Vigur Island is positioned near the coast of Isafjördur and is the second biggest island in the Isafjördur place of Iceland. After a mere half-hour journey, one arrives at a paradise for seabirds. Thousands of birds, such as eider geese, Arctic terns, puffins, and black guillemots, proportion this island with its sole resident family.
Vigur Island stretches 2 kilometers in period and is about 400 meters wide, making it one of Iceland's largest common eider breeding grounds. Visitors can also explore Viktoria House, built in 1862 from Norwegian wood and restored by the National Museum in 1993, in addition to Iceland's most effective intact windmill, built in 1840. Other specific attractions on the island consist of a 200-year-vintage 8-oar boat, nonetheless in use for transporting sheep, and the smallest published workplace within the country. Don't forget to send a postcard!
Map of Vigur Island
| Name | Vigur Island |
| Country | Iceland |
| Constituency | Northwest |
| Coordinates | 66.055°N 22.828°W |
| Area | 0.6 km2 (0.23 sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC +0 |
| Population | 0 |
| Airport | N/A |
History of Vigur Island
In the 17th century, the farm on Vigur Island turned domestic to Magnús Jónsson, a wealthy man who collected and commissioned manuscripts. The island's records date again to Iceland's earliest settlements and its unique subculture of eiderdown harvesting.
Vigur Island also boasts a windmill constructed around 1840, which is the northernmost windmill inside the international.
Annually, about 3,500 not unusual eider nests are found on Vigur Island. These nests are coated with eiderdown, which farmers acquire after the eggs have hatched and the ducklings have left. The eiderdown is hand-dried, looked after, and wiped clean; the usage of conventional methods exceeded down through generations.
Things to Do on Vigur Island
On this captivating island, you could have a look at puffins, eider geese, and different seabirds and gain insights into the generation when people nonetheless resided there. Walk to the chook habitats and the first-rate spots for a close view of Vigur's rich avian life.
Vigur is domestic to over 45 distinct hen species, earning it the nickname "Bird Island" or "Puffin Island." Thousands of birds inhabit the island, including eider geese, Arctic terns, puffins, and little auks. From mid-April to early August, the island hosts 100,000 puffins, 10,000 eider geese, Europe's biggest black guillemot colony, and endless Arctic terns.
Hiking routes across the island range are based totally on fowl interest, breeding seasons, and available time. At low tide, there may be additionally a danger to peer seals at the seaside and whales looking alongside the shore. You can experience homemade rhubarb cake at Vigur's café and post workplace, send a postcard from Europe's smallest post workplace, and retake a boat to Isafjördur.
Over the years, Vigur Island's five friendly citizens have welcomed traffic in a relaxed, simple way, making it seem as if time still stands on Vigur.
How to Get to Vigur Island
The simplest way to visit Vigur is by joining a tour. You can participate in a tour organized by West Tours. The excursion lasted about three hours and commenced at 3 PM.
The meeting point was the port of Ísafjörður.
Please check the West Tours website for the latest information.
Travel Tips for Vigur Island
- From mid-April to early August, you can get up close to the 100,000 puffins living here.
- Learn about Iceland's oldest sea vessel, the country's only windmill, one of its oldest wooden houses, and the unique Icelandic tradition of collecting eiderdown.
- Send a card from Europe's smallest post office, taste traditional Icelandic cake, and browse the shop for handcrafted items.
- At low tide, look for seals and whales along the shore.
