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ICELAND | Akranes, Iceland Travel Guide
Saturday, November 30, 2024
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Mosfellsbaer
Mosfellsbaer, Iceland (cc)
Photo: OddurBen
Mosfellsbaer
Mosfellsbaer is a colorful little community of 7,165 people, situated on the Ring Road just 10 miles north of Reykjavik. It lies largely in the Mosfellsheldi moorland which stretches between Mount Esja and Mount Henglafjoll, rising to its maximum height in Borgarholar. A number of routes, new and old, cross the moorland between the Mosfellsdalur Valley and Thingvellir National Park.
Mosfellsbaer, significantly, has supplied Reykjavik and the surrounding area with natural hot water for heating since 1933, which also has resulted in the development of several greenhouses and turkey farms. The town has a woolen factory, and the whaling station in Hvalfjordur is the only one in Europe that is still in use.
In Mosfellsbaer, there is a Tourist Information Office, 566-6822, and Library on the second floor of the Kjarni Mall; a Post Office, 566-6000, at 4 Halholt; a Police Station, 562-666, on Thverholt; and a healthcare center and pharmacy at 2 Thverholt. Dances are held at Felagsgardur in Kjosarhreppur and at the Community Center in Hvalfjardarstrandarhreppur.
Sightseeing in Mosfellsbaer
First, there are the waterfalls. Glymur, located nearby on the Botnsa river, is Iceland's highest waterfall. Another, the Trollafoss waterfall, is at Leirvogsa. The Laxfoss and Pokafoss falls are on the Laxa river at Bugda, and the larger Thorusfoss falls are close by.
Mosfellsbaer is also notably the home of six horse farms, which can be visited by appointment. These are: the Helgadalur Farm, 566-7600; Laxnes, 566-6179; Thufa in Kjos, 566- 7745; Anna & Stebbi, 566-7192; Petur Jokull Hakonarson, 566-6639; and Islenskir Ferdahestar, 566- 7600. There is a pleasant outdoor area at Kollafjardarbotn that can be enjoyed by the public.
Nearby, too, are six mountains that offer easy upland walks – Lagafell, Helgafell, Ulfarsfell, Grimmannsfell, Mosfell, and Reykjafell.
Saurbaer, in Hvalfjardarstrandarhreppur, was the parish of poet/priest Hallgrimur Petursson from 1651 to 1669, and Petursson is buried there. A new church was built in his memory in 1957.
Reynivellir has an old church that was built in 1860.
Among other local points of interest are The Knife Maker at 29 Alafossvegur; the Alafoss factory outlet and woolen museum, 566-6303, at 23 Alafossvegur; The Artists' Workshop, 566-6620, on Alafosskvos; Handverkshus at 24 Haholt: and the Huldoholar Art Center, 566-6194.
According to tradition, Mosfellsbaer became the home of a rather valuable buried treasure when a man named Egill Skallagrimsson supposedly buried his cache of silver somewhere nearby. The treasure, however, has never been found!
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