Repairing tracks in Dalir - Sagaland

PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will be joining a project in Hvammsfjörður with the local municipality of Dalabyggð, in the north-west of Iceland. The village in Búðardalur lies at the north-eastern end of Snæfellsnes peninsula and next to the Westfjords.

The project will take place at Búðardalur and depending on needs volunteers will be repairing tracks, helping with tidying up some of the public areas of the  village and the sea shores where there is a lot of bird life.

Búðardalur is a small village in Iceland with about 300 inhabitants so volunteers will get to know and experience how it is to live in a small village in Iceland. Búðardalur has a beautiful shoreline which the volunteers will help clean in an outdoor project with a lot of clean air.

The work is physical and might require a good physical condition, it can at times be repetitive and demanding but always rewarding. No previous experience is needed. As it is outdoors work, volunteers shall be ready to adapt and be flexible with the working and free-time schedule, as depending on the -changeable- weather, we may not be able to perform some of the tasks or activities planned.

Volunteers need to be prepared for working outdoors in sometimes isolated sites. Be prepared to experience all kinds of weather and bring warm winter clothes as the tasks take place outside and it can get cold.  Bring warm under-layers, waterproofs, walking shoes/boots, a good sleeping bag, hat scarves and gloves.

ACCOMMODATION:  SEEDS volunteers will stay in a well-equipped school house, in shared rooms/dorms, cleaning facilities are located in another house close to the school. Please bring your own sleeping bag.

Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: The project will take place in the West of Iceland; in a district called Dalabyggð ('Valley district'), formed in 1994 when 8 municipalities were merged.  The only town of Dalabyggð is Búðardalur, with about 300 inhabitants is a service center for the area. The village has a long history, dating from the time of the first settlements in Iceland. The name means "Camp Valley", or more directly "dale of booths"; it is where settlers had temporary camps when coming to the area.

There are many valleys in Dalir and often it is unclear where one starts and another ends. Further away from the coastline lie the many islands of Breiðarfjörður in all their glory which form a magnificent view when bathed in the light of the setting sun over this great fjord. The area is popular with hikers who can choose from many different paths and routes ranging from ‘easy’ to ‘challenging’ and ‘difficult’.   

Dalabyggð is not only famous for hiking, it has been mentioned in many of the Sagas and was the setting in two of the very famous Viking sagas from 850 to 1300. Strong women have always played a key role in the history of Dalir. One of the first settlers of Iceland was Auður djúpuðga (The Deep-Minded) from Hvammur who played a vital role in freeing bonded men and claiming vast areas of land in Dalir.  At a short distance from the village is Eiríksstaðir, the homestead of Erik the Red, who discovered Greenland and whose son Leifur Eiríksson, born at Eiríksstaðir, discovered America ahead of Columbus.

LANGUAGE: English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

TERMINAL & TRANSPORT: Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

SEEDS organises a “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík & back. Apart from being cheaper and convenient, it allows participants to meet and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting sites.

Departure is at 7:00 am of August 7 from SEEDS office.  Return to Reykjavík in the late evening of August 21.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 280 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

The participation fee does not include the transportation from Reykjavík to the camp and back but we estimate the costs about EUR 35 each way.

Our hosts will organise some free time activities; like going to a swimming pool and an excursion in the surroundings. Volunteers should have a motivation for physical outdoors work.