This project gives SEEDS volunteers again the opportunity to live and work in beautifulsurroundings in Úlfljótsvatn in cooperation with our host, the Icelandic Girls and Boys Scouts Association. The project offers diverse tasks and various experiences for SEEDS volunteers. Volunteers will beautify the surroundings by cleaning up the area, carry out some planting and gardening activities as well. Depending on the advance of the project, volunteers might do other possible tasks, like checking up and repairing old fences and light maintenance work in the huts. The work can be physically demanding and volunteers need to be motivated to work outdoors and to be flexible to do the diverse tasks connected with the project.
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will be lodged in a local hut, in a sleeping bag accommodation sharing rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. The area has a well equipped kitchen. Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of cooking and cleaning. Please do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.
LOCATION:
The Úlfljótsvatn Scout Center is about 50 km to the east from the capital, Reykjavík. The land is originally a farmland and a property of the city of Reykjavik. The scouts in Iceland have rented a piece of the land for over 60 years. Úlfljótsvatn has been for decades the centre for outdoor activities, leader training and summer camp for scouts and guides in Iceland. Thousands of trees have been planted near the centre in the last 15 years. There is a climbing and abseiling tower in the area. Fishing is good in the lake and there are canoes, kayaks, rowing boats at the centre. Today’s most popular boats are 4 persons pedal boats. At the centre there is a 10m high outdoor climbing wall. It is used both for practice and fun in abseiling and climbing. The camp is located about 26 km from Þingvellir, which literally means "Parliament Plains". At Þingvellir the Alþing general assembly was established around 930 and continued to convene there until 1798. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders. Today Þingvellir is a protected national shrine.
LANGUAGE:
English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.
TERMINAL:
Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ). SEEDS organises a “minibus option”, a special shared transport from Reykjavík to the camp which includes the Golden circle excursion. This excursion will be organised on the first day of the camp and it is included in the fee of the project. Departure time will be at 9:00 in the morning.
EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS:
Participation fee EUR 250 (Euros). This fee is paid to SEEDS on arrival in Euros or Icelandic krónas and it includes the transportation from Reykjavík to Úlfljótsvatn and back (on the first and last day of the camp) and the Golden Circle excursion.
The camp is located in a place of beautiful surroundings with countless walking and hiking opportunities. Volunteers can also use the kayaks in the lake. Other excursions (eg. South Shore, Snæfellsnes or Blue Lagoon or) can be organised at discount fares for SEEDS volunteers. The work can be physically demanding and volunteers need to be motivated to work outdoors in all kinds of weather. Volunteers should be prepared for cold or rainy weather since the work takes place outdoors. Volunteers have to bring good shoes and clothes, including hats and gloves.
This project is located in the beautiful Westfjords of Iceland. This is the 8th year SEEDS organises a project with the support of these local hosts, who are a family that have taken up a former farm in the valley and are developing new opportunities in the remote area. They live and work there all year round running diverse facilities and offering services for visitors. The main tasks of this project is to help with fencing tasks in the area, including helping to clear out old fences, repair some fences and put new ones in place. Volunteers will also do some other small tasks, aimed towards beautifying the isolated area.The schedule of this camp is very flexible and it will depend on the needs of our local hosts and on weather conditions. This is a very isolated place with limited mobile/internet connection. The work can be very demanding but also rewarding. Volunteers should have a motivation for working outdoors. Weather in Iceland is unpredictable, so be prepared for all kinds of weather and be sure to bring warm/winter clothing since the work will take place outdoors and it can get cold.In the evenings and during the free days there will be enough time to explore the surroundings, trekking and walking, as you will be able to rest in the natural hot tubs, bathe in the local swimming pool and discover many other surprises of this beautiful place, possibly including horseback riding on the unique Icelandic horses and kayaking in the fjords.
Accomodation & food:
SEEDS volunteers will stay in a fully equipped flat, in a sleeping bag accommodation, sharing rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag.Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of cooking and cleaning. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.
Location & leisure:
The project takes place in the Westfjords at the north-western part of Iceland. This area in the Western fjords is famed for its beautiful landscape and friendly weather with sunny summers. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is made by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills. In the area you will be able to explore the whole range of Icelandic flora from the shore and meadows, through birch to mossy moors. On the shore, one can see birds, seals, whales and then an occasional arctic fox around the sheep.Fishing is traditionally the main industry in the region but tourism started to be more and more important as local and foreign visitors are discovering this region in rising numbers. The distances to the next town and villages are 130 Km to safjorour and 90 Km to Holmavik. The Westfjords account for 10 of the country s surface but only about 8000 people live there, so it is one of the least populated areas of Europe.The camp is located at a place of extreme beauty. SEEDS volunteers will have the opportunity to visit the local pool and weather allows, horseback riding and kayaking around a seal colony can be organised. Volunteers need to be prepared for physical and outdoor work in this workcamp. Volunteers should be motivated to experience life in a very isolated part of Iceland.
Requirements:
English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.Participation fee EUR 150 (Euros). This fee is paid to SEEDS on arrival in Euros or Icelandic kronas and it does not include the transportation from/to Reykjavik to/from the camp.
SEEDS Volunteers will be working on various small projects in Djupavik, a small village in the Icelandic Westfjords.At present the village only consists of seven houses, a hotel and the ruins of a herring factory. SEEDS has been volunteering there since 2008.Our hosts are a family that are trying to develop new opportunities for work in the remote area. They live and work there, running diverse facilities and offering services for visitors. The main tasks will include the building and maintaining of hiking trails and walking paths in the area, to put up sticks and signs if needed. Other tasks will be cleaning the coastline, collecting driftwood and general gardening work.Volunteers will also assist in the maintenance of the old herring factory, like with the help of the cleaning and possibly painting the roof. The building is used by artists and for cultural events.
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will be hosted in a local summer house, sleeping in shared rooms on bunk beds. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Food ingredients will be provided and a kitchen is available for use. Volunteers will share the duties of preparing and helping host to cook meals.Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.
Location & leisure:
Participation fee EUR 200 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic kronas.Our hosting partner will organise some free time activities for SEEDS volunteers, for instance a day trip and excursions in the area.Djupavik is located at the head of Reykjarfjorour on the Strandir coast in the Westfjords region. The area is one of Iceland s most remote. It is a sheltered bay largely untouched by modern developments, where silence reigns and nature continues to shape a rugged, mountainous landscape. The distance from the capital is about 360 km and the nearest village, Holmavik, is about 70 km away.The bay of Djupavik is among the least frequented parts of the country. The roads up there are only open during the few months of the short summer. It is one of the remotest corners of Europe, where the coastline is covered with vast expanses of driftwood that originated on the other side of the Arctic Ocean, in Russian Siberia. The region is stunningly beautiful and a perfect place to really experience Iceland s wilderness.The story of Djupavik really began in 1915, when EliasStefansson started a herring salting station. He went bankrupt in 1919 but in 1934 entrepreneurs of Djupavik built a huge herring factory that ran for two decades, giving people in the area a chance to earn a living. In 1954 the herring adventure (as Icelanders call it) in this part of Iceland was over and the factory went bankrupt.Today Djupavik is dominated by the huge ruins of its old herring factory and the rusting shipwreck of the 100-year-old former passenger and cargo ship Suourland. The tremendous costs involved in demolishing the factory building i once the largest concrete structure in Europe i is too much for the village so its huge shell remains, reminiscent of a Hollywood set. A few years ago, the famous Icelandic band SigurRos held a concert in the old herring factory.
Requirements:
English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are necessary.
SEEDS has been working with the municipality of Strandabyggo since 2009 with very good results for the volunteers, the locals and SEEDS. Strandir (e. The coasts), located on the north-eastern part of the western fjords of Iceland, are a hiker s paradise.SEEDS volunteers will be working on restoring and maintaining hiking trails. Maintaining these pathways is very important to encourage people in the area to enjoy the beautiful environment in a way that does not spoil the nature around. The ground is sometimes rocky and volunteers have to work together to find the most suitable place for the path. Volunteers will also help re-arrange stones that mark the paths and repair a stones culvert and a small bridge.Work can be physically demanding and volunteers should be in a good physical condition. Be prepared for some flexibility due to the weather as it can be unpredictable, please bring warm clothing since most of the work will take place outdoors and it can get cold or rainy sometimes.
Accomodation & food:
SEEDS volunteers will be hosted in a local house which is a school house in winters and have access to shower facilities. Participants will also have the chance to go to the local swimming pool. Volunteers will be sleeping on mattresses on the floor in shared rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Food ingredients will be provided and volunteers will have access to a kitchen. Volunteers will share the duties of cooking and cleaning. Please do not forget some traditional/typical food and/or drinks from your home country for an international evening.
Location & leisure:
The work camp takes place in the West fjords at the north-western part of Iceland. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is made by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills.The region of Strandir was for centuries one of the most remote areas in Iceland, known for the inhabitants knowledge of magic and as a refuge for criminals and outlaws. The landscape of Strandir is far from uniform, the low hills of Hrutafjorour in the south gradually change to 700 m high mountains rising straight from the coast in the northern part. The population in the Strandir region is under 800. The towns of Holmavik and Drangsnes are the most populated; around 400 people in Holmavik and 100 in Drangsnes. The people of Strandir live almost entirely on traditional fishing and farming and are increasingly aware of their heritage and will proudly tell tales of their ancestors dealings with ghosts and other supernatural beings.It has often been said that the people of Strandir know a bit more about witchcraft and sorcery than others, and to underscore that claim The Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft, which takes one on a magical tour into the mystical world of the supernatural, is to be found in the area.Our hosting partner will organize some free time activities in the surroundings of the project.
Requirements:
English will be the official language of the camp; high proficiency is not required.Participation fee EUR 180 (Euros). Please note that the fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic crowns.Volunteers need to be prepared for physical demanding work. Bring warm winter clothes as the project takes place outside and the weather can be cold.Departure time for will be at 10:00 am in the morning on June 1.
The main task of the project will be digging a trench for water mains and electrical cables. These will be used for a small/micro hydro-power plant that has recently received permission to build on the premises. The trench has to be manually made because no machines are allowed in the nature reserve. The total length of the trench will be about one Kilometre. This project was started last year with the help of SEEDS volunteers. The volunteers will also help to build a small shed (6m2) and a small dam for water intake.The weather conditions in Iceland are unpredictable so be prepared to experience all kinds of weather and bring warm clothing. The place is only accessible by boat or hiking for several days. The work in this camp is physically very demanding and the location is very isolated.
Accomodation & food:
SEEDS volunteers will sleep in beds in shared rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. The house is well heated, and has a shower and a well equipped kitchen. The electricity is limited but enough to charge cameras and other small electronics. There is no internet and phone connection is very limited. There is a landline available through which volunteers families can reach the volunteers. Volunteers will receive prepared food during the camp but it may be that the group will receive food ingredients and be in charge of cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget to bring some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.
Location & leisure:
Hornstrandir is on the farthest point in the northwest of Iceland, to the north of the Jokulfiroir and to the northwest of Drangajokull. Hornstrandir is close to the Arctic Circle and on a clear day the snowy mountains of Greenland are visible. No one lives in Hornstrandir throughout winter after social changes resulted in the abandonment of all farms during World War II and in the post-war period. Hesteyri is a small village of ten houses in Jokulfiroir (e. glacier fjords) which was abandoned in 1952. Farther into the fjord, there are the ruins of an old whaling station which was built by Norwegians in 1897. Hesteyri is a popular starting and ending place for hikers but Hornstrandir is an increasingly popular hiking place. The area is also popular for blueberry and crowberry picking. SEEDS organises the minibus option , a shared transport from Reykjavik 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. The minibus to this camp will cost EUR 75 (Euros) one way, and EUR 150 (Euros) both ways. This is about 30-40 cheaper than public transportation services. This includes also the boat ride to the camp site.
Requirements:
The participation fee is EUR 250 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic kronas.Volunteers should be motivated to experience life in a very isolated part of Iceland. Participants should bring good walking sturdy shoes and working clothes. Weather in Iceland is unpredictable and it can be cold or rainy, bring warm winter clothes, overcoats, scarves, gloves and hats as the project takes place outside.Available free time activities in the area include hikes and walks in the beautiful surroundings. The house has a good atmosphere, with card games and live music as common evening activities. Volunteers with musical skills should bring their music instruments with them. If weather allows we will make a barbeque pit for the farewell party at the end of the camp. Please take your sleeping bag.
Volunteers will also help with repairing an old turf building, restoring it to its previous form and making it look similar to the several other turf buildings in the surroundings. Additional work will be turfing, fixing and maintaining walking paths and making a new trail.Please note that the work in this camp can be very physically demanding (such as turfing) and volunteers need to be in good shape and ready to work hard. The weather in Iceland is unpredictable so be prepared to all kinds of weather and bring warm clothing. Bring comfortable clothes to work in, good overcoats and outdoor wear as well as good shoes or boots.
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will be lodged in a house at one of the farms, sleeping in shared rooms with beds, please bring your own sleeping bag. Volunteers will receive food ingredients and be in charge of cooking and cleaning activities. Equipped kitchen and washing machine are available. Do not forget to bring some traditional/typical food or drinks from your country for the international evening at the camp.
Location & leisure:
The camp is located in the highlands of Iceland, in the highest inhabited place in the country at 469 meters above sea level. The location is in the North-Eastern part of the country and in the vicinity of the largest national park in Europe - Vatnajokull National Park.Mount Heroubreio, the queen of Icelandic mountains is located in the area. It is situated in the east side of the Odaoahraun desert and close to Askja volcano. The desert is a large lava field originating from eruptions of volcanoes in the area. The Vatnajokull Park is unique; one can find glaciers, volcanic activity, glacier bursts, eruptions and geothermal heat plus an extremely rare landscape. The area is around 12.000 Km2 and is expected to be expanded in the next years. Under the ice-cap, the glacier hides seven volcanoes and most of them are active. Vatnajokull covers about 8 of the country, and is about 1000 m wide at its thickest point.
Requirements:
The participation fee is EUR 250 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic kronas.This work camp takes place in a very remote place, located in a natural area of extreme beauty. Outdoor free time activities, for instance hikes or walks in the surroundings, will be arranged for SEEDS volunteers.Volunteers should be motivated to experience life in a very isolated part of Iceland. Participants should bring good walking sturdy shoes and working clothes. Weather in Iceland is unpredictable and it can be cold or rainy, bring warm winter clothes, overcoats, scarves, gloves and hats as the project takes place outside. Please bring your sleeping bag.SEEDS organises the minibus option , a shared transport from Reykjavik 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. The minibus to this camp will cost around EUR 75 (Euros) one way or EUR 150 (Euros) both ways. This is about 30-40 cheaper than public transportation services.
In this camp SEEDS volunteers will work on diverse environmental outdoor tasks, including repairing of walking paths and making steps in steep parts of the trails, landscaping around the huts in the area. Volunteers will also help with the revegetation in some areas around, clearing litter on the walking paths, and general preparations within the area before summer. As the landscape is raw, the work is physically very demanding but also rewarding. Volunteers should have a motivation for working outdoors and to experience one of the most isolated areas in Iceland.Weather in Iceland is unpredictable, so be prepared for all kinds of weather and be sure to bring warm winter clothing since most of the work will take place outdoors and it can get very cold in the highlands.
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will be hosted in a local mountain hut; sleeping in shared rooms on mattresses on the floor; please bring your own sleeping bag. The facilities are very basic and volunteers are expected to show consideration for their companions.Volunteers will receive food ingredients and will be in charge of cooking and cleaning. Please do not forget some traditional/typical food or drinks from your home country for the international evening at the camp.
Location & leisure:
The Icelandic highlands, or the interior , are a true pearl to nature lovers and outdoor people. It is accessible on 4WD cars and most routes involve crossing rivers where there are not any bridges.If you really want to get away from it all, the interior of Iceland is like nothing you have ever experienced. The mountainous centre of the island, with its rocky deserts, craggy mountain peaks, ice caps, volcanoes, hidden valleys and hot springs, is an awesome and untouched wilderness. The interior was almost totally inaccessible until recently. However outlaws managed to hide out for years at a time in the highlands, rustling sheep and keeping away from law-abiding citizens. Folklore stories tell of both natural and supernatural beings that lay in wait for unwary highland travellers. Travellers going between the north and south of Iceland sometimes had to cross the highlands. To get to the assembly of Alsingi (parliament) each summer, delegates had to ride from every corner of the country to Singvellir in the southwest. Volunteers will be staying close to the glacier Hofsjokull and near to the rivers Hvita and Sjorsa. The mountains in the area that reach up to 1500 m were formed during a volcanic eruption in the later part of the ice age. The area is still dynamic and great geothermal activity takes place in the surroundings. The environment is very diverse, both in shape and colour. The mountains are weathered and have very little continuous growth, as the forces of nature, like glaciers, water flow, ice bursts etc. have been fast working in these mountain highlands.
Requirements:
Participation fee EUR 350 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic kronas. The fee includes the domestic transportation from Reykjavik to the campsite and back (on the first and last day of the camp). Departure time will be at 7:00 in the morning on June 11.The location of the camp is remote and very isolated. Free time activities are mostly hiking and trekking in the area as there is no transportation available or possibility to organise transport to different sites. Volunteers need to be prepared for physical and demanding work. Bring warm winter clothes as the project takes place outside and the weather can be very cold.
This is the first time SEEDS organises projects of this type, even though we have been working with the municipality Seyoisfjaroarkaupstaour in the past. This project is different from many others because it is based on a cultural experience and voluntary service exchange, giving participants the opportunity to experience a real Icelandic fishermen community in the East fjords. Seyoisfjorour is a beautiful town in the north of the east coast, a welcoming town booming with creativity and rich in history. Inhabited by about 650 people the town acts as one big family, and a friendly one. Everybody is welcome to this little paradise and locals want to share the goodness with everyone.The volunteers will help the locals to change and move the town school and library. Volunteers help with moving furniture, assist and help the community school to settle in the school building. Participants will help out with moving household items and equipment between houses, the building where the library is to be set up in the old school, take down the home economics room and put it in another house. Helping to sort and pack books, move books between houses, to a storage and into the new library, assembling shelves, help carpenters, and arrange the books, make premises ready to receive residents and students.Some part of this project can be physically demanding but it is has varied tasks for everyone.The volunteers will be invited to dinner by families in town, go to the swimming pool and the gym. Guided walks in the nature surrounding the town, bonfire with locals and a concert in the neighbouring fjord. The camp happens around the summer solstice, when the sun hardly ever sets and the nights are almost as bright as the days. The bright nights are magical and staying awake enjoying the beautiful surroundings is a unique experience.
Accomodation & food:
SEEDS volunteers will stay in the school house, in a sleeping bag accommodation, with shower facilities and kitchen. Lunch will be provided by the host on week days. Volunteers will be sleeping on mattresses on the floor in shared rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Food ingredients will be provided and volunteers will share the duties of cooking and cleaning. Please do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.
Location & leisure:
The long, calm, deep fjord of Seydisfjordur twists and turns 17 kilometres from its mouth to the head of the fjord, where the town of the same name stands. Seydisfjordur is regarded by many as one of Iceland s most picturesque towns, not only due to its impressive environment, but also because nowhere in Iceland has a community of old wooden buildings been preserved so well as there. The community, like so many others in Iceland, owes its origins to foreign merchants, mainly Danes, who started trading in the fjord in the mid-19th century. But the crucial factor in the evolution of the town was the establishment of the Icelandic herring fishery by Norwegians in 1870 -1900.What makes Seydisfjordur unique is the location. Rammed in between two high and steep mountains, Strandartindur and Bjolfur. Climbing one you not only get the view of a lifetime but could also be lucky enough to wander upon a group of reindeer.
Requirements:
Participation fee EUR 200 (Euros). This fee is paid to SEEDS on arrival in Euros or Icelandic kronas and it does not include the transportation from/to Reykjavik to/from the camp.The hosts will organise some free-time activities for the volunteers depending on the weather. Please bring warm clothes and outdoor wear as the weather in Iceland can be unpredictable.
« I can say that the best things about the workcamp and this whole experience were the chance of making a real difference to the lives of very needy children. This is an extremely valuable project where volunteers can have a massive impact. Also the possibility of learning a huge amount about a country so different from our own. I learnt ten times as much by carrying out a workcamp than I would ever do backpacking. »
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