Djúpavík - Where the northern road ends!

The bay of Djúpavík is among the least frequented parts of the country. The roads up there are only open during the few months of the short summer. It is one of the remotest corners of Europe, where the coastline is covered with vast expanses of driftwood that originated on the other side of the Arctic Ocean, in Russian Siberia. The region is stunningly beautiful and a perfect place to really experience Iceland’s wilderness. The story of Djúpavík really began in 1915, when ElíasStefánsson started a herring salting station. He went bankrupt in 1919 but in 1934 entrepreneurs of Djúpavík built a huge herring factory that ran for two decades, giving people in the area a chance to earn a living. In 1954 the “herring adventure” (as Icelanders call it) in this part of Iceland was over and the factory went bankrupt. Today Djúpavík is dominated by the huge ruins of its old herring factory and the rusting shipwreck of the 100-year-old former passenger and cargo ship Suðurland. The tremendous costs involved in demolishing the factory building – once the largest concrete structure in Europe – is too much for the village so its huge shell remains, reminiscent of a Hollywood set. A few years ago, the famous Icelandic band SigurRós held a concert in the old herring factory. Our hosting partner will organise some free time activities for SEEDS volunteers, for instance a day trip and excursions in the area.