Iceland’s Berry Season

Late summer is berry season in Iceland and locals flock to the country side to their local heath to pick ripe wild bilberries and crowberries, which grow in abundance almost everywhere.

This practice is known locally as Berjamó and has probably been a popular activity from the first Icelandic summer.  For the next few weeks, you’ll see cars parked on the sides of roads and small groups and families with containers of all sorts picking and eating berries.

The most common thing Icelanders do with this bounty – assuming any berries make it home - is to make jam (sulta in Icelandic), but they are also used in Skyr (similar to yogurt) and in ice cream (ís) and on pancakes (pönnukökur).

The crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) is a low-lying shrub that is common to Northern latitudes.  Because of its hardiness, it even produces fruit in subarctic areas, making it an important food source for many people, including the Inuit in Greenland.

Though often mistaken for blueberries, in Iceland technically we have bilberries (bláberja – translates as blue berry). Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) are distinct from blueberries but closely related. The berries also grow on low-lying shrubs and are small and sweet.  During the abundant harvest, Icelanders even make into a soup which is a must try!

If you are in Iceland, or going to be in the next few weeks, we encourage you to go berry picking. It’s fun, free and tasty!  For more information on top berry picking spots, ask a receptionist at any Berjaya Hotel, they’ll be glad to help!