Informationen über: Audkula Farm

Auðkúla is a farm on the north shore of Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords of Iceland, about 1.5 km west of Hrafnseyri, the birthplace of independence leader Jón Sigurðsson.

The farm sits on the flat land by the fjord at the end of a short side road (Auðkúluvegur, about 800 m) that carries straight on along the shore where Route 626 turns inland for the Hrafnseyrarheiði pass, with the mountains of the Westfjords Alps behind it and the open fjord in front.

Historically it was the second-largest farm on this coast and gave its name to the old parish of Auðkúluhreppur. Today Auðkúla is best known to travellers as a quiet stop with a large eider duck colony and an active archaeological dig, visited on Dynjandi tours from Ísafjörður.

Key Takeaways About Auðkúla

• Historic farm on the north shore of Arnarfjörður, 1.5 km west of Hrafnseyri just off Route 626
• Large common eider colony on the shore, nesting May to early July
• Recent excavations found a Viking-age pit house and kiln; Hrafnseyri nearby has a longhouse about 30 m long
• About an hour from Ísafjörður via the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel; 23 km from Dynjandi
• Working farm and private home: look from the road and shore, no facilities on site

Why visit Auðkúla

Eider ducks and birdlife. Auðkúla's shoreline hosts a large colony of common eider, the duck whose down Icelandic farmers have gathered for centuries. In the nesting season (May to early July) the birds sit close to the farm, the drakes conspicuous in black and white.

Tour operators report that king eiders, a rare Arctic visitor, are seen among them, and in summer humpback whales are sometimes spotted in the fjord from the farm. It is a wildlife stop rather than a built attraction: bring binoculars and keep your distance from nesting birds.

A thousand years of settlement. In recent years archaeologists led by Margrét Hrönn Hallmundsdóttir of the Westfjords Natural History Institute have excavated at Auðkúla and neighbouring Hrafnseyri. At Auðkúla they found a pit house with a large kiln in one corner, and drone and thermal-camera surveys revealed previously unknown structures and farmsteads.

At Hrafnseyri the same team located a longhouse about 30 m long, close to a settlement-age pit house excavated earlier, along with charcoal pits and traces of iron working dated to the 9th and 10th centuries.

Together with the older excavation at Grélutóftir, the finds point to an early iron-working community along this shore. Guided archaeology walks between Hrafnseyri, Grélutóftir and Auðkúla (about 3 km each way) have been run by Ferðafélag Ísfirðinga, the Ísafjörður hiking club, with the Hrafnseyri cultural centre.

History on record. Auðkúla had a chapel in the Middle Ages (it had collapsed by 1710), was owned around 1440 by Guðmundur the Rich Arason, later by Bishop Ögmundur Pálsson, and from 1541 to 1777 by the Danish crown.

In 1901 eight households and 44 people lived on the land, and a stone farmhouse was built in 1919. The present farm is a working property and private home; you see it from the road and shore rather than touring buildings.

How to get to Auðkúla

Auðkúla lies on Route 626 (Hrafnseyrarvegur), the minor road along the north shore of Arnarfjörður.

Route 626 leaves Route 60 (Vestfjarðavegur) at Borgarfjörður, the innermost arm of Arnarfjörður, and runs about 13 km west along the shore to Hrafnseyri; Auðkúla farm is the next farm, 1.5 km further west, reached by the side road that continues along the shore where Route 626 climbs away from the fjord.

Beyond Hrafnseyri the same road climbs over the Hrafnseyrarheiði pass to Þingeyri, a summer-only route that was the main road before the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel opened in 2020.

• From Ísafjörður: about 65 km by road and roughly an hour. Take Route 60 south through the Vestfjarðagöng tunnel, past Þingeyri and through the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel to Arnarfjörður, then turn right onto Route 626 along the north shore.
• From Dynjandi: about 23 km by road, 20-25 minutes, north on Route 60 and then west on Route 626.
• From Reykjavík: a full day's drive of about 380-400 km via Route 1 and Route 60 through Dalir and the southern Westfjords, or via the Baldur ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur.

Most visitors arrive on a guided Dynjandi day tour from Ísafjörður that detours along the shore to Auðkúla. If you drive yourself, pull fully off the road; there is no formal car park.

The eider colony is on the shore a short walk below the farm. Route 626 is a minor road, so check road.is for its current condition, especially outside summer.

Best time to visit

Late May to early July is the time for eiders, when the colony is nesting. July and August bring the best weather, the longest days, whale sightings in the fjord and the archaeological team at work on site (dates vary).

September is quiet with autumn colours on the slopes. In winter the stop is mainly scenic, with short days and a chance of road closures.

Safety and practical tips

• Respect nesting birds. Eider colonies are protected and are a source of income to the farm. Stay on the road or the obvious tracks, keep dogs on a lead, and do not approach nests or sitting ducks.
• Private land. Auðkúla is a working farm and family home. Look from the roadside and shore; ask before walking through the yard.
• No facilities. The nearest toilets and café are at Hrafnseyri, where the Jón Sigurðsson museum and café are open daily from 1 June to 31 August. Fuel and shops are in Þingeyri or Bíldudalur.
• Weather. Arnarfjörður can be windy and the shore is exposed. Bring a windproof layer even in July.
• Driving. Route 626 is narrow with blind bends along the fjord; watch for sheep and oncoming tour vehicles.