Vatnsfjord church and fish drying racks

A small stone church and a group of traditional fish-drying racks sit beside a turf-roofed shed at the edge of Vatnsfjörður, a fjord near Flókalundur on the southern Westfjords coast. Fish still hangs here to dry in the cold sea wind, becoming harðfiskur — a staple Icelanders have eaten for centuries. Entry is free, and the history runs deep: one of medieval Iceland's richest manors stood on this spot, and the fjord features in the saga of Hrafna-Flóki, the voyager credited with naming the country. Seals often rest on the rocks along the shore.