Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BOAT TRIPS FROM STYKKISHÓLMUR
Stykkishólmur is an excellent place from which to take a
boat trip
out into the island-studded
waters of Breiðafjörður. Two companies operate from the harbour: the most exhilarating tour is
offered by Ocean Safari, Hafnargata 2 (
T
820 0350,
W
oceansafari.is) who use a speedy 12-seater
rigid
inflatable
which scuds across the water, getting up close to the islands and local birdlife.
The 2hr tour costs 8900kr, and there are three daily; you can also create your own itinerary.
Sæferðir
, Smiðjustígur 3 (
T
433 2254,
W
saeferdir.is), operates a larger catamaran and offer a
similar two-hour
nature-watching tour
, known as the Unique Adventure Tour (1-2 daily
mid-May to mid-Sept; 6690kr), which
also heads out to the dozens of tiny islands northeast of
Stykkishólmur. During the tour the crew fish for shellfish using a small drag net and everyone
on board gets a chance to taste the contents. On both tours you'll see plenty of species of birds
including pu
ns, eider ducks, kittiwakes, cormorants and, if you're lucky, the white-tailed eagle
and you'll pass close to the small and now uninhabited
Öxney
island, east of Stykkishólmur,
where Eirík the Red and his son, Leifur Eiríksson lived for several years (see box, p.160). Sæferðir
also operates the car ferry to Flatey (see p.170) and Brjánslækur in the West Fjords (see p.199).
3
museum also contains samples of the main rocks found in Iceland as well as ancient
stone artefacts discovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Don't leave without seeing the
fascinating English-language
film
(upstairs) which recounts Haraldur's expedition to
the Tambora volcano in Indonesia and his discovery of a buried village in the crater.
The museum is also the best place in Iceland to get to grips with the impact of the
2010
Eyjafjalljökull eruption
. A superb hour-long National Geographic film (also
shown upstairs) gives a comprehensive and easily understandable account of the
volcano's effect on local people as well as international airline flights; it also features an
informative interview with Haraldur.
The church
Borgarbraut • Daily June-Sept 10am-5pm • Free
The only other sight in town is the space-age-looking
church
, a ten-minute walk from the
harbour up on a rocky hill overlooking the town and with good views on a clear day out
towards the waters of Breiðafjörður. Although construction began in 1975, the church
wasn't consecrated until fifteen years later; its design includes a vast white ladder-like
bell-tower rearing up over the doorway and a semicircular domed rear roof. The interior
is equally unusual, lit by hundreds of light bulbs suspended from the ceiling.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
STYKKISHÓLMUR
By bus
Buses stop at the entrance to town by the filling
station at Aðalgata 25, which functions as the town's bus
station; from here, it's a 10min walk along Aðalgata into
town. For connections to and from Reykjavík, you change
buses at Vatnaleið, 15min west of Stykkishólmur.
Destinations
Grundarfjörður (1 daily; 30min); Hellissandur
(1 daily; 1hr 10min); Ólafsvík (1 daily; 1hr); Vatnaleið for
Reykjavík (1 daily; 15min).
4950kr single, plus 4950kr per car;
T
433 2254,
W
saeferdir
.is). Sailings are once daily year-round, and twice daily
between mid-June and mid-Aug.
By car
If you take the early ferry in summer, it's possible to
continue by bus (June-Aug Mon, Wed & Sat only) from
Brjánslækur to Patreksfjörður (see p.201) and the
Látrabjarg bird cliffs (see p.203); the journey is possible in
the opposite direction on the same days, using the late
sailing from Brjánslækur to Stykkishólmur. Similarly,
catching the later ferry from Stykkishólmur or the early one
from Brjánslækur allows you to continue by bus to
Ísafjörður (see p.183) or Reykjavík, respectively. Bus times
are at
W
bsi.is.
GETTING TO THE WEST FJORDS
By ferry
If you're heading to the
West Fjords, you'll cut out
a long and tedious detour around the coast by catching the
car ferry from Stykkishólmur harbour to Brjánslækur (3hr;
INFORMATION
Tourist information
There's an o
ce at Aðalgata 29
(June-Aug
W
stykkisholmur.is).
Services
Internet
facilities are available at the library
daily
8am-10pm;
T
438
8120,
