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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.
Hornstrandir is a nature reserve located in the Westfjords, in the north-west of Iceland. The total area covers 580 square kilometres (220 square miles) of tundra, cliffs, flowering fields and ice.
The glacier Drangajökull sits to the region’s southern area.
The nature reserve was established in 1975. Its borders encompass the picturesque fjords Hrafnfjörður and Furufjörður, finishing at Skorarheiði moor.
History
Given the nature reserve’s isolated location, even for the Westfjords, it makes sense that Hornstrandir has a rich history quite distinct from that of mainland Iceland. Farming was difficult given the region’s terrain and tall cliffs, so early settlers chose fishing and the hunting of birds as their primary livelihood.
Those who lived there often stayed in abodes some distance from one another, making travelling to and from farmsteads difficult in the wintertime. In this respect, life at Hornstrandir was lonely and difficult to sustain.
Outlaws often travelled to Hornstrandir in the hope of boarding foreign ships and embarking to start a new life abroad. Aside from fearing the law, such travellers also had to watch out for polar bears who, every so often, would float ashore on an ice cap or swim over from neighbouring Greenland. This was especially the case during the Mini Ice Age at the start of the last millennium.
Flora and Fauna
There are approximately 260 different species of flowering plant and fern that grow in Hornstrandir; many of these are native across the entirety of the Westfjords, others are unique only to the reserve.
One of the reasons for this luscious abundance of plant life is because Hornstrandir has been devoid of grazing animals for several decades. Knee-high plant life will often stretch out for kilometres, culminating in a challenging hike through the wilderness.
Ever since the 1950s, Hornstrandir has been devoid of permanent human residents. The area is inaccessible to motorised traffic, and only a few old buildings and farmsteads now allude to the area’s history of settlement. It is, however, home to Iceland’s only native mammal, the cheeky, yet elusive, Arctic Fox, who preys upon the birds nesting along Hornstrandir’s towering cliff-faces.
There is a hunting ban across Hornstrandir, meaning the fox populations are free to live without the threat of human intrusion. This means they have no fear of travellers, and will often approach a camp looking for a bite to eat.
The other most prominent mammal in the region are field mice, though these are, naturally, more difficult to spot. As for birdlife, enthusiasts can spot many nesting species, notably arctic terns, puffins and black guillemots. The region has the two of the largest bird cliffs in Europe, overshadowing the coastal paradise that is Hornvík Bay.
The only one larger is Látrabjarg, on the other side of the Westfjords.
Activities at Hornstrandir
Those looking to hike, explore and stay at Hornstrandir must bring a tent and supplies if they’re looking to camp overnight. As previously stated, the nature reserve has no roads, permanent dwellings or shops, meaning that those who take to the wild here must be self-sustaining.
Travelling here requires much forethought and visitors must be fully prepared with food, water, warm layers of clothing and sturdy hiking boots.
Hiking to Hornbjarg is a must-do activity in Hornstrandir; this is the area's most iconic natural feature, a towering cliff at the top of the nature reserve
The region is only accessible for organised trips during the summer months (May, June, July and, occasionally, August). During the winter, only specially permitted excursions are allowed to enter the area.
Ísafjarðardjúp is a large fjord in the Westfjords. It means ‘Icefjord’s Deep’.
Ísafjörður
Ísafjarðardjúp is best known for having the ‘Capital of the Westfjords’, Ísafjörður, within it. This is the largest settlement in the Westfjords, with about 2,600 people living here.
Ísafjörður is the cultural, economic and touristic hub of the region; many tours to remote locations such as the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve leave from here, and ferries often arrive here from abroad. The town has several museums, many options for accommodation, and services such as supermarkets and gas stations for travellers.
Fjords and Islands
Ísafjarðardjúp, due to its vast size, has many smaller fjords within it; Ísafjörður, for example, is within the smaller fjord of Skutulsfjörður. Interestingly, there is another fjord called Ísafjörður, in spite of the town being elsewhere.
Most of these fjords are on the south side, with only one bay in the north, called Kaldalon.
Ísafjarðardjúp has a wealth of animal life. Many birds nest on the three islands within it, seals can be found on the shores, and due to the fertility of the waters, whales can often be seen within the fjord.
The main industries in Ísafjarðardjúp are fishing and tourism.
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.
