Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.05.2016, Qupperneq 58

Skimming briskly along Ísaf-
jarðardjúp, the large bay that cuts
between the Westfjords’ north-
ernmost and middle tines, I lose
phone service and geographic
reference at about the same time.
Snowy mountains jut into the
deep from every direction, giving
me the sense that I'm entirely encir-
cled in an inland lake. A salty splash
hits my face as I peer overboard,
confirming that we are, indeed, at
sea. We're headed from Ísafjörður
to Hornstrandir, the remote north-
ernmost peninsula of Iceland. A
handful of fishing outposts once
dotted the area, but the rough
weather and living conditions pro-
pelled a gradual exodus, and by the
beginning of the 1950s, the entire
peninsula was abandoned.
Nearing Hornstrandir's south-
ern coast, I watch a gray blur as-
sume the shape of a house against
expanses of virgin snow: this
is Kvíar, one of Hornstrandir's
abandoned estates. Over the last
few years, Ísafjörður-based travel
company Borea Adventures has
renovated it into a lodge, offering
outings for intrepid travelers who
can do without wi-fi or hot wa-
ter. Today, we're just stopping in
for lunch. High snow banks hang
over the shoreline, obscuring any
semblance of a beach. In a small,
inflatable boat, we head towards
the meagre collection of rocks
that comprise something like a
landing jetty. A dark canine form
materializes against the white
wastes onshore, disappearing just
as quickly.
Untrodden snow
"Don't tread on untrodden snow,"
I'm instructed, and it sounds like
a mistranslated, irrelevant Taoist
aphorism, but the coda connects
this directive to the vulpine ap-
parition: "Foxes prefer untouched
snow." Ascending the steep snow
bank, we're greeted by Ester Rut
Unnsteinsdóttir, head of re-
search at The Arctic Fox Center
in Súðavík. Three foxes have been
prowling around Kvíar, she tells
me: one male and two females. It's
almost mating season and the fox-
es are a monogamous lot. Some-
one's getting the short shrift.
The house is at once ambitious
and utilitarian. Made entirely of
concrete, it stands three stories
tall. The interior is sparse, deco-
rated here and there with a pelt,
Tibetan prayer flags, and little
else. In the dining room, an Aus-
tralian photographer warms him-
self by the wood stove. He's been
here for a few days, waiting for the
perfect picture of foxes in a snow
flurry. "If I'd known you were com-
ing," he says, pointing to an empty
Johnnie Walker bottle, "I'd have
asked you to bring whiskey."
Over a DIY lunch of flatkökur
and cold cuts, Borea's head guide
Rúnar Karlsson outlines the his-
tory of the house. In 1921, the land-
owner hauled foundation stones
to the site on horseback and, with
little foresight, began building.
Not 30 years later, in 1948, the es-
tate was completely abandoned.
The blue fox
Rumors of a sauna float around
the dining room table, and before
I know it, I'm sweating in the dry,
piney chamber behind the house,
peering through a small win-
dow at the wilds beyond. Emerg-
ing shirtless and barefoot in the
snow, I close my eyes and feel my
warmth exchange with the air's
crispness.
When I open my eyes, I see a
small white fox not two met res
away. Mutually curious, we inves-
tigate each other. For a split sec-
ond I fantasize about having her
as a house pet, but I determine
that that’s probably highly illegal.
She disappears when I draw close,
but rejoins us minutes later on
the shore as we prepare to depart.
High on the snow bank she poses,
looking over her shoulder as we
speed away towards Ísafjörður.
The sun shines all the way, cast-
ing miniature rainbows in our
frothy wake, as if the day needed
any more magic.
SHARE: gpv.is/lupine
Vulpine
Afternoon
A day trip to Iceland’s unpeopled
fox haven
Words & Photos ELI PETZOLD
58 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 5 — 2016TRAVEL
How to get there:
It's complicated.
Boats & planes.
Distance
from Rvk:
300+ km.
Book online and get 5% discount at: www.sternatravel.com
- The SecreT Lagoon TranSfer
- The BeauTifuL SouTh coaST
- The VoLcanic PeninSuLa-reykjaneS
- goLden circLe & The SecreT Lagoon

-
feeL The freedom and exPerience The
BeauTifuL iceLandic wonderS