North Iceland - Iceland - page 456

A couple of museums and an unusual modern church - the underwhelming service town
Blönduós is about as simple as that. There isn't much to woo you off the road, but it's an
OK place to break the journey and refuel. Overnight options are uninspiring.
The churning Blanda river divides the town in half. The N1 station marks the northern
entrance (its grill bar is the liveliest place in town).
Sights & Activities
Textile Museum MUSEUM
(Heimilisiðnaðarsafnið; www.textile.is ; Árbraut 29;adult/child Ikr900/free; 10am-5pm Jun-Aug)
Set in a head-turning modern building on the north bank of the Blanda River, this small
museum displays local handicrafts, painstakingly intricate embroideries and early Iceland-
ic costumes.
Sea Ice Exhibition Centre MUSEUM
(Hafíssetrið; www.blonduos.is/hafis ; Blöndubyggð 2;adult/child Ikr500/free; 11am-5pm Jun-Aug)
Housed in a 1733 merchant's house, the centre's small but informative exhibits look at the
formation and types of sea ice, weather patterns and early Icelandic settlers. You'll also
come face to face with the polar bear that visited the region during the summer of 2008 (as
with all infrequent polar-bear arrivals on Icelandic shores, she was shot).
Sleeping & Eating
Glaðheimar CAMPGROUND, COTTAGES
( 820 1300; www.gladheimar.is ;camping per person Ikr1200, cottages Ikr21,000)
In a lovely setting near the river, Glaðheimar has camping and an assortment of self- con-
tained cottages sleeping up to six people (larger cottages have the bonus of a hot tub, a few
also have sauna). Linen costs extra. There are also sleeping-bag beds available (from
Ikr6000). The reception building doubles as the town's tourist information centre .
Samkaup-Úrval SUPERMARKET
(Húnabraut 4; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 1-5pm Sun)