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.
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.
Vigur Island, half an hour’s boat ride from Ísafjörður in the Westfjords, is famous for its enormous colony of birdlife. Species here include puffins, eider ducks, arctic terns, black guillemots and razorbills.
Culture
Despite Vigur being the second largest island in Ísafjörður bay, there are only five permanent residents - a farmer and his family - who live in a mid-19th-century house. Overall, this family has farmed the lands on Vigur over six generations.
Their relationship to the nesting ducks is an interesting one; for years, the farmers have collected the down from their nests, bound by the unwritten rule that they themselves will act as the species’ protector against more predatory birds. The family makes part of their income from collecting and selling this down, largely by filling cushions and duvets. Over two hundred years ago, a farmer built what is colloquially known as ‘The Eider Duck Hotel’, a small stone wall with built in cubby holes, the perfect refuge for a nesting mother duck. The hotel still operates today.
Guided tours around the island are available, though the duration of these differs depending on whether the birds are currently in a nesting season. Visitors must make take extra care and attention to not step on the thousands of eggs laying amongst the grass, and also be aware of the Arctic Tern’s fiery and protective nature. These birds are known the island over for their dive-bombing, aggressive chatter and physical bravery. Waving a stick or an Icelandic national flag is a sure way to deter any potential aggression.
