A remote viewing platform overlooking rugged mountain slopes, a fjord and the North Atlantic stretching into the distance has opened in eastern Iceland.
The circular walkway called Baugur Bjólfs is 100m long and hugs the flanks of Bjólfur mountain, which rises to around 650m.
Part of the structure juts out over the void. Its shape is inspired by the silver rings that accompanied Viking chieftains to their grave.
The ring-shaped construction of exposed concrete, stainless steel and larch wood sits above the coastal town of Seyðisfjörður. A gravel road leads from the town to the main car park, from where visitors continue on foot – a walk of around 15 minutes.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for the approach. Visitors are also advised to check road and weather conditions in advance on the website, safetravel.is.
The walkway is open to the public, fully accessible and features a continuous bench running along it. Visitors with mobility needs are allowed to drive directly to the viewing platform.
Seyðisfjörður lies at the head of the fjord of the same name and is said, according to legend, to be one of the earliest settled places in Iceland. In the 10th century, the Viking Bjólfur held sway over the entire fjord.
Iceland’s tourism boom has transformed the island from a niche destination into one that draws around two million foreign visitors a year in peak periods, prompting investment in new infrastructure and attractions even as the country remains highly exposed to weather and natural-hazard disruptions that can quickly affect access and visitor flows. – dpa
