Grímsey

Grímsey, Iceland

A dark stone sphere stands on open grass at the northern tip of Grímsey, lit by low amber midsummer sun near midnight.

Grímsey is a windswept Arctic Circle island of seabirds, fishing boats and a village of 61 people, reached by a short ferry or flight from the mainland.

The place

Grímsey is a small island in the North Atlantic, north of the Icelandic mainland, with a population of 61 and a single village, Sandvík. The highest point is 105 metres above the sea. Cliffs fall away on almost every side; only the south-western shore slopes gently enough to hold the harbour and the houses. Administratively the island belongs to the municipality of Akureyri, and the usual ways across are the ferry and the small passenger plane. The Arctic Circle passes through Grímsey, which is the main reason people come, and it is the northernmost inhabited part of Iceland. Daily life is built around the sea: boats in the harbour, a church, a school, a shop and a handful of houses, with very little else. The birds supply the crowds. In summer the cliffs fill with nesting puffins and other seabirds, and the noise and smell are part of the experience. The top of the island is open grass and low tundra with almost no trees, so the wind is constant and shelter is rare. Despite the latitude, a warm ocean current softens the winters, which makes the climate cold and breezy rather than extreme, but even July days rarely feel warm. A walk from one end of the island to the other is easy, services are limited, and the weather decides the schedule more than any timetable does.

Its story

Grímsey's best-known story is about a line that will not stay put. The Arctic Circle is a circle of latitude, and because the tilt of the Earth's axis wobbles slowly over long periods, the circle creeps northward by about 14.5 metres a year on average, though the figure changes from one year to the next. Islanders have long marked where it falls. Several older stone markers record where the line lay in earlier centuries, and each now sits a little south of the real thing. In 2017 the community added a different kind of marker: Orbis et Globus, a stone sphere weighing eight tonnes, made to be moved as the circle shifts, so that it stays on the line instead of merely remembering it. At present the crossing lies near the island's northern end, and the drift means it will leave Grímsey altogether around the middle of this century and fall into open water. That gives the island an odd claim, because its famous position is temporary. Behind the line lies a quieter history. Grímsey has been a fishing community, living off boats, birds and the sea, and it has stayed inhabited through isolation and long winter darkness. Until the municipal reorganisation it governed itself, and it is now run from Akureyri on the mainland. The smallness is the point: everyone knows the harbour, the weather and each other, and a visitor walking to the monument is stepping into that daily routine.

What to see

Culture

Grímsey's culture is that of a tiny Icelandic fishing community, where the sea, the weather and the seabirds shape the year. Icelanders in general are egalitarian, and that shows here in an easy informality: people greet visitors as equals, whether they are working on a boat, serving in the shop or showing someone the way to the monument. News travels quickly in a place this small, and visitors who ask questions will find residents glad to talk about the island, the birds and the changing line of the Arctic Circle. Locals tend to be curious about how a visitor finds Iceland, and polite, honest interest goes further than flattery. Family and community ties matter a great deal across the country, and interest in genealogy is widespread, so surnames and family stories are a natural topic of conversation. The church and the harbour are the island's gathering points, and seasonal work, such as fishing and tending the birds' habitat, sets the rhythm of the year. Visitors arrive in numbers mostly in summer, so residents are used to guests but also value quiet, particularly outside the main weeks. In the village, remember that the houses, gardens and boats you pass are private and in daily use, not part of an exhibit. Keep to marked paths near nesting birds and ask permission before photographing residents or going near private property.

What to wear

Grímsey is a place where clothing is about wind and wet more than display, but Icelandic tradition still shows. The best-known garment is the lopapeysa, a yoked sweater knitted from lopi, the wool of Icelandic sheep, in rings of pattern around the shoulders. Formal national dress, the þjóðbúningur, is a long skirt and embroidered bodice for women and a more sober outfit for men, usually worn for weddings, confirmations and national celebrations rather than every day. On the island today, people wear practical outdoor clothes: waterproof jackets, wool base layers, thick socks, rubber boots for work at the harbour and a knitted hat in nearly every season. A lopapeysa is still common, partly for warmth and partly from habit. Visitors should dress for a cold, windy, treeless island even in summer. Bring a windproof and waterproof outer layer, a warm mid-layer such as fleece or wool, a hat and gloves, and sturdy waterproof shoes or boots with good grip for wet grass and rough tracks. Sunglasses help in long summer light. There is no strict dress code in the village or at the church, though simple, tidy clothing is polite if you step inside. Pack layers you can add or remove quickly, since sun, drizzle and wind can all arrive within an hour.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to August for puffins and other nesting seabirds, long daylight around midsummer and the mildest weather; even then it stays cool and windy. Winter brings darkness, rough seas and disrupted transport, though clear nights can offer northern lights.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly or take the ferry from the north coast of mainland Iceland. Akureyri is the nearest town and the usual base, with the island's municipal website at https://www.akureyri.is/grimsey/ for local information. Check operators for current timetables and booking, since weather can change plans.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources