Highlights: The Westfjords are the westernmost part of Iceland and the whole of Europe. The Westfjords are home to some off the most beautiful natural gems and off the beaten track attractions in Iceland.
The Westfjords are a wide area stretching as a peninsula to the northwest of the mainland. The peninsula is all mountainous with numerous fjords of varying length.
The town Isafjordur in the fjord Skutulsfjordur serves as the capital of the region, with around 3000 inhabitants. There are many fishing villages in the fjords, as good fishing banks are found around the Wesfjords.
The agriculture is very scant, due to the steepness of the mountains and the lowland is limited. Below are some of the best natural attractions you can find in the Westfjords.
Hornstrandir nature reserve
Many places in the Westfjords are now deserted, such as the northernmost part of the peninsula: Hornstrandir. Hornstrandir is a holy place for travelers who seek solitude, wildlife, breathtaking scenery and great hiking trails. Don´t miss it if you´re looking for peacefulness.
Dynjandi waterfall
Dynjandi ('Thunderous') is one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. This is really a series of waterfalls, seven altogether, with a cumulative hight of 100 meters. The trapezoidal shape of its main uppermost tier is particularly notable (40 m wide at the top, 60 m at the bottom.
Latrabjarg Birdcliff
Europe’s westernmost part is in The Westfjords, the massive vertical seacliff Latrabjarg, over 400 meters high with millions of seabirds nesting there. In 1947 a British trawler stranded there. Local farmers managed to safe most of the fishermen by heaving them by rope 190 meters up into the air. This heroic deed has been filmed.
Raudisandur Beach & Sjounda
The beach by the cliff is called Raudisandur, rare for its pale red, almost pink sand. Along with many seabirds, the beach also features hundreds of seals.
Innermost of Raudisandur are the remnants of the farm Sjounda. At the beginning of the 19th century it was a site for one of Iceland’s most famous murder cases.
Two farmers lived there with there wives but the one farmer fell in love with the other's wife and she with him and they were later sentenced to death for murdering their spouses. This dramatic event later served as an inspiration for Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson's masterful novel Svartfugl (The Black Cliffs).
Wikimedia. Creative Commons. Credit: ProgressChrome.
Látrabjarg, in the Westfjords, marks the western-most point of Iceland, and in fact, Europe. Hosting millions of birds, it is Europe’s largest bird cliff at 14 km length and a height of 441 meters.
In 1947 Látrabjarg was the site of a famous rescue mission when Icelandic farmers rescued the 12 surviving members of the British trawler “Dhoon” after they stranded under the sea cliffs. The rescue was an astounding deed, only possible because the local farmers practised egg gathering from the cliffs. Using the same methods, the farmers hung from swings in order to heave the fishermen up 190 meters to safety.
A documentary by Oskar Gislason was made about this rescue a year later. During the shoot, the trawler “Sargon” stranded in what would be a miraculous repeat of incidents. That rescue mission was documented in the film also which can be seen today in Reykjavik.
Látrabjarg is home to a wide variety of birds, in large parts thanks to the shelter and seclusion the cliffs provide as nesting grounds. The area is also completely free of Arctic Foxes, leaving the birds without a predator. Guests here can see such birdlife as; Skuas, Arctic Terns, Guillemots, Eider Ducks and, of course, the Atlantic Puffin. Puffins can be found at Látrabjarg from May until late August.
Látrabjarg is beloved by birdwatchers and hikers alike, sporting fantastic and isolated trails that truly demonstrate Iceland’s penchant for tranquillity. One of the best ways to access these hiking trails is by renting your own vehicle and driving from the capital, Reykjavik. This will take approximately 6 hours, and you will need to be fully fueled before departure (there are no petrol stations along the way).
Dynjandi (meaning “Thunderous”) is a series of waterfalls in the Westfjords and the largest of its kind in the region. Dynjandi is particularly beloved by visiting nature enthusiasts and aspiring photographers, who are able to snapshot this fantastic natural feature from a wealth of angles.
Geography
Dynjandi can be found close by to Dynjandisvogur Bay and Arnarfjörður fjord, an area widely famed for its eclectic birdlife, stunning natural vistas and picturesque coastlines.
Colloquially titled “the Jewel of the Westfjords”, Dynjandi (otherwise known as “Fjallfoss”) cascades approximately 100 metres in total, falling in a trapezoidal shape (30 m wide at the top, 60 m wide at the bottom). In the summer, the average flow rate of Dynjandi is 2 to 8 cubic meters per second, whilst the winter sees 1 to 4 cubic metres per second.
Those wishing to view Dynjandi from the top are able to hike nearly 200 metres up the cliffside. As they do, they will pass the seven individual waterfalls that lead to the largest: Hæstahjallafoss, Strompgljúfrafoss (Strompur), Göngumannafoss, Hrísvaðsfoss-Kvíslarfoss, Hundafoss and Bæjarfoss (Sjóarfoss). In 1996, there was a rocky path built to the top Dynjandi by volunteers, making the hike little more than 15 minutes in total.
Visit Dynjandi
To travel to the Westfjords, one of your best options would be renting your own vehicle and driving yourself. Dynjandi is approximately 363 km away from Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavík, meaning it will take some commitment to visit. Alternatively, you could choose to join a guided tour around the Ring Road and the Westfjords, either by bus or Super Jeep, allowing an experienced tour guide to take responsibility for the driving.
Since 1981, Dynjandi has been considered a National Monument, meaning extra care must be taken not to stray from the specified walking trails. Iceland’s vegetation is incredibly fragile, often taking decades to repair once damaged. Remember, take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints.
The beach by Latrabjarg cliff, Europe's highest birdcliff and Europe's westernmost part, is called Rauðasandur. It is rare for its pale red, almost pink sand. Along with many seabirds, the beach also features hundreds of seals.
The remnants of a farm named Sjöundá can be found on Rauðasandur. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was the site of one of Iceland’s most famous murder cases.
Two farmers and their wives lived there but one farmer, Bjarni, and the other's wife, Steinunn, had an affair. They were sentenced to death, accused of having murdered their spouses. Bjarni was executed abroad but Steinunn died in prison in Reykjavík and was buried at Skólavörðuholt. In the 20th century, she was moved to consecrated grounds and is buried in Hólavallagarður in Reykjavík.
Steinunn's decendants, believing her innocent, recently gave her a tombstone.
Icelandic novelist Gunnar Gunnarsson based his masterpiece Svartfugl (The Black Bird) on the Sjöundá murder mystery.
Photo from Reykjavík City Helicopter Tour
Reykjavík Airport refers to the domestic airport within Iceland’s capital, often shortened to RVK or BIRK.
While Keflavík International Airport deals with flights abroad, Reykjavík Domestic Airport flies only to select towns around Iceland, as well as to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It will, however, serve as a landing place for international flights if conditions are problematic at Keflavík.
History of Reykjavík Airport
Flights had been going in and out of Reykjavík to an extent before 1940, but this was the year when construction began at the airport. It was built by the British Troops who invaded the country after Denmark (the colonial ruler of Iceland at the time) was invaded by the Nazis. Initially, it was called RAF Reykjavík but was changed to its current name when it was handed back to Icelanders in 1946.
In 2000, the airport underwent two years of renovation. During this time, there was a successful referendum in which the people spoke in favour of moving the airport out of the city centre, but due to complications in voting and the fact that the vote was not binding, these plans are yet to move forward.
The renovations were finished in 2002, and the airport has not changed much since, other than becoming much busier with the dramatic increase of tourism.
Reykjavík Airport Today
Today, Reykjavík Airport has four airlines that operate from it. They head to the following destinations in Iceland:
Flights also go to Nuuk, Kulusuk and Ilulissat in Greenland, and Vágar in the Faroe Islands.
The airport is also regularly visited by tourists staying in Reykjavík, however, as it is the departure location for many helicopter and small plane excursions, which allow guests to have incredible aerial views of Iceland.
The airport is located about two kilometres from Reykjavík’s city centre, putting it within easy walking, bus or taxi distance from all downtown hotels. It is right beside the forested hill Öskuhlíð, home to the popular restaurant, viewing point and exhibition centre, Perlan.
Surrounded by layered, flat top mountains, Bíldudalur is an attractive fishing village settled on the fjord, Arnarfjörður. This fjord-side location is responsible for the village’s envious reputation as “the good weather capital” of the Westfjords, and is a well tread spot for hikers, skiers and deep sea anglers.
History
Despite it’s diminutive population size today (around 200 inhabitants), the development of Bíldudalur was once prospering, making it an important commercial hub for the Westfjords region. Following the cessation of the Danish Trade Monopoly in 1786, Ólafur Thorlacius made his reputation as one of Iceland’s most respected businessmen in the town, buying and selling merchandise, drying fish and running his own fishing fleet. At the beginning of the 19th century, Thorlacius had successfully turned the village into a base for his large commercial operation, a reality that continued with his successor, Pétur J. Thorsteinnsson, lasting until 1924.
As with many coastal villages in Iceland, the fishing quotas of the 20th Century began to hurt Bíldudalur’s primary industry and put a stop to any further large-scale urban development. The economy, however, managed to successfully diversify. Thankfully, Arnarfjörður is positively teeming with Lithothamnion Tophiforme, red algae which, when processed, becomes seaweed-derived Hafkalk, a natural supplement. Today, the village’s primary industries are shrimp farming, tourism and Hafkalk mineral processing.
Culture
Culture and music have thrived for years in Bíldudalur. In the past, the folk music festival, Baunagrasið, has seen musicians from across Iceland join for evening performances, workshops and courses. There is also an exhibition, “Melodies of the Past”, found in the basement of Jón Kr. Ólafsson, former vocalist for the 1960s Icelandic band, Facon. Inside, there is a wide array of LPs, instruments, posters and other fascinating objects from Icelandic music memorabilia.
There is also the Icelandic Sea Monster Museum, where guests can enjoy electronic displays delving into the myth and folklore of these fantastical creatures. It might seem a little superstitious, but there are over 200 stories of locals coming across strange creatures slithering from Arnarfjörður. There is a large gallery of cryptozoological illustrations on display which might bring closer insight into these alleged run-ins.
Geography
Around 45 minutes northerly drive from Bíldudalur is an epic series of waterfalls called Dynjandi, otherwise referred to as Fjallfoss. The waterfalls, collectively, have a height of over 100m. This area is particularly scenic for amateur photographers, who can snapshot the waterfall cascading from over the lip of the mountains all the way down to Arnarfjörður below.
