Why Birds Flock to Iceland The North Prepares for ... - Land og saga

Superb Views and FoodLet Your senses Imbibe the spirit of snæfellsnes at LangaholtWhether you rent a car, ride a bike or takethe bus, spending a day in the middleof all the sites of interest on the Snæfellsnespeninsula will leave you both refreshed andinspired by the beauty of the nature and thetranquility with which it refreshes your spirit.Langaholt is a 20-room guesthouse witha campsite, golf course and restaurant, withprobably the best view of the Snæfells mountainand glacier from the beach by the campsite.This is a great place to come for a weekendgetaway, to spend a night or two enjoying theIcelandic countryside, eat a delicious meal orfew and enjoy both the natural and historicalsites of the area, which are no doubt verydifferent from any other country you’ve visited!Speaking of meals, this is a restaurantwith a top chef who wants you to enjoy awholesome meal, not a fancy work of art butyou will get good-sized portions that will fillthat hole left from a busy day’s exploring.A number of the vegetables and spices aregrown in their own gardens and you won’tfi nd food that comes from outside the area.With its proximity to the sea, you would besurprised if seafood wasn’t on the menu.If you arrive for a good lunch, there is a choiceof fish or vegetable soup, fish of the day and fishstew. The deserts are that delicious chocolatecake or waffles with whipped cream, caramelsauce and mint—something you must try!For dinner, starters include fish soup,vegetable soup, trout marinated in dill, ormussels - these as a starter or main course.Other main courses could be fish stew,catfish with ginger and soya, cod steakfried in butter with rose pepper, basil andsun-dried tomatoes or lamb with red winesauce. The menu varies depending on theavailability of the fresh ingredients.For desert, there are pancakes or chocolate cakeand there is a good selection of red or white wines.After a satisfying meal, you might be forgivenfor booking a room and enjoying a good night’ssleep before exploring the area some more.Take a walk outside and look at the glacier.With your left ear, you’ll hear the relaxing soundof the surf, whilst in your right, the whispers ofwaterfalls. Swirling around you are the manyvarieties of birds like the arctic terns and thedifferent gulls. You can watch the clouds rollingover the mountain peaks while you play a roundof golf or set up your tent on the campsite.Langaholt–asfYtri-Garðar • 356 Snæfellsbær+354 435 6789langaholt@langaholt.iswww.langaholt.isSnack in the Sun at Snæfellsnesfjöruhúsið is a relaxing setting for a break in HellnarHiking around the Snæfells peninsulais a beautiful experience. The walkfrom Arnarstapi to Hellnar is especiallyspectacular, with its bird cliffs filled withscreeching arctic terns and gulls. In thebackground is the Snæfells glacier peak.Right down at the harbour at Hellnar isFjöruhúsið, probably the most picturesquecafé I have seen, surrounded as it is by therocky bird cliffs, right under the Snæfellsglacier. The cosy café seats two dozen insidebut, on a sunny day, it is the outside seatingthat is always fi lled, as walkers take a restand imbibe the beauty of the surroundingswhilst enjoying a delicious snack or lunch.Tour guides know the best places to stopand this is one of them, so it’s popular. Openfrom Easter to October, the little family caféprovides seafood soup, homemade bread,vegetable or chicken quiche, pasta, waffles,a range of delicious cakes and drinks of allkinds, all with friendly service.Dining in the Old Towna meal in Narfeyrarstofa is a delicious trip back in timeThe small fishing town of Stykkishólmur ishome to a restaurant with excellent food,an extensive á la carte menu and an innovativechef who has worked in top internationalrestaurants. In addition, the ambience takesyou back to the early days of the last century,and its close connections to Denmark.Narfeyrarstofa was converted into arestaurant in 2001 and quickly gained areputation for such quality of food and servicethat royalty dined there. The current chef,Gunnar, received awards in Denmark for hisdeserts and, as a chocolatier par exellence, youmay not want to leave after the main meal!Situated next to the old church close to theharbour, it’s well placed to get the freshestseafood and this restaurant takes seafood tothe next level. A group of visiting chefs fromNorway rated the restaurant as the highlightof their trip to Iceland—praise indeed.You’ll fi nd Fjöruhúsið easily when you’rewalking but if you’re driving, go right downto the harbour parking spot and you’ll see itperched on the cliffside.Fjöruhúsið Café–asfHellnar • 365 Snæfellsnes+354 435 6844fjoruhusid@isl.iswww.fjoruhusid.isThe menu, which can be viewed online,shows the emphasis placed on fresh, healthyfood and each selection is named, with a briefexplanation giving its history. It shows justhow appetising the Icelandic food chest canbe in the hands of a master chef.Narfeyrarstofa–asfAðalgata 3 • 340 Stykkishólmur+354 438 1119narf@narf.iswww.narfeyrarstofa.is40 www.icelandictimes.com www.icelandictimes.com 41