Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [161]
It’s worth stopping at an information point to pick up the Húnavatnssýslur booklet, which offers detailed info (including maps) about all there is to see and do in eastern Húnaflói. Try the Ideal Holiday guide too – there are heaps of homey farm-stays in this neck of the woods.
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HRÚTAFJÖRÐUR
Little Hrútafjörður cuts the divide between northwest Iceland and the Westfjords.
Staðarskáli
No more than a busy road junction with a huge N1 petrol station, Staðarskáli (once known as Brú) acts as a connection point for buses between Reykjavík, Akureyri and Ísafjörður.
There’s no reason to stop here other than to change buses, fill up with petrol, grab a quick bite, stock up on maps and tourist brochures, or check your email (the station has a computer terminal and wi-fi). If you do want to stay, accommodation is available at Staðarskáli ( 451 1150; www.stadarskali.is; s/d incl breakfast Ikr8800/13,000; Jun-Aug; ), 1km from the junction. The hotel has unmemorable but well-equipped rooms with bathroom, TV and wi-fi.
If you’re up for a little adventure, follow the road past the hotel and park your car at the dead end. From here it’s a 30-minute walk (keep an eye on your watch) to Hveraborg, a scenic geothermal spring that rarely sees any action.
Reykir
At Reykir, an active geothermal field 12km north of Staðarskáli, you’ll find the Byggðasafu museum ( 451 0040; adult/under 12yr Ikr500/free; 10am-6pm Jun-Aug). This local folk exhibition features an array of household and agricultural implements from early Iceland, with an emphasis on the local black magic practised in early medieval times. Highlights include the well-reconstructed interior of a 19th-century homestead and the fantastic shark-fishing boat Ófeigur, built from driftwood in 1875 and used until 1915.
A few hundred metres from the folk museum at Reykir, the Sæberg HI Hostel ( 451 0015; saeberg@hostel.is; sites per tent Ikr1200, sb member/nonmember Ikr2300/2800; Jan-Nov) is a good place to break up the trip between Reykjavík and Akureyri. It’s a cosy, well-equipped little hostel with a geothermally heated hot pot.
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HVAMMSTANGI
pop 570
Six kilometres north of the Ring Road, slow-paced Hvammstangi’s biggest (and pretty much only) attraction is the Icelandic Seal Centre ( 451 2345; www.selasetur.is; Brekkugata 2; adult/under 14yr/senior Ikr600/300/400; 9am-5pm Jun-Aug), where you can learn about seal conservation, historic seal products used in Iceland, and traditional folk tales involving seals. There’s also a small tourist information point here.
At the time of research, there were no seal-watching tours in operation, but this may start up in the future – call 860 7252 for updates, and figure around Ikr3000 for a two-hour trip.
If you’re looking for a place to crash, try Hanna Sigga ( 451 2407; www.simnet.is/gistihs; Garðavegur 26; sb/s/d Ikr2800/5600/7900) on a residential street back in the centre of town. Rooms are well kept, and there’s a guest kitchen, but the real draw is the homemade breakfast (Ikr1000) served in a beautiful nook overlooking the town and harbour.
Rooms (sleeping bag/linen Ikr2500/3000) are also available in the back of Sírop ( 451 2266; Norðurbraut 1; mains Ikr890-2000; 11.30am-10pm Sat-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; ), Hvammstangi’s main pub-grub-wielding haunt; or you can try the new campsite ( 869 3954; Kirkjuhvammur; sites per tent Ikr1600; mid-May–mid-Sep) up the hill near the old church. Rangers come by in the morning to collect the money. At the time of research, campers had free access to the local swimming pool (adult/under 17yr Ikr350/free; 7am-10pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun) for showering.
There’s a well-stocked supermarket and Vin Búð by the harbour.
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VATNSNES PENINSULA
Poking out into Húnaflói, the stubby Vatnsnes Peninsula is a starkly beautiful place with wheat-strewn shores and a ridge of craggy hills that