Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [138]
You can stay at the nearby farmhouse Stóra-Vatnshorn ( 434 1342; storavatnshorn@islandia.is; Haukadalur; sb/linen/summer house Ikr2200/3500/6500; mid-May–mid-Sep), which has a selection of sun-drenched rooms sporting polished wooden floors and fresh coats of paint.
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BÚÐARDALUR
pop 230
Founded as a cargo depot in Saga times, the pin-sized town now survives on fish processing and dairy farming, and it occupies a pleasant position looking out over Hvammsfjörður, at the mouth of the Laxá river.
There’s a folk museum, tourist information centre and cafe all rolled into one at Leifsbúð ( 434 1441; www.dalir.is; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug) down by the harbour. Ask here about staying at the local campsite ( 434 1132; Jun-Aug). Alternatively, guest house Bjarg ( 434 1644; www.aknet.is/bjarg; Dalbraut 2; sb/s/d Ikr2500/6000/7500) has simple rooms and an internet cafe in summer. The attached restaurant, Villapizza (mains Ikr850-1300; lunch & dinner), serves grilled meat and fish as well as pizza. You can also get fast food at the N1 petrol station – self-servers can stock up at the attached Samkaup supermarket ( 9am-10pm Sun-Fri, to 9pm Sat). A large corkboard in the supermarket offers information about other lodging options in the region.
Bus 37/37a runs between Reykjavík and Búðardalur (2¾ hours) daily except on Wednesday and Saturday. Service continues to Bjarkalundur in the Westfjords.
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SAGA FARMS
Little remains of the original farms from Saga times, and although the region is central to many of the best-loved Icelandic sagas, you will need to use your imagination to make the connection.
About 4km up the Laxá river from Búðardalur, Höskuldsstaðir was the birthplace of Hallgerður Longlegs, wife of Gunnar of Hlíðarendi, who starred in Njál’s Saga. Other important descendants of the family include Bolli and his foster brother Kjartan from Laxdæla Saga.
Across the river from Höskuldsstaðir is Hjarðarholt, the one-time home of Kjartan and his father, Ólafur Peacock. Their Viking farm was said to be one of the wonders of the Norse world, with scenes from the sagas carved into the walls and a huge dining hall that could seat 1100 guests. No trace of it remains today.
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WILD CAMPING ON RTE 54
According to local law, wild camping (pitching a tent in a non-designated campsite) is perfectly legal so long as it is not done on private property without consent. So how does a keen camper know whether or not they are trespassing? Look for a bridge. Roads are considered public works, so when the government needs to build a bridge they buy up the surrounding land.
The quiet stretch of Rte 54, between the junctions with Rte 55 and Rte 60, is riddled with scenic ravines and their lonely bridges. Cars rarely come through, so pick a mossy patch and set up camp. It doesn’t get much better than this…
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DOUBLE DETOUR: ERPSSTAÐIR & RTE 590
When the peanut gallery starts moaning ‘are we there yet?’ you know it’s time to pull off the road. Erpsstaðir ( 434 1357; www.erpsstadir.is; adult/child Ikr600/300; 1-5pm Sat & Sun) is the perfect place to stretch your legs – especially if you’ve got the brats in tow. Like a mirage for sweet-toothed wanderers, this dairy farm, on Rte 60 between Búðardalur and the Ring Road, specialises in delicious homemade ice cream. You can tour the farm, greet the buxom bovines, then gorge on your favourite flavour – we liked ‘kjaftædi’ (which literally means ‘mouth watering’, but is best known as a euphemism for ‘bullshit’). Erpsstaðir also offers accommodation (from Ikr13,000) if you’re contemplating ice cream for breakfast…
For those of you who left the kids (or your inner-child) at home, a detour along scenic Rte 590 will be decidedly more romantic. This 100km track (doable in a 2WD) follows the dramatic