Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.08.2017, Qupperneq 55

Island Life
News From The Countryside
Words: Paul Fontaine
Things To Do Outside Reykjavík
Peninsula:
Snæfellsnes
There were a lot of peninsulas to
choose from, but this one takes the
prize. Often described as “Iceland in
miniature”, it’s a fitting appellation,
as you’ll be treated to everything
from cliffs to beaches to mountains,
and even a glacier. It is also reputed
to be home to one of Earth’s “power
centres”if you believe in that New
Agey stuff. Indisputably magical. PF
Beach:
Rauðisandur
Nearly the entire population of Ice-
land lives near a beach of some
kind, but most of them are quite
rocky, thin, and riddled with stones.
Rauðisandur, located near Patreks-
fjörður, definitely stands out by
not only closely resembling a sable
beach, with plenty of actual beach to
go around; it’s also fairly inconspicu-
ous, so it tends to be light on people.
Well worth a visit. PF
Hike:
Askja and Víti
The Icelandic Highlands are fore-
boding to many people, which is a
shame, because its incomparable
beauty and pristineness is well
worth checking out. Amongst the
sites you absolutely must see are
the volcanic craters of Askja and
Víti. Apart from the jaw-dropping
awe these sites inspire, the hike
between them will redefine for
you what it means to hike in Ice-
land. Get there while the weather
holds out! PF
ADVENTURE
AT SEA
REYKJAVÍK CLASSIC
WHALE WATCHING
REYKJAVÍK EXPRESS
WHALE WATCHING
REYKJAVÍK
NORTHERN LIGHTS CRUISE
WITH THE PROS
FROM REYKJAVÍK & AKUREYRI
BOOK NOW AT ELDING.IS
Tel: +(354) 519 5000
EL-01
EL-06
Classic and
Express tours
also available from
Akureyri.
Daily departures
available
Daily departures
available
See schedules on
whalewatchingakureyri.is
Elding Whale Watching Reykjavík . Ægisgardur 5 . Reykjavik's Old Harbour
Tel: +(354) 519 5000 . elding.is . elding@elding.is
Adults 10.990 ISK
7-15 years 5.495 ISK
0-6 years free
Adults (10 years+)
19.990 ISK
Min. height 140cm
Adults 10.990 ISK
7-15 years 5.495 ISK
0-6 years free
Glæsilegur veitingastaður á Hótel Örk. Vandaður matseðill og hlýlegt umhverfi.
Pantaðu borð í síma 483 4700 eða á hverrestaurant.is.
Your wait for the truth is finally over—you guessed it: record hay
harvests were reported in East Iceland this summer! The bounty of
edible grass was attributed to a number of factors, such as the early
arrival of spring and a spectacularly warm and sunny summer in the
region, which isn’t particularly unusual. Northeast Iceland is well
known for its practically Bahamian
summers, and they rub it
in our faces any chance
they get.
The dairy farm
of Viðvík in
Skagafjörður
sent inspectors
from the Food and
Veterinary
Authority
(MAST) packing
recently, refusing
to let them onto their prop-
erty, despite laws requiring
farmers to give inspec-
tors unhindered access.
In response, MAST has
banned the distribution
of any milk from that farm.
We do not predict this will descend into some
kind of Bundy Ranch-style standoff, but who
knows? 2017’s been a crazy year so far.
Earlier in this issue we reported on the current
sheep meat crisis, where overproduction and dwin-
dling foreign markets have led to a glut in excess lamb
for sale. In response, Minister of Fishing and Agriculture,
Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, has announced that a massive
sheep purge will take place, wherein the total population of Ice-
land’s sheep will be reduced by 20%.