Reyðarfjörður Camping Ground

Situated some distance above the highway connecting the villages Reyðarfjörður and Eskifjörður is the burial mound of a prophetess said to be a guardian angel of the area. According to legend, as long as her bones remain intact - and the cairn indicating the site is maintained - the prophetess will continue to fulfil her protective role. Thus, in 1627 as the Algerian pirates who had previously pillaged the South and the Westmann Islands, approached the eastern shore, the cunning lady produced a fog so massive that the scoundrels were compelled to take to sea and abandon their lugubrious plans of manhunt and massacre.

Between Reyðarfjörður and Eskifjörður you can visit the Nature reservat Hólmanes. This is a ideal place to enjoy a good walk either down to the sea or up the hills. Birds and remarkable rockformations can be enjoyed in Hólmanes. With luck you could stumble upon a herd of reindeers.

Helgustaðanáma is an old Icelandic spar mine, located above the trail leading from Eskifjörður til Vödlavík inlet. It is partially open to visitors and there is good walking path leading up to it.

All removal of the spar is forbidden and the area is a protected nature reserve.

Scientific discoveries made with the aid of Iceland spar from Iceland directly influenced the development of modern society. Progress since its discovery in the 17th century until 1930 in various important fields of the natural sciences and technology would have been delayed by decades if Iceland spar had not been available at that time. As the sole supplier of first-class spar crystals for scientific purposes, Helgustaðir in Reyðarfjörður may therefore be considered the most valuable location in Iceland in an international context.

For 70 years,the French Hospital was located in the former agglommeration of Hafnarnes in Fáskskrúðsfjörður, having been moved by sea from the village of Búðir in 1939 . Originally it was built in 1903 as a hospital for the French sailors who frequented the banks off the shore during that period. The declining building was moved back to Fáskrúðsfjörður in the autumn of 2010 for restauration purposes.

Jafnadalur is a valley in Stöðvarfjördur facing northward. At the core of the vale, there is Einbúinn - "The Hermit"- , a voluminous and solitary rock in otherwise flat surroundings. The Jafnadalur also boasts a 6 m. stonearch, located to the east of Mt. Álftafell. A walking trail connects Jafnadalur and fjord Fáskrúðsfjörður. These are agreeable surroundings and well-suited for short or extensive hikes.

Mjóeyri is a delightful place on the outskirts of Eskifjörður. There is a lighthouse and a delightful shorelina, where birds and sea shells are to be found. For tourists it is an oasis and a horn of plenty: Guided tours, a boat- rental, angling, good food and highly agreeable accommodation.
Mjóeyri has a historical past as the last place of execution, on Sept. 30th 1786. The final resting place of the late convict can be found here.

The haven of Mt. Grænafell by Reyðarfjörður has served as the prime location for local outdoor activities for a number of years. At the top of the mountain a beautiful lake awaits the visitor and a spectacular gorge carves the landscape beside the fell. A paradise of fine bushes at the foot of the mount completes the icing on the cake. The tiny forest is adorned by planted trees, brooklets and extensive rocks fragments from the cliff, reminiscent of dwellings from the land of fairy tales. The area has been made easily accessible by marked hiking trails.

Hólmatindur is the mountain every inhabitant in Eskifjörður cherishes, towering 985 m. above sea level. It´s not an easy climb to the top but the stunning view is a reward in itself and worth your exertions. Once on the top the valiant mountaineer can write his /her name in a guestbook, and subsequently obtain one stamp in a succession of 5 needed in order to get the title Mountain Conqueror. This being an initiative organized by the local hiking club Ferðafélag Fjarðamanna.

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Just outsidde the village Búðir in Fáskrúðsfjörður, you will find the French graveyard. The graveyard is from the times of the French sailors who came to Fáskrúðsfjörður for many years. There are 49 known graves in the yard.