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Hvalfjördur.jpg
Hvalfjörður-Botnsdalur-Iceland-20030527.jpg
Hvalfjörður (is. = the fjord of the whales) is situated in the west of Iceland between Mosfellsbær and Akranes.
Not so long ago, people had to make a long detour of 62 km on the hringvegur (road no.1), if they wanted to go from Reykjavík to Borgarnes. They had to drive around the whole fjord. Today, they can go through the tunnel Hvalfjarðargöngin which shortens the trip considerably.
On the other hand, travellers will miss a rather beautiful spot of Iceland this way, the rear end of the fjord showing an interesting mixture of volcanic mountains and - in the summertime - green vegetation. At Botnsá f.ex. lupins are to be seen, different sorts of other flowers and moss, as well as small forests of birchwood and conifers. It is a good example of the planting of forests, a project that has been going on in Iceland for some years.
Very recommendable is the hiking trail to the highest waterfall of Iceland, Glymur, starting at the rear end of the fjord.
(See also Waterfalls of Iceland)
The name Hvalfjörður comes from the lot of whales which could be found and caught there. So there was stationed until the 1980s one of the biggest whaling stations in this fjord.
During World War II, a naval base of the British and American armies could be found in this fjord.
See also
External links
- Photos[1] (http://www.islandsmyndir.is/html_skjol/vesturland/hvalfjordur/forsida_hvalfjordur01.htm)
[2] (http://www.islandsmyndir.is/html_skjol/vesturland/hvalstodin/forsida_hvalstodin01.htm)de:Hvalfjörðurfr:Hvalfjörður