Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [219]
Fjarðarborg community centre ( 472 9920; meals Ikr1000; 11-1am, late Jun-Aug) This joint’s a bit dated but worth a try for barbecued burgers or other types of greasy eats. If you haven’t secured any lodging, you can ask here about sleeping-bag space in various buildings nearby (around Ikr2700).
The tiny Samkaup ( 472 9940; 12.30-4.30pm Mon-Fri) by the pier sells groceries.
Getting There & Away
The only public transport to Borgarfjörður Eystri is the postal van ( 472 9805, 894 8305) from Egilsstaðir at noon on weekdays (Ikr2000/1000 per adult/child under 12). It returns at 8am, departing from Álfa Café and stopping at the Fjarðarborg community centre, too.
The village is 70km from Egilsstaðir along Rte 94, about half of which is sealed. It winds steeply up over the Vatnsskarð mountains before dropping down to the coast. There’s a card-operated petrol pump by the Samkaup grocery store.
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PIT STOP!
Exactly halfway between Egilsstaðir and Borgarfjörður sits one of east Iceland’s quirkier roadside wonders: a pistachio-coloured hut surrounded by miles and miles of nothingness. Built by a local eccentric who exclaimed ‘people get thirsty when they take a drive!’, the little structure is simply a solar-powered refrigerated drink dispenser. If the power is off, flick the ‘on’ switch (we’re not kidding) and wait two minutes (you can sign the guest book while waiting). Then, voila: a refreshingly cold beverage.
We’re not too sure who takes care of the little booth, but apparently someone swings by once a month to restock and turn the page on the calendar…
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AROUND BORGARFJÖRÐUR EYSTRI
There are loads of trails criss-crossing the northeast – everything from easy two-hour strolls to serious mountain hiking for people with a head for heights! Watch your footing in nonvegetated areas – loose material makes for an experience akin to walking on thousands of tiny ball bearings.
The colourful rhyolite peak Staðarfjall (543m) rises 8km southeast of Borgarfjörður Eystri, and Geitfell (587m), just a bit north, makes a nice day walk (follow trails #19 and #20 if you are using the handy and widely available Gönguleiðir á Austurlandi #1 map). The best access to both hills is up the ridge near the Desjamýri farm, across the estuary from Borgarfjörður Eystri.
Check out the boxed text, for a scenic multiday hike that connects Borgarfjörður to Seyðisfjörður.
Dyrfjöll
One of Iceland’s most dramatic ranges, the Dyrfjöll mountains rise precipitously to an altitude of 1136m between the marshy Héraðssandur plains and Borgarfjörður Eystri. The name Dyrfjöll means Door Mountain and is due to the large and conspicuous notch in the highest peak – an Icelandic counterpart to Sweden’s famous Lapporten. There are two walking tracks crossing the range, which allow for day hikes or longer routes from Borgarfjörður Eystri.
Stórurð, on the western flank of Dyrfjöll, is an extraordinary place scattered with huge rocks and small glacial ponds. To reach the site on a pleasant half-day hike, start at the red emergency hut along the main road and follow trail #9 then loop back along trail #8 (clearly marked on the Gönguleiðir á Austurlandi map series). The whole trip takes just over five hours.
Njarðvíkurskriður
A habitual site of accidents in ancient times, Njarðvíkurskriður is a dangerous scree slope on Rte 94 near Njarðvík. All the tragedies were blamed on a nuisance creature (half man, half beast), Naddi, who dwelt in a sea-level cave beneath the slope.
In the early 1300s Naddi was exorcised by the proper religious authorities, and in 1306 a naddakross (cross) was erected on the site bearing the inscription ‘Effigiem Christi qui transis pronus honora, Anno MCCCVI’ – ‘You who are hurrying past, honour the image of Christ – AD 1306’. The idea was that travellers would repeat a prayer when passing the danger zone and therefore be protected from malevolent powers. The cross has been replaced several times since, but the