The Westfjords are the westernmost part of Iceland and an unspoilt region of incredible beauty. They are home to some of 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 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 tourism, 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 travellers 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 considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls 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 Bird Cliff
While not technically correct, many say that Europe’s westernmost part is 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 occurred here. In 1947 a British trawler stranded at the base of its cliff. The stranded sailors would have no doubt frozen that night if their vessel had not been 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 & Sjöundá
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 one can find the remnants of a farm where one of Iceland’s most notorious alleged 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.
Credit: Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Emstrur
Located in the Westfjords of Iceland, Patreksfjörður is a charming village of approximately 650 inhabitants.
Its name means ‘the fjord of St Patrick’, named as such as it was settled by a reverend after Iceland’s conversion to Christianity.
Services at Patreksfjörður
Patreksfjörður has grown into a great destination for tourism as the industry has developed in Iceland. Even so, its main industry, as it always has been, remains to be its fisheries.
The town has several options for accommodation, with hotels, guesthouses, bungalows and a campsite. It also has restaurants, cafes, and a swimming pool, making it a perfect place to stay for those exploring the Westfjords.
Bíldudalur is the nearest airport for those who do not have the time or license to drive to Patreksfjörður. There is one flight a day here from Reykjavík, and regular buses between the two towns.
Sites near Patreksfjörður
This settlement, in the southern part of the region, is close to many major attractions. Those in the nearest vicinity include Dynjandi, Látrabjarg, and Rauðasandur.
Dynjandi, meaning ‘Thunderous’, is without a doubt one of the country’s – if not the world’s – more spectacular waterfalls. Falling from a height of 100 metres (328 feet), it tumbles in many steps, giving it an ethereal, otherworldly ambience.
The path leading up to Dynjandi has many other waterfalls to be admired.
Látrabjarg is the name of a set of cliffs, and is one of the world’s best spots for bird watching. Along this stretch, millions of birds can be seen, including, from May to September, the adorable and elusive puffin.
The puffins here are protected, and will let you get remarkably close for some excellent photographic opportunities.
Rauðasandur, meanwhile, is a beautiful beach. Unlike most in Iceland, defined by volcanic black sands, the sand here is golden, red and orange, lending the area a somewhat tropical beauty.
Between Patreksfjörður and Bíldudalur is the village of Tálknafjörður, in the southern region of the Westfjords. Despite its meagre population size, around 300 inhabitants, the village has chosen not to merge with its closest neighbours into a new municipality, therefore keeping its unique local charm and community character.
History
Historically, the village was settled much later than other villages across Iceland, with development not occurring until the early 20th century. In the 1940s, a harbour was built to both maximise the village’s sheltered coastal position and to begin fishing operations in the fjord. In the next decade, the fish processing plant, ÞórsBerg, was built, and thus the settlement's economy began to develop. However, as with many small fishing villages in Iceland, Tálknafjörður’s growth was halted by the introduction of fishing quotas in the 1990s. Since then, the economy has diversified with large swathes of tourists now visiting Tálknafjörður for the deep sea angling.
Culture
Today, Tálknafjörður has all the amenities of a modern-day village. There is a post office, convenience store, a bank, guesthouses, a restaurant, a mechanic and even a cosmetics store, Villimey Cosmetics, which produces herbal ointments and creams. There are also natural hot springs north of the village from which energy is cultivated for the village’s trout farms, house heating and Tálknafjörður swimming pool.
To Do
A short drive away from Tálknafjörður, there are cement-lined geothermal pools called Pollurinn (literally translating to “The Puddle”), a favourite spot amongst the local residents (some of whom go there to soak every day). The water at Pollurinn comes directly from the ground, unfiltered, meaning that the pools can have a somewhat slimy feel to them. A wooden cabin stands adjacent to the pool, offering changing room facilities.
