I have proven you the fantastic Westfjords of Iceland in a lot of my travel-blogs, as I consider that the Westfjords might be a prime vacation spot in Iceland quickly.
And it appears that evidently Lonely Planet shares my opinion as they selected the Westfjords as the highest vacation spot of 2022.
Now I need to present you the 2 stone males, who do not go unnoticed on Kleifaheiði heath and by Penna river on the south aspect of the Westfjords area. We will say that they act because the guardians of the roads and bridges, though they weren’t erected for that objective.
Prime picture: The pinnacle of Kleifabúi
The Stoneman Kleifabúi on Kleifaheiði heath 
Kleifabúi on Kleifaheiði heath
Whereas driving on highway 62 (Barðastrandarvegur highway) within the Westfjords in the direction of Patreksfjörður village, you’ll discover the landmark of the Kleifaheiði heath. It’s a enormous stone man, and also you is likely to be questioning why it’s there and what it represents.
The stone man known as Kleifabú and was erected in 1947 by the highway development staff. It is likely one of the largest cairns erected in Iceland should you can name it a cairn as it’s extra of a statue than a cairn.
Kleifabúi, who is approx. 5 meters tall, stands tall above the very best slope of Kleifar on the west aspect of Kleifaheiði heath in Vestur-Barðastrandarsýsla.
Standing by Kleifabúi on Kleifaheiði heath to point out you the way tall it’s
The boys erected Kleifabúi of their spare time after an extended day at work – working with stones and rocks whereas constructing the roads of the Westfjords with hand instruments. And once more they erected Kleifabúi with the identical materials at evening, however that kind of labor will need to have been extra enjoyable for certain than the onerous labour throughout the day.
To me, Kleifabúi represents the playfulness of those highway development staff and I at all times cease by it and pay my tribute to the massive stone man. Kleifabúi has received a stretched-out hand so you may greet him.
Kleifabúi has received a concrete head and the physique is manufactured from rocks glued along with cement. Einar Einarsson and Guðjón Jóhannesson erected the cairn (the physique) and Kristján Jóhannesson sculpted the top, however the road-construction staff collected the rocks for Kleifabúi’s physique.
Kleifabúi’s head
The best way it began is that Kristleifur Jónsson, the highway works staff chief, had erected a pillar of rock straight from the scree. Curious travellers wished to see the boys at work and stopped by the pillar of rock.
A shawl was put round its head and it received nicknamed Kleifagudda, which is a feminine identify (you may see her picture in Morgunblaðið 13.01.1965).
And the highway development staff received the concept of erecting a stone-man since only a plain pillar of rock caught a lot consideration from passers-by.
The unique contract from 1947, which Björn, Kristleifur’s son, was variety sufficient to ship to us
Earlier than they began erecting Kleifabúi Kristleifur made a signed contract along with his staff, concerning the potential price of creating the cement head, and so on. The contract was made on the twenty second of August 1947 and 21 males signed it, together with Kristleifur.
Acknowledged within the contract is (translated into English): “We the undersigned highway development staff by Barðastrandarvegur highway are prepared to participate within the development of a stone statue by Kleifaá river above the very best slope Kleif on Kleifaheiði heath this fall, with work effort and cash as wanted. In order that it may be of credit score to us and delight for passers-by”.
My father-in-law, Jakob, phoned Björn, Kristleifur’s son, and requested him if he may ship us a photograph of the unique contract, which I may then use for my travel-blog.
Björn was variety sufficient to comply with ship us the picture and gave me permission to publish it. A lot obliged, Björn 🙂
Kleifabúi has received blue eyes 🙂
Kleifabúi, although it’s got sturdy facial options, was not created to resemble anyone specifically. So it was not made to mock or honour anyone, simply pure people artwork and playfulness on behalf of the highway constructors.
Some folks have talked about that it bears a resemblance to Hákon Kristófersson at Hagi although. Hákon Kristófersson was my husband’s relative’s great-grandfather. His identify is Kristófer, the son of my husband’s cousin, who lives at Hagi.
Kleifabúi was repaired in 1990. And Vegagerðin – the Street Administration of Iceland as soon as gave Kleifabúi a facelift, so to talk, as this 74-year-old stone man has stood tall and proud on the Kleifaheiði heath in all kinds of Westfjord climate situations, so he understandably wanted a little bit of maintenance.
Kleifabúi on Kleifaheiði heath – the half that’s protruding is a hand so you may greet it
In 2001 throughout highway development of a brand new highway over Kleifaheiði heath, Kleifabúi was wrapped in plastic to guard it throughout the explosions.
And as is written on this article on Mbl. then the plastic was alleged to hug Kleifabúi so it would not collapse. Within the article, you may see a photograph of Kleifabúi wrapped in plastic.
In 2002 on the ceremony for the opening of the brand new highway, the celebration was held by Kleifabúi, who received surrounded by flags, each the Icelandic flag and the flag of Vegagerðin. You possibly can see a photograph on web page 4 in Framkvæmdafréttir Vegagerðarinnar.
Zooming in on the top of Kleifabúi on one in every of my visits to greet him
An indication was erected by Kleifabúi so folks would know its identify, Kleifabúi, which is the identify he was given. On the signal is written the second verse of a poem, which Kristleifur composed about Kleifabúi.
The poem goes like this:
“Hátt á bergi Búi stendur,
býður sína traustu mund;
horfir yfir heiðarlendur
hár og þögull alla stund.
The Kleifabúi signal on Kleifaheiði heath
Búinn varstu úr bergi hörðu,
blóði vana kempan treg;
minnir helst á heiðarvörðu
hér við Barðastrandarveg.
Stattu lengi heill á húfi,
hetjan prúð, í fjallasal,
þó að váleg veður rjúfi
varman frið um strönd og dal”
(This beautiful poem was composed by Kristleifur Jónsson)
Greeting Kleifabúi on a gray and wet day on the Kleifaheiði heath again in 2013
Kleifabúi is the right identify for this stone-man, however it’s generally referred to as Kleifakarlinn and it’s got its personal Fb like-page underneath the identify Kleifakarlinn.
I suppose that individuals seek advice from him as the person “karl” on Kleifaheiði heath and thus they seek advice from him as Kleifakarlinn – the Man on Kleifaheiði heath. Kleifabúi however means the Dweller on the Kleifaheiði heath.
I scrolled down the entire web page on Fb and noticed a remark that Kleifabúi was wearing a sailor go well with again in 2011 and wasn’t too comfortable about that 😉 I have never seen a photograph of him in a sailor go well with although however wish to see one.
Now, as an instance farewell to Kleifabúi
To me, Kleifabúi serves as a monument, a tribute to the courageous males who surveyed and constructed the roads within the Westfjords.
I’ve already written about the outdated custom of erecting stone cairns in Iceland. Kleifabúi is a kind of that outdated custom, however however, Kleifabúi does not serve a objective per se just like the cairns do, however is people artwork. And beautiful as such, for my part.
Kleifaheiði heath is 12 km lengthy and 410 m at its highest level.
Ref.
Roads within the Westfjords
The highway by Skútabjörg cliffs
The highway development social gathering, which Kristleifur managed, constructed the highway from Patreksfjörður throughout Miklidalur valley and Hálfdán to Bíldudalur, Raknadalsskriður screes, and all the best way to Rauðasandur. And Kleifaheiði heath (Ref. Kleifabúi 50 ára).
This was no small process again then because the roads have been made by hand instruments over very troublesome rocky terrain. And Kleifaheiði heath was no exception. The boys have been younger and energetic and highway development was a sought-after summer time job.
The steep winding highway resulting in Rauðasandur
The highway resulting in Rauðasandur is steep and winding and reaches a top of 350 m. Fairly a number of persons are terrified of driving on it. A highway was initially constructed over Mt. Skersfjall to Rauðasandur again in 1933.
See additionally:
Rauðasandur Seaside & Sjöundá within the Westfjords of Iceland – Purple Sands & a Crime Scene
Even now in 2021, this highway is troublesome to drive for the milk-truck driver, who collects milk twice per week from the farmers at Rauðasandur. And generally it’s not possible to gather the milk from the farmers within the wintertime.
Kjaransbraut highway by Hrafnholur is carved into the mountain-side
Nonetheless, it’s not the scariest wanting highway within the Westfjords. A number of the roads within the Westfjords are excessive up within the mountains and a few of them are steep and winding. So they aren’t for people who find themselves afraid of heights.
Essentially the most harmful highway development within the Westfjords is Kjaransbraut, when a highway was carved into the steep and craggy cliff by a really brave native, Elís Kjaran Friðfinnsson (1928-2008), with a small bulldozer, which was sometimes called Teskeiðin – the Teaspoon.
Kjaransbraut avenue and Svalvogar with Westfjords Adventures
I drove on this highway, by Svalvogar and the highway by Skútabjörg cliffs on a guided tour and wrote a travel-blog about it if you wish to see extra pictures and a few wonderful surroundings. On this location, I’ve taken a few of my finest pictures.
On the identical day I took the pictures of the stone man by Penna – see the following chapter on this travel-blog.
Is not this simply fantastic – see all of the troll formations within the rock – picture taken on the guided tour of Kjaransbraut and Svalvogar
My father suffered from vertigo and that’s the reason we by no means visited the Westfjords after I was rising up, although my maternal grandmother was born within the Westfjords and we’d have beloved to see her valley Ingjaldssandur.
So it wasn’t till we had a household reunion at Ingjaldssandur again in 2010 after my father had handed away, that my mom noticed the birthplace of her mom for the primary time.
The distant Ingjaldssandur within the Westfjords
To achieve this valley you’ll have to drive over a heath and the primary day we visited it my mom and I, it was foggy so we have been fairly scared not understanding the highway and when to descend into the valley.
The next day it was sunny and beautiful and this lovely sight appeared (see my picture above).
My travel-blog about Ingjaldssandur: Ingjaldssandur within the Westfjords of Iceland – my Grandmother’s Birthplace
The highway on Hrafnseyrarheiði heath – now a brand new tunnel, Dýrafjarðargöng, is an alternative choice as an alternative of the heath
The roads on the northern a part of the Westfjords are a breeze although as I’ve proven you in my travel-blog sequence in regards to the northern a part of the Westfjords, they’re paved and several other tunnels have been constructed.
As I advised you in my travel-blog about view-dials within the Westfjords, then Jón J. Víðis surveyed roads within the Westfjords, and from 1956-1965 his nephew and my father-in-law, Jakob Hálfdanarson, was his assistant. Jakob was an incredible supply of data for me after I was penning this travel-blog 🙂
The Stone-man by the River Penna
The stone man by the river Penna within the Westfjords
Now let’s nice the opposite stone man within the Westfjords, the stone man by the river Penna. He stands by Street 60 (Vestfjarðarvegur).
This stone man does not have a reputation however is typically referred to as Pennukarlinn or the Man by the river Penna in Peningsdalur valley. I do not use that identify for him although.
Penna river runs by Peningsdalur valley.
This stone man was constructed by the bridge builders, who constructed the 10-meter lengthy bridge over the river Penna in 1958, they usually used their spare time to create this stone man, very similar to the highway development staff did with Kleifabúi.
The stone man by the river Penna
Written on the data signal by the stone man is that the stone man had a hanging resemblance to a sure highway development employee by the identify of Gísli Gíslason from Hvammur farm on Barðaströnd.
However I do not assume that these 2 stone-men have been made to the liking of anyone, however that the liking of a sure native was one thing that was mentioned after the heads had been sculpted. Magnús Ólafsson from Vestur-Botn in Patreksfjörður made the strong cement-head of the stone man by Penna.
The stone man by the river Penna within the Westfjords – picture taken in 2013
My father-in-law advised me that when he was working within the Westfjords then the highway development staff referred to this man at Penna as Óþekkti vegavinnumaðurinn or the Unknown road-construction employee.
You possibly can see pictures of the stone man at Penna and the bridge development on web page 4 in Framkvæmdafréttir Vegagerðarinnar.
The stone man at Penna is a bust moderately than an entire stone man like Kleifabúi, and the small hut beneath it was supposed for the guest-book in order that guests may write their names and possibly go away a remark for the stone man at Penna.
I like the sort of people artwork and assume that these 2 stone males add life and character to the Westfjords. Others thank God that they did not erect extra stone males on this space.
The signal by Penna
The signal by the bridge says:
“Vestfjarðavegur highway throughout Dynjandisheiði heath. The highway throughout Dynjandisheiði heath was opened to visitors in 1959 opening up a highway connection between Barðastrandasýsla county and Ísafjarðarsýsla county, thus opening up the primary highway for vehicles to Ísafjörður city.
The highway throughout Dynjandiheiði heath is at a top of 468 meters above sea stage by Helluskarð and 500 meters above sea stage on the Dynjandisheiði heath itself. The space is 30 km from Flókalundur to Dynjandisvogur cove”.
The bridge over Penna river
From Flókalundur highway 60 will take you to the stone man – it is just a few minutes away from Flókalundur.
And from Penna, after visiting the stone man, you begin driving in the direction of Dynjandisheiði heath. And you’ll have a tremendous view on the best way.
A brand new highway is being constructed now 2020-2021
You possibly can see the situation of the stone man at Penna on Google maps. It has been marked as Stone guardian in German.
If you attain Dynjandisvogur cove you will note the Jewel of the Westfjords of Iceland, the attractive Dynjandi waterfall.
I’ve written a travel-blog about Dynjandi:
The magnificent Dynjandi Waterfall – the Jewel of the Westfjords of Iceland
Have a beautiful time within the Westfjords, and I hope that my travel-blog has shed some mild on what these stone males signify 🙂
