Flokalundur (Flókalundur)
Flokalundur (Flókalundur)
Flokalundur, on road 62 on the shore of Vatnsfjordur, is a service center, with fuel, a restaurant, and a small shop. It's named after Raven-Floki, an early visitor to the island who is credited with giving Iceland its name after observing the fjords full of drift ice from Greenland.
Its birch wood surrounds offer pleasant short walks, including the stroll up the west bank of a small gorge, starting from the bridge by the service station.
About 200m east of the settlement, there's a parking area above the shore where you'll find the 'secret' hot pool Hellulaug, wedged under a rock face on the beach.
This is a gem of a pool continuously fed by hot water from a nearby borehole. Note that there are no changing facilities here.
Sitting in this 38°C pool right by the sea is an amazing experience and one not many Icelanders know about! There are numerous bathing spots in the West Fjords, and in Iceland as a whole, and soaking in hot water is an intrinsic part of the Icelandic lifestyle.
Children from the age of 6 to 16 take swimming lessons as part of the school curriculum and everyone is encouraged to swim.