Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2019, Blaðsíða 32

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
32
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Vík í Mýrdal
Höfn í Hornafirði
Stöðvarörður
Djúpivogur
Reyðarörður
Eskiörður
Neskaupsstaður
Seyðisörður
Vopnaörður
Bakkagerði
Fáskrúðsörður
Selfoss
Hella
Hvolsvöllur
EyrarbakkiÞorlákshöfn
Stokkseyri
Grindavík
Hafnarörður
Reykjavík
Borgarnes
Akranes
Kjalarnes
Húsavík
Grenivík
Hrísey
Svalbarðseyri
Hjalteyri
Kópasker
Raufarhöfn
Þórshöfn
Ólafsörður
Dalvík
Akureyri
Grundar-
örður
Ólafsvík
Arnarstapi
Hellnar
Hellissandur
Rif
Kópavogur
Keflavík
Sandgerði
Garður
Hvammstangi
Borðeyri
Laugarbakki
Djúpavík
Sauðárkrókur
Varmahlíð
Hofsós
Sigluörður
Blönduós
Suðureyri
Æðey
Súðavík
TálknaörðurPatreksörður
Búðardalur
Bíldudalur Hólmavík
Bolungarvík
Flateyri
Þingeyri
Hnífsdalur
Ísaörður
Laugavatn
Hveragerði
Mosfellsbær
Sólheimar
Laugarás Flúðir
Reykholt
Stykkishólmur
Flatey
Skagaströnd
Grímsey
Egilsstaðir
Bakkaörður
Breiðdalsvík
Laugar
Brjánslækur
Reykholt
Reykhólar
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Lagarfljót
Öskjuvatn
Þjórsá
Ölfusá
Hvítá
Mývatn
Langisjór
Veiðivötn
Þórisvatn
Þingvallavatn
Skaftá
Kleifarvatn
Hvítárvatn
Skjálfandafljót
G U L L F O S S
S E L J A L A N D S F O S S
D E T T I F O S S
A L D E YJ A R F O S S
G O Ð A F O S S
J Ö K U L S Á Á B R Ú
H R A U N F O S S A R
K E R I Ð
G E Y S I R
U X A H R Y G G I R
K A L D I D A L U R
S T Ö N G
L A N D M A N N A L A U G A R
Þ J Ó R S Á R D A L U R
L A K A G Í G A R
G R Í M S V Ö T N
Þ Ó R S M Ö R K
S K Ó G A R
F I M M V Ö R Ð U H Á L S
M Ý R D A L S S A N D U R
E L D H R A U N
D Y R H Ó L A E Y R E Y N I S D R A N G A R
V E S T M A N N A E YJ A R
N Ú P S S T A Ð U R
S K A F T A F E L L
H V A N N A D A L S H N J Ú K U R
S U Ð U R S V E I T
J Ö K U L S Á R L Ó N
I N G Ó L F S H Ö F Ð I
S K E I Ð A R Á R S A N D U R
BR
E I
Ð
AM
ER
KU
RS
AN
D
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R
P A P E Y
H A L L O R M S S T A Ð U R
K A T L A
S E L A -
T A N G A R
K R Ý S U V Í K U R -
B J A R G
S E LT Ú N
B L Á FJ Ö L L
H E I Ð M Ö R K
T H E B L U E L A G O O N
K E F L A V Í K A I R P O R T
G L J Ú F R A S T E I N N
Þ I N G V E L L I R
F E L L S S T R Ö N D
G LY M U R
E L D B O R G
L J Ó S U FJ Ö L L
H J Ö R S E Y
S K Á L E YJ A R
S V E F N E YJ A R
A R N A R V A T N S H E I Ð I
H V E R A V E L L I R
Þ J Ó R S Á R V E R
S P R E N G I S A N D U R
A S K J A
V Í T I
L Ó N S Ö R Æ F I
M Ö Ð R U D A L U R
G R Í M S S T A Ð I R
J Ö K U L S Á R G L J Ú F U RG J Á S T Y K K I
S A U R B Æ R
TJ Ö R N E S
M E L R A K K A S L É T T A
L A N G A N E S
Á S B Y R G I
V E S T U R D A L U R
H E R Ð U B R E I Ð A R L I N D I R
K J Ö L U R
N O R Ð U R FJ Ö R Ð U R
T R É K Y L L I S V Í K
H O R N S T R A N D I R
A Ð A LV Í K
J Ö K U L F I R Ð I R
H V Í T S E R K U R
D J Ú P A L Ó N S S .
L Ó N D R A N G A R
H Ú S A F E L L
N E S J A V E L L I R
R E Y K J A N E S V I T I
V A Ð A L FJ Ö L L
B J A R K A L U N D U R
D R A N G S N E S
B A L A FJ Ö L L
G J Ö G U R
K R O S S N E S
D R A N G A S K Ö R Ð
H O R N B J A R G
S E L Á R D A L U R
K E T I L D A L U R
L Á T R A B J A R G
H R A F N A G I L
H V A L N E S
V E S T R A H O R N
S K R I Ð U K L A U S T U R
S U R T S H E L L I R
J Ö K U L H E I M A R
N Ý I D A L U R
V O N A R S K A R Ð
B A K K A H Ö F N
G U N N U -
H V E R
H Ó L A R Í H J A LT A D A L
S V A R F A Ð A R D A L U R
L A U G A F E L L
S K Á L H O LT
G A LT A L Æ K U R
Ú T H L Í Ð
F L J Ó T S H L Í Ð
H N J Ó T U R
B R E I Ð A V Í K F L Ó K A L U N D U R
H E S T E Y R I
S N Æ F E L L S S T R Ö N D
H R A F N S E Y R I
K V E R K FJ Ö L L
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Gallery: Húsið
Patreksfjörður, Tel. +354 695-7620
Info: www.husid-workshop.com
The Húsið Creative Space brings
art and culture from around Ice-
land and beyond to Patreksfjörður.
Stop by for a monthly exhibition
programme, artist talks, events,
and a store selling local handicrafts,
Reykjavík Roasters coffee, posters,
design objects and more. If you fall
in love and decide to move to Pa-
treksfjörður, you could also hire a
desk in the co-working space on the
second floor. Above all else, Húsið
proves that one need not be in the
big city for some cutting-edge art.
Map square: B8
Place: Látrabjarg
Route 612
Info: westfjords.is
Sitting pretty on the westernmost
point of Iceland, Látrabjarg could
best be called the avian metropolis
of Iceland. A lush green cliff that
juts abruptly down more than 400
metres into the Atlantic, Látrabjarg
is the perfect place to laze around
and watch the puffins dance above
your head. Birds in this location
are particularly tame, and thus it’s
a great location for photography,
bird-watching or just general en-
joyment. A9
Town: Ísafjörður
Info: isafjordur.is
The regional capital of the Westfjords
is Ísafjörður, an old merchant town
that’s definitely worth a visit. It’s
the cultural capital of the area, and
around the turn of the 20th century,
Ísafjörður was the second-biggest
town in Iceland, with a history filled
with witch trials and industry. Today,
it has a population of only 2,600, but
despite its location deep in the West-
fjords, it remains a lively town with
three museums—including the oldest
row of houses in Iceland—two bars,
and a movie theatre. Its houses are
old, and its people proud. C6

Area: Hornstrandir
Accessible only by boat, horse or hike
Info: westfjords.is
This largely uninhabited peninsula
is so far off the beaten track the
only way to get there is by boat,
or as part of a multi-day hike. The
trouble is worth it: it’s a hidden
preserve of outstanding natural
beauty, and a haven for Arctic
foxes, which are protected in the
region. In summer, it’s also some-
thing of a hiking mecca, with camp-
sites and all the trails you could
want. Be prepared, whether you’re
going on a day-trip or a week long
adventure. D-E5
Place: Djúpavík
Strandir, Route 643
Info: djupavik.is
Djúpavík is a far-flung and breath-
taking hamlet around a rough dirt
track deep in the Westfjords—be
sure to check ahead that the road is
serviced because it's truly sketchy.
A handful of houses and a rusting
shipwreck stand nestled next to a
huge, crumbling factory building
that seems like a surreal vision in
the depths of the Strandir coast.
The factory was abandoned when
the fish vanished, and now serves
as a workshop, museum and gal-
lery; the workers’ quarters are now
a cosy and informal family-run ho-
tel. F7
Museum: Museum of
Witchcraft & Sorcery
Hólmavík, Tel: +354 897 6525
Info: galdrasyning.is
A weathered wooden structure
with a turf roof, Hólmavík’s main
tourist attraction may look under-
whelming, but like its subject, it’s
got some magic. The museum’s
most famous acquisition is a replica
of a pair of “necropants”: trousers
made of human skin, which alleg-
edly dispense gold form the crotch
for those brave or psychotic enough
to make a pair. If that tickles your
occult bone, indulge your morbid
side with a visit. F8
USEFUL INFO
Grapevine on the Westfjords:
gpv.is/westfjords
Our articles, info and
guides for West Iceland
and the Westfjords
Tourist Information:
West Iceland Marketing
Office
www.west.is
info@westiceland.is
Tel: +354 462 3300

Emergency services
Tel: 112 (national helpline)
Weather report
en.vedur.is
Recorded info: +354 902 0600
HOW TO GET THERE
By domestic airline:
Isafjörður (IFJ)
Domestic flights to and from
Reykjavík.
Main airline operator:
www.airiceland.is
Tel: +354 570 3000
Other airports are at Bíldudalur and
Gjögur, with flights to and from
Reykjavík serviced by eagleair.is
By car:
Road conditions
www.road.is
Tel: 1777
(Summer hours: 08:00-16:00 /
Winter: 06:30-22:00)
By ferry:
From Stykkishólmur
Ferry to Flatey and Brjánslækur
Schedule & Info:
www.seatours.is
By bus:
National Bus Network
www.bus.is
Tel: +354 540 2700
SAFETY NOTE
The summer “high season” in
Iceland ends on September 1st.
Please check vedur.is/en for
weather forecast and road.is for
driving conditions in the late sum-
mer. Some roads close completely
when weather is poor. Additional
travel alerts can be found at
safetravel.is.
OPENING HOURS
Opening hours may vary outside
of the summer season, so be
sure to check ahead.