Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Djúpidalur to Vatnsfjörður
The 128km of stunningly desolate fjords between Þorskafjörður and Vatnsfjörður offer re-
mote Iceland at its best. Look for eagles and relish the solitude. At the time of research, the
finishing touches were just going in on paving the road from Kollafjörður to Vatnsfjörður,
including a couple of causeways that bridge the fjords. The unpaved road from Þor-
skafjörður to Kollafjörður will remain rough (but open to 2WDs).
The Djúpidalur geothermal field lies 20km west of Bjarkalundur, on remote Djúpi-
al@simnet.is
;dm Ikr6000; year-round)
, on a sheep farm, has the fjord to itself, and offers an
indoor
geothermal swimming pool
(adult/child Ikr400/100; 8am-11pm)
that's open to
the public, plus good accommodation. Sleeping bag accommodation costs Ikr4000.
Flókalundur
Flókalundur, the junction between the road up to Arnarfjörður and Ísafjörður, and the
bumpy Rte 62 to the southwestern peninsulas, sits at the head of Vatnsfjörður. The two-
house encampment at Flókalundur was named after the Viking explorer Hrafna-Flóki Vil-
gerðarson, who gave Iceland its name in AD 860.
Today, the most interesting thing in the area is the
Vatnsfjörður Nature Reserve
, estab-
lished to protect the area around Lake Vatnsdalsvatn, a nesting site for harlequin ducks and
great northern divers (loons). Various
hiking trails
run around the lake and into the hills
beyond.
Pick up a Vatnsfjörður hiking brochure at
Hótel Flókalundur
( 456 2011;
www.flokalundur.is
;sites per person Ikr1200, s/d incl breakfast Ikr16,700/21,600; mid-May-mid-
Sep; )
, a recently updated bungalow-style hotel with small tidy wood-panelled rooms
with renovated bathrooms. The solid
restaurant
(mains Ikr1690-4800; 11am-2pm &
6-10pm)
serves Icelandic basics and burgers and has plate glass windows overlooking the
fjord. There's camping too.
The natural hot-pot
Hellulaug
lies about 500m from Hótel Flókalundur, off Rte 62 and
in among the rocks near the seashore. At high tide, do as the locals do and jump in the fri-
gid sea, then run back to the pool to warm up (38°C).
