The most famous unknown place in Iceland - Land og saga

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WestfjordsBeauty in RemotenessHistory and Nature go hand-in-hand in ÁrneshreppurWhen heading to the magnificentWestfords peninsula of NorthWestern Iceland, approaching ÁrneshreppurCounty is one extraordinary journey.How to get thereThis least populated community in Icelandis served by Gjögur Airport, with yearround scheduled fl ights by Eagle Air. FromReykjavík to Árneshreppur, flying takesonly about half an hour—the ideal trip—especially in the wintertime, as the roadconnecting the region to the rest of Icelandcan be closed for weeks during winter,leaving transport by air the only option.You visit for the landscapes and the lifeWith Árneshreppur boasting some ofIceland’s most astonishing landscapes,hiking trails and walking paths are trulyenjoyed in this unique nature.Then the geothermal swimming pool atKrossnes is surely both dramatic and scenicdefi nitely something not to be missed.Small but sufficient servicesA bank, co-op and a café serve thisbustling little community; SparisjóðurStrandamanna Bank in Norðurfjörður isopen every weekday but Wednesday from13-16. The Steingrímsfjörður Co-ophas a petrol station as well as a greatvariety of products for sale. Then CaféNorðurfjörður, one of the most northerlycafés in Iceland, offers a varied menu ofnational dishes. Árneshreppur has alsoa great community centre, ideal for anytype of celebration.A trip back in timeFor local history, Kört Museum has animpressive display of old artefacts fromthe area and offer arts and crafts forsale. Another example of notable workdating from the past is the creation ofeiderdown duvets and pillows. Gatheredby hand, the eiderdown is then cleanedand processed by people with decades ofexperience in this field.One characteristic of the area are the twoherring factories, built in early 20 th century,one in Ingólfsfj örður and one in Djúpavík,a mute reminder of the times past.AccomodationFor accommodation, Árneshreppur hasseveral good options. The beautifully situatedHótel Djúpavík offers accommodation withbreakfast and is open all year round.Finnbogastaðir School Hostel hassleeping bag accommodation with cookingand sanitary facilities, open from June untilthe end of August.Urðartindur Tourist Services offersexcellent summer house rental and a campsite.The Iceland Touring Association, anothergreat option, owns a hut in Valgeirsstaðir,with a dining room and a kitchen andaccommodation for 20 people.If you are searching for homely sleepingbag arrangement, Norðurfjörður GuestHouse is definitely the place to look for,open from 10 th of June until 31 st of August.Bergistangi Guesthouse has two bedroomsavailable, each with beds for three people.The old Meat Freezing Plant (nowrenovated as a hostel) serves up to 28people and has cooking facilities.Finally, Ófeigsfjörður Tourist Services offera campsite and even luggage transport ation,from June until the end of August.Any traveller interested in the diversity ofIcelandic nature and nation should not missthe opportunity to visit this phenomenalplace of the north.Árneshreppur–SPNorðurfjörður • 524 Árneshreppur+354 451 4001arneshreppur@simnet.isnoneA Nature ParadiseHótel Djúpavík, comfort and care at the edge of the worldUntouched nature and interestinghistory are among the attractions ofDjúpavík at Strandir. In this remote partof Iceland, a special breed of people founda way to live off the land and, when all thefj ords were fi lled with herring, this quietcove became important in the hunt for the‘silver of the sea’. Now it is a paradise forwalkers and nature lovers who fi ll up HótelDjúpavík from early spring till autumn.Old factory and dormitoryHótel Djúpavík was established in 1985when Eva Sigurbjörnsdóttir and herhusband Ásbjörn Þorgilsson, decidedto cultivate guests rather than fish.“We had planned to start a fish farm butwere unable to get a loan from the bank,”says Eva. “We had bought the women’sdormitory along with the old herringfactory and the hotel started there.”Most of the guests staying at HótelDjúpavík are in search of a natureexperience. Many walk from one fjordto another but others use cars, kayaks orboats to get from place to place.Eva and Ásbjörn provide guidance andadvice on what to see and how to getthere along with comfort and rest after along day’s exploration.A Historical ExhibitionThe Herring Factory is now the site ofDjúpavík’s Historical Exhibition whereold photographs and texts lead viewersthrough the life and times of people inthis quiet cove at the edge of the world.A guided tour of the factory is held twotimes per day, at 10am and 2pm.The factory also hosts art exhibitionsduring the summer.–JBHótel DjúpavíkDjúpavík • 524 Árneshreppur+354 451 4037djupavik@snerpa.iswww.djupavik.com188 189
WestfjordsWhere East is WestFinna Hotel is Set in the Sorcery and Witchcraft AreaHólmavík is the home of theMuseum of Icelandic Sorceryand Witchcraft, located in a region theIcelanders have always maintained to bedifferent – as in superhuman energy andpsychic power different. Consequently,Hólmavík’s Harbour HouseSteinhúsið - modern accommodation in a house from another eraTwo doors splashed with brightred paint announce the recentrestoration of a home built in 1911,it came as no surprise to the islanderswhen a museum and a research centreinto witchcraft and sorcery wasestablished in this quiet little fishingvillage on the east coast of the WestFjords. It’s where east is west.reliving its former glory days inHólmavík, the large town in the easternpart of the West Fjords. Steinhusiðis an outpost of comfort in what canbe a desolate area, offering modernaccommodation in the midst of atraditional fishing village. Its locationnear the harbour and across the streetfrom Hólmavík’s attractions, such asthe Witchcraft and Sorcery Museum,Cafe Riis, and artist’s workshop, makeSteinhusið an ideal place to rest beforeembarking further into the Westfjords.The main house has five bedrooms onthe second floor with two large livingIt called for all kindsof changes for the fishing community,both hotels and restaurants and todaythere is a variety of accommodation inHólmavík. Finna Hótel would be anexcellent choice. It is located on thehill slopes of the village and thus hasquite a view over the village and theHúnaf lói bay.Finna Hotel is altogether three floors,with a reception and breakfast roomon the ground floor. Newly renovated,along the veranda outside, it offers youa cosy time-out, whether you choose tosit indoors or outdoors.The hotel has twelve airy andbeautifully furnished rooms, either withor without an en suite bathroom. It alsooffers sleeping-bag accommodation.The rooms without en suite bathroomsall have sinks and access to communalbathrooms.Hótel Finna–SSBorgabraut 4 • 510 Hólmavík+354 451 3136finnahotel@finnahotel.iswww.finnahotel.isrooms and a separate fully-equippedkitchen on the bottom. An adjoiningapartment with a separate entrancefeatures a large bedroom, kitchen, andsmall living room. Tongue and groovepainted wood walls meld with modernfurnishings to invoke the past withoutforsaking contemporary comforts.Steinhúsið–KBOf Sorcerers and WitchesThe Museum Dedicated to an Extraordinary ProfessionThe Museum of Icelandic Sorcery andWitchcraft in Hólmavík is an excellentplace to get acquainted with the Icelandicsoul. Superstitions and folklores are quiterevealing—and also great fun. Foundedin the year 2000, the museum exhibitsartefacts related to sorcery and is home tothe only necropants in the world.By the beginning of the 17 th century, theReformation Period was past in Iceland.What commenced was a century which,until recently, has drawn little attention fromhistorians. For decades, prosecutions forwitchcraft and sorcery dominated the courtsand it was generally believed that the Devilhimself roamed the earth, taking an activepart in the lives of humans. During thepersecutions and burnings for witchcraft, theregion of Strandir was regarded as the homeof the cunning. As a result the region holds aunique heritage of superstition, folklore andthe history of the 17 th century.There are number of sorcery recipes atthe museum, the potion for making oneselfinvisible, for example, where the preparationof the ink is the most difficult task. “Collectthree drops of blood from the index fi ngerof your left hand, three from the ring fi ngerof your right hand, two from your rightnipple, and one from your left nipple. Mixthe blood with six drops of blood from theheart of a living raven and melt it all withthe raven’s brain and pieces of a humanstomach. Carve the sign on the lignite withmagnetic steel which has been hardenedthree times in human blood.” The museumeven has an invisible boy on display.The History and Annals of the 17 thcentury, persons involved in witchcraftand the folklore surrounding it, IcelandicGrimoires, Magical Staves, Runes,Magical Flora, Magical Stones; they areall part of this splendid museum.There is also a further part to themuseum: The Sorcerer’s Cottage in Bjarnafjörður, where one can easily understandhow the sorcerers survived—why theirsolitude—and yes, they were real.A guide through the museum is availablein six languages: English, Spanish, German,Dutch, French and Italian and shortly it willalso be available in Hebrew and Russian.There is a restaurant/café specialising inthe fresh local mussels at the museum. Surelythe sorcerers have applied their influence onthe ocean and seashore—as those will be themost delicious mussels you’ll ever taste.Both museum and restaurant areopen all year round and in addition, themuseum also offers day tours aroundthe most bewitched area and a meetingwith the trolls that tried to separate theWestfj ords from the mainland.Strandagaldur–SSHöfðagata 1 • 510 Hólmavík+354 856 1911steinhusid@steinhusid.iswww.steinhusid.isHöfðagata 8-10 • 510 Hólmavík+354 897 6525galdrasyning@holmavik.iswww.galdrasyning.is190 191
Page 1 and 2: WestfjordsAward-Winning Westfjords
Page 3 and 4: At Reykjafjörður areaHouses in Fl
Page 5: WestfjordsIceland’s Oldest Countr
Page 8 and 9: WestfjordsHrafnseyriA farm that cha
Page 10 and 11: Experience a Fishing VillageSúðav
Page 14: WestfjordsTrolling the WestfjordsLi

The most famous unknown place in Iceland - Land og saga

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