Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [153]
Snæfjallaströnd
On the eastern shore of Ísafjarðardjúp the unsurfaced Rte 635 leads north to Kaldalón, a beautiful green valley running up to the receding Drangajökull ice cap. It’s an easy walk up to the snow line, but watch out for dangerous crevasses if you venture out onto the ice. Further north, Snæfjallaströnd was abandoned in 1995, but adventurous hikers can walk from the church at Unaðsdalur along the coast to the bunkhouse at Grunnavík, from where you can catch boats to Ísafjörður and Hesteyri.
Just before the church at Unaðsdalur, Félagsheimilið Dalbær ( 456 2660; inkjar@eldhorn.is; sites per person Ikr700, sb Ikr2500; mid-Jun–mid-Aug) is a good place to get a last meal and warm night’s sleep before you head off into the wilderness.
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HORNSTRANDIR
Craggy mountains, precarious sea cliffs and plunging waterfalls ring the wonderful uninhabited Hornstrandir Peninsula at the northern end of the Westfjords. This is one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas and covers some of the most extreme and inhospitable parts of the country. It’s a fantastic destination for wilderness hiking, with challenging terrain and excellent opportunities for spotting arctic foxes, seals, whales and teeming bird life.
A handful of hardy farmers lived in Hornstrandir until the 1950s, but since 1975 the 580 sq km of tundra, fjord, glacier and alpine upland have been protected as a national monument and nature reserve. The area has some of the strictest preservation rules in Iceland, thanks to its incredibly rich, but fragile, vegetation.
There are no services available in Hornstrandir and hikers must be fully prepared to tackle all eventualities. The passes here are steep and you’ll need to carry all your gear, so hiking can be slower than you might expect. In addition, most trails are unmarked, so it’s essential to carry a good map (try Vestfirðir & Dalir #1) and carry a GPS.
The best time to visit is in July. Outside the summer season (late June to mid-August) there are few people around and the weather is very unpredictable. If travelling in the off season, it is essential to plan ahead and get local advice, as vast snow drifts with near-vertical faces can develop on the mountain passes. There are emergency huts with radios and heaters at various points in the park for use in case of sudden blizzards or storms.
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TOURS
While unassisted hikes through Hornstrandir are a fantastic way of exploring the reserve, it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re an inexperienced hiker, or you’re simply looking for something more convenient, then we highly recommend a tour with West Tours ( 456 5111; www.vesturferdir.is) or Borea Adventures ( 899 3817, 869 7557; www.boreaadventures.com). Click here for complete details.
Also, the Icelandic hiking organisation Ferðafélag Íslands ( 568 2533; www.fi.is; Mörkin 6, IS-108 Reykjavík) offers a variety of guided Hornstrandir hikes several times each summer – check their regularly updated website for details.
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SLEEPING
There are various accommodation options along the coast, accessible on foot or by boat from Ísafjörður or Norðurfjörður. Pitching a tent in the park campsites is free, but staying at private campsites costs between Ikr800 and Ikr1200. Expect to pay Ikr1500 to Ikr3500 for sleeping-bag space. All the following open in summer only and have guest kitchens.
On the east coast, camping and sleeping-bag accommodation is available at Reykjarfjörður ( 456 7215, 853 1615; reykjarfjordur@simnet.is) and Bolungarvík ( 456 7192, 852 8267). You can also stay at the lighthouse at Hornbjargsviti ( 566 6762; sites Ikr800, sb Ikr2200).
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HIKING IN HORNSTRANDIR
The word ‘Hornstrandir’ is synonymous with stunning subarctic hiking, so how is one ever supposed to choose from the array of trails that zigzag across the peninsula