Westfjords

The total population of puffins in Iceland is estimated to be between 8 and 10 million birds. The Atlantic Puffin is one of the four species of puffins and the one most commonly found in Iceland. Icelandic word for puffin is “lundi”.

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Puffin

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Hesteyri wasn't a particularly busy place until Norwegian whalers built a factory there in 1890 along with harbors and dwellings for workers. Hesteyri became an active community with a school, shop and a church. At its busiest time the population was around a hundred.

Whaling ban was put on in 1915 and the factory closed down. Quiet times didn't last long. Entrepreneurs from Reykjavik bought it and converted into a herring factory. It operated as such until 1940 when the herring disappeared. The factory closed down for good. In 1952 there were only 30 people left in Hesteyri. In the spring they had a meeting in the community house to figure out what to do about the situation. On that meeting they decided to leave Hesteyri all together the following autumn.

Patreksfjörður is an Icelandic village in the Westfjords with 721 inhabitants. The town was named after Patrick bishop in the Hebrides who was the spiritual guide of Örlygur Hrappson, the original settler in the area who came from the Hebrides. Its economy is mainly based on its fisheries.

Memorial to the Icelandic pastor, Björn Halldórsson (1724-1794), who first cultivated potatoes in Sauðlauksdalur.

Sauðlauksdalur, Westfjords, Iceland.

The Westfjords or West Fjords (Icelandic: Vestfirðir) is a large peninsula in northwestern Iceland and an administrative district. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is heavily indented by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills.

Iceland, September 2015.

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Lupine

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Dynjandi

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

The little house on the fjord.

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Norðurfjörður. Great natural hot swimming pool is fed by these waters.

Bolungarvík was one of Iceland's oldest fishing outposts. This shot is at the Ósvör museum. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolungarv%C3%ADk

The dangerous road to Bolungarvík (landslides from the steep cliff) was replaced by a tunnel. The slightly eerie hiking/cycling road with many telltale landslide signs remains.

Gallery of basalt blocks. Only visible at low tide.

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Straumnes Air Station en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straumnes_Air_Station

Breiðavík is situated on the way to Látrabjarg. When you drive over the mountain pass from Örlygshöfn you will come down in the creek of Breiðavík. In the creek there is a church and a Hotel, named Hótel Breiðavík.

Iceland, September 2015.

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Latrabjarg is Iceland's largest sea cliff stretching 14 kilometers (8.75 mi) and peaking at a height of 441 meters (1,447 ft). This majestic cliff's claim to fame is that it is the westernmost point in Europe and hosts Iceland's greatest concentration of seabirds.

Aircraft engine

Roadtrip in Iceland summer 2015 - Roadtrip en Islande été 2015

Pretty little old church in the middel of nowhere.

Staður, a church in the Staðardalur valley, built in 1855, a former parsonage. Staður was considered one of the richest benefices in the entire country. Among the best–known clergymen there was Jón Árnason (1665–1743), Bishop of Skálholt. In the church there is a remarkable pulpit painted with figures of Christ and his disciples, dating back to the year 1731.