Accommodation
Five double / twin rooms with two shared bathrooms (both of which have a hairdryer). Dining area. Free Wi-Fi.
Board
Breakfast is served at the guesthouse, there’s a diner in neighbouring town Skálafell (200 metres / 218 yds.), and a dinner buffet at country hotel Smyrlabjörg (5 km / 3.1 mi). The nearest supermarkets are in fishing town Höfn í Hornafirði (40 km / 25 mi).
Service and recreation
Your hosts gladly provide information about local hiking routes, and a marked trail goes from the farm and to Heinabergsjökull’s southern icefall Skálafellsjökull. Explore further trails in the southern part of the Vatnajökull national park (road no 985, 3 km / 1.8 mi). A petting zoo, popular with the young ones, at Hólmur á Mýrum (12 km / 7.5 mi). Hot tubs at Hoffell and quad tours along Hoffellsjökull glacier (30 km / 18.5 mi). Visit the Huldusteinn rock museum and the Glacier Museum at Höfn, which is also a tourism information centre (40 km / 25 mi). Day trips to Jökulsárlón (40 km / 25 mi) and to Skaftafell (98 km / 61 mi). Horse rental in Árnanes (33 km / 20.5 mi). The nearest town is Höfn, where you’ll find a swimming pool, a golf course, supermarkets, restaurants, tour operators and various other services.
Guests driving electric cars have access to three charging station for a fee.
Vatnajökull National Park – marked hiking trail around Hjallanes
Guesthouse Stekkatún stands on a green field by a remarkable cliff, close to glacial river Kolgríma that originates in one of Vatnajökull’s icefalls, Heinabergsjökull, and is the boundary between the region Suðursveit and Hornafjörður. The driveway to Stekkatún and neighbouring farm Skálafell marks the beginning of a trail to the popular Hjallanes just by the icefall Skálafellsjökull. This area belongs to Vatnajökull National Park, which covers 13% of Iceland’s total area, or 13,600 km2 (3,360,633 acres) in total, and is the largest national park in Western Europe. If you travel 3 km (1.8 mi) along road no 985, you’ll find tour operators that offer daily guided snowmobile tours to Skálafellsjökull.
The wonder of glaciers, Heinabergssvæðið and Fláajökull
There’s another magnificent area nearby. By the southern perimeter of the park is Heinabergssvæðið, where you’ll find various marked hiking trails. Drive 7.7 km / 4.8 mi along a gravel road, passable by most vehicles, after turning off road no 1 (the ‘Ring Road’) just east of river Kolgríma. There’s yet another splendid area close to icefall Fláajökull, which is a little further east than Heinabergsjökull and reachable by driving a 10-km-long (6 mi) gravel path that turns off the ring Road by Hólmur (11 km / 7 mi from Stekkatún).
Suðursveit – experience nature by Vatnajökull
Stekkatún is on farm Skálafell’s land, the eastern-most farm in region Suðursveit, but the region goes along the coastline by Vatnajökull’s foothills to the famed Jökulsárlón in the west (40 km / 25 mi). Suðursveit is a charming region and should impress nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, where glaciers, high peaks, green pastures and black beaches all come together in an unforgettable experience. Head to Lækjarhús in Borgarhöfn (11 km / 6.8 mi) to go on various tours like jeep tours and coach tours (where you might or might not know where you’re headed!). From there, you can travel 12 km (7.5 mi) to Hali í Suðursveit, where there’s a good restaurant that emphasizes locally sourced ingredients. You can also visit a museum about one of Iceland’s most beloved 20th century authors at Hali, which is only 14 km / 9 mi from Jökulsárlón.
Hosts: Ingibjörg and Linda