Living in Iceland can be harsh. Strong winds, pouring rain, and long dark days in winter. But there’s something that can make your life on the island even more complicated – the lack of car. There’s nothing like public transportation in Iceland. And even on the rare occasions when you can see a bus or a shuttle, it doesn’t mean that you can afford it.
So here I am – equipped with a raincoat, water repellent trousers, trekking shoes, and without a car. I’m fighting with this inconvenience while trying to get the best out of it. I have to become a hiking lover, there’s no way around it, and my first destination is Hafnir, which is located some 10 kilometres from the place where I live. Not that bad, I think.
Hafnir is a harbour village in the Reykjanes peninsula with a little more than 100 inhabitants. There are not too many places like it; take the harbour for example – from there, we can observe how powerful and formidable the North Atlantic ocean can be. Hafnir is also known for the American ship Jamestown, which sailed around the village completely abandoned in 1881. Also, some archaeologists believe that Hafnir was the first settlement in Iceland 1000 ago.
Even without these facts, Hafnir is totally worth the 10 kilometres of hiking. It’s extremely picturesque and peaceful, and I have the feeling that the time has almost slowed down to a halt.
