Fleewinter

Bergshus House Flateyri - ICF001

3 Bedrooms,

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This private house is located in the heart of Flateyri, the wonderful small village. It is spacious and warm, with a breathtaking view over the harbor area and to the mountains that surround the fjord. The harbor is just a few meters away and we can observe as the fishing boats return from the seas with their catch. Superb location for visiting many of the main attractions in the Westfjords, 20 min drive from Isafjordur, the “capital” of Westfjords.

There is a private lovely outdoor area, a big garden and a terrace with a hot tub and BBQ, both available for guests to use. On the first floor, the heart of the home: a great open spaced kitchen- dining- and living room. Spacious hallway. Bathroom with shower, and also a washer & dryer. On the 2nd floor there are 4 bedrooms: 2 good sized ones (one queen and one queen/twin bed) and 2 larger ones, both have queen/twin beds but one has additional a sleeper sofa, 120x200. Nice bathroom with a walk-in shower and a bath tub situated with a view out to the fjord. Large windows and unforgettable ocean- and mountain view, what a delightful morning view

The owners are art- and design lovers and have put their heart into renovating and refurbishing the house. The house embraces you and with the high ceiling it gives you a feeling of space and comfort. Perfect for foodies, with the kitchen well equipped for home cooking.

Kayak Flateyri: Paddle out on the gorgeous Önundarfjörður, with or without a guide. Take a Sea angling tour, upon request, with Siggi who also runs the Kayak rental (https://www.facebook.com/Kayak-Flateyri-759777867457774/) He and his wife have a small "kitschy” café Bryggjukaffi, where they, in their friendly way, serve a delicious seafood soup with excellent fresh bread, and Tobba bakes and serves cakes and irresistible waffles. These are some on line trails: https://www.wikiloc.com/trails/hiking/iceland/westfjords/flateyri

There aren’t any very well marked walking trails in the Flateyri neighborhood, but it’s easy to find great walking tours, just outside and around the village. To walk along and upon the protection avalanche wall is a nice easy walk (wear waterproof shoes if it’s wet outside) a little less than 2 km long total. https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/flateyri-varnargardur-26164851

The village lies on a small peninsula at the roots of mountain row. It’s nice to walk up the slopes to catch a view over the magnificent fjord and out to the North Atlantic ocean. For those who want a challenging walk up onto the nearby mountains, there are local guides normally available to guide the longer or more extreme walks.

Önundarfjörður fjord is a particularly pretty fjord even by Westfjords standards. This is partly due to Holt beach which is a sweeping golden-sand beach and dune system which curls out into the fjord and can be a bit like Spain for a few hot days in the year. The rest of the time it's a great walk and the dunes are a protected eider duck nesting area. Holt white sandy beach is only 10 min drive from Flateyri. At Holt, there is a very photogenic old wooden harbor which is quite safe to walk on, - this is an opportunity to take a refreshing (and cold) swim in the North Atlantic ocean!

A bit longer drive, but totally worth it, we have the Dynjandi waterfall. The name suggests and you’ll see and hear that it’s quite loud It’s the largest waterfall in the Westfjords and one of the most photogenic falls in Iceland, thanks to its unusual triangular cascade. Bíldudalur village is further 30-40 min drive from Dynjandi we recommend you visit the Monster museum. Weird and funny tales and stories from people that met monsters af all kinds ;-) Also if you have time there visit Samuel Jonsson museum in Selardalur (45 min drive for Bildudalur)

If you are not extremely afraid of heights, check out Bolafjall: above the town of Bolungarvík. There is around 30 min drive or so to village Bolungavik from Flateyri. To get to Bolafjall mountain you have to drive up the road from Bolungarvík the road that leads to the radar station on the top. The place offers a staggering view over Ísafjarðardjúp, Jökulfirðir and some people say all the way to Greenland. The radar station is now controlled by the Icelandic coast guard. The route is open from the middle of June until august september.

If you are driving along the fjords of Isafjardardjup, either on the way to Flateyri og from Flateyri; don’t miss out the weird and wonderful swimming pool at Reykjanes. It’s right next to the beach and as hot as a bath, - a large geothermal bath. At Reykjanes, there is a hotel and a restaurant, if you want to grab a bite after a refreshing geothermal bath! (there are showers and changing rooms indoors, ask for information at the reception)

You might say that the national sport in Iceland, was going to the outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs, all year long, in the mornings and evenings. We always recommend a visit to the local swimming pools. There is a swimming pool in Flateyri, we recommend a visit to the outdoor hot pots/pools, not less nice in winter time!

To get to know the Icelandic horse, the friendly folks at Simbahöllin café offer riding tours in Thingeyri. Great for beginners.

Latrabjarg is probably the best place to see puffins and normally there are day trips from Isafjordur to the island Vigur and the puffins can usually be seen there as well.

Winter activities. There is a local person who offers snowmobile tours, upon request. Great fun, and if conditions allow, they take you up on a nearby mountain, where you will feel “alone” in the universe, you with the snow, mountains, ocean and the sky. Walking tours on the big old fashioned snow shoes, is something fun to try. We have contact to locals, that can take you on a short tour, upon request.

Vagninn restaurant/bar could be said to be the heart of the town, very low key and nothing fancy, but usually good food. It often has live music, especially on weekends. Vagninn is open during summertime. Favorite restaurant in the Westfjords is (Tjöruhúsið) Tjoruhusid in Isafjordur town, it is probably better to book in advance. A fish restaurants in the oldest apartment houses in Iceland. Nice for lunch while exploring Isafördur, “capital of the Westfjords”.

Little bits of history. Flateyri is a small village in the 2 km deep fjord, Önundarfjörður, in the Westfjords, Iceland. It's population is just under 200 people. Even by the Westfjords’ high standards, Önundarfjörður is known for its sublime beauty and tabletop mountains. Flateyri was a trading centre dating back to 1792. In the upcoming centuries, the town became a large support base for Norwegian whalers and shark fisherman. Due to this booming commercialisation, Flateyri used to be a far larger town, with a population closer to 600 people. Recent history, however, saw Flateyri enter some difficult and tragic times. An avalanche in 1995 struck the village, killing twenty people and destroying 29 homes. Given the tragedy, some residents found life in Flateyri too painful and moved away in a great exodus. A deflecting dam has since been built to protect the residents from future avalanches, standing in a large “A” shape overlooking the village. This history paints a somewhat bleak picture of Flateyri, an image that does the town no justice. Lately, we have seen the village in bloom; a Folk high school was founded and old houses are being renovated, mostly by Reykjavik locals that want to enjoy this peaceful spot on earth, and blend in with the friendly locals. And as aesthetically beautiful as it has always been, tourists too have been taken in by the small town’s charm. One of the oldest stores in Iceland “The Old Bookstore”, tells the history of the village, including details of the 1995 avalanche, sells rare second-hand books and is also a museum.