Grímsey Island: Europe’s remote northern settlement is seabird haven

Historically, access to Grímsey was limited to biannual mail deliveries by boat until 1931. Today, visitors can reach the island via 20-minute flights from Akureyri or three-hour ferry rides from Dalvík. The island’s wildlife, including Arctic terns, puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, razorbills, and guillemots, significantly outnumbers the human population. Additionally, free-roaming Icelandic horses and sheep contribute to the island’s unique ecosystem.

Local tour guide and Arctic Trip owner, Halla Ingolfsdottir, who became a full-time resident in 2019, remarked, “People think I moved here for love, but I fell in love with the island.” She emphasized the island’s distinct seasonal beauty, noting, “Nature is very powerful here; it’s a different natural force in the winter, and with the darkness comes the Northern Lights, the stars, and the storms. In spring comes the light and the birds; every season is special.”

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Grímsey operates independently from Iceland’s national power grid, relying on a single diesel-powered generator for electricity. The island lacks facilities such as a hospital, doctor, or police station. In emergencies, residents are trained to respond until assistance arrives from the mainland. A doctor visits the island every three weeks by plane to provide medical care.

The main settlement, Sandvík, located on the island’s southwest side, comprises homes, many serving as guesthouses for tourists. The community features a schoolhouse functioning as a community center, a handicraft gallery and café, a small grocery store open for about an hour daily, a restaurant with a bar, a swimming pool, library, church, and an airstrip that also serves as a popular landing spot for birds.

Steeped in Viking legend

Grímsey’s history is steeped in local lore, with its name linked to a Norse settler named Grimur from Western Norway’s Sogn district. The island was first referenced in 1024 in the Heimskringla saga, where local leaders refused King Ólafur of Norway’s request to cede Grímsey, valuing its rich fish and bird resources.

In 2009, Grímsey became part of the municipality of Akureyri. Despite this administrative change, residents maintain a strong sense of identity and pride in their community. María H Tryggvadóttir, Grímsey’s project manager for tourism, highlighted the island’s allure: “What fascinates me most about Grímsey is its remoteness, [its] unique light, and incredible birdlife.”

A notable attraction is the “Orbis et Globus” monument, a 3,447-kilogram concrete sphere installed in 2017 to mark the Arctic Circle’s intersection with the island. Due to the Earth’s axial tilt, this line shifts approximately 14 meters annually, necessitating the monument’s relocation each year to maintain accuracy. By 2047, projections indicate that Grímsey will no longer lie within the Arctic Circle. Plans are in place to ceremoniously roll the sphere off a cliff into the ocean at that time.

Grímsey Island offers visitors a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and resilient community life, making it a distinctive destination within Iceland’s diverse landscape.