Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Campsite
T
470 9000.
North from the roundabout at
Reyðarfjörður's western boundary, and in a pleasant
location right next to a “duck pond” (actual
ly a small
ll lake),
with toilets, showers and mountain views.
1000kr
Fjarðahótel
Búðareyri
T
474 1600,
W
jardarhotel.is.
Tidy, modern operation opposite the bank with en suite
doubles featuring wooden flooring, TV and wi-fi; it's small,
but the atmosphere is somewhere betw
een a mote
l and
conference centre. Rate includes breakfast.
20,000kr
Ì
Hjá Marlín IYHA
Vallargerð 9 and 14
T
892 0336,
W
hostel.is.
exceptionally friendly staff, set in a couple of restored older
buildings; there's a kitchen, barbeque area, lounge and
sau
na, plus
a popular café
open thr
ough the day. Sleeping
bag
3800kr
; made-up bed
5600kr
Ì
Tærgesen
Hafnargata
T
892 9136,
W
taergesen
.is.
Hotel and grill restaurant, down past the church near
the water in a former dockside storehouse, built in 1870.
The whole building is wood; timber panelling and low
ceilings means rooms - all with shared bathrooms - are
cosy, if on
the small side. Rates include a hearty breakfast.
13,000kr
Clean,
well-equipped
hostel
with
Eskijörður
Set in its own mini-fjord 15km east of Reyðarfjörður,
ESKIFJÖRÐUR
reeks of fish and
revels in fishing, managing to maintain a busy fleet despite the fact that most other
East Fjord towns have fallen on hard times. Road junctions are marked by huge
propellers and anchors salvaged from trawlers; the fishing fleet is either clogging up the
harbour or out on business somewhere between Finland and Ireland; and the town's
centre is focused around a huge
fish-freezing plant
, whose walls are covered in bright
piscatorially themed murals.
Looking spread out from a distance, Eskifjörður's centre is very compact, with most
services along waterfront Strandgata, whose eastern end winds uphill and out of town
as Norðjarðavegur.
7
Sjóminjasafn
Strandgata 39 • June-Aug daily 1-5pm • 1000kr
Across from the freezing plant you'll find
Sjóminjasafn
, the East Iceland Maritime
Museum, atmospherically housed in an early nineteenth-century warehouse made of
dark, creosoted timber. Along with a diorama of the town a century ago, it's full of
photos and seafaring memorabilia - a skiff, models of bigger boats (including a Viking
longship), nets, and bits and pieces from the sea.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
ESKIFJÖRÐUR
By bus
The bus stop is on Strandgata.
Destinations
Egilsstaðir (11 weekly; 45min);
Neskaupstaður (11 weekly; 25min); Reyðarfjörður (11
weekly; 15min).
Services
The post o
ce, bank and the supermarket
(Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm) lie either side of the
freezing plant of Strandgata. The modern swimming pool
(Mon-Fri 6.30am-9pm, Sat & Sun 10am-6pm) is at the
western entrance to town, and has a waterslide and sauna.
Tours
Tanni Travel, Strandgata 14 (
T
476 1399,
W
tannitravel.is), offers day tours around the locality,
taking in the Maritime Museum, Helgustaðanáman mine
(source of Iceland spar, used in scientific equipment) and
waterfalls, plus a taster of fermented shark with a
brennevin
shot to calm you down afterwards. They can also
arrange transfers to/from Snæfell (see p.280).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Campsite
Strandgata 2 (no phone).
On the western side
of town, near the church and screened by bushes, there's
not really much to the site, though it has the usual
amenities and a small chi
ldren's p
layground, and is only a
short walk from the pool.
1000kr
Guesthouse Askja
Strandgata
T
477 1247,
W
hotelaskja.is.
Low, long aluminium-clad building on
the waterfront at the eastern end of town. The bright, two-
storey interior has an open-plan lounge and TV room
upstairs, kitchen and dining room downstairs. R
ooms are
straightf
orward an
d bathrooms are shared. Dorm
5100kr
;
doubles
13,300kr
Ka
húsið
Strandgata 10
T
476 1150,
W
ka
husid.is.
Family-run guesthouse whose clean, comfortable, no-frills
