Sandra Sigvarðsdóttir
Pysjupallur Bird Watching
Path
Pysjupallur is a platform from which it is safe to release puffins, also serving as a resting place on the hiking trail along Hamarinn. The view from the platform is extraordinary, and the project is particularly important in terms of nature experience and safety.
Cities and towns
National parks
UNESCO sites
UNESCO global geoparks
Main roads
Airports
Cruise ports
Case
Unsafe area for wildlife and visitors
Releasing puffins back into the wild is popular with locals and foreign visitors alike. The puffin platform was built for the purpose of reducing intrusion and protecting bird life, as puffins were often being released in unsuitable areas with the result that they landed in oil and died.
Platform based on vernacular design
Pysjupallur will be a resting place on a popular hiking trail along Hamarinn. Situated in the best possible location to safely release puffins, the platform functions as a gathering place for visitors, while at the same time minimising intrusion. The platform was designed to merge with the environment and requires little or no maintenance. Contractors specialised in stone walling were hired for the project, alongside the staff of Vestmannaeyjar Municipality, and only local materials were used.
Key facts
- Location
South Iceland, Vestmannaeyjar, Hamarinn
- GPS points
N63° 25' 41.5" W20° 18' 04.5"
- Protection framework
Environmental protection as stated in the Master Plan of Westman Islands
- Project Owner
Þekkingarsetur Vestmannaeyja (The Cluster)
- Designer
Sigurður Smári Benónýsson and Kristín Auður Keldal
- Year of construction
2019
- Materials
Dry stone wall with turf on top
- Grants
ISK 4,000,000 in 2018 from the Tourist Site Protection Fund