Grímsey

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Grímsey north of Iceland.
Grímsey north of Iceland.
Cliffs at the island of Grímsey.
Cliffs at the island of Grímsey.

Grímsey is a small island 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Iceland, situated directly on the Arctic Circle, with the highest elevation of 105 metres (344 ft). The closest piece of land is the island of Flatey in Skjálfandi, 39.4 kilometres (24.5 mi) to the south. Grímsey is a municipality (hreppur), its administrative name is Grímseyjarhreppur. It belongs to the county Eyjafjarðarsýsla.

Grimsey is the northernmost inhabited land in Iceland. There are steep cliffs everywhere except on the southern shoreline. There is a rich vegetation cover in Grimsey of marshland, grass, and moss. There is a mild climate in Grimsey, and there are many birds there. There is a lot of fishing on Grimsey, with agriculture and collecting seabirds eggs as sidelines.

The church on Grimsey was built from driftwood in 1867 and renovated in 1956. It is under the parish of Akureyri. there is also a community center and school on Grimsey.

The highest point on Grimsey is 105 meters.

Grimsey is a popular tourist destination.

[edit] Trivia

A legend has it that the Arctic Circle runs exactly through the middle of the bed of Grimsey's priest. The fact that the circle shifts by a few meters per year makes this unlikely.

The warmest temperature recorded on Grimsey is 26°C (79°F), which is over a degree higher than the warmest temperature recorded in the capital Reykjavík.

Education: In Grimsey there is a school with eleven students which is grades K-8, and after they go for further education in Akureyri.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Places along the way...Grimsey, published by Bokautgafan ad Hofi



Coordinates: 66°33′N, 18°00′W