Djúpivogur is a small village on the Eastfjords coast, tucked beneath a mountain that looks like it was made by a child with a pencil and a ruler. Búlandstindur rises almost a kilometre in a perfect pyramid, and the village at its foot has a quiet, unhurried air that makes it the kind of place you plan to stop for coffee and stay for the afternoon. It has been a trading post for centuries, and the old warehouse by the harbour, built in the late eighteenth century, is among the oldest buildings in the region.
The riding to Djúpivogur is a highlight. The Ring Road swings around headland after headland, with sudden views across the fjords, and the bends are generally gentle but surprising, with a few narrow bridges and short climbs. The surface is generally good, but the weather can turn quickly, and fog rolls in from the sea. Take care on the open sections, since the wind can be fierce. Beyond the village, a mountain road called Öxi cuts inland toward Egilsstaðir, a rough, steep, gravel shortcut that is better left to those with suitable bikes and good weather.
What sets the village apart is a row of granite eggs on the shore of the little bay called Gleðivík, thirty-four of them, each one a different size, each modelled on the egg of a local bird. It is a modern piece of public art, and the effect, in the pale light of an evening, is quietly moving. The village also prides itself on being a slow town, a member of an international network that favours local food and a relaxed pace, and it shows in the way people talk to visitors.
Nature is rich. Offshore lies the island of Papey, home to puffins and other seabirds, with boat trips in summer, and the fjord holds seals and whales. The air smells of kelp and cold water, and the mountains glow rose-pink at sunset.
The village is small, with a shop, a cafe and a few places to stay, and larger services are found farther along the Ring Road. Come in the late afternoon, take a walk along the shore, and stay for the light.