Explore the wild and mystical Vestfirðir, or The Westfjords! It is probably the most magical and enchanting region of Iceland. Not only is its nature rugged and unspoiled, but it was probably the last bit of Iceland which was converted to Christianity. This part of Iceland embraces its history full of sorcery, witchcraft and mythical creatures and has museums for them. You can also spot Iceland’s only native mammal in this area, the Arctic Fox.
Roadtrip
If you are going on a roadtrip through the Westfjords, you are going to have an awesome time. The nature of the Westfjords looks the most untouched. It is fjord in fjord out sometimes with steep climbs that give you an amazing overview. If the mist, or clouds?, are behaving in a mystical way, you will enjoy some optical illusions that make you question your place in height. While driving the Westfjords roadtrip you will come across Ísafjörður, which is the capital of the Westfjords. It is a beautiful town lying in a fjord at the foot of the mountain Naustahvilft, which is said to be a trolls’ seat. It has a brewery, Dokkan Brugghús, which I would recommend going to and enjoying a cold beer with a view. On your trip you will also encounter dry houses for Stokkfiskur or Harðfiskur (fish jerky), seal look out points, drive over Dynjandi’s heath and climb up to the Dynjandi waterfall. In this part of Iceland you can also find other than black colored beaches, like Rauðisandur, which is an almost red sand beach.
Folklore
Flókalundur
Flókalundur is a place on Vatnsfjörður fjord which owns its name to Hrafna-Flóki. Hrafna-Flóki was a Nordic Viking who named Iceland. He arrived at Vatnsfjörður and stayed there for the winter, which was not a good one. When, after the winter, he climbed up the mountain to see beyond it he saw a fjord filled with ice and named the inhospitable land, Iceland. In Flókalundur there is a hotel, Hótel Flókalundur, which has a nearby natural pool named Hellulaug hot spring. It is said that Hrafna-Flóki used to bathe in here.
Arnarfjörður
When you drive over the 63 towards Dynjandi you will drive alongside a beautiful fjord called Arnarfjörður. But it houses way more than whales and seals. Arnarfjörður is known for its many sightings of sea monsters. There have been over 180 sea monster sightings in this fjord and there are 4 creatures that live in these waters. The first is the fjörulalli (the Shore Laddie), the second is hafmaður (the Merman), the third is skeljaskrímsli (the shell monster) and the last one is faxaskrímsli (the combed monster / sea horse). All over Iceland, sea monsters or creatures have been seen. There are more than 4,000 sightings in the fjords and lakes. So if you drive past this fjord, you might have to look twice to see if it was really a whale or seal that you saw.
Naustahvilft
If you drive further up north you will end up in Ísafjörður. On the right side of the fjord is a mountain. This mountain has a flat top with a dip. You can hike up to this dip and enjoy the view over the fjord. There is a story about this mountain called Naustahvilft. The story behind this depression in the mountain is that there was a troll. She was running home fast to prevent turning to stone by the sunrise. When she arrived early, she was so tired that she had to sit down and rest het feet. It sat on the mountain and stuck her hurting feet in the fjord below. While doing so, she created the peninsula of Ísafjörður between her feet and the deep waters of the harbor below them. Her back had created the depression in the rocks of the mountain next to the fjord. This is why most people know the mountain by the name: Trolls’ seat.
Alfhol
If you keep an eye open, when you drive around in the Westfjords, you can spot really tiny houses. These are Icelandic elf houses or Alfhol. Most of the time, these small houses are set against a rock or a hill. That way, they can be used as an entrance to the elvish homes. The more you read about the Huldufólk (hidden people) or álfar (elfs) the more you read about mysterious rock bringing misfortune to everyone who dares to disturb it. The rocks are probably elfish churches or houses. Although you can find the houses here and there, that doesn’t mean that in all those tiny houses, actual Huldufólk lives. Most Icelandic elves are human size, which means that they simply do not fit. These elves live in cliffs and hillsides. Most of these small houses are built as warning signs for others to warn them that elves are present in this area.
Museum
In this region there are a few museums that people might easily skip because of the appearance or because they don’t know these places exist. Which is a shame because you can only find these types of museums in this region. The first museum is The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum. It is based next to Arnarfjörður one of the most active regions of Iceland. There were a lot of seamonster sightings in that/this region, which is the reason the museum was placed here. The museum tells you about the 4 most seen monsters and shows interviews with people who have seen them or know the stories. It is a very interesting museum, and you will look differently at the fjords from then on. This is also a good stop for a cup of coffee and some tarts or pie. The second museum is the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft. It tells you the stories of witches and sorcerers of old Iceland. Most of the ones being sentenced to death were men, which is different from most of Europe’s witches. They show you old spells like the necropants and in the attic there are spells written on skin. So if you need to know how to make a love potion, this is the spot. It also has an excellent restaurant, which makes it a good place to have a rest stop. Holmavík is also a good place for whale watching. Another fun place to stop is Gamla Bókabúðin á Flateyri. This is the oldest bookstore in Iceland, so if you are into books, this is the spot. It also has a museum, and you can stay over in one of the rooms. The owners are really nice and know exactly where to find the book you want (in the store).
Wildlife
This region has a lot of wildlife and places to spot them. For example, all the way in the furthest northern part of the Westjords you have the nature reserve Hornstrandir friðland. This is not reachable by car, you probably have to book a tour for this. But this is where you can spot most of the wildlife in one place, like the Arctic fox, puffins and Northern Gannets. Along the fjords you are able to spot seals, even from the car while driving. Don’t just stop on the road if you spot them, but check your surroundings first and park in a safe spot. There are also a lot of opportunities to go whale watching. One of the ones that spot a lot of whales is Láki tours in Holmavík. If you want to spot seabirds, you should visit the birdcliffs of Látrabjarg. It is a bit of a drive and a walk, but you should be able to spot many different species. If you haven’t spotted a wild Arctic fox, don’t be sad. You can support the caretaking of injured ones at The Arctic Fox Centre. They often have foxes that are rescued and are in need of care before sending them back into the wild. The Fox Centre also has a small exhibition that gives you a lot of information about these gorgeous animals.
Would you like to know more about the regions of Iceland then check out this page and explore more mysterious places.