Excursion Afternoon walk around grimsey tour at Húsavík

Just off the north coast of Iceland is the island of Grimsey, Iceland's northernmost inhabited island. Covering an area of only 5.3 square km, the island is small enough to easily be explored on foot. This remote and beautiful island with its local church built from driftwood is steeped in folklore and legend.

The island's sheer cliffs are home to huge colonies of sea birds and in summer, the intrepid islanders will rappel down the cliff faces to collect the eggs that are considered a local delicacy. The current settlement is located on the southern and western parts of Grimsey, most of it around the little harbor which has been much improved during the last few years thanks to the transportation of large rocks from the mainland.

In 1793, the island was almost abandoned when a disease killed all but 6 of the male population. The remaining 6 went on a mission to the mainland in order to get help. Another interesting fact about the island is that it has a long-time reputation for being a bastion for chess-playing.

Note

Please note: This is a walking tour involving at least 1.5 hours of walking, making this tour unsuitable for those with walking difficulties. Guests are recommended to wear weather-appropriate layered clothing and sturdy walking shoes.