A look at what the locals called Vatnsnes Peninsula the the large peninsula between Hunafloi (a large sea inlet) and Skagafjorddur (fjord) in north Iceland.
Tourism is a major and growing part of the Icelandic economy therefor it is easy to imagine the various ways to entice customers, particularly to cafes. this one appeared in several places including Lonely Planet (LP). Robert, one of the proprietors, is the son of a Scottish Minister who came to preach and teach football skills. Hence the castle in which Robert has a small history exhibition. (ref: LP). Seemed a good spot for a lunch break and a highly recommended fish soup on the menu.
Of course it is almost the shortest day, not many tourists to upset 25kms along a gravel road off the Ring Road. Must have been working on the history of which we discovered with interest.
so we carried on up the road. Here what looked like a crop of kale had been fed off.
New fencing but note the very light wooden posts.
Picturesque older farm buildings that have been maintained.
As is frequent the local church is maintained in close proximity to a farm homestead being most of what remains of a former larger farming and fishing community.
Remaining sheds often used for another purpose by the farm. Were the round towers originally grain or feed silos? Yet to discover, could have asked the history man.
Some dwellings may not be permanently occupied but appear to be maintained.
The real winter is close and most sheep are already in their winter sheds.
These ones, blue with the cold, marching down the road, in almost dark, being driven by attendants following on vehicles with lights blazing.
We stopped and talked to the couple in one of the vehicles. There were about 200 sheep and they were on their way to the winter shed. They would be shorn then stay in the wintering barn for the next 5 months.
Some people still live up these gullies.
But we did not venture beyond the signage as there usually no exit and the road was not on the map at all.
Kept looking out for Grimsey, an island about 40km to the north.
Sometimes wondered why flat land not covered in tarns and streams was not grazed, even by the Icelandic horse.
Aah! What is this, a Greenland iceberg and there was more than one floating about. No hermit Polar Bear was caught sight of but they are known to travel this way occasionally without a ticket and are sent packing. Not wanted in bear free Iceland.
One more look for Grimsey.
Our history find. is this round set of stock yards largely built from turf blocks.
The end view of the perimeter wall.
Outer wall on the left and an inner circular wall in the middle allowing stock to be moved around to different pens.
Some timber was used for the smaller inner pens but may have been added at a later date.
The room (pen) with a view. This was not Grimsey but a hump on the horizon may have been.
The walls were in remarkably good condition.
This is the remains of an outer holding yard that, indicated by the materials, was added at a later date.
A concrete pad outside the perimeter wall but nothing to indicate what it had been used for.
Two sheep were still close by and may have been waiting for the straggle muster.
Some excitement was to be had but seemed much too close for it to be Grimsey.
One of the few buildings seen in a state of collapse. Was it the homestead site for the turf yards?
Our last look at the coast and a loan house above what appears an old jetty, before moving inland towards Akureyri where we join the coast again.
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