Grundarfjörður, Iceland

Grýndarfljörður - a municipality and town in Iceland. The municipality of Grýndarfljörður is located in the west of the country, in the Westfjords region, on the shore of the fjord of the same name, which is part of the Breiðafjörður. The area occupied by the municipality is 148 km². The population is 918 (as of 1 December 2007), of which 846 live in the town of Grýndarfljörður. The town lies on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Nearby there is the Helgindur mountain range. The main occupation of the local residents is fishing, catching sea scallops and shrimp, as well as serving tourists. The surroundings of Grýndarfljörður are a favorite nesting and chick-rearing place for numerous sea birds.

According to Icelandic sagas, the first inhabitants in the area of the town of Grýndarfljörður appeared as early as the 8th-9th centuries, during the time of the first Icelandic settlers. During the period of the Danish trade monopoly (1601-1786), a Danish trading station was established here, around which a settlement grew. After the monopoly was abolished, Grýndarfljörður received the right to trade and quickly expanded.

Modern Grýndarfljörður is a beautiful port included in many cruise ship routes. The town is surrounded by exceptionally beautiful mountains. With each passing year, tourism plays an increasingly important role in the life of the town. Grýndarfljörður’s central location with respect to all sights in the region makes it ideal for excursions to the surroundings: the main natural wonders are literally a few minutes’ walk away.

The main attraction is Snæfellsjökull National Park, with majestic glaciers and unbelievably beautiful landscapes of lava fields, waterfalls, caves, calderas, and basalt cliffs. This area has inspired many Viking sagas, and in more recent times-Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” The Snæfellsnes peninsula is distinguished by such a variety of landscapes that it can quite reasonably be considered Iceland in miniature.

The climate here is maritime, moderately cool, with strong winds; it is humid and changeable. July and August are the warmest months in Grýndarfljörður. The average annual temperature in the town is +1-2 °C, the average temperature of January is +1 °C, and July is +11-12 °C.

Darkness lasts from mid-November until the end of January. During this time, the height of the Sun at its highest point does not exceed a few degrees (there is no polar night in Iceland). Throughout the summer, “white nights” can be observed in Grýndarfljörður; on June 21 the sun rises at 02:54 and sets at 00:02 the next day. December, unlike June, is the darkest month-the daylight lasts no more than 5 hours.