Nature Attractions and Activities

Við bjóðum þér til að uppgötva rólega og fallega náttúru í fögrum fjallasal Breiðdals.  Þetta afskekkta horn Austurlands er ekki aðeins þekkt fyrir brothætta fegurð heldur einnig fyrir friðsældina þar sem maður getur raunverulega upplifað hreina „þögn“. Breiðdalsvík er staðsett í hjarta Austfjarða og er fullkomlega staðsett til að kanna náttúruna, jarðfræði og dýralíf. Hér fyrir neðan er listi yfir nokkra skemmtilega staði til að heimsækja á meðan dvöl ykkar stendur. Listinn er að sjálfsögðu ekki tæmandi.

In Breiðdalur…

Beljandi waterfall

A short way outside the farm Brekkuborg is the Beljandi waterfall in the Breiðdalsá river. There are in fact two falls, an outer and an inner one, with pools of the same names. This is a very beautiful area and great for spending time outdoors.

The Breiðdalur Volcano

The Breiðdalur volcano is an ancient central volcano in Breiðdalur and Berufjörður, the site of detailed research by the English geologist George D.L. Walker, along with others in East Iceland. This volcano is adorned with large rhyolite intrusions and majestic, distinctive peaks: Flögutindur in Breiðdalur, Smátindar, Röndólfur, Slötti and Stöng. The southern slopes of Breiðdalur are especially colourful and the rock layers irregular, marked by extensive tephra formations. more information click here 

Breiðdalsá

Breiðdalsá is an exceptionally beautiful 6 to 8 rod salmon river about 615 km from Reykjavík and about 80 km from Egilsstaðir. The river rises in the mountains where streams gather, forming where the rivers Tinnudalsá, Suðurdalsá and Norðurdalsá meet, and then flows to the sea by Breiðdalsvík. The surroundings of Breiðdalsá are spectacular, and it is said that few rivers are as beautiful to fish as Breiðdalsá. For more information about fishing in Breiðdalsá, click here

Jórvíkurskógur Forest

Jórvík in Breiðdalur is an abandoned farm with large areas of scrubland. About 600 hectares are owned by the Icelandic Forest Service, and the woodland was protected in 1960. This is one of the few places in the country where aspen grows, and the tallest trees are about 4 m. Otherwise the land is mostly covered with natural birch scrub and partly with planted forest. The area is open to the public and a marked trail runs from Jórvík over into Norðurdalur.

Meleyri

Meleyri is a beautiful beach just inside the village of Breiðdalsvík. The area is well suited to walking and outdoor activities, and has rich birdlife.

Flögufoss

Flögufoss is the highest waterfall in Breiðdalur, about 60 m. The waterfall is in the Flöguá river which runs through Flögudalur. That valley is bounded by Smátindar and Slötti. From the road there is a short and easy walk to the waterfall.

Streitishvarf

There is a beautiful view from the Streiti lighthouse, south of Breiðdalur, out over the sea, and an enjoyable marked trail runs around Streitishvarf. This is an outdoor area for the whole family.

Breiðdalssetur (the Old Cooperative)

Breiðdalssetur, the G.P.L. Walker Geology Museum, houses three kinds of activity: a geology centre honouring the research and scholarship of the English geologist G.P.L. Walker, who carried out extensive studies of the area’s geology; a linguistics centre in honour of Dr. Stefán Einarsson and his research into the Icelandic language; and a heritage museum dedicated to Breiðdalsvík and the surrounding communities. Breiðdalssetur is in the Old Cooperative building in Breiðdalsvík, the oldest house in the village, built in 1906.

Heydalir Church

There has been a church at Eydalir since the earliest days of Christianity. The parish was long among the more prosperous, and many respected ministers served there. The most famous of them is the hymn poet Rev. Einar Sigurðsson (1538 to 1626), best known for the Christmas hymn Kvæði af stallinum Kristí sem kallast Vöggukvæði, but is most familiar to people today as Nóttin var sú ágæt ein. Minnisvarði um sr. Einar stendur á grunni gömlu kirkjunnar í kirkjugarðinum að Eydölum.

Near Breiðdalsvík…

Hallormsstaðaskógur forest (one hour’s drive from Breiðdalsvík)

Hallormsstaðaskógur, considered the largest forest in Iceland (one hour’s drive from Breiðdalsvík), is about 740 hectares. It is mostly natural birch forest, but experiments with imported species have been carried out since 1905. The forest is a popular outdoor area with varied landscape. It has 11 marked trails. A trail map is in a box at the start of every trail, and the map is also available at Hótel Hallormsstaður. The forest has an arboretum with over 80 species of tree.

Hengifoss (one hour’s drive from Breiðdalsvík)

Hengifoss is in the northern part of Fljótsdalur, opposite the inner end of Lagarfljót. It is the second highest waterfall in the country, 128 m high. The lip of the falls has basalt layers with sandstone beneath. In the rock there are fossilised tree trunks that bear witness to a much warmer climate, as the sandstone formed in the Tertiary period. A little below Hengifoss is another waterfall, Litlanesfoss, framed by unusually beautiful basalt columns. It is easy to walk up to Hengifoss from the starting point, and it takes about 40 to 60 minutes to walk from the car park to the waterfall.

Petra’s Stone Collection (15 minutes from Breiðdalsvík)

Ljósbjörg Petra María Sveinsdóttir had an interest in beautiful stones all her life and began collecting them in earnest in 1946. Most of her stones come from Stöðvarfjörður and East Iceland, as Petra did not search much for stones in other parts of the country. In 1974 Petra decided to open her home to everyone who wanted to see her stones. Many people visit the collection every year, and Petra’s Stone Collection is one of the most popular tourist destinations in East Iceland.

The Puffins at Borgarfjörður Eystri (1.5 hr drive from Breiðdalsvík)

By the small-boat harbour in Borgarfjörður Eystri is “Hafnarhólmi”, an area especially well suited to birdwatching. Locals have developed Hafnarhólmi well, and information is available about the birds that can be seen. Nowhere in Iceland is it as easy to get close to puffins. The islet itself and the path to it are a delight to the eye. Arctic tern nesting is abundant, and the harbour is lively as the boats come and go.

Reindeer

There are many reindeer in East Iceland, and it is often easy to see them from the main road, though this can vary between seasons and days.