World’s loneliest house has stood for 100 years on remote isolated island with rumour it was ‘built for apocalypse’
THE world’s loneliest house sits on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean with only the occasional passing ship for company.
Shrouded in mystery, many chilling theories about the property have emerged – including a rumour it was built for a zombie apocalypse.
The white building has stood strong on the side of a green hill on Eon island for nearly 100 years despite being pelted by the elements.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the picturesque site – which is the most northeastern of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago cluster was home to a handful of families.
But in the 1930s the few remaining residents upped sticks and moved from the rocky 4.5 square kilometre landscape to the mainland in search of a better life.
Since then, the remote island has been completely abandoned and the lonely house has sparked a number of theories – some wackier than others.
One rumour is that it was built by an eccentric billionaire who planned to retreat to Elliðaey in the event of a zombie apocalypse.
Others suggested it was the property of a fanatically religious hermit.
It was even speculated at one point that singing sensation Bjork owned the strange house and was even in negotiations with the government to buy the island.
Sadly, the reality is far less exciting.
In the 1950s, a hunting lodge was built by the Hunting Association for puffin hunters.
The lodge, popularly known as the Ball House, is still in use and video footage inside shows basic facilities with no running water or electricity.
Daring tourists are allowed to visit the spot but getting there is no easy feat as they must contend with freezing temperatures and tackle giant waves.
And the adventure doesn’t end there as thrill-seekers will find no pier to disembark their boat – meaning they must scale a rock face to reach their destination.
Upon arrival visitors will find a cosy couch, a stove, dining area, table and chairs as well as a bedroom with 10 mattresses.
Thousands have already added their names to a visitors’ book including YouTuber, Ryan Trahan, who spent the night there and recorded what became “the coolest experience”.
In a video viewed more than 33m times, the explorer takes fans on a journey on the treacherous sea.
He meets two Icelandic locals to eat “juicy steak” with as they explain how the materials used to build the house were all carried to the island by hand.
It comes as another abandoned house sits on an isolated island two hours from the nearest town or airport.
Skalmen is the farthest-flung islet in the archipelago it belongs to and is so secluded visitors are banned for months at a time.
To reach the island from the nearest town or airport visitors need to take two separate ferries followed by a 4-mile boat trip.
The only building on the land is a eerie and rickety old lighthouse.
Despite Skalmen being devoid of humans, for one couple it has proved the perfect spot, as they forked out a whopping £89,000 to buy it.
And to add to its seclusion between May and late July each year, the island becomes a protected bird reserve that’s off-limits to visitors.
