After a few days of driving through the Westfjords, characterized by quaint fishing villages and serene picturesque countryside, I’d gotten used to the quiet.
Entering Ísafjörður felt like diving into a cosmopolitan city, despite its petite population! It is indeed the largest town in the region, with plenty of excellent restaurants and hiking options. Ísafjörður means ice fjord and the settlement sits on a spiraling spit surrounded by water reaching into Skutulsfjörður.
Keep an eye out for Arctic Foxes, we saw our first one of the trip here running across the road early in the morning.
Where to eat:
+Gamla Bakaríið or the Old Bakery, is in the heart of town nestled into a narrow brick lined road. You’ll notice the vintage car that serves as great advertisement, but this place is no gimmick. It is one of the best bakeries you will ever experience.
It is cozy inside, display cases are filled with beautiful looking sweets, though it is uncertain what they may be.
Go with whatever catches your eye; it is unlikely that you will be disappointed.
Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, there are ready made sandwiches and plenty of breads. Try a horseshoe kringlur, soft and dotted with caraway seeds, great when dipped into hummus for lunch and I’d bet even more divine slathered in Icelandic butter.
+Tjöruhúsið Restaurant
Seafood lovers will rejoice staying in Iceland’s historically largest fishery, with the freshest ingredients on hand. Ísafjörður has the most 18th century timber frame homes in the country and this restaurant, which was a fish warehouse from 1781 is one of them. 
A family owned restaurant which runs fresh a catch buffet, you’ll start with a langoustine and tomato based fish soup – one of the most deeply flavorful around. Hunks of bread with rich Icelandic butter are meant to clean the bowl. 
Soon after the spread is ready, with fish as the sole meat and a plethora of sides.
The host announced that wolffish, cod, and halibut were on tonights table, but there is no printed menu.
Undeniably fresh and relentlessly delicious. You can pay for dessert or enjoy the gratis (and succulent) dates along with nibs of chocolate, tea, or coffee.
Seating is family style at long wooden tables with benches, you are situated next to strangers that might end up becoming friends.
Dinner is at 7PM, $50pp for fresh catch buffet (under 14 free), call for reservations in advance.
Where to hike:
+Naustahvilft
Plateaus surround the deep blue waters of the fjords, on the far side of Ísafjörður is a unique mountain with a crater like depression. Of course Icelanders would create a mythical tale to go along with the geological oddity, and this area is known as the Troll Seat. So it goes, a troll hurried home before daybreak, so she would not turn to stone upon sunrise. She got back early enough to soak her tired feet in the harbor, and the indent of the mountain is where her large rump rested! The hike up to the ledge of Ernir Mountain is short and steep, a roundtrip .8 of a mile gaining 650 feet in elevation.
There is no direct path, but many herd trails etched into the mountainside initially following a bubbling stream.
Do not worry about getting lost while picking your path, you can always see the parking lot. Once you reach the top of the seat, a huge boulder has a mailbox with a notebook you can sign your name in accomplishment.
From here the views down into town are impeccable.
Explore the trails through the basin like boulder field filled with interesting flora.
For me, down is worse than up when it comes to a steep, muddy route! Take your time and wear appropriate shoes.
To find the trailhead, drive towards the Ísafjörður Airport and you can’t miss the small hikers parking lot adjacent to the airstrip.
+Old Óshlíð Road
Once the most perilous road in the country lay just north of Ísafjörður, between the villages of Hnífsdalur and Bolungarvík. In 2010 a tunnel opened, closing the road between the cliff and the sea to auto traffic. But you can still hike or bike on the wild side, and see exactly what went wrong. Take the coastal road north heading towards the tunnel, just before you enter bear right on the gravel pull off (66.113983, -23.121073) into a likely deserted picnic area.
This place doesn’t see much traffic anymore. Starting down the road, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about – it seemed just like every other fjord road…actually a lot nicer than most since it was paved.
When the sun was shining it made the glaciers across the fjord glimmer with vigor.
Staring out into the water I thought I saw something shift, then again, and more until I was certain – there were whales spouting out there!
Closer to view many birds flitted about the shrubbery, sitting just long enough for a photo.
Vibrant purple lupines grew tall in clusters along the patches of grass beside the road.
A collection of delicate waterfalls dropped down a lush mossy mountainside.
Up on a hill a group of sheep bleated to let us know we were not alone.
After passing through a series of tunnels, the landscape became more imposing.
Fearsome looking cliffs above, so sheer it was clear that many rockslides could occur, causing fatalities on the road.
Then those very boulders appeared, first one here or there, but soon a seemingly impassible stretch to maneuver.
Suddenly it got so bad that it was as though one of Iceland’s mythical trolls had taken a bite out of the road!
Half of the asphalt just tumbled down the slope right into the sea and that is why people no longer drive down Óshlíð…
Or so you would think, but we did see a car come down this road. It is just wide enough to squeak by with courage, and we watched what this man would do at the boulder field. He parked, got out, started rocking the boulders from side to side until momentum developed, and moved them just enough to clear a path for the vehicle. So at your own risk depending on conditions, it might just be possible. Much more scenic to hike or bike though! From one town to the other the road is 4.5 miles long, and then back again.
Where to sleep:
Try an AIRBNB, ours had geothermally heated floors!
It is the biggest waterfall in the region and one of the most spectacular in the entire country. Dynjandi translates to thundering noise and as you get up close and personal with the falls you’ll understand its nomenclature. The roundtrip hike is just shy of one mile from the parking lot gaining 300 feet of elevation, easy enough for those in shape to accomplish in fifteen minutes and manageably moderate for most anyone taking their time. And you’ll want to take your time. One of the great things about this waterfall is that six smaller falls each with its own name lead to lucky number seven, so you can stop and admire them along the way. Bæjarfoss translates to Farm Falls, an exciting triple waterfall to get things started.
Remnants from a farm dating back to the Middle Ages are scattered not far from the trail, for those who have extra time to look about. Hundafoss means Dog Falls and these waters were rushing with excitement.
Framed with luscious moss, the third waterfall is Hrísvaðsfoss.
Next up, Göngumannafoss is called Traveler’s Falls and its just what you might envision on your hiking trip to the Iceland.
Next is Strompgljúfrafoss and then you reach the top of Hæstahjallafoss before the last push up to the namesake cascade – the anticipation building.
You will know you’ve arrived even if your eyes are watching the ground for your footing, by hearing the thunderous roar of Dynjandi.
Tumbling down the edge of a basalt cliff, the elegant bridal veil is almost 100 feet wide. The cumulative height of the seven the waterfalls is 330 feet. Views from this height out into Dynjandisvogur bay are equally as stunning.
Early in the morning we actually had this treasure all to ourselves, but as we were heading out the tour buses came rolling in. Come early to revel in this incredible scenery in tranquility. Free parking and restrooms available.
Located right smack on Road 63 the main road in this region, Reykjafjardarlaug Hot Pool the perfect place to take a break – with a stunning view out into the Arnarfjörður fjord.
Built in 1975 the water in this large mint pool is approximately 89°F, a bit cool for swimming in a cold environment – but it’s a bit warmer if you huddle by the pipe. There are changing rooms next to the pool and no entrance fee to enjoy this place.
Not everyone realizes that there are two pools at this site. The second is a natural geothermal pool, my favorite kind. You may not see it if you weren’t looking for it, its much smaller and just a few feet further from the road.
The hot stream is jammed by rocks and has a much more comfortable temperature for soaking at 113°F.
There is a separate changing room for men and women, everything free of charge. Between the mountain and the sea, the views are so lovely as you soak in any of the three pools.
The hot pots get their name because they are only two to three feet deep, but they are built with a slope so it is almost like a warm, wet lounge chair! The water can get as hot as 114°F, so make use of the hose to add some colder water to your pool. This is a well loved spot by locals and tourists alike, so visiting at an off hour increases your chance of availability.
Located at the end of Road 612, a 22 mile gravel road that is steep and narrow, precariously hugging the curves of mountains. It isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is doable in a 2WD…and it’s gorgeous.
Be sure to have enough gas and any supplies you’ll need, you won’t find any services along the way. Millions of sea birds make the eight miles of steep cliff their home and with a lack of predators, are very brazen.
In the summer season from mid-May until late in August you’ll find razorbill, guillemot, and most beloved, puffins. There are ten million puffins in Iceland and this is the best place to photograph them, unafraid of because the 1446’ foot tall cliff that protects them.
The birds raise their young on the edge of the cliff, burrowing into the land making the soil at its edge unsecure. When viewing, lie down flat to distribute your weight evenly. Don’t ever use flash up close or try and touch a wild puffin, the oils on your skin strip them of their feathers of waterproof nature. Plus they bite, hard, if they feel threatened. During our September visit the iconic birds were already out to sea where the spend the winter, but hiking along the edge of the cliff still made for impeccable views.
It is a 7.4 mile roundtrip hike to reach the highest peak, Heiðnakinn – though most tourists walk only a few minutes into the trail.
The jagged grass topped plateau gradually climbs along the perimeter, on an uneven and muddy rudimentary trail. Looking out over the Breiðafjörður Fjord a few fulmar were all that was left of the great bird colony for the rest of the season.
Weather changed from bright sun to drizzle on and off, and fog pushed its way over the side of the mountain.
On a clear day it is possible to see all the way to Greenland. Birders must plan accordingly to see the famed colony, but anyone can appreciate the stunning nature of these prominent seaside cliffs.
Break up the trip with a stop at Breiðavík, which could fool you to believing you were in the Caribbean if it weren’t for that cool temperature.
With just the surf, a church, hotel, and turf house…this is the kind of place where you could feel entirely at peace.
Take a walk down the sandy path to see the coast, just watch out for the tide.
Once you finally reach the turquoise water, you’ll wish it was warm enough to take a dip. Maybe for you it is.
If you are looking for a place to stay close to 
Originally known as Globe the 4th, the ship was built as a whaling vessel in a Norwegian shipyard in 1912, the same year the Titanic sank. Equipped with the best technology of the time, both sails and a steam engine, with a reinforced prow and sides to withstand the icy conditions of the harsh northern waters. The ship briefly sailed in the Faroe Islands before it was finally sold to Iceland at the end of WWII under the name Siglunes SI 89. It is the oldest steel ship in the country. It wasn’t until 1963 when she would be known as Garðar and by then, there were whaling restrictions. Now the ship would be used by fisherman to gather herring offshore, until 1981. After long and faithful years of service, Garðar was finally decommissioned and rammed ashore in Patreksfjörður left as a testimonial to the town’s whaling history. At your own risk fully understanding it is filled with rusty metal and rotting wood, you can climb aboard and explore the ship from the inside.
An opening near the stern is the best way to get in, all of the hatches are left open.
It is dark and many spots on the deck are missing. Find your way to a ladder and climb up to the 01 level.
Walk back aft for a better perspective on the ocean that the ship once sailed.
The water was moody on this particular day, giving an ominous, ghostly feeling to the fjord.
It is possible to climb into the superstructure, with ladders on either side.
Enter the pilothouse which has much of the antiquated machinery still in place.
The ship is easily accessible by road 612, it is right on the way out to 
Located right along road 60, the precarious and partially gravel route which takes you through the fjords. The pool isn’t visible from the road, it is near the town Flókalundur so keep a lookout for the small blue sign marking the parking lot.
There are no facilities here, but there is a garbage so please keep this area clean. A short and well maintained path winds down to the banks of the Vatnsfjörður fjord.
Early in the morning on a drizzly September day we had this pool entirely to ourselves.
Perfect in temperature, the water is 100°F coming from a borehole up by the road, it is quite roomy and two feet deep – just right for lounging. As the mist lifted off the water and the rain began to subside, I have to believe there is nothing more tranquil in the world than taking in this view while soaking in the middle of nowhere.
Pro-tips for natural hot springs:
The Bridge View Tavern is located a stones throw away from the 
It looked beautiful on the outside, but inside was full of surprises. I’d never had a chili made from chickpeas before, it added a great flavor along with the thick cut veggies.
Topped with a healthy layer of cheddar cheese and served with plenty of tortilla chips. Nachos are another winning choice, with a heaping portion of the freshest guacamole. Scattered about are crunchy jalapenos, roasted corn, black beans, salsa, and a slathering of gooey cheese.
You can add chili, chicken, or pulled pork to the mix to make an even more enduring meal.
It has ballfields, a boat launch, grills and pavilions, and a playground with a strange set of teeth for climbing. Take a walk along the shore to admire what sits across from you: the northern most stretch of the Palisades, Hook Mountain.
Towards the end of the 18 acre park spy what really makes this place special, the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse.
Built in 1883, throughout the years it has had various names referred to as the Tarrytown Lighthouse and Kingsland Point Lighthouse.
Developed in the late nineteenth century it is the only caisson style lighthouse on the river, which means its superstructure rests on metal to withstand a harsh winter. It was designed as a family station, the keeper and his family would live inside the narrow 100 foot structure. Twelve families have occupied the lighthouse over the 78 years it was in operation, until it was decommissioned in 1961 when the lights of the Tappan Zee Bridge rendered it obsolete.
Just beside the lighthouse is a vacant lot, which was once home to a General Motors automobile plant. As GM was enlarging their factory, it changed the course of the Pocantico River. The lighthouse used to be half a mile from shore, but now is just a few feet away and in 1975 a pedestrian bridge was installed connecting it to the land. There are often tours of the lighthouse by the Sleepy Hollow village historian on Sundays from April-August between 1-3PM.