Magical Fjords & Mountains | 3-Day Hiking in East Iceland

East Iceland is a vast area of incredible natural beauty, striking contrasts and fascinating history and culture. It is home to the remote and beautiful East Fjords, many small fishing villages, and an array of wildlife.

Services in East Iceland

East Iceland has just a few settlements with significant services. The main one of these, considered to be the capital of the region, is Egilsstaðir.

Egilsstaðir has restaurants, museums, shops, petrol stations and an array of accommodation options to suit all budgets. It is also home to an airport, meaning those with limited time or without a driving licence can easily reach it from Reykjavík.

Seyðisfjörður is another settlement of significance, with services for travellers, and a ferry that goes to Scandinavia. Djúpivogur is another wonderful town that visitors can refresh themselves at.

East Iceland is home to the Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric power station, which provides many of the towns with energy. The construction of this has led to a hot debate on Iceland’s ecological footprint and continues to do so, considering that it provides fuel to a controversial aluminium smelter nearby.

Nature of East Iceland

East Iceland is characterised by many fjords, surrounded by steep mountains. Fishing villages can be found nestled in most of them.

Inland, however, is just as beautiful, with much of it being a fertile agricultural area. Woodlands of birch can be found here, the most famous being Hallormsstaðaskógur, the largest forest in Iceland.

By this forest, and the town of Egilsstaðir, is the lake Lagarfljót, said to conceal a terrible monster.

Many rivers run through the district, and by their estuaries, colonies of seals may be found. The fertile waters also provide food to whales and dolphins, which can infrequently be seen from shore.

The impressive mountain Snӕfell, Iceland's highest freestanding peak, can be found in the east. Near here is the highland oasis Eyjabakkar, one of the world's largest nesting places for the pink-footed goose.  

Reindeer roam the mountains of East Iceland, and this is the only place they can be found. Initially brought over for farming, the industry was never lucrative, and they have roamed free ever since.

Many migratory birds are found both inland and in the cliffs in summer, including the elusive puffin.

Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, stretches to the borders of East Iceland and can be seen across much of it.

Culture of East Iceland

Of particular cultural note in the Fljótsdalshérað district is the cultural and historical centre Skriðuklaustur. In the Middle Ages, a monastery stood here, making it the region’s religious centre. In the 20th century, Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson made it his home.

Gunnar wrote many masterpieces, including Aðventa, or The Good Shepherd, Svartfugl, or The Black Cliffs, Saga Borgaraettarinnar, or The Saga of the One-Eyed Guest, and the autobiographical novel cycle Fjallkirkjan, which has been translated under different names, such as The Church on the Mountain, Ships in the Sky and The Night and the Dream.

The culture of the East today is largely defined by festivals. Seyðisfjörður hosts the annual music festival LungA. The settlement of Neskaupsstaður also hosts two highly popular annual festivals, Neistaflug and Eistnaflug.

Borgarfjordur eystri is a fjord of about 130 people, located in East Iceland. It's main settlement is Bakkagerdi. The area is renowned for its natural beauty.

Sheep farming, fishing and fish work is the Bakkagerdi's main economy, as well as tourism, though this is only during the summer months. 

Hiking is highly popular in the area and many great routes are available, but the most notable hiking destination is beyond doubt Stórurð ("The Giant Boulders") and the mountain ring is also particularly attractive. South of the fjord rhyolite mountains dominate, but at the bottom of the fjord and to the north the mountains are of basalt. Birdwatching is also popular, as many puffins nest in the area. Elves are also said to reside there.

Johannes Kjarval, one of Iceland's greatest painters, grew up in the area and the town has a great exhibition of his work. For further artwork by Kjarval, we recommend Kjarvalssafn museum in Reykjavik. The altarpiece of Bakkagerdi church was also made by Kjarval.

Since 2005 the annual Braedslan music festival has been celebrated at Borgarfjordur Eystri in June, in an old herring factory. In 2010 the festival got the Eyrarros award for outstanding cultural achievement in the countryside. Notable musicans who've played there include Of Monsters and Men, Belle & Sebastian, Mugison, Emiliana Torrini and Damien Rice.

Credit: Wikimedia, Creative Commons. Photo by Marek Slusarczyk.

Njarðvík is a town located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwestern part of Iceland. 

The town is named after an estuary on the northern part of the Reykjanes Peninsula, east of the spit Miðnes. Njarðvík consists of two regions, called Innri Njarðvík and Ytri Njarðvík, or ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ Njarðvík. Subsequently, the locals often refer to the town in its plural form of "Njarðvíkur". The population of the town consists of approximately 4,400 people. 

History 

Njarðvík was formerly part of the municipality Vatnsleysustrandahreppur, but received independence in 1889. In 1908, the neighbouring town of Keflavík merged with Njarðvík to form Keflavíkurhreppur, but the residents of Njarðvík abandoned the merger in 1942 due to conflicts over electricity and fishing. Njarðvík received trading rights in 1967, and in 1994, it got conjoined with the towns of Keflavík and Hafnir to form the municipality of Reykjanesbær. 

The East Fjords of Iceland is a 120 kilometre (75 mile) long stretch of coastline from Berufjörður, in the south, to the small fishing village of Borgarfjörður Eystri, in the north.

Out of Iceland’s total population of 335,000 people, only an estimated 3.2% live in the East Fjords. Locally referred to as "Austurland," or "Austfirðir," the total area covers 22,721 square kilometres (8,773 square miles).

Often overlooked by visitors, the East Fjords represent the very best of what Iceland has to offer, with fantastical scenery, remote fishing villages, sparkling lakes, dense forests and traditional farms.

Boasting the sunniest weather in the country, as well as some of Iceland’s most well-known wildlife, this region is perhaps best known for its herds of wild reindeer, its breathtaking coastlines and its promise of tranquil solitude.

Papey

Papey (“Friar’s Island”) is an uninhabited island located off the east coast of Iceland. The island is approximately 2 square kilometres (0.8 square miles) with its highest point measuring 58 metres (190 feet) above sea level. Boat trips to Papey depart every summer from Djúpivogur.

The island is named after Gaelic monks (“The Papar”) who are thought to have inhabited the island long before the Norse settlement. What is known for sure is that Papey was lived upon from the 10th century until the year 1966, when the island’s residents finally moved to the mainland.

For centuries, Papey’s residents had supported themselves on fishing for shark, hunting seals and puffins, and tending to their farmsteads. In later years, the residents would also harvest down from Eider Ducks living on the island.

Today, visitors to Papey can enjoy the large puffin colonies that still live on the island, as well as the remnants of the former settlement; a lighthouse, church and weather station all still exist much as they did in 1966.

Seyðisfjörður

Those arriving in Iceland by ferry from mainland Europe or the Faroe Islands will make port at Seyðisfjörður, a town famous for its ornate wooden architecture, Scandinavian influence and historical herring-fishing industry. In fact, much of the timber used to develop Seyðisfjörður was shipped over by Norway ready-made in the 18th century.

Populated by around 700 people, Seyðisfjörður is surrounded by pounding waterfalls, flat-top mountains and serene hiking tails, complimented by gorgeous panoramas over the adjacent fjord. Other activities available from or near Seyðisfjörður include scuba diving, skiing, sea angling, paragliding and horseback riding; there is even a number of cultural exhibits including the Fjardarsel Power Plant Museum and the Skaftfell Centre for Visual Arts.

Other Attractions

The East Fjords are packed with fantastic cultural landmarks, such as Hallormsstaðarskógur, the country’s largest forest, found just on the eastern shore of Lake Lagarfljót. If you enjoy pleasant walks through nature, you could also visit the hiker’s paradise, Borgarfjörður Eystri, the supposed homes of elves’ and Iceland’s ‘hidden folk’.

Visitors could also enjoy the black sand beach off the charming fishing village of Breiddalsvik and take a trip to the longest and widest valley in Iceland, Breiðdalur.

For something a touch more relaxing, one could also take a soothing dip in the swimming pool at Selárlaug; the pool is surrounded by mountains and beautiful views over the fjord, making this one of the more authentic experiences available in the region.