Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [236]
During the devastating Laki eruptions of the late 18th century, this area suffered greatly and, west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, you can see ruins of farms abandoned or destroyed by the lava stream. The lava field, Eldhraun, averages 12m thick. It contains over 12 cu km of lava and covers an area of 565 sq km, making it the largest recorded lava flow from a single eruption.
Information
The tourist office ( 487 4620; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, 1-5pm Sun mid-Jun–mid-Aug, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, 1-5pm Sun mid–end-Aug) was last seen skulking in the basement of the building opposite the church in 2009.
Sights & Activities
The regular basalt columns of Kirkjugólf, smoothed down and cemented with moss, were once mistaken for an old church floor rather than a work of nature, and it’s easy to see why. The 80-sq-metre honeycomb lies in a field about 400m northwest of the petrol station (a path leads to it from by the information board, or drive down Rte 203, where there’s another gate).
Religious connections are particularly strong in this area. The prominent rock pillar Systrastapi (Sisters’ Pillar), near the line of cliffs west of town, marks the spot where two nuns were reputedly executed and buried for sleeping with the devil and such other no-nos.
At the western end of the village a lovely double-raced waterfall, Systrafoss, tumbles down the cliffs via the Bæjargil ravine. The lake Systravatn, a short and pleasant saunter up the cliffs above the falls, was once a bathing place for nuns.
Steingrímsson Memorial Chapel, the triangular, distinctly atypical wood-and-stone chapel on Klausturvegur, was consecrated in 1974. It commemorates Jón Steingrímsson’s Eldmessa (Fire Sermon), which ‘saved’ the town from lava on 20 July 1783 (see the boxed text, opposite).
Ongoing archaeological digs have unearthed 14th- and 15th-century convent houses (at the northeast corner of the old churchyard). If you want to know more, visit the small Kirkjubæjarstofa exhibition ( 487 4645; Klausturvegur 2; admission Ikr500; 9-11am & 2-6pm Tue-Fri, 2-6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug).
South of the Ring Road is a vast pseudocrater field known as Landbrot. It was formed during the Laki eruptions of 1783, when lava poured over marshland and fast-evaporating steam exploded through to make these barrowlike mounds.
Tours
Based at Hörgsland (see opposite), the Jeppaferðir Ehf ( 487 6655; www.horgsland.is; Hörgsland 1) company does tailor-made 4WD tours to surrounding areas, including Lakagígar. Contact it for prices.
Sleeping & Eating
Kirkjubæ II campsite (/fax 487 4612; sites per person Ikr750; Jun-Aug) This neat green site with sheltering hedges is right in town. It has pretty good facilities, including a kitchen, hot showers (Ikr200 per five minutes) and a laundry (Ikr800 minimum).
Kleifar campsite ( 487 4675; sites per person Ikr750; Jun-Aug) There’s a second, more simple campsite 1.5km along Rte 203 (signposted towards Geirland).
Hótel Klaustur ( 487 4900; www.icehotels.is; Klausturvegur 6; s/d Ikr18,300/21,800) One of the Icelandair chain, the 57-room Klaustur looks like a Soviet-bloc hotel but contains a three-star interior with businesslike rooms and a spa/sauna. The restaurant has an à la carte menu with typical Icelandic mains and some unusual starters – snails, anyone? Breakfast costs Ikr1400.
Systrakaffi ( 487 4848; Klausturvegur 13; light meals Ikr900-1800, mains Ikr1800-3600; noon-10pm daily mid-May–Aug, 6-10pm daily Sep) The most atmospheric place for a meal is this characterful little cafe-bar. It has a varied menu, which offers everything from sandwiches and burgers to big tilting bowls of salad, local trout and smoked-lamb mains using produce from nearby farms.
For freshly made fast-food snacks, there’s the Skaftárskáli petrol station cafe ( 487 4628). Self-caterers have the Kjarval supermarket ( 487 4616; Klausturvegur; 9am-8pm