Vopnafjordur

Vopnafjordur is a village of a few hundred people at the head of its fjord in the north-east, bypassed by the ring road and reached over a pass, which is why it sees a fraction of the traffic that the rest of the country does. The rivers here - the Selá, the Hofsá and the Vesturdalsá - are among the most highly regarded salmon waters in Iceland and are fished under expensive private leases. The district is the setting of Vopnfirdinga saga, one of the shorter family sagas, and the farm museum at Bustarfell is a short drive inland. The Selarlaug pool sits by the river outside the village.

History

The bay was first settled by Vikings in the late 9th century, and the name, "weapon fjord", comes from the nickname of one settler, Eyvindur vopni; disputes between local chieftains in the 10th century are told in Vopnfirðinga saga. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was one of three trading ports in East Iceland, the Danish firm Ørum & Wulff traded here in the 19th century, and in the late 19th century poor farmers moved up into the highlands above the fjord, the life that inspired Halldór Laxness's novel Independent People (Wikipedia, Vopnafjörður).

Highlights

• A village off the main route - reached over a pass, and quiet for it.
• Prized salmon rivers - the Sela, Hofsa and Vesturdalsa.
• Saga country - the setting of Vopnfirdinga saga.
• Selarlaug by the river - the local swimming pool outside town.

When to go

June to August; the passes can be difficult outside that. Half a day.

Practical notes

Fishing here is leased privately and priced accordingly - it is not a place to turn up with a rod. Services are limited and seasonal. The road in crosses high ground that closes in winter. There is little to do in poor weather.

Nearby

Bustarfell is inland; Modrudalur and route 1 are south.

Key facts