Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 843 1880;
www.urdartindur.is
;
near Norðurfjörður, Strandir Coast)
With advance notice, an Urðartindur boat can be chartered from Norðurfjörður on the
Strandir Coast to Drangar, Reykjarfjörður, Þaralátursfjörður/Furufjörður, Bolungarvík (in
Hornstrandir, not the town of the same name west of Ísafjörður) and Látravík/Hornbjargs-
viti.
HIKING
It is possible to hike into the reserve from Norðurfjörður on the Strandir Coast. It'll take
three days to reach Reykjarfjörður hut; and Bolungarvík hut is one more day beyond that.
On days one and two you can wild-camp at Ófeigsfjörður and Drangar.
There's a trail from Grunnavík as well.
STRANDIR COAST
Sparsely populated, magnificently peaceful and all but deserted by travellers, the Westf-
jords' eastern spine is one of the most dramatic places in all of Iceland. Indented by a
series of bristlelike fjords and lined with towering crags, the drive north of Hólmavík, the
region's only sizeable settlement, is rough, wild and incredibly rewarding. The end of the
line in Iceland, Strandir was thought to be the home of the island's great, persecuted, sor-
cerers. South of here, gently rolling hills stretch along the isolated coastline as far as
Staðarskáli, where the sudden rush of traffic tells you that you've returned to the Ring
Road and the travelling masses.
There are buses as far as Hólmavík, but you'll need your own vehicle and a sense of ad-
venture to get further.
Staðarskáli to Hólmavík
Although lacking the natural drama on show further north, the long drive along Rte 68
from Staðarskáli (formerly Brú) to Hólmavík is pleasantly pastoral, with rolling hills dot-
ted by small farmhouses and lonely churches, alongside the vast fjords.
The small
Sheep Farming Museum
(Sauðfjársetur á Ströndum; 451 3324;
www.strandir.is/saudfjarsetur
;
adult/child Ikr800/free; 10am-6pm Jun-Aug)
, 12km south of
Hólmavík, details the region's farming history through photos and artefacts. Chessboards
