Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Vatnsjörður Nature Reserve
Staff at the
Flókalundur
hotel can fill you in on the surrounding
Vatnsjörður Nature
Reserve
, which spreads northeast from here and provides endless
hiking
opportunities
- one easy trail (8km; 2-3hr) begins at a lake some 5km east along the main road and
leads along the eastern shore of
Vatndalsvatn
, a lake known for its rich birdlife and a
favourite nesting spot for the dramatically coloured harlequin duck, and the
red-throated and great northern diver. Don't attempt to cross the Vatnsdalsá at the
head of the lake in order to return down the western shore, since the river is very wide
and fast flowing; instead, retrace your steps.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
FLÓKALUNDUR
Flókalundur
T
456 2011,
W
flokalundur.is.
This hotel
excels in terms of views but leaves something to be desired
when it comes to rooms - all are functional and a little on
the small side. The restaurant is nothing special, but it does
serve up burgers from 1590kr, pizzas 2350kr plus and fish
dishes around 2500kr) and is useful for a break on the long
journey in and out of the West Fjords. The adjacent campsite,
also run by the hotel, has running water and toilet facilities.
Restaurant open
daily 11a
m-8pm
; closed m
id-Sept to
mid-May.
Camping
1100kr
; doubles
16,100kr
Brjánslækur
Barely 7km west of Flókalundur on Route 62,
BRJÁNSLÆKUR
is essentially just the
jetty for
ferries to Stykkishólmur
via Flatey (see p.171 for schedules), though there
is a snack-bar-cum-ticket-office in the small wooden building on the main road by
the jetty.
4
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
BRJÁNSLÆKUR
By bus
Long-distance buses connect three times a week
(June-Aug only) with ferries, then head back along Route
60 to Ísafjörður, or continue westwards to Patreksfjörður
and Látrabjarg on the southwestern peninsula.
Destinations
Ísafjörður (3 weekly; 2hr); Látrabjarg
(3 weekly; 2hr).
By ferry
The Seatours ferry (
T
433 2354,
W
seatours.is)
sails from Brjánslækur for Flatey (1-2 daily; 1hr 15min;
2815kr one-way) and Stykkishólmur (1-2 daily; 3hr;
4950kr one-way)
The southwestern peninsula
From its mountain-top junction with Route 60 by Lónfell, Route 63 descends towards
Trostansfjörður, one of the four baby fjords which make up the
Suðurfirðir
, the
southern fjords, forming the southwestern corner of
Arnarjörður
. This section of the
road is in very poor condition and features some alarmingly large potholes and ruts.
Unusually for the West Fjords, three fishing villages are found within close proximity
to one another here - barely 30km separates the uneventful port of
Bíldudalur
from its
neighbours, identical
Tálknafjörður,
, and the larger
Patreksjörður
, a commercial centre
for the surrounding farms and smaller villages. However, it's the
Látrabjarg
cliffs, 60km
beyond Patreksfjörður to the west, that draw most visitors to this last peninsula of
rugged land. Here, in summer, thousands upon thousands of
seabirds
- including
guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins - nest in the cliff's nooks and crannies making for
one of the most spectacular sights anywhere in the region; and what's more, the cliffs
are easily accessible from nearby
Breiðavík
, an idyllic bay of aquamarine water backed
by white sand and dusky mountains.
GETTING AROUND THE SOUTHWEST PENINSULA
By bus
From June to August, the long-distance bus from
Ísafjörður continues on from the Brjánslækur ferry jetty to
Patreksfjörður, Breiðavík and Látravík, before terminating
at Látrabjarg. Around 2.5hrs later, it heads back along the
same route to Brjánslækur and then north to Ísafjörður.
