Hiking Trails

Víknaslóðir trails, sometimes also referred to as Trails of the Inlets is a vast net of well-marked and versatile hiking routes reaching from the village in Borgarfjörður Eystri to Loðmundarfjörður. Locals have through the years marked out and maintained numerous trails, making the area a rightfully called hiker's Paradise. They also publish a high-quality hiking map and operate comfortable hiking lodges with facilities in Breiðavík, Húsavík and Loðmundarfjörður, deserted inlets and fjord, south of Borgarfjörður Eystri. The mountains come in all shapes and sizes and the variety of colors is stunning; everything from the black sand beaches to the pinkish orange hues of the mountain ridges. The trails wind themselves between isolated coves and fjords over colorful hills and through green valleys all the way down to the coast. Abandoned houses and ruins of ancient farms leave their mark on the surroundings. Travellers can easily spend a few days in the area exploring and taking in the breathtaking views. Tourism companies in Borgarfjörður Eystri offer hikers all kinds of services related to their journey, whether it be tour planning, guidance or transport.

Stapavík is an inlet that lies in a magnificent setting of steep cliffs and the open sea. From 1930-1945 Stapavík was a used as an unloading port for ships and is closely related to the commercial history of Borgarfjörður Eystri and Hérað. Remains of the facilities are very picturesque and the view from the inlet is beautiful on a sunny day.  A marked trail leads from the farmstead Unaós, following Selfljót river downstream to the rivermouth. Héraðssandur black sand beach opens to the North of the river with a view over Hellisheiði Eystri rhyolite mountain ridge. This is a about a two hour long (back and forth) family friendly hike. Travellers could also challenge themselves to a longer hike by crossing Gönguskarð mountain pass over to Njarðvík which adds a about two hours to the hike. Powered by Wikiloc

In the Neskaupstaður Nature Reserve, there are enjoyable hiking trails, including one to Easter Cave. A marked trail starts from the parking area at the edge of Neskaupstaður, following the coastline above the sea cliffs to a staircase that descends into the rocky shore by the cave. You can either continue and climb up outside the cave or return the same way. Easter Cave is a grotto carved by the waves, and at its end, you can see cylindrical holes left by trees that likely stood in a lush forest that was buried under lava about 12 million years ago. These holes are now often used as nesting sites by rock pigeons. Near the cave, you can also see beautifully shaped pillow lava, impressive rock dikes, and in some places, hollows filled with quartz crystals and other minerals. Deposits create beautiful patterns in the dark cliff walls, and water drips from the rocks. In winter, this often results in beautiful ice formations and large icicles on the cliff walls. There is a beautiful view over Norðfjörður Bay to Barðsneshorn and Rauðubjarg with its eternal sunshine. The sea, with its small creatures, stands in pools, and in summer, the cliffs are adorned with swathes of blue lilies. There is abundant birdlife along the shore, such as fulmars, gulls, eider ducks, auks, and various ducks. It is very common to see harlequin ducks in summer, and the winter wren often stays near the cliffs by the staircase, frequently singing for hikers.   It is said that on Easter morning, one can see the sun dance in the cave, and for many years, the Fjord People’s Travel Association has organized hikes to the cave on Easter morning to try to witness this phenomenon. The story also tells that on Easter morning long ago, the farmer from Bakki managed to capture the slough of a beautiful seal maiden who, along with others from Pharaoh's company, had come ashore to celebrate. The farmer married her, and they had seven children. She eventually regained her slough and returned to the sea to her other seven children. Later, the same farmer improved his cattle by capturing a sea cow, breaking its bladder at Uxavogur, a location on the shore near Easter Cave. It was believed that the seal maiden had sent her former husband this blessing. The legend says that sea cattle can be identified by their sea-grey colour and the bladder between their horns or on their noses. They become tame immediately if the bladder is burst, losing their sea nature. In the barn, sea cattle can be recognized by always turning their heads toward the sea.   

Jafnadalur is a valley in Stöðvarfjördur facing northward. At the core of the vale, there is Einbúinn - "The Hermit"- , a voluminous and solitary rock in otherwise flat surroundings. The Jafnadalur also boasts a 6 m. stonearch, located to the east of Mt. Álftafell. A walking trail connects Jafnadalur and fjord Fáskrúðsfjörður. These are agreeable surroundings and well-suited for short or extensive hikes.   Powered by Wikiloc

Vöðlavík, which is sometimes called Vaðlavík, is a deserted cove south of Gerpir, where there used to be several farms. A road leads to Vöðlavík from Eskifjörður, which is only open in the summer for four-wheel drive cars. There are two marked hiking trails to Vöðlavík from Eskifjörður / Reyðarfjörður, one over Karlsskálastaður and on the other by Krossanes. From Vöðlavík there is a hiking trail to Sandvík. It is about a five-hour walk around Gerpisskarð, peaking at about 700 m.y.s. From the cove and the heath, Vöðlavíkurheiði, two mountain peaks are the most prominent: Snæfugl and Hestshaus. Disastrous maritime accidents have occurred at Vöðlavík in the past. For example, the ship Bergvík SU ran aground in Vöðlavík in December 1993. Many people still remember that in an attempt to get the ship afloat, the rescue ship Goðinn ran aground in the bay on January 10, 1994. One died at the wreck, but the Defense Forces' helicopter squadron at Keflavík Airport rescued other crew members. These events are discussed in the documentary Háski in Vöðlvík.

Fardagafoss waterfall is close to Egilsstaðir, at the roots of Fjarðarheiði. It is one of three waterfalls in the Miðhúsaá river; the others are called Gufufoss and Folaldafoss. There is a marked hiking trail to the waterfall, and it is easy except for the last part, which is a bit difficult to cross. The hiking trail starts at a car park by road 93, close to Áningarsteinn rock.  Behind the waterfall is a cave. The story goes that an awful giantess one lived in the cave. It is believed that a tunnel runs through Fjarðarheiði to Gufufoss in Fjarðará in Seyðisfjörður. The giantess in Fardagafoss was famous for having a cauldron full of gold. When the giantess had become so old that she knew her death was imminent, she slid the kettle with the gold down into a deep pothole in the middle of Gufufoss, further down the Miðhúsaá river. The handle of the cauldron is said to be visable when there is little water in the river. Powered by Wikiloc

An easy and pleasant walk from the center of Seyðisfjörður town, by a walkway partly gravel, partly grassy through a forested area towards the vale Fjarðarsel where beautiful waterfalls and varied green growth await the wanderer. A visit to the oldest operational power plant in Iceland at Fjarðarsel (1913) is optional, provided that it is arranged beforehand. The plant marked a turning point in the history of Icelandic electrification. For the avid waterfall lover an added walk along the south side of Fjarðará river up to Neðri Stafur rock stratum, (300 m. alt.) is a must. Out of a total of 25 waterfalls, in river Fjarðará some of the most spectacular ones can be seen along the way. At Neðri Stafur rock stratum, the wanderer is presented with an exquisite view over Seyðisfjörður fjord and town, along with a fine selection of berries in late August. The scenic mountains, waterfalls, vegetation, and the history of the town is a wonderful blend that makes this walk unforgettable. Fjarðará River & Fjarðarsel MuseumDuration: 2,5 and 4 hours / 2- 4 km. Period: June - September 

Asknes in fjord Mjóifjörður houses the remains of a old whaling-station, which the Norwegians erected around year 1900. The factory was the largest of its kind in the world at that time. In its hayday there were 200 employees but today there are only around 40 people living in the entire Mjóifjörður region. No road lies to Asknes, but it is accessible by foot from the road innermost in the fjord.

Hiking trail starts by a sign near Hallormsstaðarskóli schoolhouse in Hallormsstaður woodland following a light green marked trail that passes through an area where half the mountain slid forward some 10.000 years ago. You’ll ascend up to Bjargselsbotnar, onwards to Bjarg and Þverbjarg to Illaskriða landslide. From there you follow the trail to the Leirtjarnarhryggur ridge.  Part of Hiking Treasures in Egilsstaðir Region GPS : N65°05.465-W14°43.031  

Hike starts by að sign on the bank of river Þverá south of Eiríksstaðir farm and continues on to Fremri Hnefill – mountain top (947 m). From there one can cross over to the top of Ytri Hnefill (922m) and down to Eiríksstaðir farm again. Travellers could challenge themselves to a longer hike by walking over to the ruins of the abandoned Hneflasel farm and then traverse back between the two mountains to Jökuldalur valley. Part of Hiking Treasures in Egilsstaðir Region GPS : N65°08.617-W15°28.195

The Iceland spar mine in Helgustaðaland can be found on the way from Eskifjörður to Vöðlavík, and a footpath leads to it. Helgustaðanáma is an old Iceland spar mine in the land of Helgustaðir in Eskifjörður, which was protected as a natural monument in 1975. Helgustaðanáma is one of the most famous spar mines in the world, where spar was excavated from the ground from the 17th century until the first half of the 20th century. Most of the Iceland spar in museums around the world comes from the mine at Helgustaðir, but some of the largest and purest specimens of spar in the world were found in Helgustaðanáma. Iceland spar is a particularly clear crystal of the rock calcite, but the rock played a vital role in developing various studies on the properties of light. Today the Iceland spar is protected, and it is strictly forbidden to remove it from Helgustaðanáma.

Hólmatindur, 985 meters high, is the pride of the people of Eskfjörður, and the beautiful peak stands on the east side of the fjord, facing the village. A challenging hiking trail leads to the mountain top, but hikers can sign a guest book at the top. Hólmatindur is one of the "Five Mountains in Fjarðabyggð " which is a project that school children invented and Ferðafélag Fjarðamanna implemented.    . Powered by Wikiloc

Above the farm Bustarfell in Vopnafjörður stands a large rock called Álfkonusteinn (Elf Stone). It is relatively easy to walk from Bustarfell to the rock, and an interesting legend related to the stone. It claims that a district magistrate’s wife at Bustarfell was once led in her dreams by an elf into the stone. There she came to the aid of an elf-woman in childbirth, who paid for the assistance with a beautiful gold-plated cloth. The cloth is neatly made, exotic and unique in this country, and is now owned by the National Museum of Iceland.

Hafrahvammagljúfur in Austurland is one of the largest and most magnificent gorges in Iceland. The gorge is about 200 meters from the bottom to the edge (where it is highest), and the canyon is about 8 kilometers long. There is a marked hiking trail along the gorge and down to Magnahellir. You need a four-wheel-drive car to drive to the trail's starting point, but you can see part of the gorge from Kárahjúkar dam, and you can get there by an average car. 

The haven of Mt. Grænafell by Reyðarfjörður has served as the prime location for local outdoor activities for a number of years. At the top of the mountain, a beautiful lake awaits the visitor and a spectacular gorge carves the landscape beside the fell. A paradise of fine bushes at the foot of the mount completes the icing on the cake. The tiny forest is adorned by planted trees,  brooklets and extensive rocks fragments from the cliff, reminiscent of dwellings from the land of fairy tales. The area has been made easily accessible by marked hiking trails.

Kolbeinstangaviti Lighthouse is just under 20 meters tall and stands in a magnificent location in Leiðarhöfn, Vopnafjörður. The lighthouse was built in 1942 but was not put into use until two years later when the lighting equipment finally arrived from England. The lighthouse is coated with light quartz, and the dark surfaces are covered with obsidian gravel. Kolbeinstangaviti is the only lighthouse that has retained this appearance, meaning it has not been brushed with any sealant. There is a beautiful and easy walking path from the village along the gravel road to Leiðarhöfn and the lighthouse. The path offers a lovely view over the village and the fjord. An old mining road branching off the main road to Leiðarhöfn also makes for an enjoyable walk out to Kolbeinstangi.  The peninsula's tip offers stunning scenery ideal for outdoor activities and very popular among locals.

A lighthouse was first built at Streitishvarf in 1922 and it operated until 1958, when it was removed due to the building of a new lighthouse in Breiðdalsvík. The Streitisviti lighthouse operating today was built in 1984.  Streitishvarf is a great outdoor area, suitable for the whole family. A beautiful, short hiking trail offers a brilliant insight to the geological history of Austurland, especially the dikes that are characteristic for the area. Although the hiking trail is short, it is a great place to stop for a few hours; to play and enjoy the nature. 

Streitishvarf is a great outdoor area, suitable for the whole family. A beautiful, short hiking trail offers a brilliant insight to the geological history of Austurland, especially the dikes that are characteristic for the area. Although the hiking trail is short, it is a great place to stop for a few hours; to play and enjoy the nature. A lighthouse was first built at Streitishvarf in 1922 and it operated until 1958, when it was removed due to the building of a new lighthouse in Breiðdalsvík. the Streitisviti lighthouse operating today was built in 1984.

In Breiðdalsá, close to the farm Brekkuborg in Breiðdalur valley, is the Beljandi waterfall. In fact, there are two waterfalls; Ytri Beljandi and Innri Beljandi, and eponymous pools. The waterfalls are not very high, but they are beutiful and well worth the short hike from the road through Breiðdalsvík. The whole area is extremely beautiful and suitable for outdoor activities.

In Breiðdalsá, close to the farm Brekkuborg in Breiðdalur valley, is the Beljandi waterfall. In fact, there are two waterfalls; Ytri Beljandi and Innri Beljandi, and eponymous pools. The waterfalls are not very high, but they are beutiful and well worth the short hike from the road through Breiðdalsvík. The whole area is extremely beautiful and suitable for outdoor activities.

Sandfell is a distinctive 743m. high rhyolite mountain between Stöðvarfjörður and Fáskrúðsfjörður. The best approach is from the south side of Fáskrúðsfjörður. The trail leaves the coastal road between Víkurgerði and Vík farms and proceeds along the Víkurgerðisá River before cutting west for the peak. The scenery is excellent en route, with views of Fáskrúðsfjörður, Andey and Skrúður islands. Powered by Wikiloc

A delightful short walk from Afrétt in the innermost part of Borgarfjörður Eystri takes the wanderer to Urðarhólar; idyllic scenery with hilly terrain and small ponds, rich birdlife, and colorful view of the mountaintops.  The marked trail is 3 km. But should you wish to extend it, there is much to see!