Talknafjordur

O ne of many tiny weeny villages rammed in between mountains in the Westfjords of Iceland is the village of Talknafjordur. Its roughly 300 inhabitants usually do not see a lot of tourists and understandably so. The village has limited things to offer. 

Driving westwards here from neighboring Patreksfjordur you will notice this little village from the main road and your impression should guide you either to make a stop or continue your trip.

If you do stop you will enjoy relative peacefulness since there is center to speak of here. There may be children playing around but as for life that´s about it even in high summer.

Talknafjordur is a fishing village as so many others around here and there is a firm specializing in sea angling tours for tourists. This is great fun if in a group but less so if only on your own. You can have your catch and have it cooked as well if you so choose. More information here.

Here also is a nice swimming pool fed directly from hot springs found a short distance out of town. The hot spring area, knows to locals as Pollurinn, the pool, is actually the most attractive thing around here. Pollurinn consists of three small hot tubs over the hot springs and here is always wonderful to rinse the dust and chill for a while. A small cabin for changing clothes is right outside the tubs and getting in is totally free.

The local publicists content this is a fine spot for hiking and the outdoors but in comparison to thousand other much more beautiful such places in the country that is not the case. However, great hiking spots are in the eye of the beholder.

As for sightseeing within the village itself this is pretty much limited to the nice wooden local church. But on a clear day the fjord itself can be quite impressive.

Camping is available here as well as renting a summer cabin if you intend to stay. Team Total Iceland can also recommend the guesthouse Bjarmaland run by five local sisters. This is the only place open all year in the town.

A local festival, Talknafjor, is held here on the last weekend in july each summer. A nice but very small festival and mainly for the locals.

» At the south side of the fjord are still to be seen the ruins of a large whaling station run here in the 1900s.

» Either fly to Isafjordur town and drive here or drive from the south. There is but one road to this place number 63 and then 617 into the village.

» Small is sometimes beautiful but more often boring. When time is limited in Iceland this place is not worth a stop.

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