The Westfjords are the westernmost part of Iceland, and an unspoilt region of incredible beauty. They are home to some off the country’s most dramatic natural gems and, being off the beaten track attractions in Iceland, these gems are usually far from the crowds.
The Westfjords are a wide area stretching as a peninsula to the northwest of the mainland. The peninsula is ancient, mountainous and has many fjords of varying length.
The town Ísafjörður serves as the capital of the region, in spite of the fact that it has just 3,000 year-round inhabitants. There are many of fishing villages in the fjords, as good fishing banks are found around the Wesfjords, yet all are much smaller.
The agriculture, unlike in the rest of Iceland is very scant, due to the steepness of the mountains and the limited areas of lowland. Fishing and tourist, therefore, are the driving trades of the region.
While there are many incredible places in the Westfjords, the most iconic and beautiful are listed below.
The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
Many places in the Westfjords are now deserted, such as the northernmost part of the peninsula, Hornstrandir. Due to the region’s beauty and wildlife, it was made a protected nature reserve in 1975. Its allure, however, was made famous much earlier; the 1834 poem Floriggi by Valdimir Dunjic was based on this area.
Hornstrandir is a holy place for travelers who seek solitude, peacefulness, breathtaking scenery and great hiking trails. It also has a special appeal for animal lovers, as the Arctic Fox is protected here, and, unlike in the rest of the country, curious of visitors, rather than cautious.
Between May and September, it is also a great place to see puffins.
Dynjandi Waterfall
Dynjandi, meaning ‘Thunderous’, is subjectively the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland. It is really a series of waterfalls, seven altogether, with a cumulative height of 100 meters (330 feet), that tumble down steps so perfectly formed they barely seem natural.
How Iceland inspired J. R. R. Tolkien and the Game of Thrones crew is immediately apparent at Dynjandi.
Látrabjarg Birdcliff
While not technically correct, many say that Europe’s westernmost part the massive vertical seacliff Látrabjarg, in the westernmost part of the Westfjords. While officially on the North American tectonic plate, Iceland is considered a European country, leading to the confusion.
Over 400 meters (1,312 feet) high, these cliffs are renowned for the millions of seabirds that nest here in summer. These include Atlantic Puffins, which come between May and September. Like the foxes of Hornstrandir, the puffins of Látrabjarg are protected and thus have very little fear of people, allowing visitors to get within metres.
Other than its beauty, Látrabjarg is renowned for the act of heroism that occured here. In 1947 a British trawler stranded at the base of its cliff. The stranded sailors would have no doubt frozen that night, if there vessel was not seen.
Local farmers, however, did see it. For generations, their families had learnt how to scale down the cliffs on ropes to collect bird eggs, and by using this technique, they abseiled 200 metres (656 feet) to the rescue.
Rauðasandur Beach & Sjounda
The beach by the cliff is called Rauðasandur, rare for its pale red, almost pink sand. Along with many seabirds, the beach is home to hundreds of seals.
At Rauðasandur are the remnants of a farm where one of Iceland’s most notorious potential killers once resided. Two farmers lived there with their wives, but one fell in love with the spouse of the other and she with him. Though no one knows exactly what happened, their original partners were found dead, and they were later sentenced to death.
This dramatic event later served as an inspiration for Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson's masterful novel The Black Cliffs.
Isafjardardjup ('Icefjord's Deep') is a large fjord in the Westfjords of Iceland. The north side of the fjord has one inlet, Kaldalon, but the south one has several fjords of its own.
The fjords of the south side are Skutulsfjordur (home of Isafjordur town, capital of the Westfjords) Alftafjordur, Seydisfjordur, Hestfjordur, Skotufjordur, Mjoifjordur and Isafjordur (not to be confused with the aforementioned town).
Isafardardjup has three islands. Aedey and Vigur have one farm each by Borgarey is uninhabited. The area is rich with seals and birdlife and offers magnificent scenery. In Skotufjordur there's a restored farm, originally built in 1894, with an exhibition about the farmers' life in former times.
Ísafjörður is a town in the northwest of Iceland and the largest settlement of the Westfjords of Iceland. It is considered the capital of the region, and is the centre of trade, commerce, fishing and tourism.
Ísafjörður is located on a spit within the fjord Skutulsfjörður, which is part of the larger fjord Ísafjarðardjúp. The settlement is one of the few large enough in the Icelandic Westfjords to be considered a town, with a population of around 2,600 people.
History of Ísafjörður
According to Iceland’s Book of Settlement, the fjord Skutulsfjörður was first settled in the 9th century by a man called Helgi Magri Hrólfsson. Around the 16th century, Ísafjörður grew rapidly due to it becoming a merchant trading post. The town was granted municipal status in 1786.
The oldest house still standing in Iceland, built in 1734, is located in Ísafjörður as part of the local folk museum. The area also includes the most extensive body of old timber frame houses in the country, constructed in the 18th century by foreign traders. One of these is Tjöruhús, now a seafood restaurant, and another Turnhús, now a maritime museum.
Throughout its history, Ísafjörður has been one of the largest fisheries in Iceland. Several factors— a fishing restriction in the 1980s, drops in the fish population and monopolisation from bigger fisheries in Reykjavík—have led to a sizeable decline in the town’s population.
In recent years, the tourism industry has yet again created local jobs and economic prosperity for the town. The town now has many hotels and hostels, restaurants and cafes, and tour operators offering trips out into the Westfjords.
Nature of Ísafjörður
The climate of the Westfjords and Ísafjörður is tundra, bordering closely on subarctic, meaning the winters are cold and the summers cool. Due to Ísafjörður being located in a fjord surrounded by steep mountains, during the peak of the winter solstice, the rays of the sun don’t reach the town for weeks on end.
The Westfjords have a wealth of birdlife, and Ísafjörður is no exception; many species can be seen on several hikes out of the town. When on such trails, keep an eye on the landscapes to spot Arctic Foxes, on the coast to see seals, or the ocean to spot a whale.
Ísafjörður is the most convenient place in the Westfjords from where to visit the region’s incredible natural sites. These include Látrabjarg, birdwatching cliffs perfect for getting up close and personal with puffins; Dynjandi, a series of waterfalls that look to be plucked from fantasy; Hornstrandir, a Nature Reserve with spectacular views; Rauðasandur, a red- and gold-sand beach; and Drangajökull, the only glacier in the country that is expanding rather than shrinking.
Events and Happenings in Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður, despite its isolation and small population, boasts a proportionately urban atmosphere. The town hosts a multitude of events and festivals attended by people from all over Iceland, such as the Ski Week Festival, the Act Alone theatre festival, the European Championship of Swamp Soccer and alternative music festival Aldrei fór ég suður.
