Islands in North Iceland

Hrísey is Iceland’s second largest island, the largest being Heimaey in the Westmann Islands. It is covered with vegetation, being, for the most part, flatland which only rises to 110 metres above sea level at its highest point. The bedrock is basalt, about 10 million years old. On the southernmost tip of the island is a small village where most of the islanders live. There is a relatively new swimming pool to tempt the visitor, and also the chance to do a spot of sightseeing from the trailer of a tractor, which is perhaps something one does not experience every day!    The crossing between Hrísey and Árskógssandur takes about 15 minutes one way, and the ferry, Sævar, runs several times a day.

Flatey is a beautiful island and an unforgettable experience to visit. You have the feeling time stops here or even goes back in history. Many residents in Húsavík have houses on Flatey, which though uninhabited since 1968, was once a lively village with a church, a schoolhouse, and a lighthouse. Residents slowly left once electricity began to arrive on the mainland. Spread flat, the island is rich in bird fauna, with over 30 different types of bird to watch, including among others Arctic Tern and the Puffins.

The rocky island Drangey in the middle of Skagafjordur is a flat topped mass of tuff, rising almost 200 meters out of the ocean. The cliffs serve as nesting sites for around million sea birds and have been used throughout Iceland´s history for egg collection and bird netting. Grettis Saga recounts that both Grettir and his brother Illugi lived on Drangey, for three years and were slain there. The island can only be ascended at one spot.During summer, Drangey Tours offers boat trips to the island.

Grímsey is the northern most point of Iceland situated on the Arctic Circel. It is the home to one hundred people, one million seabirds and one of the biggest Puffin colonies in Iceland. It is a great place to enjoy the midnight sun around the summer solstice.A ferry serves the island several times a week from the town Dalvík and flights are provided from Akureyri several times a week during winter and daily during summer.