The Spectacular Reiðskörð on Barðaströnd in the Westfjords of Iceland

In my travel-blogs over the years, I have shown you many beautiful locations in the Westfjords of Iceland. In this travel-blog I want to show you a beautiful, lesser-known location, the amazing Reiðskörð volcanic dyke on Barðaströnd.

Reiðskörð basalt dyke (berggangur in Icelandic), on a beautiful day, is an extraordinary place to visit, but take into account that this is also a place of execution, and it is said that this place was haunted.

Top photo: Reiðskörð dyke

I took this video of Reiðskörð from above while waiting for the tide to go out

You can find Reiðskörð by Barðastrandarvegur road 62 in the Westfjord region, and I had only seen them once before while passing by in a car on a guided tour.

I guess that many people pass Reiðskörð without even knowing they are there. I think they are ever so majestic, so I wanted to photograph them and show you what they look like, so you will at least have an option to visit them.

On our second visit to the Westfjords in the summer of 2024 where my husband was performing at the Act Alone festival and the Kómedíuleikhúsið theatre, I booked a room at Rauðsdalur farm which is at walking distance from Reiðskörð.

Reiðskörð as seen from above

On the day we arrived a storm with black clouds swept over West Iceland and the Westfjords. The storm was so strong that we had problems opening the doors of our car when we arrived at Rauðsdalur farm.

I thought to myself that my visit to Reiðskörð would be ruined if the storm didn't stop soon. I watched Reiðskörð from the car and saw the waves crashing on them, but could not for the life of me get out of the car even to take a photo of them from a distance.

Cows grazing in the field at Rauðsdalur farm - Mt. Rauðsdalsfjall and Reiðskörð in the distance

I woke up early the next morning and when I looked out of the window of the guesthouse the storm had died down and the sun was shining! Everything was calm so I hurried down to the beach.

Rauðsdalur is a farm so I was greeted by cows, and the only other sounds that could be heard were the gentle waves of the calm sea, the sheep, and the migratory birds singing.

It was heavenly, I dream of such a day when we have to endure the endless darkness of the long winter months in Iceland.

Reiðskörð dyke - notice the shape of the seaweed

I walked on the beach to Reiðskörð, which is only a short distance from Rauðsdalur farm.

There was nobody on the beach, only several lazy sheep on the pink sand.

I am not used to pink sand as I live in Reykjavík and there and in the rest of Iceland, apart from the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland and in the Westfjords, most of our beaches are black volcanic sand beaches.

This is what Reiðskörð looked like when I first arrived. The tide was still in, so I couldn't walk between them, but the sea was slowly retreating.

I liked the shape of the seaweed and sand on the beach, formed by the waves.

When the tide was out in the olden days the thoroughfare was through Reiðskörð, and this was the riding trail for people on horseback, thus the name Reiðskörð - Riding Passes. When the tide turned a path above was used.

I climbed to the top of the highest part of the volcanic dyke and enjoyed the view, Reiðskörð in all their glory all lit up by the sun, they were even more majestic than I had imagined.

My holiday toe photo on a pink beach - my toes are tucked away in my walking boots

I counted my blessings, to get sunshine was indeed a blessing as in the summer of 2024 we saw very little sunshine and we had been wearing a parka for most of the summer.

That was also the case the following days that we spent in the Westfjords, the temperature was only around 6 degrees C in the middle of the summer. 

This day by Reiðskörð was indeed the best day of my summer and I was totally in the moment as I wanted to enjoy this beautiful day to the fullest. I stayed alone in this spot for a couple of hours.

Sheep by Reiðskörð, they slowly walked away when they saw me, but quickly returned

There were many sheep on the beach, and they started slowly walking away from Reiðskörð when I arrived, but when they saw that I was not posing any danger to them, they quickly returned.

It was so lovely watching the sheep at Reiðskörð. They were so clean and unafraid.

Sheep in other places in Iceland run for their lives if you approach them.

You can often spot the Westfjord sheep on the beaches, they love the salt and the shore fauna.

You will see sheep in other places around Iceland in the middle of the roads eating salt from the roads and often they will not budge, even if you honk the horn. We have had to get out of the car and push them away :)

I enjoyed the company of the sheep and took many photos and videos of the sheep on 3 different cameras while also trying to stay in the moment.

The sheep quickly returned to the volcanic dyke

Reiðskörð are one of the most beautiful volcanic dykes I have seen in Iceland and the weather made this a perfect visit.

I love the comment by my friend Thomas Rolfe from Hawai, when I posted my photos and videos on my Facebook page:

"The weather god gave you its best conditions, I believe you will always remember that day. The sound of the ocean water lapping at the shoreline is so calming!"

Snæfellsjökull glacier in the distance

Snæfellsjökull glacier on the Snæfellsnes peninsula was clearly visible on the other side of Breiðafjörður fjord. 

The peninsula across the Breiðafjörður fjord is very popular and usually crowded, as there are so many things to see and do there. I have written a 5-part series of travel-blogs about this area and they are amongst my most popular travel-blogs (out of 320).

And here I was alone on the beach across the bay thoroughly enjoying myself. If you have time to do so I would recommend that you include the Westfjords in your visit, it is a much less visited part of Iceland.

Reiðskörð when the tide went out

I have roots in the Westfjords as my maternal grandmother was born here, but It wasn't until 2010 that I first visited the Westfjords for a family reunion, and I fell in love with this remote part of Iceland.

I have noticed though that people usually visit the Westfjords on their second visit to Iceland. They visit the most popular sights and drive the ring road on their first visit.

My husband arrived at the same time as the tide went out and we walked behind Reiðskörð and in between them and saw them in a totally different light. And more rocks had appeared further out, that had not been visible. They are called Skarðaköst.

A panoramic shot of Reiðskörð

Try to be here at Reiðskörð when the tide is out. It is ever so lovely seeing the dyke from both sides.

The volcanic dyke is usually referred to as Reiðskörð (plural) or Skörð, but they are also called Rauðsdalsskörð and Rauðsskörð. You will see later on in this travel-blog where the name "Rauð" originated.

You will see volcanic dykes in many places in Iceland, especially protruding from the mountains, but Reiðskörð are the most magnificent volcanic dykes that I have visited here in Iceland. 

Mt. Rauðsdalsfjall above Reiðskörð

In this beautiful place, in the 17th century, 3 men were executed. The son of Axlar-Björn, Iceland's only serial killer, Sveinn skotti, who was a thug like his father, was executed here in 1648 for his evil doings and for trying to rape the farmer's wife at Rauðsdalur.

The farmer at Skarðstún, and Hellu-Bjarni were also hanged for theft.

I have written an article about Axlar-Björn, if you want to know more about the only serial killer in Iceland. It is a gruesome story that took place on the Snæfellsnes peninsula across the bay.

Here you can see Skottagjóta where Sveinn skotti was hanged

The place where they were hanged is called Skottagjóta or Skottagjá (where the trees are now) and a plank was put for that purpose in the rift. 

You will also see remains of old sheep-houses by Reiðskörð. 

I wanted to stay by Reiðskörð, as I mentioned earlier so we chose Rauðsdalur farm for our first night's stay in the Westfjords, before heading for Þingeyri village.

Rauðs dys - Ruddys - the Pagan Grave of Rauður

Rauðs dys

After spending quite some time by Reiðskörð volcanic dyke I walked for 1.5 km by the sea, as I  wanted to see the basalt column "wall" where the pagan grave of Rauður in Rauðsdalur might have been.

It is called Rauðs dys, Ruddys, or Ruddes and is located by Hrafnanes.

I had never visited Rauðs dys before and was intrigued by the name. I didn't know what to look for, but after walking for 1.5 km on the beach I saw a freestanding rock, which turned out to be a wall of basalt columns.

Rauðs dys in the distance and a sheep looking at me from behind a rock

My husband wanted to drive for 1.5 km as after visiting Rauðs dys we were on our way to Þingeyri village. He didn't come down to Rauðs dys but took photos from above.

I am very interested in Viking burial mounds, pagan graves, and archaeological excavations in my country, but he is less interested in the subject.

I have written another travel-blog about Ancient Viking Burial Mounds and Pagan Graves that I have visited on my travels in Iceland if you are interested in this subject.

Rauðs dys

We don't know much about Rauðs dys, as Rauður is not mentioned in Landnáma - the Book of Settlements. But according to oral tradition, Rauður was the settler of Rauðsdalur valley, and this area and several places in this area are named after him.

So even though we lack the source for Rauður, then we cannot overlook the importance of oral tradition. And here by the basalt column wall, Rauður was supposedly buried, "dys" being the Icelandic term for a pagan grave. 

I found no sign indicating that this was Rauðs dys, but I had seen a tiny photo of it at Rauðsdalur farm.

Rauðs dys

It is well worth visiting Rauðs dys as the basalt columns are amazing here. They look like Kirkjugólfið - the Church floor by Kirkjubæjarklaustur in South Iceland, only standing sideways instead of lying on the ground.

The basalt column rock is 5-6 meters wide and one meter thick.

You cannot see Rauðs dys from the road and it is a bit of a climb so I would recommend just walking from Reiðskörð to Rauðs dys. 

I love basalt column formations and seek them out on my travels around Iceland. And I plan on writing a travel-blog about the most beautiful basalt columns in Iceland.

You can see me as a tiny spot in the photo by Rauðs dys

We have often rushed through this area to reach our destinations in the Westfjords, but have also stayed at both Hagi, where my husband's cousin lives, now at Rauðsdalur farm, and earlier on at Bjarkalundur and Reykhólar.

I would recommend staying in this area for the night. There is something so invigorating about waking up early in the Westfjords and walking on the beach.

Here you can compare accommodation in the Westfjords. I have stayed in so many places in the Westfjords through the years and written many travel-blogs about this area.

You can visit the Westfjords by renting a car and driving through the fjords by yourself. Some of the roads are high up and steep though.

I would advise you to book a guided tour with the locals when you visit the Westfjords, I have found that nothing beats being guided by locals.

Here are several tours to choose from: Tours in the Westfjords. And here are a couple of travel-blogs that I have written about the guided tours that I have joined:

A Tour of Svalvogar & Kjaransbraut in the Westfjords - the most dangerous Road Construction in Iceland

The Natural Wonders of the Westfjords of Iceland - Látrabjarg and Rauðisandur

Admiring Reiðskörð

Here you can see the location of Rauðsdalur and Reiðskörð.

Ref.: Árnastofnun - Nafnið

Have a lovely time in the beautiful Westfjords :)