Djúpivogur is a fishing village on the south-east coast of Iceland, tucked into a bay on the Berufjörður fjord, and it has the sort of quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what it is. Behind it rises Búlandstindur, a steep, pyramid-shaped mountain just over a thousand metres high, which dominates the skyline and gets its share of folklore. On the waterfront, there is a line of large stone eggs set on little plinths in the shallows, a sculpture by the artist Sigurður Guðmundsson that represents the nesting birds of the area, and it is the kind of public art that gets you smiling before you have taken off your helmet.
The riding is the point. Route 1, the Ring Road, follows the coast along a string of deep fjords, with the road swinging out to each headland and in again to the head of the fjord, so that you travel three times as far as the crow flies. The bends are open and the views are enormous, with steep slopes of scree, waterfalls streaming down in wet weather, and the sea shining below. Winds can be fierce, especially where the road crosses the mouth of a fjord, and in winter the whole route needs care. Long stretches are now paved, but there are still some gravel patches and roadworks to watch for.
The village is a member of the Cittaslow movement, which promotes a slower, more local way of life, and it has the feel of it. There is a small harbour, a few shops, and an old trading warehouse that has been turned into a cafe and museum. A short walk gives you views over the bay full of birds, including eider ducks, and in the right season you may see seals on the skerries. The fish served in the local restaurants is as fresh as you will find anywhere, usually landed the same day.
Fuel is available here, with a small station in the village, but it is wise to keep your tank above half in the east, since the distances between settlements are large and some pumps are unmanned or card-only. There is also a campsite, guesthouses and a hotel.
The best time to come is June to August, when the days are long and the road is clear. In the evening the light on the fjord can be extraordinary, and the sun on the mountain turns the rock a deep rose.