Visit to Iceland – Chapter 2

After Stykkisholmur, we headed north to the most northwesterly part of the Island. At this point, we were just south of the Arctic Circle.

Baldur Ferry

We took the Baldur ferry, which heads northwards from Stykkisholmur to the West Fjords.

En route, we stopped at the island of Flatey.

If you want to get away from it all, Flatey is about as far as you can go. It’s a small walkable island, home to about 200 souls in summer but only 2 families in winter. We’re told there is a hotel, and a Michelin Guide – rated dining room. We watched as the daytrippers disembarked, supplies were unloaded, and then we sailed onwards to the ferry dock at Brjanslaekur.

The Road to Isafjordur

Iceland has a very good road system…..except…..Icelanders have no fear of heights,  gravity, or uneven road surface.

Guard rails ???? – Ha.

Highway 60, which runs from the south side of the Westfjord peninsula at Flokalundur, to the north side at Isafjordur, is one of the most spectacular mountain crossings in the world. The majority of that distance is gravel – well-maintained to be sure, but not for the faint of heart. There are three climbs to the top of the mountain, and three descents to ocean level. The views are stunning, but the grades are steep.

Guard rails ???? – Ha indeed.

We had a good car with lots of electronic traction and braking goodies. I found it a fun, if challenging drive. Jan, being the passenger, and not getting any feedback from the steering and brakes, felt otherwise. She did permit the occasional stop to get some pictures.

Isafjordur

This is the largest town in the West Fjords – just over a thousand people. It’s a calling point for cruise ships on the Iceland-Greenland circle trips. There are a couple of excellent bakeries and several really good restaurants. In the afternoon, when the cruise ship departs, it returns to a peaceful silence.

We stayed here for three nights and took day trips through the West Fjords.

The West Fjords

We chose this region because it’s the most rugged and has the most impressive coastline.

The towns are small – at most a few hundred people. Every town had some attraction – a small museum, a restaurant or two, and local craft shops. The crafts include many hand-knitted garments, produced locally. While they may all look the same to we tourists, the intricate knitted patterns are distinctive to each village. In one town, Jan watched one woman knit a heavy sweater…. the number of strands of yarn, multiple needles, and the skill of the maker in handling this complexity were impressive.

Naturally, Jan came back with a couple of purchases.

As for the roads – well, this is remote terrain, all right. More white knuckles for Jan, and more fun for me. Next time, I would rent an SUV or Land Rover instead of a station wagon. Ground clearance and 4WD makes all the difference. We saw some very impressive back roads vehicles, often driven by the most touristy looking foreigners.

We explored the little museums, learned about the area’s traditional fishing industry, and ate lunch in hole-in-the-wall cafes. Again, the fish was all local catch. Not a bad meal to be had.

Whale watching tours, anyone? No ticket required. Just go for a walk along the ocean, and they swim past. Once again, the puffins were elsewhere.

Bolungarvik

Bolafjall

Sauoanes

Westfjords Fishing Heritage

Flateyri

Suoureyri

Saying Good-Bye

After one last fish dinner, we began the long drive back to Reykjavik.

Our first scenic stop was at Kambsnes, overlooking the town of Suoavik. A little further along, we stopped to watch a group of seals lounging and frolicking.

The road followed the shoreline along five successive fjords – a hundred miles’ drive for a net distance travelled of about 40 miles. Then it went over the mountains in classic Icelandic highway form – more steep road. And on we went.

After five days in the Outlands, Reykjavik seemed like the big city it is. We paused for a relaxing soak at the Blue Lagoon hot springs, then headed to our airport hotel. And then, we headed for Norway.

Coming Soon – on to Norway