Highlights: 
Grímsey is an island off the north coast of Iceland, nestled across the Arctic Circle. It is therefore the only part of Iceland that is truly in the Arctic, and many visitors come to have their passport stamped in recognition of its high latitude.
It is part of the Akureyri municipality, with a population of approximately 100 people living in the one settlement, called Sandvík.
Culture
Grímsey’s economy has always been inherently linked to commercial fishing. The island boasts a recently renovated harbour and fertile fishing grounds.
Recently, the economy has diversified with the advent of tourism to the island, thus today, visitors will find Grímsey well equipped with modern amenities. This includes guesthouses, cafes and even an airport, which connects to the one at Akureyri.
Residents also have the necessary amenities to flourish, with a school and community centre.
There is a small, wooden church on Grímsey (albeit, within the parish of Akureyri) that is of significant historical interest. An older church had once been constructed in the 11th century by the Icelandic Catholic bishop, Jón Ögmundsson, which was lost to time. The newer church was built in 1867 from driftwood that had washed ashore. The church was renovated in 1932 and displays a local, century-old imitation of a Leonardo Da Vinci painting.
Grímsey also has a famous monument marking the edge of the Arctic Circle: an eight-tonne sphere of stone. The shape was designed to represent the rolling movements of the true Arctic circle, as a rooted monument would not be able to move along with its true location.
As a side note, the boulder may soon have to enter the seas to the north, as the Arctic Circle is moving away from Grímsey. It is expected that by the middle of the 20th Century, it will no longer be considered Arctic territory.
Nature on Grímsey
The island’s biggest attraction is its wealth of birdlife; millions from dozens of species make Grímsey their home.
Their numbers are so prevalent here for several reasons. First, the arctic seas around the island have plenty of fish, meaning the birds have plenty to eat. Secondly, hunting the birds and the collection of eggs have also been minimised in the last half century (although the traditions do still continue.
Finally, there are no mice, mink or rats, meaning the eggs can lay safely in the low grass. In other parts of Iceland, these invasive species have caused stagnation and even depletion of some bird populations, who before their introduction only had to contend with Arctic Foxes.
Most travellers largely come to see the Atlantic Puffins that nest on the island, but there are wide range of other species, including Black-Legged Kittiwakes, Auks, Razorbills, Thick-Billed Murre and Northern Fulmar. The list goes on.
The best season for birdwatchers to visit Grímsey is between May and September. Outside of the warmest months, the birds beginning migrating for warmer climates.
Other places in Iceland popular for birdwatchers include Látrabjarg, Lake Mývatn and Dyrhólaey.
Getting There
There are a number of ways to visit Grímsey Island. Flights run from Akureyri, and there are ferry services to the island three times a week.
Eyjafjörður is a fjord in North Iceland, over 70 kilometres (47 miles) in length from the mouth to the bottom of the fjord.
Features of Eyjafjörður
There are high mountains on both sides, the highest being Kerling at 1538 metres (5046 feet).
The capital of the North, Akureyri (ca. 18,000 inhabitants), lies at the bottom of the fjord. There is a wealth of culture in the town, with many museums, galleries, and the world’s northernmost botanical gardens.
Five smaller fishing villages scatter the shores, and there are many farms inland. Agriculture, fisheries and tourism are the driving industries of the fjord’s economy.
Wildlife in Eyjafjörður
Eyjafjörður has a wealth of wildlife due to its fertile waters. As such, it is one of the best places in the country for whale watching and puffin watching.
Throughout summer, whale-watching tour operators often boast one hundred percent sightseeing rates. The most common species are Humpbacks, White Beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises, but Orcas, Blue and Fin Whales are often spotted too.
Puffins nest on the islands of Eyjafjörður throughout the summer months, and many boat tours go out to see them shuffling on the rocks, flying overhead and fishing in the waters.
In Eyjafordur in North Iceland there lies an island of around 200 people, called Hrisey, widely hailed as 'The Pearl of Eyjafjordur'. The beauty and tranquility of Hrisey, along with its interesting history and culture, the hospitality of the locals, rich birdlife and a fantastic view of the fjord and its mountains have made the island an essential stop for travelers.
History & Culture
Hrisey has been inhabited since the age of settlement and is mentioned as early as in Landnamabok and the Saga of Viga-Glumur. From early on there‘d be fishing and trade from the island and in the 19th century Norwegians and Swedes set up a herring salting factory there. The locals soon followed suit and developed their own herring industry, reaching its greatest hights between 1930 and 1950.
Overfishing in Icelandic waters led to a steep decline in the fishing industry in the 1960s, and the last fish freezing plant on Hrisey, owned by the Eyjafjordur Co-operative Society, closed in 1999. Today the locals mainly make their living through fishing and tourism.
Among the many beautiful houses in Hrisey is the house of Shark-Jorundur, built in 1885-6, which features an exhibition on shark hunting in Iceland, which reached its peak in the 19th century. This was an industry that was extremely hazardous and claimed many lives but could be highly profitable, as shark liver oil was used for street lighting until petrol took over.
At the house of Alda Halldorsdottir, built in 1913, locals are setting up a regional museum. An old fishing station has been turned into a handworks gallery, Galleri Perla, showcasing women‘s handwork, such as knitting products, handmade candles, paintings, artefacts made from seashells, souvenirs and more. Nature lovers should also check out the birdhouse and the lighthouse, which offers a fantastic view of the area.
Nature
The island itself is around 7 km long and 2,5 km wide. It is rather flat, 110 meters above sea level at its highest. The island is comprised of basalt and its upper lair of moraine (unconslidated glacier debris, soil and rock) and it is well vegitated. Among the many plants found on the island are wooly willow, tea-leaved willow, common juniper and dwarf birch.
There‘s geothermal heat and hot water supply on the island as well and at the seashore there‘s a pool with a heat of 60°C. It becomes submeged with sea water during flood.
As noted, the island is a haven for birds and more than 40 species may be found here. Most abundant are ptarmigans, but Hrisey also has the largest breeding colony of arctic terns in Europe and many types of moorland birds are prominent on the island as well.
Transport & Services
To reach the island, you‘ll need to take the ferry Saevar from the village Arskogssandur, on the west coast in Eyjafjordur. The ferry goes hourly in summertime and the journey takes around 20 minutes. A bus goes from Akureyri to the village. The drive takes around 30 minutes.
Hrisey offers good services, and along with the museums, gallery and lighthouse it has a bank, a restaurant, a shop and a post office, along with the aforrmentioned natural hot spring pool, ideal for a cozy bath. Good accommodation can be had at Hotel Brekka. Last but not least is the easy access to the stunning nature, ample opportunites for birdwatching and great walking trails around the island, where you can enjoy the peace and beauty of the Pearl of Eyjafjordur.
Lore
According to legend, it was here in the 18th century that the sorcerer Thorgeir Stefansson, 'Galdra-Geiri' conjured one of the most horrible and monstrous ghost in Iceland, Thorgeirsboli. It‘s said that the ghost was created by flaying a calf so it dragged its hide by its tail, and was given the elements of man, cat, dog, air, bird, mouse and two sea creatures, the monster was thus being able to take on all these forms. Other accounts claim that the monster came to be as the sorcerer placed a dog‘s leg inside the head of a flayed calf and recited evil poetry over it. The ghost was first conjured to haunt a woman who had spurned the sorcerer in love. It would then grow ever stronger and harder to contain and is said to have followed its creator‘s family for long after, not necessarily in their best interest either. Some believe Thorgeirsboli may still be out there somewhere, dragging his bloody hide behind him and giving out an earth-shattering and hellish moo...
Credit: Wikimedia, Creative Commons. Photo by Michal Gorski.
Ólafsfjörður is a town in North Iceland with a population of approximately 785 people.
The town is located in a fjord of the same name. Together with the town of Siglufjörður, Ólafsfjörður forms the larger municipality of Fjallabyggð.
History
Ólafsfjörður started to form at the end of the 19th Century, before growing around its harbour during the golden days of bountiful herring fishing in the area in the 1940s and 1950s. Today, the herring is gone, but fishing still makes up the town’s main industry, along with services related to tourism.
Activities
The town boasts numerous sporting groups, respectively dedicated to golfing, horse riding, skiing, shooting and snowmobiling. Skiers can make their way to Tindaöxl, where there is a lift that can take you up the slopes of the mountain above the town. Within Ólafsfjörður, there is also a geothermal swimming pool that is open all year round.
Tröllaskagi is a dramatic peninsula in north Iceland, renowned for its enormous mountains and high population of Icelandic horses.
Geography of Tröllaskagi
Outside of the Highlands, Tröllaskagi has the tallest mountains in Iceland, many exceeding 1,000 metres (3281 ft) in height. The tallest here is Mount Kerling, which is over 1,500 metres (4921 ft) tall.
In spite of its elevation, the permanent glaciers on the peaks are miniscule compared to even average Icelandic ice caps.
Many valleys and bays were carved at the end of the last ice age, meaning the region is home to many rivers and waterfalls.
What to do on the Tröllaskagi Peninsula
The Tröllaskagi Peninsula lies to the west of Eyjafjorður, the fjord in which the ‘capital of the North’, Akureyri, is nestled, and to the east of Skagafjörður. In spite of its tall mountains, its lowland regions have quite a high population, due to excellent fishing and surprisingly fertile lands.
Most farms are horse-farms, and riding is a popular activity in the area. Icelandic horses are a unique breed, known for being smaller than others, but also more intelligent, curious and sturdy. They also have their own unique gait, the tölt, making them a favourite amongst equestrians.
Though only at the base of the peninsula, Akureyri is the most popular town in the area. It has a wealth of museums and galleries, excellent opportunities for whale-watching and other tours, and is close to highlights of the north such as Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss waterfall.
Besides the Capital of the North, the most popular towns on it for visitors are Hofsós and Siglufjörður.
Hofsós is most renowned for its Infinity Pool, an outdoor swimming pool with unbelievable views over the fjord and ocean. Those who have a walk along the cliffs here will also note some beautiful basalt rock formations.
Siglufjörður, meanwhile, is best known for it Herring Era Museum. This museum has won an international award, and discusses how fisheries sustained the Icelandic populous in such tough conditions before the country’s development.
