The lovely little Village Þingeyri in the Westfjords of Iceland

In the beautiful Westfjords of Iceland, you will find many of Iceland's pearls of nature, some of which I have shown you in other travel-blogs.

And in the many fjords in the Westfjords, small hamlets are dotted along the coastline.

In this travel-blog I am going to show you what I found of interest in the lovely hamlet Þingeyri in Dýrafjörður fjord.

Top photo: The view of Þingeyri and Gemlufallsheiði heath from the top of Mt. Sandafell

Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel

Access to Þingeyri is much easier now after a new tunnel was opened in 2020 connecting Arnarfjörður and Dýrafjörður fjords.

So now there is no need to drive on the scary roads across Hrafnseyrarheiði heath, which is impassable in the wintertime, which meant that these fjords were cut off from one another. 

But it also means that now you cross the Dýrafjörður fjord via a bridge before you reach Þingeyri village. Do take a left or a right turn by the bridge, depending on where you are coming from, and stop at Þingeyri. It is well worth it to explore this village a bit.

Hotel Sandafell

In Þingeyri village you will be able to step into the Viking past of Iceland, visit one of the oldest houses in Iceland which has got even older bullet holes, have coffee and cakes in an old green bus, buy dolls decorated with local shells from the Westfjords and hike or drive up to the top of Mt. Sandafell.

Last summer I visited Þingeyri on two separate trips and stayed in guesthouses in the village for several days. 

We stayed at Hotel Sandafell for the first night. On our second visit, we stayed for 3 nights at the guesthouse Við fjörðinn - by the Fjord.

The view from Hotel Sandafell

My husband was here on business and I tagged along and went on an exploration of this little village, which has around 250 inhabitants.

Following is what I found of interest in Þingeyri:

Skálinn - a Viking Journey to the Past

At Skálinn in Þingeyri Village 

Þingeyri village has strong ties to its Viking heritage, and the Viking club, Víkingar Vestfjarða - the West Vikings has been active for 2 decades in this area. 

In Þingeyri you can book a journey into the Viking past of Iceland at Skálinn - and get to know how the Vikings lived, how they dressed, and what they ate.

Skálinn is a family-run enterprise, run by the lovely Borgný and Þórir Örn.

I dressed up in Viking clothes on my visit to Skálinn 

Step inside, dress up as a Viking in handmade Viking clothes - try out the Viking weapons and have your photo taken. It is a good souvenir to take back home :)

On my second visit, in the autumn of 2024, I was in luck as some people had booked a tour of Skálinn, and I was invited to step inside and listen in on the talk. 

After the group left we stayed behind and dressed up in Viking clothes and had our photos taken. 

At Skálinn in Þingeyri in 2024

Skálinn víkingasetur is open by appointment. Check them out on Facebook and send them a message if you fancy a Viking tour.

The Viking Ship, which one summer sailed from the old Reykjavík harbour, belongs to Þingeyri and sails from time to time in Dýrafjörður fjord in the Westfjords of Iceland.

In 2005 the Viking club West Vikings (Vestfjarðavíkingarnir) built a Viking village by the sea at Oddinn in Þingeyri, where the modern-time Vikings have Viking-related activities. The area is open to the public.

The Viking area by the sea

The name Þingeyri means Parliament spit. Þingeyri became a parliamentary site in around 1,000, thus the name.

The Vikings settled here in Dýrafjörður in the 9th century and here are the settings of the Saga of Gísli the Outlaw Súrsson.

Elfar Logi, who lives at Þingeyri, is the Viking Chieftain Haukadalsgoði, and in my next travel-blog I show you a guided tour of the Saga location of Haukadalur, which Elfar Logi invited me to join.

A beautiful Skeljavera doll

And, his wife, Marsibil - Billa, has an atelier at their home in Þingeyri, where she creates and sells her beautiful Skeljaverur dolls.

Marsibil decorates these amazing dolls from all authentic material from the Westfjord beaches.

You can visit her at her atelier in Þingeyri and have a look at her selection of Skeljaverur dolls, both big and small.

The home and atelier of Marsibil-Billa and Elfar Logi in Þingeyri 

I am so glad that I met this lovely couple. Connecting with locals makes all the difference :)

Now let's have a look at the historic houses in Þingeyri village.

Simbahöllin - Simbi's palace

Simbahöllin

There are old and historic houses in Þingeyri, but I think that the best-known house to tourists must be the moss-green house Simbahöllin - Simbi's palace, where you will find a café and an old green bus.

The grocer Sigmundur Jónsson (nicknamed Simbi) imported this Norwegian timber house to Iceland in 1915. From 1916-1970s Simbahöllin was a grocery store.

In 2005 a Belgian and Danish couple bought the then dilapidated house and renovated it, keeping the interior mostly original. Do stop by and have some coffee and cakes.

You can find more information about Simbahöllin on their website.

Salthúsið - the Salt House

Salthúsið - the oldest house in Þingeyri

The oldest house in Þingeyri is amongst the oldest houses in Iceland, built in 1778, older still though, and Minjastofnun Íslands lists Salthúsið as being built in 1732.

It was bought from Danmark in one piece, disassembled in Denmark, put on a ship, and reassembled in Iceland.

This old house is called Salthúsið - the Salt House, it was rebuilt in 2009 and today it houses an information centre and a souvenir shop. 

Inside Salthúsið

On one side of the house, you might notice some bullet holes. It seems like some unlucky Danes were shot at (executed?) here by the house.

This happened while the house was in Denmark, the lady at the information desk told us.

Þingeyrarkirkja church

Þingeyrarkirkja church

Þingeyrarkirkja church is one of the lovely country churches in Iceland. It was locked as are most churches in Iceland nowadays.

I visit all the country churches in Iceland and have done so since 2008. Back then they were open, but due to vandalism in the churches, they had to be locked.

So nowadays it is difficult to find the key and get permission to enter the churches. On my earlier visits to the Westfjords, I had never been able to enter Þingeyrarkirkja.

Þingeyrakirkja church

Elfar Logi and Marsibil were kind enough to find out how we could enter Þingeyrarkirkja church. And what a beautiful, elegant church, I was in awe upon entering it, it is so colourful and tastefully decorated.

Þingeyrarkirkja church was built in 1909-1911 and is the work of the noted architect Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, who also designed the most beautiful of them all - Húsavíkurkirkja church up north, which I have shown you in another travel-blog.

The altarpiece was painted by Þórarinn Benedikt Þorláksson in 1911 and shows Christ blessing children in Icelandic nature.

Christ blessing the children in Icelandic nature

In 1755 a former timber church at Sandar on the other side of Mt. Sandafell blew away in a storm and a turf church was erected in its place.

In 1876 another timber church was erected outside of the cemetery at Sandar.

The current concrete church was then consecrated in 1911 at Þingeyri. You will notice that the cemetery in Þingeyri is in the street above the church, separated from the church itself.

I found it difficult to leave this colourful church, I was so inspired by its beauty, and the holy feeling inside the church was palpable.

Isn't it beautiful?

The heart of the villages beats in the small, and some not that small, country churches in Iceland.

Another church in northwest Iceland bears almost the same name Þingeyrakirkja church. Don't get them mixed up, the difference in the name is only one -r- but they are in totally different parts of Iceland.

Now, let's pop over the street and visit what I like to call the other heart of every village and town in Iceland, the Memorial for Drowned Fishermen.

The Memorial for Drowned Fishermen in Þingeyri

You will find such memorials in all the hamlets and towns around my country. One of the main industries in Iceland is fisheries and the hamlets are dotted by the seaside of Iceland.

Given the harsh circumstances of living on an island this far up north then we have tragically lost way too many good men to the sea.

When travelling in Iceland, I always visit the country churches and these memorials and pay my homage. Some of my relatives lost their battle with the sea, and one of them drowned in the vicinity of Þingeyri.

Vélsmiðja Guðmundar J. Sigurðssonar 

Beautiful murals in Þingeyri

You will notice several beautiful murals in Þingeyri, which liven up the village.

These murals beautifully decorate and tell the story of the oldest still operating blacksmith's workshop in Iceland, Vélsmiðja Guðmundar J. Sigurðssonar.

The blacksmith's workshop was founded in 1913, the oldest one of its kind in Iceland.

Beautiful murals on the blacksmith's workshop

Here was also a school in metallurgy.

The blacksmith's workshop is almost entirely in its original form and is a living museum, so to speak.

Ref.: Visit Þingeyri

Mt. Sandafell

Mt. Sandafell as seen from Hrafnseyrarheiði heath

Dýrafjörður is surrounded by mountains on both sides of the fjord, but the mountain above Þingeyri village is called Mt. Sandafell, named after the farm Sandar.

You can hike on top of Mt. Sandafell or drive halfway up. We drove and left the car in a parking spot, as the rest of the road was really steep. 

On top of Mt. Sandafell in the dusk, looking in the direction of Hrafnseyrarheiði heath

Mt. Sandafell reaches 367 meters above sea level and once on top of the mountain, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view.

On top of Mt. Sandafell, you will find one of the many view-dials in Iceland. There are several view-dials in the Westfjords, but this is the only view-dial in the Westfjords that is located on the top of a mountain.

The view-dial on Mt. Sandafell

The view-dial on top of Mt. Sandafell was erected by Dýrfirðingafélagið in 1969.

Like so many other view-dials in Iceland, this one was designed by Jón. J. Víðis, with the help of his nephew Jakob Hálfdanarson, and his great-nephew Már Viðar Másson.

We have a special interest in view-dials, as Jakob is my father-in-law, and took over the view-dial business after his uncle died.

I have joined him on several trips around Iceland where he was measuring for new view-dials.

On top of Mt. Sandafell in the dusk

The view-dial shows the names and heights of the many mountains in this area, and is also a sundial (sólúr). The pillar is molten and very low, I think it is the lowest one that I have seen so far.

Some of the pillars are so tall that we have to stand on our toes to be able to see the view-dial but that was not a problem here on top of the mountain.

As I was descending following the road leading to the car, I had a scary moment and I felt as if were falling off the edge of the mountain!

It looks like the road is falling from the edge of the mountain!

It's a trick of the eye, and felt very scary for a moment, especially as it was getting dark and it was so windy on top!

Bear this in mind if you plan on visiting Mt. Sandafell, as the same thing happened to an American friend of mine.

I have roots in this area and that is why I was eager to stay here and explore the surroundings.

Dýrafjörður - the Birthplace of my great-great-grandmother

Beautiful Dýrafjörður fjord 

My great-great-grandmother, Sigríður Maílína Einarsdóttir, was born on the 10th of May 1859 at Efsti-Hvammur in Dýrafjörður fjord, very close to Þingeyri village.

She had one son, Guðmundur Guðmundsson, who later settled at Sæból at Ingjaldssandur in the Westfjords of Iceland - my Grandmother's Birthplace, between Dýrafjörður and Önundarfjörður fjords across the fjord from Þingeyri.

He was born in 1889 at Kleifar in Seyðisfjörður fjord where Sigríður was working, but was transferred (either carried or on horseback) the same year that he was born to Ketilseyri here in Dýrafjörður, where his aunt lived and fostered him for 3 years. Ketilseyri farm is right by the bridge.

Þingeyri marina

Guðmundur was then raised by his father Guðmundur Jónsson and his new wife, as his parents didn't stay together as they had planned. My great-grandfather lived in 8 locations in the Westfjords before he built his own farm at Sæból!

Guðmundur went to study in Ísafjörður in 1907 and stayed with his mother, who had moved to this biggest town in the Westfjords.

Sigríður Maílína went on her last journey on the 1st of April, 1908 from Skutulsfjörður fjord across the Breiðadalsheiði heath to meet up with the father of her son, at Selakirkjuból in Hvilftarströnd in Önundarfjörður fjord, the next fjord to Dýrafjörður fjord.

Beautiful Northern Lights over Þingeyri

She most likely wanted to ask Guðmundur, if their son could live with her for a longer time in Ísafjörður town and get a further education here.

It was freezing and a storm was approaching, and Sigríður Mailína was not properly dressed for a journey across a heath in the Westfjords.

The Northern Lights took on the shape of an angel

She wanted to accompany the postman Reinhald, but he advised her against venturing over the heath under these circumstances. She was very eager to go on this journey and didn't follow his advice.

She became exhausted after a while, and the postman carried her on his sledge and most likely in his arms, but sadly he had to leave her on the heath.

He went for help, but my foremother was already frozen to death when the locals arrived.

By Holtskirkja church in Önundarfjörður

She lies in an unmarked grave in the graveyard by Holtskirkja in Önundarfjörður fjord. I visited Holtskirkja church and wandered around the cemetery wondering where she might be buried.

It is so sad that many people have died of exposure in the cold winters in my country in the olden days. In the Icelandic language, the term is: "Verða úti". So my foremother "varð úti". Blessed be her memory.

In my great-grandfather's memoirs, he writes that some 18-19 people had frozen to death on Breiðadalsheiði heath. Thank God for the tunnels, life has for sure changed here in the Westfjords in just one century.

Þingeyri harbour

If you pass Þingeyri village and drive further on along the seaside, you will reach Haukadalur valley, where Gísli the outlaw Súrsson lived.

Here you will also find the smallest professional theatre in Iceland, Kómedíuleikhúsið - the Comedy Theatre.

Kómedíuleikhúsið theatre in Haukadalur in Dýrafjörður

You can drive even further and venture on the so-called Kjaransbraut avenue, which is the most dangerous road construction in Iceland. 

I have written another travel-blog about my guided tour of this area that will take you via the coastline to the next fjord, Arnarfjörður. I highly recommend this tour:

A Tour of Svalvogar & Kjaransbraut in the Westfjords - the most dangerous Road Construction in Iceland

A tour of Svalvogar and Kjaransbraut - the landscape is breathtaking here

There are many other interesting villages in the Westfjords, some of which I have shown you in other travel-blogs:

The friendly Hotel West in Patreksfjörður Village in the Westfjords of Iceland

Suðureyri in Súgandafjörður fjord and the Act Alone Festival

Three Days of Fun at Reykhólar in the Westfjords

Greetings from Þingeyri

And the pearls of the Westfjords:

Látrabjarg in the Westfjords - Puffins in abundance

The Jewel of the Westfjords - Dynjandi waterfall

Rauðasandur Beach & Sjöundá in the Westfjords of Iceland 

To visit this area you can rent a car in Reykjavík and drive to the Westfjords. Also, check out the self- drive tours that include the Westfjords.

Have a lovely time in the beautiful Westfjords, and I hope that my travel-blog has shed some light on what there is to see and do in this area :)