Exploring Hornstrandir // Iceland

A fast area largely abandoned in the 1950 and left to look after its self. There are no roads, making a ship, the only possible way into the reserve. The people who used to live here cultivated small pieces of land to support their cattle with hay during the darker months. And although during summer many birds and eggs where taken from the bird cliffs, fishing was the main in come for the people of the Hornstrandir area. After the abandonment, the flora slowly started to recover its former and original state. The now 260 flowering plants and ferns are a good summer hide out for the arctic foxes who made their own recovery. A hand full of houses abandoned and restored are the last reminder of the little civilization once present.

 Setting of from Isafjordur we enter a larger fjord system, The Isafjardarjup. At the center of al these fjords lies their maker. Like a spider in its web, the glacier Drangajokull is sitting at just under 1000 mtr and watches over its liquid counter parts below. The glacier once covering the land trapped the volcanos below. In this way, the magma below the ice formed the table mountains, now iconic to the area. After the retreat of the glacier the fjords where carved and are still being shaped by the fury of the North Atlantic. Drangajokull is no longer a calving glacier, and has terminal moraines at al its fjords. Making the navigation tricky at some spots. Depending on the weather and wind forcast we, shape our course. Our main destination during this week is Hornbjarg and its towering bird cliffs. It is home to many sea birds during the short and intensive summer. Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Fulmars are the main inhabitants. They are fair game for the Arctic fox and her cups. Always luring and risking their own lives to secure an evening meal. The walks up the cliffs are breath taking. It gives a great view into the Greenland Sund and over the bay and mountains to the East.

After an exhilarating day of sailing on the Greenland Sund, Hesteyri offers a splendid anchorage. On the banks of this shallow fjord we find the remains of a small settlement. The old doctors house is converted into a dormitory and serves the best Icelandic pancakes. Further into the fjord an old chimney gives away the location of the old whaling factory. The Norwegians built the factory but did not run it very long. It was soon transformed into a Herring processing plant and in use until the late 1940’s. Hesteyri is not completely abandoned, the elf’s still have their throne overlooking the Westfjords. Glowing in the purple of the Lupine it is a truly magical place.