressure or other factors, and sweeps
down to the ocean in a big and very
powerful f lood).
The Icelandic Road Administra-
tion immediately announced plans
to rebuild the bridge, saying the con-
struction might take up to three weeks
(which caused a stir in the tourism
community). However, they managed
to build a nice temporary bridge in less
than a week, which is nothing short of
miraculous given the circumstances
and notice.
The bridge opened on July 16 and
has since transported busloads of tour-
ists to various breathtaking destina-
tions in the Southeast and beyond.
Nearing the Múlakvísl area on Route 1
in our fancy Happy Camper, we started
noticing various signs of recent glacial
f looding. Former sheep-grazing pas-
tures were af loat with silt and mud.
There was wreckage. When we reached
the temporary bridge over the river,
however, we were stunned. Not only
was the new bridge sturdy and trusty
looking—a feat of modern engineer-
ing and construction—we could still
see parts of the old bridge lying in the
riverbed, with the road markers still
intact. It points out to the ocean, and
goes on for quite a bit—a sort of road to
nowhere, from nowhere, if you will.
It truly is a sight to behold, so if you
are driving in the area do slow down
and have a look.
The Bridge Is Back
OUTSIDE REYKJAVÍK
12
13
The farm Hoffell stands 25 kilome-
tres from the town of Höfn in Hor-
nafjörður (where you go to dine
some of the finest langoustine
available to man). At the edges of
Hoffell’s farmland lies the Hoffell-
sjökull glacier-tounge, which is an
outlet of Vatnajökull (and thus part
of the Vatnajökull National Park).
It is a fine place to visit, and here’s
why.
The farmers at Hoffell, Þrúðmar Þrúð-
marsson and his wife Ingibjörg Ævarr,
have been increasingly turning from
their farmwork to house and hosts
tourists, with accommodation and
various unique activities. Þrúðmar
was born on the farm sometime in the
last century, and his parents still live
on the land. He shows us around the
lot, telling us that they now offer four-
teen rooms and can house up to thirty
people. “Breakfast is always included,”
he proudly stresses. “My wife bakes
bread in the morning and brings it to
the guests, who have their own kitch-
en. Then people get up and enjoy a full
breakfast at their own convenience.”
Þrúðmar takes us to the geother-
mal hot pots he built close by the farm
(anyone can go there, whether they’re
staying at the farm or not, he simply
asks guests leave a 350 ISK donation for
maintenance of the changing rooms if
they can). “We made a bore-hole here
and discovered that 502 metres deep
the water was 60°C hot. So of course
we built hot pots here, five of them. I
clean them every night, and there’s no
chlorine, it f lows constantly. The water
has something special to it, too. Those
who suffer from psoriasis often make
trips here to bathe; it helps their skin
like at the Blue Lagoon.”
We then move on to his f leet of
ATVs. “I have been running ATV tours
here since last year. We drive by the
mountain and stop by the large gully
and various points of note. Then we
end up at the glacier lagoon by Hoffell-
sjökull before heading back.”
We drive the path Þrúðmar’s ATV
tours go, in a regular jeep. The scenery
is wondrous and we start wishing we
could go on one of his tours. Then we
arrive at Hoffellsjökull glacier and its
lagoon which has been created over the
last few decades as the glacier has re-
ceded rapidly, and we get even more de-
pressed that we don’t have time to enjoy
the ride.
The lagoon is like a smaller version
of Jökulsárlón, with fewer icebergs of
course, but also with fewer tourists
and tour operators and loud boats. In
the fog that had rolled down the hills
and down the glacier, it was positively
serene. Like a private show of nature.
Then Þrúðmar brought out his pedal
boats: “I bought these pedal boats last
year and have been giving tours on
them. I like to take people between the
icebergs and make them go silent. You
can hear the ice cracking, liquid f low-
ing. It’s like nothing else.”
We drove back for a quick dip in
the hot pot, and thought about coming
back sometime.
Hoffell operate tours and accommodation
year-round. More information on www.glacier-
world.is
Your Own Private Jökulsárlón
The good people of Hoffell have a thing or two to show you