Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)

Heimaey, the one inhabited island of the Westman group, is a town on a volcano: the 1973 Eldfell eruption buried part of it and forced the whole population, over 5,000 people, to leave in a night. It is reached by the Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahöfn on the south coast, 35 minutes each way, and it works as a day away from the Ring Road or a night of its own.

The practical line, read today on herjolfur.is: the standard timetable has seven sailings a day each way, leaving Vestmannaeyjar at 07:00, 09:30, 12:00, 14:30, 17:00, 19:30 and 22:00 and Landeyjahöfn at 08:15, 10:45, 13:15, 15:45, 18:15, 20:45 and 23:15. Check in no later than 30 minutes before departure; boarding closes five minutes before. Adults pay 2,700 ISK each way, under-12s travel free, and a car under 5 m is 4,050 ISK. Cancellation more than 24 hours ahead is refunded less a 500 ISK fee; inside 24 hours it is not.

When the sea is too rough for Landeyjahöfn, Herjólfur sails to Þorlákshöfn instead, with two departures each way, and moves bookings automatically. The drive to Þorlákshöfn is a different day entirely. Landeyjahöfn is about half an hour from Hvolsvöllur.