Island Life – News From The Countryside

To address the lack of tourist accommodation in the countryside, a new shiny hotel is being built in the proximity of Geysir in Haukadalur. Designed by Leifur Welding to interfere minimally with the surrounding nature, the building looks more like a sustainable, luxurious apartment block than a hotel, with its light wood panels and stark black accents. Like most hotels in Iceland, it seems to target high-income travellers. The same low-budget travellers that have been lamenting the lack of cheap hostels, instead, will still be camping in the countryside or sleeping in their cars. Sustainable, no?

The same low-budget travellers that have been lamenting the lack of cheap hostels, instead, will still be camping in the countryside or sleeping in their cars. Sustainable, no?

In anticipation of the upcoming sport tournament organised by the Icelandic Youth Association and held in Egilsstaðir at the beginning of August, mountain bike specialist Haddur Áslaugarson has taken it upon himself to create a brand new off-road track in the Selskógur forest for the biking championship. According to Haddur the project was incredibly fun and fulfilling, especially because of the involvement of local children who lent a helpful hand with healthy criticism and advices on what the workers could do better. Good teamwork, guys!

Hjalti Einarsson, the captain of fishing boat Víkingur AK, happily reports that the mackerel season is exceeding all expectations. Recently, Víkingur AK sailed from the Westman Islands to Vopnafjörður with around 600 tonnes of mackerel. Furthermore, it seems like the East Coast has just as much fish to offer during this summer season as the West. The size of the fish is currently fairly large, as the smaller mackerels seem to be rarely caught, but that’s no reason to worry. As long as there’s plenty of it, and in good shape, everyone’s happy.