Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [228]
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FÁSKRÚÐSFJÖRÐUR
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The rather insipid village of Fáskrúðsfjörður, sometimes known as Búðir, was originally settled by French seamen who came to fish the Icelandic coast between the late 1800s and 1914. In a gesture to the local Gallic heritage, street signs are in both Icelandic and French.
At the mouth of the fjord, the island Skrúður contains lots of bird life, as well as the world’s biggest multiapartment ‘puffin cave’, formerly believed to have been a giant’s home. Another little islet, Andey (Duck Island), has a large colony of eider.
Geologists may get a buzz from the laccolithic mountain Sandfell (743m), above the southern shore of Fáskrúðsfjörður, which was formed by molten rhyolite bursting through older lava layers. It’s one of the world’s finest examples of this sort of igneous intrusion (although Rio’s Sugar Loaf Mountain is perhaps a mite more impressive). It’s a two- to three-hour walk to the top.
The full story about the French seamen in Fáskrúðsfjörður can be found at Fransmenn á Íslandi (Les Français en Islande; 475 1525; www.fransmenn.net; Búðarvegur 8; admission Ikr600; 10am-6pm Jun-Aug), up the hill. The museum uses photographs and paperwork to paint a detailed picture of the interactions between the French and the locals – Icelanders would trade salted fish and the French offered red wine in return (go figure).
The museum also has a quaint cafe (mains from Ikr500; 10am-6pm Jun-Aug). The owner bakes a wonderful pie made from fresh rhubarb plucked from just up the road; the other speciality here is quiche Lorraine.
Another option is Café Sumarlina ( 475 1575; Búðavegi 59; fish & lamb Ikr1100-2100, pizza Ikr2000; 10am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; ) down by the fjord basin. It’s a friendly little place, in a creaking wooden house decorated with odd ornaments. Self-caterers can try Samkaup-Strax ( 475 1581; Skólavegur 59; 10am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 7pm Fri, 11am-3pm Sat) and Vin Buð ( 475 1530; Búðarvegur; 5-6pm Mon-Thu, 4-6pm Fri).
Besides the free campsite ( 470 9000) at the west end of the village, the only lodging option is the strange Hótel Bjarg ( 475 1466; www.hotelbjarg.is; Skólavegur 49; s/d 12,500/15,000), which feels like an orphanage for unwanted objets d’art. Even more bizarre is the stream that runs directly through the basement of the faded building (just look out of the window in the reception area). The owner can arrange a bumpy boat ride (Ikr20,000) to the puffin island Skrúður during summer.
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STÖÐVARFJÖRÐUR
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Even if geology makes you pass out from boredom, it’s worth stopping in Stöðvarfjörður to see Steinasafn Petru ( 475 8834; www.steinapetra.com; Fjarðarbraut 21; adult/under 14yr Ikr700/free; 9am-6pm May-Sep, phone first Oct-Apr). This exceptional stone collection is octogenarian Petra Sveinsdóttir’s lifelong labour of love. Inside the house, stones and minerals are piled from floor to ceiling – 70% of them are from the local area. They include unbelievably beautiful cubes of jasper, polished agate, purple amethyst, glowing creamy ‘ghost stone’, glittering quartz crystals…it’s like opening a treasure chest. The garden is a wonderfully peaceful place, awash with more rocks, garden gnomes, and beach-combed flotsam and jetsam. Petra is now in a nursing home, but she visits once a week; her children and grandchildren are keeping her collection going.
Most people bolt from the town after seeing the stone show, but there are a few other distractions to keep you around. From 11am to 5pm during June, July and August you’ll find a small market (Fjarðarbraut 40) at the ‘Blue House’, an abandoned fish factory. Here locals sell a variety of charming handmade products such as woollen sweaters, sweet jams, amateur art and salted fish. Gallerí Snærós ( 475 8931; Fjarðarbraut 42; noon-6pm May-Sep), one of the oldest galleries in rural Iceland, is the studio of two local artists who dabble in a variety of intriguing media.
Skip the free campsite just east of the village; you have to stay at