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- The Lodge On The Ellidaey - The World's Loneliest House
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So many attractions and destinations around the world have interesting titles. The most dangerous hotel in the world, the coldest city in the world, and the hottest place in the world are just a few of them. But sometimes, these titles do not make much sense unless one gets a detailed exploration of the destinations and attractions they are ascribed to. This is the case of the World’s loneliest house. It’s easy to give a house located on a remote island, called Ellideay Island, such a name. The sight might be creepy enough, but what is it like to stay in this house? Well buckle up and get ready to feel what it’s like to stay in the World’s loneliest house - the lodge on the Ellidaey Island.
UPDATE: 2023/05/01 11:06 EST BY AARON SPRAY
The Lodge On The Ellidaey - The World's Loneliest House
The Lodge on Ellideay is one of the most Instagrammable locations in Iceland is looks to be one of the loneliest houses in the world (although technically is it a hunting lodge). This article was updated and expanded with more information about the Ellidaey Hunting Lodge and how to see it. It should be included in anyone's itinerary for exploring Iceland.
About The World’s Loneliest House On Ellidaey Island
The World’s loneliest house is a single white-painted building located in the middle of Elliðaey - a remote and small island off the southern coast of Iceland. The island is 110 acres large and is home to a large population of Nordic birds known as Puffins as well as other bird species. Even though the house seems creepy, the story behind its construction on such a remote island is nothing unusual. Many stories claim the house was built by a billionaire in the situation of a zombie apocalypse but this is not true. The house was built in the 1950s as a hunting lodge by the Elliðaey Hunting Association who come to the area occasionally to hunt for puffins.
Despite being a lodge for a private hunting club, visitors are allowed to visit the house and while spending the night in such a lonely house is not a regular experience, it is definitely worth experiencing at least once.
Getting To Elliðaey Island & The World's Loneliest House
The world’s loneliest house remains a controversial topic for many. The creepiness of the image has even made some people speculate that it is a mere Photoshop but visitors to this house know better. To get to the house, one first has to get to the island via a boat from the nearest islands. Just like many cruises on Icelandic waters, the journey to this island is characterized by freezing temperatures and waves that can sometimes be extremely terrifying.
While the ride itself can be scary and uncomfortable, getting onto the island is even more terrifying. One will have to jump from the boat or ship to a steep side of the island and hold a rope attached to the island. If this is not done correctly, a fall into the freezing water is inevitable. After the successful jump and clinging to the rope, one is then required to climb this steep part to the top of the island with the help of the rope.
At The Lodge On Ellideay Island
After successfully making it to the island, it's a short walk on the grass to the loneliest house in the world. The first thing to notice about the house is that it is surrounded by a wire fence. Although the point of this is not clear, it makes the house seem like one with permanent residents. While viewing the house from afar, one would think it is cold and uncomfortable but the atmosphere of the inner parts of the house screams otherwise. With a modest sofa, a fireplace, and a dining area equipped with a large table and several polished chairs, it is surprisingly cozy inside the world’s loneliest house.
Further inside the house is the bedroom area which is lined up with up to 10 cozy beds and some pillows. There’s also a kitchen equipped with some kitchen equipment and a pantry loaded with some food items to keep visitors comfortable for the few days of their visit. A workshop with some tools and a sparkling bathroom equipped with a sink, shower, toilet, and a mirror are more things that can be found within the secluded lodge.
To make a visit to this house more interesting, there’s a book where visitors record their names and the date of their visit. The book also records the number of visitors to the house and one might be surprised to find out that they are far behind thousands of visitors to this house.
Challenges Of Staying At The World's Loneliest House
As expected from such a secluded house, there is no running water, although rainwater is somehow stored and used for various domestic purposes. Many sources claim the house is not equipped with electricity but the wires and light bulbs around the house seem to suggest that there might be electricity present. At night, it gets dark and silent except for the constant waves of the sea that can be heard. The thick fog surrounding the island also makes it more secluded with low visibility. Regardless of the unusual nature and the numerous stories surrounding this secluded Icelandic lodge, it remains an exciting place to explore while in Iceland.
The World's Loneliest House Is Actually A Hunting Lodge
The lodge on Ellidaey Island is a privately owned private hunting lodge owned by the Elliðaey Hunting Association. The first lodge was built in 1953 (and rebuilt in 1987) and is used to hunt the puffins on the island.
The Ellidaey Island lodge is called "Ból" and is the only building on the island.
The island is noted for its large amounts of puffins - go in the summer months and see tens of thousands of breeding pairs of the stunning seabirds. The Atlantic Puffins breed in the North Atlantic areas of Greenland, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Atlantic parts of Canada.
Ellideay Island is part of Iceland's dramatic Westman Islands. The Westman Islands are noted for many things including the Elephant Rock and the impossibly perched Þrídrangar (or Thridrangar) lighthouse. As visitors drive the loop road around Iceland, they should also plan to visit Arctic Henge still under construction.