Borgarfjordur Eystri/East Travel Guide

Region: East Iceland
Coordinates: 65.5265799° N 13.8182045° W
Weather: °C, Wind at km/h, % Humidity
Population: 100

Bay Borgarfjordur Eystri is the northernmost of the Eastfjords. Large and very colourful rhyolite intrusions decorate parts of the beautiful mountainous landscape, which is rich in half precious and semi precious stones. It is very tempting for collectors to visit this area, but the local authorities have forbidden stone collecting. A shop in the village Bakkagerdi sells them at reasonable prices.

Fishing, fish processing and tourism are the bases of livelihood, but the number of inhabitants is constantly deminishing, mainly because of the difficult communications in winter, lack of necessary services and few employment opportunities for educated people. The Icelanders are reasonably superstitious and believe in all kinds of hidden beings. Among them are the elves, whose queen occupies a rocky mound in the village.

Birdwatchers should use the birdwatching shelter down by the old harbour, anddrive to the new harbour on the opposite side of the bay to visit the colonies of puffins, fulmars and kittiwakes. Many marked hiking trails of one of the most popular hiking areas of Iceland lead between the mountains and coves in the nearby area.

The Atlantic puffin comes to Iceland for nesting in April-July

The Atlantic puffin is a migrating seabird that spends winters in the open ocean in the North Atlantic and moves to shallower waters in early spring when the breeding season starts. It sets in bird cliffs and islands for nesting, usually in late March or the beginning of April. When the pufflings are ready in late July or early August, they start moving out to sea again.
About 60% of the world population of Atlantic puffins nest in Iceland, and it is the country’s most common bird.
Did you know that the puffin starts nesting at same time when the Artic terns arrives in Iceland (May 15th) and that the Artic terns leaves at the same time,(August 15th.) when puffin leaves its nesting grounds in Iceland!!

Borgarfjordur Eystri is on nat.is Saga trail

Borgarfjordur in Icelandic

Map East Iceland

Please note: there is also Borgarfjordur in West Iceland

Main Photo Credit: Visit East Iceland

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