Folafotur Peninsula Travel Guide

Folafótur below Hestur mountain. Photo: Christian Bickel, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE

Folafótur ("foal's foot") is a low, grassy peninsula on the south side of Ísafjarðardjúp in the Westfjords of Iceland. It separates two of the Djúp's side fjords, Seyðisfjörður to the west and Hestfjörður to the east, and sits directly beneath the flat-topped mountain Hestur ("the horse"), from which it takes its name.

Today Folafótur is uninhabited and roadless, but a little over a century ago it was a busy fishing station of cottagers, and its shoreline is now a quiet camping spot for sea kayakers paddling out of Ísafjörður.

Key Takeaways About Folafótur

• Low, roadless peninsula between Seyðisfjörður and Hestfjörður on the south side of Ísafjarðardjúp, beneath the mountain Hestur (about 540 m)
• Home to 36 cottagers in 1850, 81 in 1901 and 101 in 1910; abandoned after the fishing grounds failed
• Thought to be the model for Ólafur Kárason's home in Laxness's World Light
• Reached by guided sea kayak from Seyðisfjörður (the GTI 3-day trip camps here) or a 16 km, 7–8 hour shore walk from Hestfjörður
• No facilities; private land, so camp only by arrangement

Why visit Folafótur

Folafótur is a place to experience the Westfjords without roads, cars or buildings. The outermost tip is called Fótartá, "the toe of the foot".

The peninsula is lowland, with the steep slopes of Hestur rising behind it; the mountain stands about 540 m high (sources give 536 to 547 m) and has a distinctive flat-topped profile; Hestfjörður, the fjord on its eastern side, shares its name.

From the shore of Folafótur you look across Ísafjarðardjúp to the island of Vigur and the mountains of the north side of the Djúp.

The main interest of Folafótur, however, is human history. In 1850 there were 36 people living here as þurrabúðarfólk, cottagers who owned no farmland and lived entirely from the sea. By 1901 the population was 81, and in 1910 it reached 101.

They worked the rich fishing grounds just offshore, known as Gullkistan, "the gold chest", from open rowing boats, and dried fish on the shore. Several named fishing stations stood on the peninsula: Salahús on the western, Seyðisfjörður side, and Tjaldtangi and Sigga Sala-hús on the eastern, Hestfjörður side.

When the fishing grounds failed and motor boats made it possible to fish from the larger villages, the settlement emptied out, and the peninsula has been abandoned since. Farmers on Vigur island continued to ferry their sheep over to graze on Folafótur in summer. Ruins of the old cottages remain in the grass.

Folafótur also has a place in Icelandic literature: it is thought to be the model for the childhood home of Ólafur Kárason, the poet-hero of Halldór Laxness's novel Heimsljós (World Light).

More recently, a group with family ties to the peninsula has been working on a proposal to protect the land between Hestfjörður and Seyðisfjörður as a park with a small science centre.

How to get to Folafótur

There is no road onto the peninsula itself, which is part of its appeal. Route 61 (Djúpvegur), the paved main road between Ísafjörður and Hólmavík, runs around the heads of both Seyðisfjörður and Hestfjörður, so you drive around the base of Hestur rather than onto Folafótur.

From Ísafjörður it is about 45 km, or 40 minutes, east past Súðavík to the head of Seyðisfjörður, and roughly 70 km, about an hour, to the Folafótur side of Hestfjörður; the nearest village is Súðavík, about 5 km to the west across Seyðisfjörður and Álftafjörður.

Hestfjörður and Hestur mountain. Photo: Christian Bickel, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE

There are two practical ways to reach the peninsula:

• By sea kayak. This is how most visitors arrive. Guided multi-day trips start in Ísafjörður with a 45-minute bus transfer to Seyðisfjörður, where paddlers put in beneath Hestur and follow the shore out to Folafótur for the first night's camp. The waters of the inner Djúp are relatively sheltered, but this is open sea and should only be attempted with a guide or solid sea-kayaking experience.
• On foot. The local hiking club Ferðafélag Ísfirðinga has organised guided walks to Folafótur, most recently in June 2026, starting from a summer house in Hestfjörður. The round trip is about 16 km of mostly flat lowland walking with little elevation gain, taking 7 to 8 hours at an easy pace. Most ordinary cars can reach the start, though very low vehicles may struggle on the last stretch of track. There is no marked trail; follow the shore.

Best time to visit

June to August is the only realistic season. Kayaking trips to Folafótur run in summer, the hiking club's walks have been held in June, and the long daylight makes a 7 to 8 hour walk comfortable. In spring and autumn the weather in Ísafjarðardjúp changes quickly, and in winter the peninsula is snowbound and the sea unsuitable for kayaks.

Safety and practical tips

• There are no facilities of any kind on Folafótur: no toilets, shelter, drinking water supply or mobile signal guarantee. Bring everything you need and carry all rubbish out.
• Guided kayak expeditions camp on the peninsula by arrangement; check with your operator about where to pitch and how to leave no trace. The old ruins are archaeological remains and should not be disturbed.
• Weather in the Djúp can shift from calm to strong wind within an hour. Kayakers should always travel with an experienced guide, wear a drysuit and life jacket, and check the forecast at vedur.is.
• The walking route is on uneven, boggy lowland. Wear waterproof boots and expect wet feet.
• Eider ducks and other birds may nest along the shore in early summer; give nests a wide berth and keep dogs on a lead.
• There is no entry fee. The land is a private holding (jörð), so respect fences and any signs, and ask before camping independently.