West Iceland

Society -- nature -- trips by sea
West Iceland has many communities, varying in character. Rural areas depend on farming of different types, while coastal villages prosper through fisheries. In combination with these basic economic sectors, trade, industry and the services play an important role, with some villages living almost exclusively on service to nearby farming communities. Society is influenced by the type of work practised, which lends each town a personality of its own. In the same way, the nature of this region is full of contrasts: deep fjords, sky-high mountains, stretches of barren gravel and rock, green hayfields, woodlands, sandy beaches, lines of cliffs, grassy islands, blue lakes and clear rivers. Beauty is everywhere, and at most spots absolute peace. Travellers in West Iceland will find no lack of sights, relaxation, entertainment or outdoor activities to choose from. Examples of the offerings include swimming, golf, hikes, tours on horseback, watching birds or observing nature, salmon and trout fishing, and boat rides to islands, to mention just a few possibilities. We welcome you to our unpolluted nature and to a society which honours the art of living, pleasure and travel.

Hvalfjörður
Nestling at the foot of high mountains, the prospering rural community around Hvalfjörður contains scenes from the tragic saga of the Hólmverjar and Helga Haraldsdóttir. The visitor will love the opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including Glymur waterfall, Iceland's highest, and mountains particularly challenging to hikers. Named after the waterfall, Hotel Glymur offers a tour through sites of ancient lore and places related to elves and the hidden people. The Second World War has left interesting ruins from the British and American naval stations in the innermost parts of the fjord, which also present what is left of Iceland's last whaling station. A number of farms provide tourist services, for instance Bjarteyjarsandur, which rents vacation cottages and lets its guests enter the sheep barns and feed the animals. The shoreline has abundant birdlife, besides some blue mussels, and reefs provide resting places for seals. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy a long stop and find comfortable accommodation in Hvalfjörður.

Akranes
Akranes's very own mountain, Akrafjall, provides not only shelter but an attraction for the tourist. The climb is fairly easy, while the view from the top is fantastic: south to Reykjavík, north to enchanting Borgarfjörður, and oceanwards a wide span of blue-green waters. Within convenient distance of the capital, Akranes has a great deal to offer, whether people wish to shop or be outdoors. The swimming facilities are top-notch, football fields serve both adults and children, and any golfer will want to try his or her skills on the 18-hole course. Not far away, the thriving Garðalundur woods afford a quiet enclave. Having long achieved domestic renown, the cluster of museums at Garðar contains not only a fishing boat especially related to Akranes but also five museums, making it a must for anyone desiring to learn about history and culture or geology and nature. The beach of Langisandur is treasured as an outdoor paradise, and birds are frequent along the entire coastline.

Borgarfjörður and environs
One of Iceland's most prosperous regions is that above Borgarfjörður. The village of Borgarnes has interesting attractions and good facilities for swimming and other outdoor activities. Hvanneyri is a centre of agricultural education and museums about farming. The valley in which Reykholt lies is a centre of culture, horses and geothermal energy. Deildartunguhver is the hot spring with the greatest flow in Europe, and Reykholt itself is where Snorri Sturluson wrote the Heimskringla in the 13th century. Farther towards the glaciers, Húsafell offers a variety of recreational opportunities to tourists, who also visit one of Iceland's prettiest sights at Hraunfossar, where clean spring water descends in exquisite waterfalls from the lava field to the river. A bridge just upstream crosses to the lava field just below the rocky river formations at Barnafoss. Besides Iceland's best-known lava cave, Surtshellir, which is 1600 m long, Víðgelmir cave farther toward the sea is also remarkable. The deserted highland area to the north, Arnarvatnsheiði, consists of lava flows from the Ice Age, often overlying deposits of tuff, and has a wide variety of birdlife. The highland lakes, fabled for being uncountable, are very popular among fishermen.

Snæfellsnes
On the Snæfellsnes peninsula, one appreciates the beauty of nature and its magical power, as every step leads past scenes of legend. Bird calls and mineral springs contribute to the area image; nor will anyone forget the ravishing colours and geological formations in Snæfellsjökull National Park. All of the best conditions for outdoor recreation are to hand. Arnarstapi, with its sea cliffs and magnificent bird life, also offers trips onto the glacier-capped volcano. At the old fishery station of Hellnar, the shore passes on a feeling for past generations and their lore, so that the elves in the rocks and stories of spirits acquire a new force. The beaches of Löngufjörur, right below Eldborg crater, are Iceland's most spectacular stretch for horse-riding. Djúpalón, at the west end of the peninsula, still has the stones with which those coming there to fish in past times tested their strength. One of the area's principal fishing outposts, Dritvík, is a short stroll away. History is also recollected on the route from Beruvík to Öndverðarnes, beside the sea cliffs named Svörtuloft. Along the north shores of Snæfellsnes, five different villages provide services in an attractive environment.

Breiðafjörður Islands
Iceland's greatest archipelago is in Breiðafjörður, where the islands are considered one of the country's three uncountable natural phenomena. Previously, many islands were settled, with year-round settlement still remaining on Flatey. Flatey was one of Iceland's cultural centres around the mid-19th century, and maintains the nation's oldest specially-built library. The variety and number of birds in the Breiðafjörður Islands is astounding, and seals, eggs and down provided important resources in former times. Travellers find the beautiful landscape here unique enough never to forget their journeys among the islands. Various sightseeing trips leave from Stykkishólmur and even allow for using accommodation on some of the deserted islands. Departing from Ólafsvík, whale-watching excursions head for the dark-blue ocean to approach whales spouting and playing in unspoiled nature. What could indeed be more glorious than the sight of such gigantic mammals rising to breathe and slapping the waves?

Dalir, area east of Breiðafjörður
Called Dalir, the area along Breiðafjörður's east coast is a flourishing agricultural province, famous for its majestic nature and calm beauty. Eric the Red, who settled in Greenland and pioneered navigation to North America, lived at Eiríksstaðir, where his farmstead has been rebuilt to give tourists a chance to see the conditions of life during the early centuries of Icelandic settlement. Tourists can obtain various services at Búðardalur, while Laugar in Sælingsdalur offers the Dales Folk Museum, a hotel, a swimming pool and hot tubs. The trip out to Fellsströnd and Skarðsströnd, on the peninsula west of Laugar, has no equal, with the fabulous view of the sea and the innumerable islands. Famous 15th-century historical personages lived at Skarð, while the lush grassland of Saurbær provides some of the prettiest sights in the county of Dalir and is perfect for walking and sightseeing. One road from Saurbær leads west along Gilsfjörður towards Reykhólar, while another passes over Steinadalsheiði to Kollafjörður on the eastern coast of the West Fjords.

Snæfellsjökull National Park
The westernmost part of Snæfellsnes, referred to as "under the glacier", is reputed for its unique society, natural beauty and varied birdlife. Moreover, it enjoys the shield of the ancient volcano Snæfellsjökull, which is crowned by one of Iceland's most symmetric glaciers and considered one of the earth's most powerful centres of spiritual energy. Such magnificent nature, in addition to noteworthy historical remains, led to the mountain and the terrain west of it being declared a national park on 28 June 2001. Snæfellsjökull National Park is the country's first national park to extend to the sea, and has, within Iceland, the unique status of proximity to the ocean along with a colourful interplay of society and nature. The objectives of operating this national park are not only to protect nature insofar as possible but also to improve the options for visitors who want to travel through the area and acquaint themselves with the natural treasures existing there. In the summertime, rangers work on education, information, inspection and maintenance. As the property of the Icelandic nation, Snæfellsjökull National Park is open to everybody, in keeping with the rules in effect for the park. Although there are no campgrounds in the park, during the summer guided walks are scheduled several times a week.

Borgarfjörður -- home of flourishing universities
Two thriving, specialised universities, the Bifröst School of Business and Hvanneyri Agricultural University, are operated in Borgarfjörður, in the midst of a beautiful, pleasant environment. Their fields of knowledge contrast, since one works in sociological, economic, legal and commercial areas, and the other in broad areas of agriculture and the natural sciences. Nonetheless, both share the characteristics of growing rapidly and adapting their activities to fresh initiatives and innovation in instruction and research.

Hvanneyri Agricultural University
The utilisation and protection of natural land resources is the main subject addressed by Hvanneyri Agricultural University. The school offers three university-level programmes (BSc and MSc), as well as vocational or applied training in seven programmes. As a centre of university education, the location of Hvanneyri has developed into a dynamic academic village. You can find out more about Hvanneyri Agricultural University at its website, www.lbhi.is.

Bifröst School of Business
As Iceland's only university specialising in business studies, the Bifröst School of Business has the mission of preparing its students for positions of responsibility, leadership and management in today's competitive domestic and international environment. The campus provides students and their families with the opportunity of living and working in the inviting surroundings of Borgarfjörður, at a convenient distance from Iceland's capital. See the website, www.bifrost.is, for more particulars on the Bifröst School of Business.