Around Iceland 2015: Egilsstaðir
Photo: Sigurður Bogi Sævarsson
Iceland’s national newspaper Morgunblaðið is on a six-week 2015 tour of Iceland!
The paper’s journalists and photographers will be bringing us news and images of everyday life, culture, business, nature, education, services and more from the four corners of the land. Today’s destination: Egilsstaðir.
Egilsstaðir
Egilsstaðir is the largest town in East Iceland and is located on the banks of the Lagarfljót river. With over 3,000 inhabitants, it is the region’s main service, transportation, and administration centre. It belongs to the municipality of Fljótsdalshérað.
Egilsstaðir, in East Iceland. Photo: Google Maps
Egilsstaðir can be rightly proud of its basketball team, Höttur, which came top of the first division this season and moves up to the premier Domino’s division next year. Some 100 children currently play basketball in Egilsstaðir. Operational costs can be high due to the town’s remote geographical location.
Most of the players in Höttur are locals from Egilsstaðir.
The region of Fljótsdalshérað is a hiker’s paradise, with no fewer than 26 official hiking trails criss-crossing the spectacular landscape. Each trail has information signs, a guest book and a stamp for hikers to stamp a special hiking map, available fom the Iceland Touring Association or tourist information offices.
Some of the most famous hiking trails in East Iceland take in the Dyrfjöll mountains. Photo: Sigurður Aðalsteinsson
Yesterday saw the third edition of the ‘Little Poetry Festival’ in Fljótsdalshérað. Poets read out poems for listeners in various locations both in East and North Iceland. Below, Hulda S. Þráinsdóttir reads for listeners by torch-light in nearby Hallormsstaðaskógur.
One of yesterday's 'Little Poetry Festival'. Photo: Gunnar Gunnarsson
This beautiful historic building in Egilsstaðir was built in 1966 and has been well-known by locals over the years as a popular hotel and event venue. It was bought last year by Þráinn Lárusson, whose aim is to restore it to its former glory.
Hótel Valaskjálf, Egilsstaðir.
Check out Iceland Monitor for Morgunblaðið ’s next destination in Around Iceland 2015: Skaftárhreppur.
