ハイライト: The Reykjavík Capital Area is the country's largest and most populated city and currently home to 211.282 people, that's two-thirds of the entire Icelandic population!
Although it's one of the smallest capital cities in the world, it's still big enough to fit in six super-sized districts, with Reykjavík as the largest having a population of 121.230. Each district has its own elected council that governs the community and is responsible for the execution of legally determined projects.
Hvítserkur, otherwise known as the Troll of Northwest Iceland, is a 15 m (49 ft) tall basalt rock stack protruding from Húnaflói Bay. The rock is a nesting ground for seagulls, shag and fulmar, making it appear constantly in motion, further enforcing the idea that Hvítserkur is, in some way, very much alive.
Hvítserkur is best viewed along the eastern shore of Vatnsnes Peninsula and takes its name from the birdlife that nests on top of it. In Icelandic, the name translates to “white shirt”, a nod to the colour of the bird droppings that cover the rock.
Photographers tend to be drawn to Hvítserkur as a subject due to the way the sun, moon, and aurora borealis reflect off of the flat water around its distinctive form.
Folklore of Hvítserkur
It should come as no surprise that Hvítserkur is often referred to as a troll—most distinctive Icelandic rocks are. Folklore says that Hvítserkur was originally a troll from the peninsula, determined to rip the bells down from Þingeyraklaustur convent; trolls, unlike elves, are said to be terrified of Christianity.
The beast was so enraged and persistent that it did not notice the rising sun, and was instantly petrified for eternity in its rays.
In hindsight, like most of Iceland’s folktales, it seems this one had a Christian message not so subtly weaved into it. It is likely that the story was an allusion to the people’s stoic resistance to the Christianisation of Iceland, implying those who held onto the view were as stubborn, stupid, violent and wicked as trolls, and perhaps on their way to a similar fate.
Iceland converted to Christianity in 1000 AD under the threat of invasion from Norway, and the transition was not easy; those who practised the religion of the Old Norse Gods were ostracised and punished for the millennium that followed.
Formation of Hvítserkur
The scientific community has another explanation for how Hvítserkur formed. Erosion from the cascading sea water has carved three large holes through the basalt rock, sculpting and shaping it into what appears as some petrified, mythological animal.
The base of the stack has been reinforced with concrete to protect its foundations from the sea, but this has not stopped visitors’ interpreting the rock’s peculiar shape.
Some say Hvítserkur looks like more like an elephant than a troll, while others claim it looks like a rhino. Some onlookers have gone as far as to claim the rock appears as a dragon or dinosaur drinking.
Búðir (transliterated Búdir) is a small hamlet in Búðahraun lava fields in Staðarsveit, which is in the western region of Iceland, on the westernmost tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula where Hraunhafnará falls to the sea, the original old name of Búðir having been Hraunhöfn.
The village belongs to Snæfellsbær, a municipality that has its administrative centre in the town of Ólafsvík.
Just a cluster of old buildings, Búðir is the home of popular country inn and restaurant Hotel Búðir and a very old small church. The original old house of the restaurant and Hótel Búðir burned down on 21 February 2001, and had to be rebuilt completely, so as to resemble the original old inn house and to blend into the existing scenery of old buildings and natural surroundings.
It is believed that commercial ships and fishing vessels have been making their landing at Búðir all the way back to when Iceland's first inhabitants made their way there across the ocean, and commercial activity started there very early in recorded history. Originally the main function of Búðir was that to act as a commercial and trade hub for Snæfellsnes and the surrounding west coast region, during an extended period of Danish trade monopoly. Today the small hamlet of Búðir along with Hótel Búðir is a center of attraction in Snæfellsnes for tourists and various tourismactivities.
Grundarfjörður's beautiful landmark is the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Its isolated position jutting out into the sea makes it a focal point for tourists and seamen alike. Surrounded by beaches, Kirkjufell has a lovely walking trail around it as well as a more challenging climb up to the top where bird and fish fossils can be found.
Arnarstapi
Arnarstapi was an important trading post in the past and had a much bigger population than it has now.
Columnar basalt, ravines and grottoes surround the Arnarstapi pier. There is good anchorage for small boats.
There is quite a large arctic tern colony in the village itself. A walk along the coastline is recommended to watch the birds and the magnificent lava formations. The seaside and the cliffs between Arnastapi and Hellnar have been made a Natural Reserve in 1979.
A very interesting old path follows the coastline where you can see old lending places of fishermen, lots of birds like the kittiwake, the Arctic tern and the fulmar and pass through a lavafield. If you take a guided tour, you will also hear a ghost story.
A sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson stands by the beach at Arnarstapi.
SNAEFELLSJOKULL NATIONAL PARK
Snæfellsjökull National Park was established on June 28th, 2001.The Park's purpose is to protect and conserve the area's unique landscape, indigenous plants and animal life as well as the important historical relics. At the same time, the Park is meant to allow visitors easier access as well as an improved opportunities to get to know the area. National parks are amongst Iceland's finest assets and everyone is free to explore them.The Snæfellsjökull glacier lies within the national park, and the park is the only Icelandic national park that stretches to the sea. The geology of Snæfellsnes national park is diverse with formations from almost every era of Iceland’s past. The more prominent formations in and around the National Park mainly date from geologically “modern” times back to the last ice age. The hills to the north of the glacier, around Bárðarkista, are of volcanic palagonite tuff, formed during eruptions under the glacier or below the surface of the sea. Svalþúfa is most likely the eastern section of a crater that erupted under the sea, while Lóndrangar is a volcanic plug.
DJUPALONSSANDUR & DRITVIK
Djupalonssandur is a beautiful pebbled beach, with a series of rocks of mysterious form emerging from the ocean.
It is one of the few areas that lead down to the sea along this coast with its high dramatic cliffs. Watch out for the famous ghosts roaming the place!
The rests of a shipwreck can be seen on the beach. On the beach there are also big stones which people tried to lift and test their strength in the days of the fishing stations: Fully Strong 154 kg, Half-Strong 100 kg, Weakling 54 kg and Bungler 23 kg. Weakling marked the frontier of wimphood, any man who couldn't lift it was deemed unsuitable for a life as a fisherman.
LONDRANGAR BASALT CLIFFS
Uniquely-formed remnants of ancient basalt volcanic dikes sticking out from the sea.
Londrangar and the hill Svalthufa are the remains of a crater, which has been eroded to its present form by the sea.
The farmers in the area never made or make hay on the hill, because it is said to belong to the elves living in the area.
Younger lava fields surround this old crater ruin. The higher pillar (75m) was first climbed in 1735 and the lower (61 m) in 1938.
Below the hill you may find Thufubjarg cliff where according to a folktale the poet Kolbeinn Joklaskald had an encounter with the Devil.
On these cliffs, puffins and fulmars have their nests.
Berserkjahraun
The central western peninsula, Snaefellsnes, is one of the most Saga invested parts of the country, and this area is no exception. The rugged Berserk Lava Field covers most of the western part of the Helgafell County, and stretches between the mountain slopes and the sea. Its sources are four prominent, but differently sized scoria craters forming an east-west row from the Ogress Pass (Kerlingarskard). They probably erupted at short intervals approximately 3600-4000 years ago, the largest one first and the smallest last, almost damming the Lava Bay in the east, where the old main road crosses it. The lava flows created two lakes on their southern side and added to the serenity and beauty of the landscapes, but also represented a difficult obstacle as the area became inhabited during the Age of Settlement. In the beginning, people chose to walk or ride along the southern edge of the lava or travel past it by boat until bridle paths were opened. Nowadays three roads cross it.
All around the lava field are indentations with small oases and where it enters the sea are coves. The berserks probably built the sheep pen Krossrett, just below the home fields of the farm Berserkjaeyri. Where the brook Hraunslaekur runs along the lava edge, are ruins of fish huts to remind us of the fishing outfits of the past. A nearby depression in the lava field, fenced off with a wall of lava stones, is believed to be the grain field of Styr the Slayer. Near Lake Selvallavatn are flat pumice grounds, where regional sport festivities took place around 1940. This beautiful area is ideal for recreation, hiking, angling and mountain climbing. White tailed eagles nest in the rugged lava field and one of the protruding rocks in it to the northeast of the lake is called The Eagle’s Rock. The whole lava field, the inner part of the Lava Bay and the lakes Selvallavatn and Hraunsfjardarvatn have been declared inviolate.
The story about the most renowned road building accomplicement of the country is a part of the Eyrbyggja Saga, probably the most complex of the Icelandic Saga literature. Four constructions connected to this part of the Saga have been preserved, the bridle path, The Berserks’ Burial Mound, the boundary fence and the sheep den. The first two are national monuments.
The story tells us about two Swedish berserks, Halli and Leiknir, who Vermundur the Slim, farmer at Bjarnarhofn, brought to the country from Norway in 982. Vermundur’s brother, Styr the Slayer, was a powerful wretch, who he wanted to be able to stand up to. The problem, however, was that Vermundur could not keep the berserks busy enough to subdue their rage and he saw no other solution than to ask his brother to take them off his hands. Styr the Slayer obliged reluctantly and soon found himself in a dilemma in spite of continuous killings. Halli, one of the berserks, fell in love with his daughter and asked for her hand in marriage.
Styr the Slayer went to his friend, Snorri the chieftain, at Helgafell to seek advice. When he came back, he told the berserks that he would give Halli his blessing after they had finished the tasks of clearing a bridle path through the rugged lava field, building a boundary fence across it, and a sheep pen. They went berserk and finished the tasks in a remarkably short time. Before they did, Styr the Slayer prepared an underground sauna for them and covered it with thick boards with an opening to pour water down on a heated boulder in the hole to create hot steam. When they returned tired and sweaty, he invited them to relax in the sauna and they accepted. The hole was covered properly, big boulders put on the boards and excessive quantities of boiling hot water poured through the opening. It soon became unbearably hot in the hole and the berserks managed to break out, but much too weak to defend themselves against Styr the slayer. He had spread wet and slippery bull hides on the ground around the hole and managed to kill them both. Their bodies were taken into a depression in the lava field, where they were buried close to the bridle path as can be seen up to this date.
GRUNDARFJÖRÐUR
Home to Mt Kirkjufell
Though Grundarfjörður is not the most well-known town in Snæfellsnes, its mountain is certainly one of the most famous mountains in Iceland, if not the world. It is not unusual for photographers from all over the world to make their way to Grundarfjörður for the sole purpose of photographing this unique landmark which has even starred in a number of films, most recently The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Once the increasing number of visitors have had their fill of Kirkjufell, they quickly discover that there is a lot more on offer in Grundarfjörður than merely magnificent mountains. Nature abounds, with vibrant birdlife, spectacular waterfalls, great hiking trails and exciting marine visitors such as seals and whales putting in an appearance every now and then. During the long summer days, there are daily boat trips where visitors can go deep sea fishing, see puffins and other beautiful birds and perhaps even catch sight of a whale or two.
Grundarfjörður is conveniently located in the middle of Snæfellsnes and provides easy access to Stykkishólmur, Snæfellsbær and the Snæfellsnes National Park. There is a great selection of accommodation available, with a high quality hotel and hostel, two guesthouses, a farm holiday guesthouse and a campsite by the swimming pool.
The swimming pool with its hot tubs is just one of a number of exciting services around the town. There is also a golf course, a family restaurant, a hotel restaurant, a coffee shop in the culture and heritage centre (where the information centre is also located), horse rentals, a pharmacy, a liquor store, a dry cleaning and laundry service and a well-stocked grocery store.
Though most visitors to Grundarfjörður arrive by road, there are also thousands that come by sea. Grundarfjörður Harbour makes every effort to make a cruise ship's visit comfortable and memorable for passengers and crew alike and as a result the number of cruise ships visits have increased from 2 in 2001 to no fewer than 18 scheduled for this summer.
During summer the town truly comes alive in a number of different ways. The local Viking Association are building up a Viking "village" in the centre of town and Viking-age re-enactments are often the highlight of the day for cruise ship passengers.
During the town festival, Á góðri stund, which is held the last weekend in July, the town literally changes colour when inhabitants and their guests decorate their houses in red, blue, yellow and green and indulge in a range of activities for all the family, from art exhibitions to fighting Vikings to concerts on the pier.
From Mt Kirkjufell to the sea, Grundarfjörður welcomes all its visitors equally.
GATKLETTUR - ARCH ROCK
Gatklettur - Arch Rock - is a cliff with a circular arch. Rock Arch shows how distinctive wave action has eroded the rocks into arches and beautiful swirled patterns.
There is great birdlife around the cliffs and pretty flora surrounding the area.
Svörtuloft sea cliffs are at the west part of Snæfellsnes.
They were formed when lava poured into the sea, and then where broken of and reshaped by the sea.
Many boats and ships have stranded and sunken at this location.
Klukkufoss is about 40 meters tall and is surrounded by basalt columns.
It's located south of the fishing village Hellissandur, close to Hreggnasi.
The waterfall flows in a northwesterly direction into the fjord Breiðafjörður.
Gardar BA 64 is an old whaling ship, which was rammed ashore in the Skápadalur valley in Patreksfjörður when it was deemed unfit for duty back in 1981. It’s fairly easy to find, yet as with everything in the Westfjords there’s a long way between everything.
The old rusty beached ship is in itself an interesting photography object with a lot of atmosphere and mood. It can also work as a foreground to some aurora photography. You can even climb on to the ship and explore it from the inside. As a photography location it doesn’t require any special equipment. In regard to the light the sun sets directly behind it in early May, which is the only time of year you can get the ship with a sunset, since the location is mainly surrounded with mountains.
RAUÐISANDUR
Rauðasandur (Red Sand) is precisely that: a beach with endless red sand. Well, not endless but 10 km is a lot. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight and weather, and the beach is the biggest pearl in a string of coves with sand ranging in colours from white through yellow through red to black, and in coarseness from very fine to sole-hurting chips of seashells. Just pure sand enlivened by countless seabirds and seals, an oasis with unique tranquility. Forget everything, except maybe getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.
Here's just pure sand and unique tranquillity. You might want to step out of the car, get the camera out and start walking on the seemingly endless beach.
If no, why not enjoy a cup of coffee in the French café and look at the spectacular view were Snæfellsjökull glacier in Sæfellsnes peninsula imperiousl rivets your attention in the background.
Breiðavík is situated on the way to Látrabjarg. When you drive over the mountain pass from Örlygshöfn you will come down in the creek of Breiðavík. In the creek there is a church and a Hotel, named Hótel Breiðavík. We recommend that you should stop there on the way to or from Látrabjarg and walk down to the beach. It's also quite unique to see the sand that the wind has blown all the way to the mountaintops on eiter end of the beach.
LÁTRABJARG
One of Europes biggest bird cliffs, a home to birds in unfathomable numbers. This westernmost point of Iceland is really a line of several cliffs, 14 kilometres long and up to 441 m high. And it's as steep as it gets, dizzyingly so. Safe from foxes, the birds are fearless, and provide stunning photographic opportunities from close range. Bird photography for dummies, you might say. The puffins are particularly tame and are the ones frequenting the grassy, higher part of the cliffs. But look out, the edges are fragile and loose and the fall is high.
Látrabjarg is thus deservedly the most visited tourist attraction in the Westfjords. The cliffs are easily accessible by car and when you're there, a walk along the cliffs awaits. The whirling sensation will not fade, and neither will the memories.
Flatey is the largest of the Western Islands on the Breiðafjordur bay. Almost 40 smaller islands belong to Flatey. It has been a trading post since the middle ages. A monastery was established there in 1172. It was the centre of culture and art in the middle of the 19th century. It is one of three islands on the bay still occupied the whole year round.
The church is served from the parsonage at Reykholar. It was built in 1926 and recently renovated and decorated by the artist Baltasar. A part of the island has been a nature reserve and wild life sanctuary since 1975. Various services are rendered to the travellers on the island. It is well worth spending some time there to take in all the attractions. The ferry Baldur stops over at the island twice a day during summer on its way between Stykkisholmur and the hamlet Brjanslaekur.
The fjord is 30 km long and 5 to 10 km wide, and is oriented NW/SE. It branches into two main bays, both containing a few coves. They are Borgarfjörður to the east and Suðurfirðir to the south. The largest settlement on the fjord is the small village of Bíldudalur. Lowland strips along the bay are very limited, with mountain slopes falling steeply into the sea in most places.[1] The Westfjords' highest mountain, Kaldbakur, is also located between Arnarfjörður and the neighboring Dýrafjörður, a parallel fjord to the north-east.
The Ketildalir valleys are on the southern shore of the fjord Arnarfjordur. The best know of those valleys is probably Selardalur, a very popular destination because of the sculptures and buildings raised by the naivité artist Samuel Jonsson. Samuel is referred to as "the artist with the infantile heart". When he retired at the age of 72 in 1958, he pursued his dreams and became an artist. Mostly he created sculptures from concrete and carried the sand on his back from the shore to his farm Brautarholt. In his backyard, among other things, he has replicated the Lions Court in Alhambra.
DYNJANDI
Simply enthralling; The Westfjords' favourite front-page model for decades, and is never short of breathtaking. The biggest and widest part of the waterfall is the one that gets all the attention and the photos, even though there are impressive, albeit smaller, waterfalls further down the river.
Þingeyri is a small village situated on a spit of land in one of Iceland's most scenic fjords, Dýrafjörður. Like in most other seaside villages in Iceland, the culture and industry has been shaped by the sea throughout the centuries. Þingeyri provides various services to the surrounding countryside as well as to its visitors; a small shop, post office, bank and a swimming pool at the local sports hall .
Simbahöllin is a homely café, specializing in Belgian waffles, set in a beautifully renovated old Norwegian house from 1915. Another point of interest is the oldest functioning mechanic workshop in Iceland, established in the year 1913.
One of Iceland's most scenic golf courses is just a stone's throw from Þingeyri, with the Westfjords Alps as a backdrop, including the highest mountain of the peninsula, Kaldbakur (998 metres).
Lokinhamrar is a deserted land in Lokinhamradal east in the north of Arnarfjordur .
On both sides of the valley are high mountains and soaring hillsides.
Guðmundur G. Hagalín was born and grew up at Lokinhamrar and is the scene of Lokinhamra's history in many of his publications.
A road to Lokinhamrar was built in 1974, and the farm was in use until 1989. Before the road Kjaransbraut came from Dýrafjördur.
Ingjaldssandur is a huge, lush valley facing the sea between Önundarfjörður and Dýrafjörður. Once home to dozens of farming folk, people used to get there by plane or boat. The rough mountain road into the valley is an attraction all of its own: for there are few more exciting or more scenic drives anywhere. These days the mountain-hemmed and beach-ended valley only has one working farm left. And lots of sheep. And a small church with an unusual Celtic cross on top. You may even be lucky enough to buy some of the farmer's excellent handicrafts, jewellery and woollen goods.
BOLAFJALL
The most popular visiting point in Bolungarvík is the top of Bolafjall Mountain. The place offers a staggering view over Ísafjarðardjúp, Jökulfirðir and some people say all the way to Greenland. To get to Bolafjall mountain you have to drive up the road from Bolungarvík the way to the radar station on the top. The station was built by the Americans but is now controlled by the Icelandic coast guard. The route is open from the middle of june until august september. After a visit to Bolafjall, or even before, We recommend a coffee break and a nice walk at the black sand beach in Skálavík.
DRANGAJOKULL
Drangajökull is the only glacier in the Westfjords. It is the only glacier inIcelandwhose altitude in entirely below 1,000 metres. In addition to this, it is the only glacier inIcelandwhich is not in retreat (i.e. getting smaller). Drangajökull lies north of the Strandir region and south of the Hornstrandir nature reserve. Kaldalón, meanwhile, is a short fjord into which the glacier calves. The name literally means 'cold lagoon' and it is totally magical. It could be thought of as the Jökulsárlón of the Westfjords - although it is starkly different and visiting is a much more personal experience.
Hólmavík is the largest town in the Strandir region, an area with an exciting and tragic history of witchcraft, witch-hunting and sorcery. Inhabitants in the countryside surrounding Hólmavík live mostly on sheep farming, while economic activity in town revolves around the fisheries and the service sector.
The Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft takes visitors on a tour into the mystical world of the supernatural. The history of witch-hunting in 17th century Iceland is presented at the exhibition as well as various aspects of magic from more recent sources. A second part of the exhibition is in Bjarnarfjörður, 30 kilometres from Hólmavík. Next to Hólmavík there is also the Sheep Farming Museum, an entertaining exhibition dedicated to the Icelandic sheep and sheep farming.
Visitors will find all basic amenities, and more, in Hólmavík. Accommodation of various kind, a camping ground, restaurants, a newly built swimming pool and a good Tourist Information Center that serves the hole area. A golf course and a horse rental can be found just outside the town.
GRÍMSEY
Situated just off shore from Drangsnes in Steingrímsfjörður, the island of Grímsey is a true gem of nature. From Drangsnes there are scheduled boat trips to the island, which take around 10 minutes. In Grímsey there is abundant birdlife and beautiful nature.
Drangsnes is a fishing village, pure and simple. Conveniently located near the fishing grounds, it thrives in its minimalistic ways. In fact, the entrepreneur who runs the local restaurant and one of the guesthouses is a fisherman. He also runs the boat tours to Grímsey. Grímsey island, supposedly formed by a giant trying to dig the Westfjords apart from the rest of Iceland, is the biggest attraction in Drangsnes. The boat ride is only 10 minutes across. Grímsey boasts a rich bird life of puffins, fulmars and an interesting side story of fox farming.
It does not come as a surprise that in this small hamlet, the camping place is just by the municipality's office building, as synergy is always important in small villages. Lastly: although the new swimming pool in town is of top notch quality, the blend-in-with-the-locals way of bathing would be to dip into the small hot pools at the shore.
Borgarvirki lies between Vesturhóp and Víðidalur in the north of Iceland, and at 177m above sea level it dominates the surrounding region. Made out of basalt strata, it has been used as a fortress for centuries. Borgarvirki is a natural phenomenon, altered by humans in earlier centuries. In 1949, Borgarvirki was renovated by workers who installed a granite lintel at the main entrance.
Borgarvirki is a volcanic plug (gosstapi), and the Icelandic sagas mention that in earlier centuries it was used for military purposes.[1] There is a viewing dial inside.
KOLUGJÚFUR
As you drive along Víðidalur, you will come to Kolugil Farm which stands beside the Víðidalsá river. Just below the farm, the waters flow peacefully downwards to plunge into the deep, rugged gorge called Kolugljúfur. Their journey then sends them cascading over many waterfalls which bear the name Kolufossar Falls in honour of the giantess, Kola.
It is a breathtaking sight to drive across the bridge and watch the calm waters of the river suddenly leap and tumble onwards over so many impressive falls - a sight which will leave no one unmoved.
Hraunfossar - Lava Falls - are beautiful and unusual natural phenomena. Clear, cold springs of subterranean water seep through the lava and run as tiny waterfalls and rapids into the Hvita River.
Hraunfossar have been protected since 1987.
There is a viewpoint at the car park offering an amazing view over the Lava Falls and Hvita River.
日本語
