Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHEN THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW
The stretch of road from Akranes, particularly around Hafnarfjall, on the southern approach to
Borgarnes, is one of the most
hazardous
in the entire country. Totally exposed to the Atlantic,
it takes the full brunt of violent
storms
which drive in from the sea; not surprisingly, it closes
frequently during the winter months, as cars have been overturned here by the brute force of
the wind. In summer things are not quite so severe, but it is still an extremely windy spot.
Skallagrímsgarður
Borgarbraut • Open access • Free
The main drag,
Borgarbraut
, runs southwest down the peninsula from the highway
to the sea. About halfway along is
Skallagrímsgarður
, a small but pleasant park at the
junction with Skallagrímsgata. By the entrance on the left is the
burial mound
of one
of Iceland's earliest settlers,
Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson
, complete with horse, weapons
and various other Viking accoutrements. Originally just plain Grímur, he obtained
the first part of his name, Skalla (“bald”), because he lost all his hair at an early age.
Skallagrímur's son,
Egill
, is portrayed on the accompanying monument carrying
home the body of his own son, Böðvar, who drowned in the Hvitá river during a
storm: it was in Böðvar's memory that Egill composed his great poem,
Sonatorrek
(see box, p.151).
3
Landnámssetur Íslands
Brákarbraut 13-15 • Daily: June-Aug 10am-9pm; Sept-May 11am-5pm • 1800kr per section, combined ticket 2400kr •
W
landnam.is
There are a couple of museums in Borganes, but by far the best is the modern,
well-designed
Landnámssetur Íslands
(Settlement Centre of Iceland), down at the far
end of Borgarbraut. The museum is in two parts, for each of which you can pay
separately and are given an informative audioguide, complete with superb sound
effects, which leads you around the exhibits and accompanying video displays. The
first
section
uses interactive models (such as the swaying prow of a Viking longship which
you can ride) and audiovisual displays to give an idea of what Iceland's first 400-odd
settlers would have found, and where they chose to locate their farms when they
arrived to carve up the country between them during the Settlement period (about
870-930). But for sheer gothic atmosphere you can't beat the
second exhibition
, in the
basement, that illustrates
Egill's Saga
, with surreal and often nightmarish figurines,
woodcarvings and lighting portraying Egill's violent life - look out for his werewolf
grandfather lurking in the shadows, and the misshapen skull with Paget's Disease
towards the exit - it's thought Egill may have suffered from this abnormal condition
which causes bones to become hardened and ridged like a scallop shell.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
BORGARNES
By bus
All buses pull up in Brúartorg, next to the highway
and adjacent to the filling stations.
Destinations
Bifröst (3 daily; 30min); Búðardalur
(5 weekly; 1hr 35min); Grundarfjörður (2 daily; 1hr 25min);
Hellissandur (2 daily; 2hr); Hólmavík (3 weekly; 1hr
50min); Ólafsvík (2 daily; 1hr 50min); Reykholt (2 weekly;
50min); Reykjavík (5 daily; 1hr); Vatnaheið (for
Stykkishólmur) (2 daily; 1hr 10min).
Tourist information
The town's o
ce is at Borgarbraut
58-60 (June-Aug Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm,
Sun noon-4pm; Sept-May Mon-Fri 10am-6pm;
T
437
2214,
W
westiceland.is), inside the Hyrnutorg shopping
centre. Staff here are a mine of information about west
Iceland, sell maps and books about the region, and can
provide internet access.
Services
The Hyrnutorg shopping centre, Borgarbraut
58-60, has an ATM, a clutch of supermarkets, the
vínbúð
(Mon-Thurs 11am-6pm, Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-4pm),
pharmacy (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm) and the
post o
ce (Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm). Borgarnes' excellent
open-air swimming pool and sports centre (Mon-Fri
6.30am-10pm, Sat & Sun 9am-6pm;
T
437 1444) at
Þorsteinsgata 1, a continuation of Skallagrímsgata, is right
by the water's edge with great views of the fjord and the
surrounding hills; there are also a couple of hot pots here, a
waterslide, a steam room and a sauna.
