Vatnsfjordur

Position

North of Breiðafjörður lie numerous fjords, of which Vatnsfjörður is the most western. To the west of Vatnsfjörður is the Barðaströnd area, while the Hjarðarnes coast lies to the east. Barðaströnd is somewhat populated but the regions to the north and east of Vatnsfjörður are almost deserted. In Vatnsfjörður, the climate is mild and summers are pleasantly warm - making it an excellent spot for excursions around Vestfirðir, the West Fjords. It is a 90-minute drive from Vatnsfjörður to the Látrabjarg birdcliffs, the valley of Selárdalur and the town of Ísafjörður, while Vatnsfjörður to the Dynjandi waterfall takes 30 minutes by car. A boat trip to the island of Flatey on the ferry Baldur takes an hour.

The Reserve

Vatnsfjörður was legally declared a nature reserve in 1975.

This nature reserve is on the land of the head estate Brjánslækur and abandoned farms that fall under it. In accordance with nature reserve regulations, conventional utilization of the land is permitted and there is considerable sheep farming in the area. The western boundary of the nature reserve is the river Þverá; from there the boundary runs north to the old glacier Gláma, roughly following the watershed past Hornatær mountain and the Dynjandisheið moor. From Gláma it falls south to Þingmannaheiði moor and southwest to the Hörgsnes tip, which marks the mouth of the fjord in the east.

The reserve is twenty hectares. Approximately 80% of it is rough and barren but the lowlands are mostly covered with shrubs.

Geography

The bedrock in this territory is a part of the Tertiary Basalt Formation and probably dates back 10-13 million years. The landscape has been shaped and molded by ice age glaciers; valleys are U-shaped and glacial striae here and there tell tales of the glaciers’ progress. The rocky pinnacles of Hornatær tower over the fjord from the west and stand at more than 700 meters above sea level. The shards probably stood as islands in the ice age glacier since the high plain is usually about 500 meters above sea level. Other glacial remains include the ridge that separates the freshwater lake from the saltwater of the fjord. It is not glacial moraine, as it may seem at first glance, but a rock ledge that the glacier failed to carve off. Glacial dikes are common in the area and in the vicinity there is geothermal heat that, among other things, is used to heat a swimming pool.

Lakes and ponds are numerous on the reserve. Lake Vatnsdalsvatn is the largest, with an area of two square kilometers.

History

The first recorded attempt at settlement in Iceland was actually on Vatnsfjörður. Hrafna-Flóki stayed here one winter and gave the country its name when he undertook the first mountain climb recorded in Iceland. In Landnáma (the Book of Settlements) it says: “The spring proved rather cold. Flóki walked up a great mountain and saw north over the mountains a fjord full of icebergs, and so they named the country “Iceland”, and that has been its name ever since.” Locals believe he climbed Lómfell, the highest mountain in the area.

In Hörgsnes there is a cave, Gíslahellir - a damp and dreary hole in which the outlaw Gísli Súrsson supposedly took cover. Gísli’s wife Auður owned the land Langibotn in the Geirþjófsfjörður fjord, which lies northwest of the nature reserve.

Highways have crossed the fjord since early settlement, while old stone cairns scattered over the mountains bear witness to ancient roads long since forgotten.

Brjánslækur was one of the estates of Guðmundur Arason of Reykhólar. The abandoned farms of Þverá, Hella and Uppsalir were deserted in the first half of the 20^th century, but Vatnsdalsbakkar was abandoned much earlier.

In July 1974 the people of Vestfirðir held a national festival on the sandbank by the lake. It proved to be a gathering of ten thousand, which is considerably more people than inhabit Vestfirðir today.

Habitat

Birch is the most dominant plant in the region, though in places quite tall Rowan trees grow and willow in the area is exemplary. Wood Crane’s-bill is plentiful. Juniper and ferns are more common here than in most other areas of Barðaströnd. Plants typical of heath communities abound, especially Bilberry. On the rocky moors the various lichens and mosses complement each other in colorful picturesque scenery. Like elsewhere in Breiðafjörður, the ebb tide is considerable and a variety of algae and small aquatic creatures can be found on the rocky beach.

The fauna in Vatnsfjörður is quite diverse, though the number of individuals of each species is seldom high. One particular species is an exception; those who dwell here on a tranquil midsummer day can expect to be harassed by midges, so it is advisable to have a mosquito net handy. Visitors should be careful of the wasps that have colonized the area. They are terribly capable of retaliating if they feel threatened.

Approximately 20 species of birds inhabit the nature reserve. The Eider duck is a common sight on the fjord and the Harlequin duck is quite common in early summer, but by mid-summer the Red-throated loon is the most obvious species around – in no small part because of all the racket he makes! Sea eagles and gerfalcons are frequently spotted but they rarely nest on the nature reserve. Wood mice, Arctic foxes and mink roam the area but the seals are easier to spot, because they like to laze about on the reefs by Hörgsnes peninsula. Salmon are found in the river Vatnsdalsá, and trout in the lake Vatnsdalsvatn.

Services and Operations

In Flókalundur a hotel is operated during the summer, along with a petrol station and a camping site with sanitary facilities. There are also summerhouses and a swimming pool, and at the summerhouses there are rubbish containers. Hot water runs from a geothermal borehole to a pool by the seashore. Nothing beats unwinding in this pool after a strenuous hike. Note that there are no sanitary facilities by the pool. Fish farming is practiced adjacent to the river Þverá and, at times, it is possible to buy fishing licenses for the ponds. Fishing licenses for Vatnsdalsá and Vatnsdalsvatn are sold in Flókalundur and Brjánslækur.

A ranger from the Nature Conservation Agency is on hand during the summer and offers information on the region, in addition to organizing walks and hikes.

To the Traveler

The principle behind the reserve is to protect the environment and nature in a way that people can enjoy them. We should be an example to our children and treat the environment with respect. Please drive only on roads and marked trails; let us not damage flora, fauna and natural phenomena. Do not light fires and use hot water cautiously.

Walks in Vatnsfjörður

Hörgsnes

Here you find the cave Gíslahellir and strange cliffs with numerous holes and pockets. The Hörgur, from which the place gets its name, is a crag dotted with holes. Nearby is a lovely beach where it is common to find seals sunbathing.

Marked 30 – 60 minute walk. A climb of approx. 50 meters.

Smiðjutóftin (The Forge)

Just west of the Þingmannaár River, about 200 eters above the highway are ruins marked with a yellow pole - a standard practice for archaeological sites. Here are found charcoal emains. The site is very old and said to be the remains of the forge of Gestur Oddleifsson the Wise, but this is hardly likely. The forge would have been a time-consuming occupation because it is 20 kilometers from here to Hagi, Gestur’s residence.

Þingmannaá

An interesting river canyon with pristine waterfalls, both large and small. It is easy to walk behind one of them, so much so that the location has been used in two films, “Útlaginn” (The Outlaw) and “Nonni & Manni”. In the canyon, the end of a dike can be seen. The volcanic river of lava here ran in much the same way as the magma bursts in the eruption of Krafla in 1980. This type of volcanic flow happens at least a kilometer below the surface so the dike bears witness to how brutally the glaciers scoured the Þingmannadalur valley.

Marked 60-minute walk. A climb of 200 meters.

Vatnsdalur Valley

The mountains, the woods, the lake and the river make up the picturesque scenery here which is best enjoyed on foot along good hiking trails on either side of Vatnsdalur. The birch on Lambagilseyrar east of the lake is among the highest found in Vestfirðir. There are some lovely waterfalls in the valley base. Please note that the Vatnsdalsá and Útnorðursá rivers, which run down the valley base to the west, are usually difficult to cross and can be dangerous.

Marked two-hour walk to the Lambagil gulley. No climb. Other walks also possible.

Smalahellan

The Smalahellan, a barren spot where spring water gushes over a slanting flat rock, is situated inland in the western part of the valley. It was said that no shepherd would be considered competent in Vatnsdalur unless he could run across the rock slate. Almost needless to say, the feat is impossible because of how slippery and steep the slab of rock is.

Helluvatn

North of the hotel at Flókalundur is a lake. It is a short walk to the lake, providing a chance to see the area from a different point of view without too much hassle. It is a nice view overlooking the hotel and summerhouse area.

Marked two-hour walk to Helluvatn. A climb of 300 meters.

Pennugil

A dramatic canyon with striking rock formations. In the canyon there is a small hot spring in which road workers used to bathe.

Marked 30-minute walk. A climb of 50 meters.

Lómfell

This is the mountain we mentioned earlier that was the first mountain ever climbed in Iceland - and the view it provided was the source of Iceland’s name. There is a good view over Breiðafjörður and the southwestern highlands of Vestfirðir. The desert and expanse offer a refreshing change from the lush lowland between the steep mountains.

Marked walk of two to three hours. A climb of approx. 350 meters.

Surtarbrandsgil

This canyon is in fact not part of the reserve but enjoys special protection as a natural phenomenon. It is strictly forbidden to disturb or remove anything in the canyon but it is possible to obtain permission to walk around. Surtarbrandsgil, one of the most famous fossil sites in Iceland, boasts remains of Tertiary vegetation 12 million years old. Giant pine, maple, magnolia and beech are among the most common fossilized species found there.

90-minute walk. A climb of 200 meters.

Flókatóftir

Ancient and protected ruins just west of the dock at Brjánslækur. They are named after Hrafna-Flóki.

Five minute walk.