Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [8]
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THE EMPTY EAST Three days to one week / Seyðisfjörður to Papey Island
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The Eastfjords are less showy than their western counterparts, but filled with quirky oddments and stunning blasts of nature. On this 500km route, swoop down vertical mountainsides to see how life is lived in Iceland’s remote fishing villages.
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Ferry passengers from Denmark have the good fortune to land in bohemian Seyðisfjörður. Treat yourself to a kayak tour Click here in the pretty fjord, or head to the isolated farm and nature reserve Skálanes for prime birdwatching. Head over the mountain and north to Borgarfjörður Eystri for quiet contemplation…or wild celebration, if you happen to catch the Bræðislan music festival Click here in July.
Returning south, head for Mjóifjörður, where an abandoned whaling station and ruined lighthouse enhance the sense of isolation; there’s enough good hiking for a two-day stay.
Rte 92 takes you through Reyðarfjörður and Eskifjörður, a pair of sleepy fishing villages enveloped by looming, emerald-green basalt mountains. From there the road climbs up and over Iceland’s highest mountain pass, before dropping down to Neskaupstaður, where Frú Lú Lú is one of the most fun places in the Eastfjords to hang out.
Return to Reyðarfjörður and head east along Rte 96, which undulates along the coast past the tiny villages of Fáskúðfjörður, Stoðvarfjörður and Breiðdalsvík. At Stoðvarfjörður, don’t miss mineral collection of octogenarian Petra Sveinsdóttir, lovingly collected over a lifetime. Rejoin the Ring Road and follow the coast to the last fjord town Djúpivogur, the harbour for boat trips to the beautiful nature reserve Papey Island.
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TAILORED TRIPS
SEEKING THE VIKINGS & THEIR STORIES
Most of the stories that have survived about the Vikings were written down in the medieval sagas. Start your quest in Reykjavík at the Culture House, where the original saga manuscripts are kept. To flesh out the stories, visit the National Museum which has a floor dedicated to the Vikings; the inventive Reykjavík 871 +/-2 exhibition, based around an original Viking longhouse; and the larger-than-life Saga Museum. Hafnarfjörður holds an annual Viking Festival in mid-June.
The excellent Settlement Centre at Borgarnes focuses on the Vikings’ discovery of Iceland, and the bloodthirsty antihero of Egil’s Saga. Scholar and schemer Snorri Sturluson probably wrote the latter – visit the museum dedicated to him at Reykholt. In the 1960s a Viking grave was discovered at solitary Skarðsvík, a stunning spot to sit and contemplate life. Check out the reconstruction of Eiríkur Rauðe’s (Erik the Red) house at Eiríksstaðir, deep in Laxdæla Saga country. Tragic hero Grettir the Strong met his death on the atmospheric island of Drangey. There’s a pleasant 10km marked walking trail from Aðalból in east Iceland, following the main sites featured in Hrafnkell’s Saga. Njál’s Saga is set around Hvolsvöllur. For two different views of an early Norse farm, head for Þjórsárdalur.
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SWIMMING POOLS, SPAS & HOT SPRINGS
The swimming pool is sacred in Iceland, and the hot tub is the social hub of every village and town. No trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to the Blue Lagoon. Reykjavík has some fine swimming pools, including the Olympic-sized pool and spa at Laugardalur, and its own little geothermal beach Click here. The river runs warm in Reykjadalur, near Hveragerði