The white building has withstood the elements on the side of a green hill on Eon Island, also known as Ellidaey Island, for nearly a century
Inside ‘world’s loneliest house’ in Elliðaey
The world’s most isolated house, located on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and 2,000 miles from the UK, has only passing ships for company. Shrouded in mystery, numerous chilling theories about the property have surfaced, including rumours that it was constructed in preparation for a zombie apocalypse. Bjarni Sigurdsson shared a video with this subscribers five years ago, showing how isolated the house it.
The white building has withstood the elements on the side of a green hill on Eon Island, also known as Ellidaey Island, for nearly a century. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the picturesque site – the most north-eastern of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago cluster – housed a few families.
However, in the 1930s, the remaining residents left the rocky 4.5 square kilometre landscape for the mainland in search of a better life. Since then, the remote island has been completely deserted, and the solitary house has sparked a number of theories, some more outlandish than others.
One rumour suggests that an eccentric billionaire built it as a retreat in case of a zombie apocalypse. Others believe it belongs to a religious hermit. At one point, it was even speculated that singing sensation Bjork owned the peculiar house and was negotiating with the government to purchase the island. Unfortunately, the truth is far less thrilling. In the 1950s, the Hunting Association built a hunting lodge for puffin hunters. The lodge, affectionately dubbed the Ball House, is still operational, and a peek inside reveals it’s quite the rustic retreat, lacking both running water and electricity. Intrepid tourists are welcome to visit, but they’re in for a challenging journey, braving icy conditions and navigating monstrous waves.
The adventure intensifies upon arrival, as there’s no pier for docking, requiring visitors to climb a rocky facade to reach their destination. Once inside, guests are greeted by a snug sofa, a warming stove, a dining space complete with table and chairs, and a bedroom kitted out with 10 mattresses.
The guestbook has seen thousands of signatures, including that of YouTuber Ryan Trahan, who documented his overnight stay, branding it “the coolest experience”. His video, which has amassed over 33 million views, takes viewers along on his perilous ocean voyage.
He joins two Icelandic natives for a meal of “juicy steak”, learning about the painstaking process of manually transporting building materials to the island. This comes as another deserted dwelling stands alone on a remote island, a two-hour journey from the nearest town or airport.
Skalmen, the most remote islet in its archipelago, is so secluded that visitors are prohibited for months on end. To get there from the nearest town or airport, you’ll need to take two separate ferries and then a 4-mile boat trip. The only structure on the island is an eerie, dilapidated old lighthouse.
Despite Skalmen being uninhabited, it was the perfect spot for one couple who splashed out a hefty £89,000 to purchase it.
Adding to its isolation, from May to late July each year, the island transforms into a protected bird reserve where visitors are not allowed.