One of the most beautiful mountains in Iceland, and one of the few places in Iceland where you can find gabbro (a coarse-grained, dark coloured, intrusive igneous rock), is situated at Almannaskarð between Hornsvík and Papós. At its foot sits what at first glance might be thought to be a viking village, empty houses from the past, facing the sea.
We are talking about the Vestrahorn mountain range, but the village is a set that was built over 14 years ago. There are about seven houses of various types in a cluster, mostly built using driftwood, and interested travelers can access the area for 1000 ISK per person. It’s great fun to look around among the houses and imagine the old days of the Vikings. Last year they added a viking ship to the lake next to the village, which you can admire from the outside or climb aboard and imagine yourself sailing across the unforgiving Atlantic Ocean.
It is worth noting that in this area the viking and early settler of Iceland, Hrollaugur Rögnvaldsson, built a town. He was considered a great ruler and a friend of King Harald according to the description in the Landnáma history book of the Settlement.
The Vestrahorn property is privately owned by a local family, who are pleasant and down-to-earth people. Refreshments are offered at the Viking Cafe which has come a long way since its humble beginnings 13 years ago as a small shed on the Stokksnes peninsula. Over the years, it has expanded its menu, space, and staff while retaining its charm and character. Make sure you try out their homemade Icelandic “vaffla”, a delicious treat that has a long history and a special place in the hearts of Icelandic people. The Viking Cafe Guesthouse has space for about thirty people and camping is available at the Vestrahorn campsite which is fully equipped with dishwashing and cooking facilities amongst cold and hot water, WC, showers and electricity. Perfect for tourists who want to experience the unspoilt, magical nature of the area. Booking accommodation at the guesthouse or campsite gives you unlimited access to the viking village and surrounding nature.
In winter, this south-eastern part of Iceland is no less popular, as there are many opportunities to see and photograph the northern lights dancing above. Watching the green and white lights sweep across the sky is a memorable experience on a frosty night. On their new website at vestrahorn.is you can find a widget with local weather- and aurora forecast, sunset and sunrise time amongst other information from the area, a neat little tool for photographers. There, you will also find a detailed map of the surrounding area and its beautiful hiking trails. Make sure to check out the unique beach nearby which is owned by the family, where you can see the most beautiful stones – carried by the Hornafjarðarfljót river from the Vatnajökull glacier to the sea, where the pounding waves have rounded and smoothed them for thousands of years.
One thing is certain, the country’s history can be found here. The history of settlement, the history of nature and how vast and magnificent it truly is. The hosts welcome their guests, and no one leaves Vestrahorn untouched.
Vestrahorn, 781 Höfn
+354 478 2577
[email protected]
https://www.vestrahorn.is/
