Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [279]
Air Charters
Flugfélag Vestmannaeyja ( 481 3255; www.eyjaflug.is) runs charter flights over to Vestmannaeyjar from tiny Bakki airport, about 20km south of Hvolsvöllur.
Other charter airlines include Eagle Air ( 562 4200; www.ernir.is), at Reykjavík airport, and Mýflug ( 464 4400; www.myflug.is), at Mývatn.
Return to beginning of chapter
BICYCLE
Cycling through Iceland’s dramatic landscape is a fantastic way to see the country, but you should be prepared for some harsh conditions along the way. Gale-force winds, driving rain, sandstorms, sleet and sudden flurries of snow are all possible at any time of year.
It’s essential to know how to do your own basic repairs and to bring several puncture-repair kits and spares, as supplies are hard to come by outside the city. Reykjavík has several well-stocked bike shops. Two of the best include Örninn ( 588 9890; Skeifan 11d, IS-108 Reykjavík) and Markið ( 553 5320; Ármúli 40, IS-108 Reykjavík).
If you want to tackle the interior, the Kjölur route has bridges over all major rivers, making it fairly accessible to cyclists. A less challenging route is the F249 to Þórsmörk. The Westfjords also offers some wonderful cycling terrain, though the winding roads and steep passes can make for slow progress.
Transporting Bicycles
Most airlines will carry your bike in the hold if you pack it correctly. You should remove the pedals, lower the saddle, turn the handlebars parallel to the frame and deflate the tyres. Buses charge between Ikr1000 and Ikr2000, but space may be a problem.
* * *
ESSENTIAL WEB RESOURCES
Two websites every traveller should know about:
www.semferda.net – Handy car-sharing site that helps drivers and passengers to link up around the country. A savvy alternative to hitching. Passengers often foot the petrol bill.
www.vegagerdin.is – Iceland’s road administration site details road openings and closings around the country. Vital if you plan to explore Iceland’s little-visited corners.
* * *
If you have brought your own bicycle along you can store your bike box at the campsite in Keflavík for free for the duration of your visit.
Hire
Various places around Iceland rent out mountain bikes, but these are generally intended for local use only and aren’t up to long-haul travel. If you intend to go touring, bring your bike from home or purchase one when you arrive.
Return to beginning of chapter
BOAT
Several ferries operate in Iceland. The car ferry Herjólfur sails between Þorlákshöfn and Vestmannaeyjar, and the Baldur sails between Stykkishólmur, Flatey and Brjánslækur – at the time of writing both run year-round. From July 2010, however, a new harbour terminal for the Vestmannaeyjar ferry is set to open at Bakki, about 20km south of Hvolsvöllur (see the boxed text); contact any tourist centre, or the ferry company Eimskip ( 481 2800; www.eimskip.com) and the BSÍ bus station ( 562 1011; www.bsi.is) to check the latest transport details. Passenger ferries include the Sævar between Arskógssandur and Hrísey, the Sæfari between Dalvík and Hrísey or Grímsey, and the Anný between Neskaupstaður and Mjóifjörður. Small summer-only ferries run from Reykjavík’s Sundahöfn harbour to the island of Viðey, and from Ísafjörður and Drangsnes to stops at Hornstrandir in the Westfjords.
Return to beginning of chapter
BUS
Iceland has an extensive network of bus routes with services operated by a number of bus companies. All are members of the consortium BSÍ (BifreiðastöÐ Íslands; Map; 562 1011; www.bsi.is; Vatnsmýrarvegur 10), based in the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavík. The booking desk sells tickets and distributes the free Ísland á Eigin Vegum (Iceland on Your Own) brochure, which contains timetables. From June to August there are regular buses to most places on the Ring Road, and to larger towns in the Westfjords and on the Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes Peninsulas. During the rest of the year services range from daily to nonexistent. In small towns and villages, buses stop at the