Feast on the East

Fifty years ago the town of Neskaupstadur was accessible only by sea, with no road link to the outside world. Since then the region has made up for lost time with visitors flocking to its outstanding Nature Reserve and to nearby Nordfjordur – one of the finest eastern fjords. Gerpir, Iceland’s easternmost point, is close by, as are interesting museums at Reydarfjordur and Eskifjordur.

• 29 rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms
• On-site restaurant with magnificent views of the fjord
• Sleeping bag accommodation available
• Meeting rooms
• Opening dates: 12 June - 17 August 2013
• On closing day we close at noon, last guests check in the day before. 
  

Activities around the hotel:

• Outdoor swimming pool
• Hot tubs
• Hiking trails
• Boat trips
• Kayak trips
• Birdwatching
• Maritime museum

Please contact us for further information.

Accommodation

Hotel Edda Neskaupstadur has a total of 29 rooms. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms.

Price of accommodation

• Click here for information on our best available rates

Restaurant

Treat yourself to our plentiful breakfast buffet in the early hours. Wholesome bread, oat meal, fresh fruits, cereal, coffee, tea and waffles to drive up your energy for an eventful day. 

•    Price 1.650 ISK pr. person
•    Half price for 6-12 years old when accompanied by a full paying adult.
•    Free for 5 years old and younger when accompanied by a full paying adult

Our restaurant is open in the evening.

EDDA on the go...

Enjoy your day with Edda on the go. Order one of our delicious pre-packed picnic meals for a hike or just for a day on the go. Each Edda on the go consists of a selection of the healthiest Icelandic food – a wonderful refreshment for an unforgettable day in the great outdoors.

•    Adults ISK 1.390,-
•    Children (12 year old max) ISK 990,-

Each Edda on the go consists of a selection of the healthiest Icelandic food, including traditional flatbread with smoked salmon, sandwich with ham and cheese, drinking-boost made of Icelandic Skyr and blueberries, fresh fruit and a muesli bar for dessert.

Neskaupstadur

Neskaupstadur is a village on the north side of Nordfjordur (pop. 1400). The Book of Settlement tells us that Egill the Red settled here. Trading has been going on since 1895 but it was not until 1949 that Neskaupstadur could be reached by road. All transport had to be by sea. Fishing and fish processing has alway been the main occupation. Twelve milllion year old fossils of tree trunks have been discovered in Nordfjordur´s Raudu Skridur (red screes). An avalanche killed12 people here in 1974. Considerable landscaping has been done to prevent re-occurence. The first nature preserve in Iceland was established here in 1972. The distance from Hofn in Hornafjordur to Neskaupstadur is 269 km (167 miles). The are many inviting places to stop on the way.

Major Points of Interest En-route to Neskaupstadur

The eastern fjords and the outermost western fjords are the oldest parts of Iceland or about 16 milllion years old. There are 17 extinct volcanic systems in the eastern fjords and each one has a central volcano. When you travel from Hornafjordur across Lon to Alftafjordur you are actually travelling through a volcano. Glaciers and erosions have removed the extrusive rocks and exposed deeper intrusions such as Vesturhorn.

The southernmost fjord of the eastern fjords is Alftafjordur. Alftafjordur is a lagoon closed by a sand reef. Hundreds of Whooper swans breed here and hence the name (álft = swan). Njal´s saga tells us about the missionary Thangbrandur who was sent to Iceland by the king of Norway, Olafur Tryggvason, to christen the people of Iceland. Thangbrandur established camp at the farm Thvotta (see map). Thangbrandur was later chased out of Iceland after he had killed three men.

Djupivogur is a small fishing village (pop. 390). German merchants settled here in 1589. The old house Langabud (red building) is a merchant house from 1790.The fascinating mountain Bulandstindur 1070m (3510 feet) towers over the village. Djupivogur is a good spot for birdwatching. A bird and rock collection was opened here in 2002. The museum houses 130 species of birds both local and vagrants. Nests and eggs are also on display together with books and photos of birds. Many interesting rocks and minerals from the Djúpivogur area can be seen. The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm.

Berufjordur is a large fjord north of Djupivogur. There are many high and beautiful mountains here made of rhyolite and therefore colorful. A rare variety of rhyolite and green ignimbrite can be found in Berufjordur. Ignimbrite is created in so called Pelé-eruptions where fiery clouds flows down the mountain. This occurs when the side of the mountain explodes and a large amount of lava rushes out. The folk tale about the troll couple Bera and Soti takes place here. Many places in the east are named after Bera.The farm at the bottom of the fjord was attacked by Turkish pirates in 1627. They killed everyone and burned down the farm.

Breiddalsvik is a small village (pop.182) in a cove with the same name. Fishing and fish processing is the main occupation. Off the coast are islands where hundreds of Eiders nest and seals can be hunted. Hotel Blafell is a popular tourist stop serving traditional Icelandic food. Breiddalsvik has the largest lowland of all the eastern fjords and the mountains are among the highest in the east or about 1100 – 1200 meters (3600-4000 feet). Many of the mountains here are colorful rhyolite mountains. Rhyolite is a fine grained, extrusive, igneous rock, often with a sugary texture. The church farm at Heydalir was for a long time the most coveted parish in Iceland because of the many land benefits.

The next fjord after Breiddalsvik is the small but pretty Stodvarfjordur. The main occupation is fishing as in other villages in the eastern fjords. Petra´s rock collection is a must-see. Here you can see the largest collection of rocks and minerals in Iceland and Petra has collected them all during her long life.

The population of Faskrusfjordur is about 600. This was the main camp for French fishermen in the past. They had a hospital (erected 1903), a chapel, and the French graveyard has over 100 graves. All the streets in Faskrudsfjordur are named in Icelandic and French. The "French Days“ are celebrated here at the end of July every year. Many people from Faskrudsfjordur work at the Alcoa aluminium smelter in Reydarfjordur Reydafjordur There is a tunnel (6km – 4miles) between Faskrudsfjordur and Reydarfjordur which makes it easy for people to travel to work at the Alcoa smelter.

Reydarfjordur is a deep fjord and the longest of the eastern fjords (29km). The population is steadily increasing (now over 2000) because of Alcoa. The beauxite used for aluminium production is shipped here from Australia in the form of alumina. At the factory it is transformed into aluminium through electrolysis. The Alcoa smelter began production in April 2002 and annual capacity is 346-thousand tons. Four hundred employees work at the factory. The Allied forces had 1200-1300 personnel here during WWII when the local population numbered only 321. The distance from Reydarfjordur to Egilsstadir though Fagridalur is 33km (21 mile).

When you drive from Reydarfjordur to Eskifjordur your route is acrossHolmanes which is a protected nature preserve. Here you will find rich bird life (e.g Puffins and Eiders) and strange rock formations. Holmanes is about 10km (6miles) from Reydarfjordur. A Sybil´s grave is at Langhamar and she said that no-one could rob Reydarfjordur while her bones were intact. When the Turks arrived in 1627 she made a "sorcery weather soup" against them when they tried to sail into Reydarfjordur. They had to flee from the area.

Eskifjordur is an infjord north from Reydarfjordur which you drive through on your way to Neskaupstadur. Here you will find an interesting maritime museum in an old building from 1816. The museum is open daily from 1pm until 5pm from June through August. The village offers all modern conveniences including an outdoor swimming pool. About six km from Eskifjordur is the old mine for the mineral known as Iceland spar (Helgustadarnama). Most of the Iceland spar in foreign museums is from here. Iceland spar is a renowned completely clear variant of calcite. It forms regular crystals. When one looks through the clear crystal two images are seen, due to refraction. Iceland spar was used in microscopes in he past. Oddsskard´s mountain pass The drive from Eskifjordur to Neskaupstadur is 25km (15miles). The mountain pass between Eskifjordur and Neskaupstadur is 705m high with a short tunnel at the height of 632m. The tunnel was opened in 1977. The road across this mountain pass was first opened in 1949 and Neskaupstadur was then finaly connected to the country´s road system. All transport prior to this had to be by sea. The skiing area for Neskaupstadur is in Oddsskard. (skard means mountain pass). The are numerous walking trails on the mountain.

Diversions off the Beaten Track

Hengifoss is the highest waterfall in Nordfjordur and is in a river in Seldalur about 10 km west of the village. Make a right turn into Seldalur. The fall is in a pretty gorge with appealing vegetation. The hollow near the waterfall is called "kærleikslaut“ in Icelandic. It means love-nest and is an ideal spot for a picnic. The troll-woman who lived in the cave behind the fall is no longer there. She lost the battle with Loftur from Skorrastadur at a nearby farm and disappeared. This area is also excellent for walking.

The nature preserve in Nordfjordur has been protected since 1972 and is popular among the locals. It is just outside the village to the east. Do take a walk on the shore to Easter´s Cave which is easily done during low tide. There is a stepladder down into the cave which was created by the ocean. A folk tale tells us that the farmer at Bakki „found a seal woman there“. He took her home and they married and after the seventh child was born she went back to the ocean. In the area one can view holes in the lava made by trees ten to twelve million years ago. There is an education trail with information about many natural features in the local area.

Other Activities at Neskaupstadur

The Harbour House is a maritime museum, an art museum, and a museum of natural history. It is open daily from 1pm to 5 pm June through August. Drive up to the Avalance barrier. A walking trail has been built around it and on top. This gives you a very good view over the fjord. The avalance on December 20th 1974 killed 12 people. The barrier was later contstructed to prevent re-occurrence.Daily sailings across Nordfjordur to the abandoned fjords Hellisfjordur and Vidfjordur. The boat goes close to the bird cliffs including the beautiful Red Cliffs. The tour includes a trip close to Gerpir the easternmost point in Iceland, and Dalatangi. The boat sails up close to Nordfjardarnipa which is the highest palisades from the sea in Iceland or 819m (2686feet). The Golf club of Nordfjordur is located near the runway just west of town. It has nine holes and par 70 (35/35) www.golf.is/gn

Folk Tales from East Iceland

Naddi of the Njardvik Screes
From Njardvik north of Eastern Borgarfjördur is a steep mountain slope with a narrow and dangerous road. The screes were difficult to travel in the old times because of the creature Naddi who roamed the area. Many people lost their lives on the screes. Naddi lived in a cave north of the screes. He was defeated when a wooden cross was placed near the road with a Latin text. The cross has been renewed often and is still in place. The inscription reads. Effigiem Christi, qui transit, pronus honora. AnnoMCCCVI. (Bow down and revere this effigy of Christ, you who pass by. AD 1306). Naddi had the upper body of a man and the lower body of a beast.

The Elf Queen of Snotrunes
This is a story about a fine lady who came to the farm Nes in Borgarfjördur and settled down. Her name was Snotra. She went away every Christmas and nobody knew where she had went. When she returned she asked the steward if he could say where she had been. He could not and then he vanished. This happened three Christmases in a row. To make a long story short one Christmas eve a steward followed her. She cast a veil over her and onto the steward and she lept into the sea. He followed. They arrived in a beautiful land with music and merriment. A handsome king who looked to be Snotra´s husband greeted her and took her into a big building. The steward observed a great celebration in one of the buildings. When Christmas was over they returned. Of course the steward could say where she had been, when she asked him and so her spell was now broken and she could return to her husband. She gave the farm to the steward and vanished.

The Master of Skrudur and the Pastor´s Daughter
East of Reydarfjordur is the island Skrudur. There is a story about the disappearance of the pastor´s daughter at Holmanes in Reydafjordur. She had been placed under a spell by a troll on the island Skrudur. The troll was known as the Master of Skrudur. One winter a boat could not land because of a storm and took shelter below the cliffs at Skrudur. The boat´s crew made it on land there and started singing the Ballad of the Virgin. The rock opened and a huge hand passed out a dish of porridge with spoons. A voice was heard saying: "Now my wife is amused. Now I am not amused.“ It was believed that the wife was the pastor´s daughter. The same happened to another ship. Several years later the Bishop Gudmundur the Good was passing through the district and the pastor at Holmar asked him to consecrate Skrudur. That night the bishop dreamt that a huge man came to him and begged him not to consecrate Skudur. It would be difficult for him to move. The bishop took notice and decided against it. n

We recommend the book: A Travelers Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales by Jon R. Hjalmarsson

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