Accommodation
The cottages are both 40 m2 / 431 ft.2 and stand side by side, sharing a patio with a beautiful view over Hallormsstaðaskógur forest and Lagarfljót river. One of the cottages has one bedroom with a double bed (140 x 200 cm / 55 x 79 in) and a smaller bunk above (70 x 190 cm / 28 x 75 in). There’s also a sofa bed in the living room. The other cottage has two 2-person bedrooms, both with additional bunks above the beds. Both cottages have a living room, kitchenette with a dining table, and a bathroom.
The farmhouse has two apartments. On the ground floor is a two-bedroom apartment for up to seven people. There are three beds in one room, and in the other is a double bed (140 x 200 cm / 55 x 79 in) with a bunk (90 x 200 cm / 35 x 79 in). There is also a living room, kitchen and bathroom. The second floor apartment is spacious and bright, with views over the forest. It has two bedrooms for a total of four people, a double bed in one and two single beds in the other. There is also sofa bed in the living room.
Board
Guests prepare their own meals. There’s a little shop at Hallormsstaður where you can buy milk, bread and meat to grill (5 km / 3 mi). The nearest supermarkets are in Egilstaðir (22 km / 14 mi). There’s a restaurant at the hotel in Hallormsstaður, and Klausturkaffi at Skriðuklaustur runs a lunch buffet during the summer months (17 km / 10.5 mi).
Service and recreation
Hallormsstaðaskógur forest is a popular recreational area in a varied landscape, with hiking trails suitable for everybody and playgrounds for children. There’s boat rental in Atlavík (6 km / 3.7 mi) and horse rental in the field by Hússtjórnarskólinn (the Homemakers’ School) at Hallormsstaður (5 km / 3 mi). It’s 12 km / 7.5 mi to Hengifoss, the second highest waterfall in Iceland. The Centre of Culture and History is at Skriðuklaustur, as is Snæfellsstofa, the information centre for the eastern territory of Vatnajökull National Park (17 km / 10.5 mi).
There’s a nine-hole, par 35 golf course at Ekkjufell, close to Egilsstaðir (27 km / 17 mi). Egilsstaðir is also the nearest town with shops, supermarkets, a good swimming pool, tourist information centre and various other services (22 km / 14 mi). There are regular scheduled flights between Reykjavík and Egilsstaðir (1 hour). It’s 50 km / 31 mi to the town of Seyðisfjörður, where the Norræna ferry docks.
Hallormsstaðaskógur
Hafursá, which sits on land owned by the Icelandic Forest Service, is situated on the northern edge of Hallormstaðaskógur. The forest became protected in 1905, Iceland’s first foray into nature conservation. Hallormstaðaskógur is now considered to be Iceland’s largest forest, covering around 740 ha / 1,829 ac. There are 40 km / 25 mi of marked hiking trails and footpaths as well as a family-friendly arboretum, which has over 70 species of trees. Down by Lagarfljót river is the renowned Atlavík inlet, which has a popular campsite and boat rental during summer. There are also good barbecue areas and play equipment in the forest. Stekkjarvík inlet, about 1 km / 0.62 mi north of Hafursá, also has good grilling facilities and a playground.
The East Fjords, Icelandic nature and fishing villages
The East Fjords south of the Fljótsdalshérað region are home to many popular hiking areas and tourist attractions. Borgarfjörður Eystri (89 km / 55 mi), a spectacular setting framed by colourful mountains, is Icelandic nature is at its most beautiful. It’s also interesting to visit the fishing villages a little further south, for example Reyðarfjörður (66 km / 41 mi) and Fáskrúðsfjörður (85 km / 53 mi). Fáskrúðsfjörður is set in a beautiful fjord and has a museum and many other relics commemorating its fascinating past when French sailors came to fish there in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Hosts: Þorkell and Anna