Guide de Voyage : Gleðivík

Gleðivík, or Merry Bay, is the name of the coastline just outside the town of Djúpivogur in East Iceland.

Learn more about this area on a tour of the Eastfjords in Iceland.

Photo above from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Ira Goldstein. No edits made.

Gleðivík is best known for its artwork ‘the Eggs of Merry Bay’, or ‘Eggin í Gleðivík’. By the shore, there are larger-than-life granite replicas of the eggs of the 34 species of bird that nest in the area, all mounted on pedestals with a plaque telling what species the sculpture represents. This piece was installed in 2009 and created by Icelandic photographer and artist Sigurður Guðmundsson. It sits 900 metres from the town of Djúpivogur.

Examples of the birds found in the area include the Common Eider, Black-Tailed Godwit and Little Auk. The replica of the egg of the Red-Throated Diver, locally called a Lómur, is larger than the rest, as this bird is the symbol of Djúpivogur. The eggs of Gleðivík were actually constructed in China, where Sigurður Guðmundsson and his family live part-time.

Djúpivogur is considered to be somewhat of a cultural hub in east Iceland, with Eggin í Gleðivík being one of the major artistic attractions. The town also boasts an old lighthouse and a handicrafts centre, and is the only Cittaslow settlement in the country, meaning it embraces a relaxed, slow-paced way of life.

It sits in the shadow of the pyramid-shaped mountain Búlandstindur, which according to folklore, has the power to grant wishes to those who travel to it during the summer solstice in June. It is also considered a centre of spiritual energy.

Gleðivik is within easy walking distance from Djúpivogur, which in turn is located just off of the Ring Road of Iceland. The town is 552 kilometres east of Reykjavík, meaning it is most easily visited by those encircling the country. It is, however, only 85 kilometres south of the largest settlement in east Iceland, Egilsstaðir, which has a domestic airport for those who would rather fly.