The White Falcon - 18.08.2005, Side 5

Maying Traces |
Akranes
By Kar in W. Tram in
Photos bv Journalist 1st Class Mat Sohl
While the days remain a little longer, many of us
feel the need to escape the lunar landscape sur-
rounding Keflavik and venture out into the Icelandic
countryside.
Fortunately , it isn’t far away and there are many
things to see and do along the way. Just north of
Reykjavik the landscape changes dramatically. The
blackened lava fields disappear and are replaced by
green pastures, rushing streams, and snow dusted
mountains.
Continue on highway 1 through the town
Mosfellsbter, going straight through all of the traf-
fic circles. Eleven miles past the last circle you will
enter the new Hvalsfjordur tunnel.
Construction on this tunnel began in mid 1996 and

it was completed in July 1998. It passes 165 meters
below the surface of the water through solid bedrock.
It is 3.7 miles long and takes about five or six min-
utes to drive through. The toll booth is located on the
northen end of the tunnel so you will pay as you exit.
Stay in the left toll lane to pay with kronur or credit.
Drive around the traffic circle and head toward
Akranes. It is a five mile drive to visit this village,
primarily a fishing and farming center since settle-
ment times. There is a large cement factory there as
well as a scenic harbor, a lighthouse, and a pictur-
esque downtown area.
One of the highlights of this rustic town is Gardar
Folk Museum. It houses among other things a collec-
tion of whaling instruments and old weapons. When
driving into town, look for the Olis station on the left.
Turn left onto Esjubraut and drive .3 miles. Make
another left onto Gardagrund and drive .4 miles and
look for the turn into the museum. The museum is
open daily May - August from 10:30 a.m.to noon
and 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.. The rest of the year it is open
Monday through Friday from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
There is an admission cost for both adults and
children. Outside you will find several fishing ves-
sels, one being a large cutter dating from 1885, the
Sigurfari. You can go aboard and explore any time
of the day without going into the museum.
Also outside is a large stone carved in Gaelic and
Icelandic. It is a gift from Ireland commemorating
the Irish monks that settled in the area in the 880's.
Drive into town and see the brightly colored houses
and the memorial to sailors in the downtown square.
Akranes also has a large sandy beach called
Langisandur. It stretches for a kilometer on the
southeast edge of town and is one of the few light
colored shell sand beaches found in Iceland.
Leave Akranes on the same road you came in on.
Getting There: Take highway 41 towards Reykjavik,
turning right at the sports complex in HafnarljorSur.
Continue on 41 until reaching highway 1. Drive
through Mosfellsbter, following highway 1 to the
new Hvalstjordur tunnel.
What to take: Kr. 1,000 for the tunnel, camera,
picnic lunch.
Turn left onto highway 51 towards Borgames and
drive past Mt. Akrafjall, the 643 meter mountain
that seperates HvalfjorSur and Grunnifjordur. Enjoy
the scenic farms and pastures, while heading for the
beautiful ‘"Whale Bay”. Make another left at the next
sign for Borgames and continue out to highway 47.
Details on this part of your adventure can be found
in a future “Making Tracks”.
Page 5
The White Falcon
Aug. 18, 2005