– ABOUT US –
Welcome to Silfurberg – a small new boutique country resort. Silfurberg is beautifully located at the farm Þorgrímsstaðir in Breiðdalur valley in East Iceland, about 45 minutes south of Egilsstaðir by car via highway 95, and less than 30 minutes away from Breiðdalsvík.
Silfurberg is owned by the couple Guðrún Sveinsdóttir and Jón B. Stefánsson. They are born and bred in Reykjavík, but decided in 2003 to purchase some beautiful farmland in East Iceland that had caught their attention and charmed them. They moved from the city to the peacefulness at Þorgrímsstaðir where they have been rearing sheep ever since. In the beginning the farm was still powered by a home hydroelectric generating station, which is still standing although no longer in use.
Soon after moving to Breiðdalur valley, Guðrún and Jón realized that the land and surrounding area would be ideal for tourism. Breiðdalur valley is centrally located in East Iceland and is a perfect base for those who want to explore and get to know the area. The mountains and nature are magnificent and the serenity makes it possible for people to rest and rejuvenate far from the hectic city life. Guðrún and Jón decided they would build a little country hotel at Þorgrímsstaðir and started developing ideas on how to best use the facilities and surrounding land with future guests in mind. The old barn house was transformed into a small hotel, including a studio apartment, a bar and exercise facilities.
Jón, a civil engineer, has enjoyed designing and supervising the construction of Silfurberg with considerable help from Guðrún. The previous owners had kept all old utilitarian objects and old materials that could be reused later. Guðrún and Jón have done their best to utilize these materials and objects while building Silfurberg and have tried to fittingly mix the rustic things in with newer design and artwork.
Silfurberg offers the opportunity to rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery and nature of Breiðdalur and relax in the sauna and hot tubs. The fact that Silfurberg is situated at the bottom of the valley ensures that there is virtually no light pollution. It truly is a memorable experience to enjoy the starry skies and northern lights (aurora borealis) from the peaceful surroundings at Þorgrímsstaðir. The view from Silfurberg over Breiðdalur valley is very beautiful. Breiðdalsá river runs through the valley which boasts spectacular mountains on all sides, many with colorful canyons. In Breiðdalur valley there is an extinct volcano and other phenomena of geological interest. The area offers many breathtaking hiking routes. The fauna and bird life of Breiðdalur valley is diverse. One can often see flocks of reindeer in the land of Þorgrímsstaðir, especially in the winter and the spring. Guests can go trout fishing in the Heiðarvatn lake above the resort, and nearby are generous hunting lands for reindeer, ptarmigan and wild goose. Close to Silfurberg is a horse farm which offers horse riding tours. All of these qualities make Silfurberg the perfect resting place for aesthetes, people who enjoy the splendor of the great outdoors and hunters.
The name Silfurberg (literally Silver-rock) is Icelandic for Iceland Spar or Iceland Crystal, which is a transparent variety of calcite or crystallized calcium carbonate. It has been speculated that the sunstone mentioned in medieval Icelandic texts was Iceland spar and that Vikings used its light-polarizing property to tell the direction of the sun on cloudy days, for navigating. Iceland Spar is rare outside Iceland. A few mines can be found in Iceland, particularly in East Iceland, one being in Breiðdalur, close to Silfurberg.
