Reykjavík Grapevine - 26.04.2019, Page 44

ROAD TRIP
Hvalfjörður
Words: John Rogers Photos: Art Bicnick
While it might not be studded with
towering glaciers and black sand
beaches, the “forgotten fjord” of
Hvalfjörður makes for an inter-
esting road trip. Once part of the
famed Ring Road, it was cut off
from Route One by the Hvalf-
jarðargöng tunnel in 1998, and has
since become something a seldom-
travelled backwater with several
interesting spots along the way.
Stop:
Abandoned
WWII Base
Not long after turning off Route
One, you’ll see the Hvítanes penin-
sula extending out into the fjord.
There’s not much to see, other than
a few distant ruined structures, but
the parking lot has an information
sign about this spot’s surprising
past. During World War II, this was
the site of HMS Baldur, an allied
base that was considered so pivotal
that Churchill came for a visit. It’s
a strange episode of history that
saw the fjord once teeming with
troops, ships and submarines.
Stay:
Hótel Glymur
There are relatively few hotels in
Hvalfjörður, which is part of the
area’s appeal. The four-star Hótel
Glymur is the main one. The main
hotel building has a modern, airy
lobby with a bar and restaurant,
and some smart, comfortable
rooms. The best options, however,
are the cabins out front. They’re
well-appointed, warm and cosy,
and each one has the added bonus
of a private hot pot overlooking the
fjord below.
Lunch:
Kaffi Kjós
A few kilometres south from the lip
of the fjord is Kjós, which contains
many tucked away cabins and sum-
mer houses clustered around the
shores of lake Meðalfellsvatn. In
the summer, the countryside café,
Kaffi Kjós, opens up for business.
They sell burgers, sandwiches and
vegetarian dishes, and on a sunny
day you can sit on the deck taking
in the dramatic surrounding land-
scape. The area is also popular for
salmon fishing and birdwatching.
Hikes:
Glymur & Þyrilsnes
T h e m a i n a t t r a c t i o n o f
Hvalfjörður is the Glymur wa-
terfall. For a long time, this was
thought to be the tallest water-
fall in Iceland— a title that has
since been usurped by a 240-me-
tre torrent pouring from the re-
mote Morsarjökull glacier in the
southwest—Glymur is still a truly
majestic sight. The steep trail in-
cludes a shallow cave and thin
improvised bridge, and is only
open in summer. For a shorter
hike, or in the off season, you can
venture onto the small Þyrilsnes
peninsula for a view of the sur-
rounding mountains.
Stops:
Whaling Station,
War & Peace Museum
Hvalfjörður has a somewhat forlorn
feeling and you’ll pass several aban-
doned industrial sites dotting the
shoreline. One such unmarked site
has a well-maintained fence; this
is because it’s actually Iceland’s
only active whaling station. It’s pri-
vate land, but you can see the ramp
used to drag whales ashore, and
there’s a viewpoint down over the
moored whaling boats. There’s also
a nearby museum to the fjord’s
military past, which is only open
during summer.
Bathe:
Hlaðir Swimming Pool
No Icelandic road trip is complete
without a soak in a geothermal
pool. Along Hvalfjörður, the best
option is the diminutive Hlaðir
swimming pool, located next to the
War & Peace Museum. With a sun
deck, a small swimming pool, a
paddling pool and two hot pots, it’s
the perfect place to relax those
muscles after a day of hiking, driv-
ing and sightseeing.
Travel Distance from Reykjavík: 34km How to get there: Route One North, Route 47 just before the tunnelCar provided by: gocarrental.is
Often a quiet road
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