Syslo, the guesthouse we stayed at overnight in Stykkisholmur was delightful but sadly our stay was very short because we had to catch the Baldur Ferry at 8:30am the next morning to take us to Westfjords. Our delightful host served us a sumptuous early breakfast complete with fresh-baked bread and croissants and fresh berry juice. Then we headed to the port to catch the car-ferry which would take us across the Breidafjordur, a huge body of water which lies between Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Westfjords. Aligned along a volcanic fissure system and known for its myriad islands, islets and skerries, Breidafjordur is hemmed by more than half of Iceland’s coastline - it took two and a half hours to cross. It’s a rich and diverse habitat and is also an important staging area for many migratory birds between Canada and Greenland. It is also home to whales, seals and dolphins as well as half of Iceland’s plant species.
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| Not a brilliant image but here we are crossing Breidafjordur to reach Westfjords (the red dots are where we were to stay over the next few nights). |
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| The islands in Breidafjordur were so fertile that farmers ferried their cattle by row boat to the grazing lands. |
Arriving on the southern shores of Westfjords we gazed around with a sense of wonder at a narrow strip of lush ground bordered by sea and towering mountains. The littoral was beautiful with scatterings of delicate wild flowers. We picnicked on crispbread, potted meat, cheese, salad and apples; this turned out to be our daily fare while on the road. It felt like a feast to us. It’s amazing how taking a journey to an unfamiliar environment heightens your senses. You notice smells and tastes anew, as well as the intensity of colours, the difference in light.
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