Accommodation
A well-furnished and cosy private cottage at the farm, just a little way away from the farmer’s house. The three-bedroom cottage suits five people, and there’s a sofa bed in the sitting room that two can share. A cot, high chair and carrycot are available free of charge. The kitchen is well equipped, as are the two bathrooms. The living room has a TV and DVD player, and the large porch has a BBQ and a hot tub.
Minimum stay 2 nights.
Board
Guests prepare their own meals. There are supermarkets in town Akureyri (13 km / 8 mi) and the closest restaurants are Silva (vegetarian and raw food, 1 km / 0.6 mi), Lamb Inn restaurant and bar in Öngulsstaðir (4.5 km / 3 mi) and the Cowshed Café at Garður (5 km / 3 mi). You can also enjoy homemade ice-cream and a cup of coffee at Holtssel (9 km / 5.5. mi).
Service and recreation
Guests are welcome to visit the farm’s greenhouses, where you can buy fresh vegetables like peppers, cucumbers and parsley. For riding tours, head to Uppsalir (3 km / 1.8 mi) or Kátur by Kaupangur (10 km / 6 mi). There are a few golf courses close by – by Þverá (6 km / 3.7 mi), by Leifsstaðir (11 km / 7 mi) and in Akureyri (course Jaðarsvöllur – 15 km / 9 mi). There is a swimming pool in Hrafnagil (2 km / 1.2 mi), and just north of Hrafnagil you’ll come across the Christmas house where you can acquire baubles and bright lights year round. There’s also a whole museum dedicated to knick-knacks at Sólgarður (17 km / 10.5 mi). The much-acclaimed ski area Hlíðarfjall overlooks town Akureyri, which is also the town closest to Brúnalaug where you’ll find all expected services (13 km / 8 mi).
Eyjafjörður country – hike or drive
The countryside that bears the same name as fjord Eyjafjörður extends 60 km (37 mi) from the fjord’s head and along a valley. It’s beautiful and prosperous country that has a lot to offer travellers. Brúnalaug overlooks the outer part of the region, which you can easily circumnavigate. For a family-friendly and lovely pit stop on your way, head to Leyningshólar (30 km / 18.5 mi) where you’ll enjoy life in a small birch forest, hiking along trails and hills and relaxing in calm hollows.
Akureyri – the Laufás district museum
The capital of the North, town Akureyri, is only 13 km away from Brúnalaug (8 mi) and is the largest town outside the capital area in the south and a centre for trade, fisheries, education, culture, and administration. The town life is quite vivacious and you can visit museums, art galleries, restaurants, cafés, shops and boutiques, the Hof culture house, the theatre, clubs and pubs. 26 km (16 mi) along the fjord’s east coast is the district museum at Laufás, set in an Icelandic turf house. The interior is modelled after traditional décor at around the year 1900 (open in summer).
Nature’s jewels in the North, and town Siglufjörður
You only have to travel 75 km (46.5 mi) from Brúnalaug to reach lake Mývatn, and on the way you can stop at one of the more famous waterfalls in Iceland, Goðafoss. Húsavík, a town famous for whale watching, is 100 km away (62 mi). If you travel in the other direction from Brúnalaug, along the fjord’s west coast, you can visit town Siglufjörður (94 km / 58.5 mi), Iceland’s former “herring capital”. The herring trade peaked during the early 20th century and the town is now a popular tourist attraction. To satiate your thirst for herring knowledge, visit the Herring Museum that covers the history and customs of the herring era.
Hosts: Anna Sigríður and Gísli