Stöðvarfjörður located 630 kilometers from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, has approx 200 residents. If you leave Reykjavik, take the road number 1 and then after the village of Breiðdalsvík take Route 96: you will arrive at the heart of the East Fjords. Get to know the hipster side of Iceand!
Stöðvarfjörður is a small village at the foot of the 850 meters high mountain Hellufjall. Once upon a time, Stödvarfjörður was an important place for fishing, and now the town has been transformed into a home for travellers and artists – one local fish factory (2800 square meters) is now an art and culture centre. International artists gather there throughout the year to create events and to exhibit their artwork.
For all you outdoor lovers, a refreshing walk around Jafnadalur valley is splendid. There you will find an enjoyable three-hour walk from Stöðvarfjörður to the rock of Einbúi (meaning hermit) a massive and solitary rock in otherwise flat surroundings. Closer to Stöðvarfjörður, just outside of the farm Lönd, there is another rock formation called Saxa, “chopper”. Saxa is a “perforated” rock through which the sea and the waves squirt through, resembling the movement of a geyser – a Saxa is often called “geyser of the sea.” Behind the village Stöðvarfjörður is the mountain Steðji, on the side of this characteristic mountain is Stórkerald, which is an unusual large ravine. Besides being a landmark for locals, the ravine holds many stories; it was the place of refuge for the Icelandic defending their property against Turkish pirates in the 1700s.
The small village of Brekkuþorp, more commonly called Mjóifjörður, has about 30 inhabitants. The passengers on the ferry Norrönna can expect a sailing time of 40 minutes to Mjóifjörður village. If you arrive by car from Akureyri, follow the road number 1, then Route 92 and then Route 953 until you reach Mjóifjörður. This road is only open in the summertime, and you can also take the boat that links Mjóifjörður and Neskaupstaður. When you arrive by car, you can admire the magnificent waterfall Klifbrekkufossar. Mjoeyri beach is known to be the last place of execution in Iceland. On September 30th, 1786, Eiríkur Thorlaksson was executed there for robbery and for the murder of three men; his body is buried near the Mjoeyri beach, an information sheet will guide you at this historical site.
On the south coast of Mjóifjörður, (a 30-minute walk) you’ll find yourself at Asknes Point where you can see the remains of a whaling station built by the Norwegians in 1900. At that time, nearly 200 people were employed there and lived; today only a ruin remains.
At the end of the fjord Mjóifjörður, you will find a unique destination, Dalatangi. When it is impossible to go further east by car, walk to the end of the road and then up to the rocks where you will find Dalatangi. It will seem like reaching the end of the earth, the view is breathtaking, and you will also see two lighthouses at Dalatangi; the oldest lighthouse made of basalt and was built in 1895; the second lighthouse was built in 1908 and is still active today.
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