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.
伊萨菲厄泽(Ísafjörður)坐落于冰岛西峡湾地区的西北部，是西部峡湾的首府，该地区的最大城市，也是西峡湾的贸易、商业、渔业和旅游业中心。
伊萨菲厄泽位于Skutulsfjörður峡湾内，属于冰岛最大峡湾Ísafjarðardjúp(直译为：冰峡湾深处)的一部分。伊萨菲厄泽是冰岛西峡湾地区极少数可以称得上是城市的聚落，约有2600人口。
伊萨菲厄泽历史
根据冰岛《定居之书》的记载，Skutulsfjörður峡湾的第一个定居者是公元9世纪的Helgi Magri Hrólfsson。而在大约16世纪时，伊萨菲厄泽因为发达的贸易而得到迅速发展，在1786年正式确立了市政地位，成为具有独立市政府的城市。
冰岛最古老的房子也位于伊萨菲厄泽；房子建于1734年，现为民俗博物馆的一部分。城市内还有不少其他木质结构的老房子，基本都由外国商人在18世纪时建造。这一地区比较著名的建筑物有Tjöruhús(现为海鲜餐厅)与Turnhús(现为海事博物馆)。
回顾历史，伊萨菲厄泽曾经是冰岛最重要的渔业中心之一。如今这座城市已不再是渔业重镇，最主要的原因是20世纪80年代的捕鱼限制令、鱼群数量的整体减少以及首都雷克雅未克(Reykjavík)渔业巨头的垄断，伊萨菲厄泽也因此流失了不少人口。
近几年，冰岛旅游业的迅速发展也为伊萨菲厄泽创造了许多工作机会，推动了当地经济的进步。城镇基础设施齐全，酒店、青旅、餐厅、咖啡厅一应俱全，不少西峡湾旅行团也从伊萨菲厄泽出发。
伊萨菲厄泽的天气及周边景点
伊萨菲厄泽的气候与西峡湾地区一致，均为苔原气候 。西峡湾和亚北极地区接近，冬季寒冷、夏季凉爽。由于伊萨菲厄泽地处峡湾之内，被陡峭的山脉环绕，在冰岛的隆冬季节以及极夜现象明显的时候，伊萨菲厄泽甚至好几个礼拜都接触不到阳光。
冰岛西峡湾地区生态良好，生活着多种多样的鸟类，伊萨菲厄泽也不例外；只要顺着徒步路线走出城市中心，在郊区就可以观赏到许多鸟类。如果准备在伊萨菲厄泽附近徒步，别忘了去山野上寻觅野生北极狐的踪影，或者到沿岸的海滩放眼观察海豹和鲸鱼的踪迹。
从伊萨菲厄泽出发可以到达西峡湾的许多自然景区，其中包括欧洲最西端、举世闻名的观鸟悬崖拉特拉尔角(Látrabjarg)；自然原始野性的Hornstrandir自然保护区；随着太阳光线变色的红沙滩(Rauðasandur)；以及全冰岛唯一一座面积正在扩大的德朗加冰川(Drangajökull)。
伊萨菲厄泽活动
伊萨菲厄泽人口较少，与世隔绝，却十分有城市气氛。这里经常举办各种特色活动和节日，包括冰岛滑雪节、Act Alone戏剧节、欧洲沼泽足球锦标赛以及小众的Aldrei fór ég suður音乐节等等，有着避世小镇的绝妙风情。
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.
