Matkaopas: Öxarfjörður

Oxarfjordur (a.k.a. Axarfordur) is a fjord in North-East Iceland between the headlands Tjornes and Melrakkasletta.

Explore this area of Iceland on a self drive tour.

Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Hansueli Krapf. No edits made.

As the fjord is rather wide, it might as well be considered a bay. The landscape by Oxarfjordur is attractive, featuring woodlands and tuff mountains. Around the farming district Nupasveit are moss-covered lava fields, sands and heathery moors.

As for wildlife, Oxarfjordur has over 56 recorded bird species and is one of the main nesting places in Iceland for the the rare horned grebe, as well as the greylag geese and the great skua. Other rare birds include the gadwall, the Northern shoveler, the common scoter, Barrow's goldeneye, gyrfalcons, short-eared owls, water rails, common gulls and red phalaropes. Auks, puffins razorbills, guillemots and all further be found in Oxarfjordur. Seals nest on the beaches of Oxarfjordur and foxes are common in the fjord as well.