Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [143]
If you want to stay longer you’ll have to camp overnight or hike back to the guest house at Breiðavík or Hótel Látrabjarg. You can also reach the cliffs by hiking 5km east from Hvallátur.
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PATREKSFJÖRÐUR
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Although it’s the largest village in this part of the Westfjords, unattractive Patreksfjörður is of very little interest to tourists. The town was named after St Patrick of Ireland, who was the spiritual guide of Örlygur Hrappson, the first settler in the area. The usual services can be found along the main road, including a swimming pool ( 456 1301; Eyrargata) beside the church.
There’s a loosely marked campsite behind the N1 petrol station. Stekkaból ( 864 9675; stekkabol@snerpa.is; Stekkar 19; sb/linen Ikr2200/3500), up the hill, has sun-filled, simple rooms and a guest kitchen.
Þorpið ( 456 1295; Aðalstræti 73; mains Ikr900-2090; 9.15am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri, 10am-11pm Sat, to 10pm Sun) is your best bet for food, serving the usual assortment of grilled dishes. You can get snacks at Albína ( 456 1667; Aðalstræti 89), a superette with an ATM. The N1 petrol station on the main road has a grill ( 9am-10pm).
Buses connect Patreksfjörður to Brjánslækur (1¼ hours), Látrabjarg (two hours) and Ísafjörður (two hours); Click here for details. An ‘airbus’ runs by request from Patreksfjörður to meet flights into Bíldudalur. Call 893 2636 or ask the information centre in Tálknafjörður for details.
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HOT-POT HEAVEN
Put on those swimsuits – the Westfjords has more geothermal water than anywhere else in Iceland. And a soothing soak is definitely what the doctor ordered after a tiresome afternoon of negotiating the region’s rutty roads. Here are some of our favourite hot pots in the Westfjords:
Krossnes A geothermal Valhalla at the edge of the world.
Drangsnes A well-kept secret hidden in a craggy sea wall.
Reykjarfjörður Skip the artificial pool and try the steamy ravine that feeds it!
For a complete list of the island’s hot pockets, check out http://hot-springs.org. The site is in Icelandic – to find a map of naturally occurring pools, click ‘Baðlaugaskrá’ then follow ‘Nátturulegar baðlaugar’ to access the top swimming spots sorted by region.
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TÁLKNAFJÖRÐUR
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Set amid rolling green hills, rocky peaks and a wide fjord, Tálknafjörður is another soporific village surrounded by magnificent scenery. Fed by the geothermal field nearby, the local swimming pool ( 456 2639; adult/6-12yr Ikr300/180; 9am-9pm Mon-Fri & 11am-6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, 4-9pm Sun-Fri & 1-5pm Sat Sep-May) is the main hangout spot in town. In summer, a friendly tourist office operates at the pool. Ask here for a detailed hiking map of the area, Vestfirðir & Dalir #4 (try the gorgeous 10km cairn-marked hike to Bíldudalur); fjord fishing can also be arranged. Completely unknown to most tourists is the naturally occurring bathing pool at Pollurinn, 3.8km beyond the swimming pool along Rte 617. The spring is not marked, so you’ll have to watch your odometer.
There’s a campsite ( 456 2639; sites per person Ikr800; Jun-Aug) beside the swimming pool with laundry, cooking facilities and showers. You’ll find accommodation at Skrúðhamar ( 456 0200; skrudhamar@visir.is; Strandgata 20; d Ikr5000; ) and Bjarmalandi ( 891 8038; bjarmaland06@simnet.is; Bugatún 11; s/d Ikr5000/8000; ).
Try the local fish recipes at Hópið ( 456 2777; Hrafnardalsvegur; mains from Ikr1000; noon-10pm Jun-Aug, 11am-8pm Sep-May), or Kaffi Sælli ( 456 2239; mains from Ikr1000; 11am-midnight Jun-Aug), which sometimes hosts live music.
The Patreksfjörður–Bíldudalur ‘airbus’ stops in Tálknafjörður along the way. Ask at the swimming pool for details, or call 893 2636. The bus only runs by request.
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BÍLDUDALUR
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Set on a gloriously calm bay surrounded by towering peaks, the sleepy fishing village of Bíldudalur (www.bildudalur.is) has a beautiful fjord-side