In Dalvík

Little known among tourists, "The Great Fish Day" (Fiskidagurinn) is a huge, outdoor festival that takes place on the first or second weekend of August. Everything is free: food, beverages, live music, folk dancing in traditional costume, short films, and, of course, exhibitions of fish in tubs full of ice. The local fish factory is the main sponsor, and all workers are volunteers. On Saturday from 11am to 5pm, the largest grill in Iceland cooks up cod, haddock, salmon, and about 12,000 fish burgers. The night before, around 70 Dalvík families place two torches outside their doors, a signal that anyone is welcome to stop in for fish soup.

Hrísey Island

In summer, as you disembark the ferry, you'll likely see Ásgeir Halldórsson (tel. 695-0077) offering bird-watching tours in his tractor-pulled trailer, which has seats and a loudspeaker so he can commentate from the driver's seat. Call in advance to make reservations.

Free trail maps are available on the ferry. The main trail, color-coded green, ascends to Hrísey's highest point in a 2.3-km (1.4-mile) loop, but the longer trails are best for bird sightings. The far northern section of Hrísey, Ystabæjarland, is a private nature reserve accessible only with the owner's permission; consult Ásgeir or the information office if you hope to hike all the way there. Permission is usually not granted until mid-July, to protect birds during nesting season.

Hrísey's bird populations chose their residence well. Hunting is prohibited, and no foxes or mink have made it out to the island. Hrísey is a quarantine station for imported pigs and cattle, so Icelandic horses and sheep -- which never interbreed with foreigners, at least not in Iceland -- are kept off the island to keep them safe from species-hopping diseases. This leaves more vegetation for ground-nesting bird species.

Warning: Arctic terns, which harass and sometimes attack anything that comes near their eggs, are a serious menace and can turn a Hrísey walk into a Hitchcockian nightmare. Terns are very agile -- those that spend the winter in Antarctica have the longest annual migration of any known animal -- and the attack comes in a quick swoop, with furious flapping and hideous shrieks. (The Icelandic word for tern, kría, comes from the shrieking sound.) The worst time is June, when walkers should carry some sort of stick, pole, or umbrella over their heads for protection.

Ptarmigans, on the other hand, haven't the slightest fear of people, and in early September waddle right into village streets and yards seeking protection from falcons. The spindly legged and needle-billed godwits, around from mid-May to mid-August, are another endearing sight.

Grímsey Island

Grímsey is flat-topped and only 5.3 sq. km (3 1/3 sq. mile), with the highest cliffs on the east side, and walks are a straightforward matter. The island is home to over 60 bird species. The most popular are puffins, which can be observed from May to mid-August.

For the right price, someone is always willing to take you sea angling, bird hunting, or, in May or June, egg-collecting; contact either guesthouse listed here.

Gallery Sól, Sólberg (tel. 467-3190), a gallery and souvenir shop, opens up to greet arriving and departing visitors from the ferry or plane. The community center has a library endowed by Willard Fiske (1831-1904), a wealthy American who never set foot in Grímsey but was touched by how much the locals were dedicated to chess.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.