Bolungarvík

Bolungarvík is a small town and the only built-up area in the municipality of Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður in the northwest of Iceland, located on the Westfjords peninsula, approximately 14 kilometres from the town of Ísafjörður and 473 km. from the capital city Reykjavík.

Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður
Skyline of Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður
Coat of arms of Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður
Location of Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður
Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður 66°09′N 23°15′W
Region	Westfjords
Constituency	Northwest Constituency
Mayor	Jón Páll Hreinsson
Area	109 km^2 (42 sq mi)
Population	955 (1 January 2020)
Municipal number	4100
Postal code(s)	415, 416
Website	bolungarvik.is

It was one of Iceland's oldest fishing outposts and is close to abundant fishing grounds. Tourist sites include a camping site next to an indoor swimming pool with a waterslide as well as a natural history museum where a polar bear specimen and the biggest bird collection in Iceland can be seen. Skálavík bay can be reached by gravel road over a mountain pass. That same road also leads to the top of the Bolafjall mountain (638 m.) with views of the village of Bolungarvík, the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord, the Jökulfirðir fjords, the Hornstrandir nature reserve and the Denmark Strait. On the same spot there is a radar station. The surroundings of Bolungarvík are destinations for hiking, horse riding, sea angling and birdwatching. Bolungarvík's facilities include apartment rental, a bank, a post office, two bars, a supermarket, a convenience store, a kindergarten, a primary school, a music school, a community center, a handcraft store and a tourist information centre.

Bolungarvik was the location for Nói Albínói, a movie by Dagur Kári about a disaffected teenager living in a remote Icelandic village who loses his family in an avalanche. It was also the setting for Rúnar Rúnarsson's 2015 film Sparrows.

History and folklore

According to Landnámabók Þuríður sundafyllir settled in Bolungarvík around 940 along with her brother Þjóðólfur. Folklore says they had a disagreement and put a spell on each other, as they were both skilled sorcerers. Þuríður laid on her brother that he would spend eternity as a monolith on which all birds would defecate. Þjóðólfur in turn hexed his sister that she would forever stand where the wind blows most. The pillar that was said to be Þuríður collapsed in half in 1936. The legend says that same night the cliff "Þjóðólfur" sank in the sea. That night their spell washed away into the sea.[1]

• 
  The lighthouse in Bolungarvík Óshólaviti
• 
  The fishing outpost museum Ósvör
• 
  Bolungarvík fisherman

Climate

Climate data for Galtarviti 14.1 km (8.8 mi) from Bolungarvík
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	1.3 (34.3)	1.8 (35.2)	1.1 (34.0)	3.6 (38.5)	6.6 (43.9)	9.6 (49.3)	11.2 (52.2)	11.3 (52.3)	8.4 (47.1)	5.6 (42.1)	3.1 (37.6)	1.8 (35.2)	5.4 (41.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−0.9 (30.4)	−0.5 (31.1)	−1.4 (29.5)	1.0 (33.8)	4.1 (39.4)	7.0 (44.6)	8.7 (47.7)	8.8 (47.8)	6.1 (43.0)	3.6 (38.5)	1.0 (33.8)	−0.6 (30.9)	3.1 (37.6)
Average low °C (°F)	−3.2 (26.2)	−2.9 (26.8)	−3.6 (25.5)	−1.1 (30.0)	2.1 (35.8)	5.1 (41.2)	6.8 (44.2)	6.9 (44.4)	4.2 (39.6)	1.7 (35.1)	−1.1 (30.0)	−3.0 (26.6)	1.0 (33.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	136.0 (5.35)	108.7 (4.28)	115.9 (4.56)	78.1 (3.07)	49.7 (1.96)	51.9 (2.04)	48.7 (1.92)	63.7 (2.51)	124.9 (4.92)	157.6 (6.20)	154.9 (6.10)	124.6 (4.91)	1,215.4 (47.85)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	23.7	21.0	23.9	20.0	15.4	16.1	15.1	17.0	20.1	24.5	23.7	24.5	245.3
Source: Veðurstofa Íslands[2]

Panoramas

A panorama of Bolungarvik in the Westfjords, Iceland taken in July 2018.

Panorama of the village of Bolungarvík

References

1. "Jakub Gainski". Vikari. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
2. "1961-1990 Climate Averages for Galtarviti". Veðurstofa Íslands. Retrieved 25 September 2016.

External links

• Official website (in Icelandic)