Hellissandur is one of the oldest fishing villages in Iceland. In the olden times, there was a big fishing centre there, with some 60 seasonal fishermen’s huts back in the year 1700.

The Fishermen’s Garden was established by local fishermen in 1977-78 and depicts the way fishermen lived and worked. There is both a Maritime Museum and a Fishermen’s Garden at the site You can roam around the outside area free of charge, while there is an entrance fee to the Maritime Museum.

Have a look at the rebuilt old turf house Þorvaldarbúð which  was the last lived-in fishermen’s hut,  for a insight into the living conditions of the fishermen in earlier days. In the Fishermen Garden you will also find Steinatök – the Lifting stones, which were used to measure the strength of the local men to see if they were strong enough to work at sea.

The monument at site  is named Jöklarar,  or the Glacier people, by the artist Ragnar Kjartansson, the same man who made the statue of Bárður Snæfellsás at Arnarstapi.

Inside the Maritime Museum, you will find an eight-oar rowing boat, Bliki, the oldest preserved fishing boat in Iceland, dating back to 1826. It was used by the local fishermen until 1965, but these boats remained the same from the earliest times and into the last century. There you can also see one of the biggest cods caught by Iceland, 54 kilos and 164 cm long, caught in 1990 near Hellissandur.

Cafe and souvenir shop is at the museum.

Ten ideas for recreation in Snæfellsnes peninsula:

1. Visit Snæfellsjökull National Park’s new visitor center in Hellissandur and learn about the area’s unique nature.
2. The Freezer at Rifi is a culture center in the area, theatre & hostel . Its located in a renovated fish factory. Check out his schedule.
3. Explore unique places within the national park such as Malarrif, Þúfubjarg and Lóndrangar, Saxhóll and Djúpalónsandur.
4. It is a special experience to visit Vatnhelli Cave with a guide.
5. Arnarstapi is a world of its own with abundant bird life, a monument to Bárður Snæfellsás and visuals at every step.
6. Go on an organized trip to Snæfellsjökull glacier, the view from its top is magnificent.
7. Explore Kirkjufoss waterfall near Mt. Kirkjufell by Grundarfjörður, one of the most visited tourist spots in the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
8. Check out an exhibition about shark fishing in Bjarnarhöfn, a short distance west of Stykkishólm. You can also taste and buy a dried shark.
9. Take an unforgettable cruise in  Breiðafjörður bay with Seatours in Stykkishólmur.
10. Check out the Snæfellsnes Local Museum in the Norwegian House in Stykkishólmur as well as the Water Museum nearby.

For further information and ideas go to www.west.is