The Golden Circle - Land og saga

This is Djúpavík.
Where you will find only
one type of people.
Originals.
One of the best things about Iceland
is that there are still hidden pearls
to be found which have not been oversaturated
with tourism. One of these
pearls is Reykhólahreppur County on the
southern coast of the Westfjords peninsula.
A relatively small and peaceful community
in terms of population, in terms of natural
phenomena and landscape it is as grand as
it gets. With over a dozen fjords overlooking
the island-dotted Breidafjörður Bay,
beautiful scenery, historical and poetic
references and exceptionally vivid birdlife,
Reykhólahreppur is truly one of the hidden
pearls of Iceland.
By looking at a map, you might think a
pearl such as this could only be reached by
helicopter or special transportation, but the
truth is that it can be reached in a two and a
half hour drive from Reykjavík – and all on
an asphalted road.
Birdwatchers Paradise
The village of Reykhólar is the centre of
Reykhólahreppur County and provides
a full range of services for its visitors,
including a campsite, stores, museums
A Hidden Pearl in the
Westfjords
and a geothermally-heated swimming pool
named after one of Iceland’s greatest heroes
– Grettir the Strong. Throughout history,
Reykhólar has been the residence of many
of Iceland’s most prominent chieftains and
is frequently mentioned in the Icelandic
sagas. Reminders of that time are plentiful
– including a boat museum which has a
large collection of boats which were used in
Breidafjörður Bay. The oldest summer hotel
in Iceland, Hotel Bjarkalundur, just outside
Reykhólar, can provide you with quality
accommodation and picturesque views.
Birdwatchers are in for a treat as a wide
variety of species make their nests on both
the coastline of Reykhólahreppur and
the islands of Breidafjörður Bay. Perhaps
one of the most impressive bird-spotting
opportunities in the area is the majestic
and elusive whitetailed eagle (haliaeetus
albicilla), who make their nests in the area
and can even be seen flying over Reykhólar.
Uncountable Islands
The islands of Breidafjörður Bay are so
numerous that some people say that they
are uncountable, but cartographers have
estimated that there are around 3,000
islands in the fjord, most of which belong
to Reykhólahreppur County. You can
18 www.icelandictimes.com
arrange for a cruise at Reykhólar taking you
to inhabited islands and those uninhabited
except for the plethora of birds that make
their homes there.
The second largest island in Breidafjörður
is called Flatey Island and it was once one of
the most important cultural sites in Iceland.
Perhaps nowhere else in Iceland has the
turn-of-the-century atmosphere been better
preserved and walking around Flatey in the
summertime you’ll almost think it is the
year 1900. You’ll find reminders of past
times – including a monastery built in 1172
and Iceland‘s first library built in 1864.
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