Iceland – the NorthWest
The NorthWest, mainly the region know as the Westfjords, is the less known area of the island; it is off the ring road, and many roads, including the main ones sometimes, are not paved so it is not for everyone even if a 4×4 is not needed to explore the best places. It takes time to go from one place to another, but the landscape has so much to offer that slow travel becomes a must and not an issue. It is not for everybody, not for rushing tourists for sure, so it is the place to avoid crowds and enjoy nature at its best. This being said, it is easy to understand why my entire trip in Iceland was planned around a 4 day escape in the Westfjords to enjoy the place and relax a little after days on the road.
The main hub in the region is the port town of Isafjordur, far in the North in front of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve which can only be reached via boat. It is a long drive from Akureyri (or from Reykjavik if coming from the other side) so I would suggest a night stop near Hvammstangi including a visit to the incredible Vatnsnes peninsula. From there it still takes hours to get to Isafjordur including a stop in Holmavik to visit the witchcraft museum, and numerous other picture opportunities along the way once reaching the fjords.
While in Isafjordur I really did enjoy the tranquility of the place and took some time to relax and explore the area…and to take a break from the road I decided for different ways of travel like kayaking on the calm waters inside the fjords. I enjoyed my time so much that I probably took a break from the world itself for a couple of days…I just wish I could do that more often…
Other notable places are the Dynjandi waterfall, one of my favorite in Iceland, the Latrabjarg cliffs which are also an heaven for bird watching enthusiasts and the Raudisandur beach. If taking the ferry that connects the Westfjords with Snaefellsnes peninsula, Flatey island may be another interesting stop away from the crowds.
Below a selection of my best shots taken while I was still focusing a little on photography and not completely lost in another dimension.
