Waterfalls and glaciers in the West of Iceland

WORK/PROJECT: In this project SEEDS volunteers will have the unique opportunity to work in two amazing places in the west of Iceland. The first part of the project will take place close to the waterfalls Dynjandi in the Westfjords and the second part of the project will be in the Snæfellsjökull National Park in the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west of Iceland.

Our host is the Environmental agency of Iceland (Umhverfisstofnun), which SEEDS has been working with since 2007 in diverse projects in the national parks and protected areas of the country.

In the first part of the project, volunteers will make walking paths in the area around Dynjandi waterfall. In the second part of the project, volunteers will clean and beautify the area around the glacier Snæfellsjökull. Volunteers will also help to maintain hiking paths and other light maintenance in the area.

Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging the environment and this also helps to improve safety for visitors.

Volunteers should be prepared for all kinds of weather. The work is physically demanding and volunteers need to be motivated to work outdoors.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will stay in local houses during this workcamp in a sleeping bag accommodation. Volunteers will share the responsibilities of the cooking and cleaning activities.

Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: The first part of the workcamp will be located in the Westfjords. Volunteers will stay in a local house in Flókalundur and work around the set of waterfalls called Dynjandi. It is made up of seven different waterfalls, each with its own name; Dynjandi, meaning “thunderous”, is the name of the largest of the waterfalls. It has a cumulative height of 100 metres, making it the tallest and one of the most spectacular waterfall in the country.

The second part of the workcamp is located in Snæfellsjökull National Park on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The park was established in 2001 and it is one of the most visited parks in Iceland.

The Snæfellsjökull glacier lies on top of a volcano and it’s the center of the park. Its peak reaches 1446 metres and in a clear day it can be seen all the way from Reykjavik. The mountain was first climbed in 1754 and like many other volcanoes in Iceland, it is still active. The glacier covers the summit crater to the depth of 200 metres. Due to global warming the glacier has shrunken and it continues to shrink. In August 2012 the summit was ice-free for the first time in recorded history. Some researchers predict that the glacier could vanish in less than 50 years.

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

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

SEEDS organises the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camps and vice-versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 100 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

In the area of the workcamp, there are countless fascinating walks and hikes available which volunteers will be able to explore in their free time.

Volunteers need to be prepared for hard physical work, free time activities are mostly outdoors, like hikes in the area. Volunteers will have to bring their own sleeping bag and familiarize themselves with the Equipment Checklist in the Specific Information sheet.

Age: 18+