Hornstrandir: Hesteyri to Hornvík

Hornstrandir hiking is Iceland at its wildest. This remote peninsula at the tip of the Westfjords, just south of the Arctic Circle, has no roads, no shops and no permanent residents; its last farms were abandoned in the mid-twentieth century and the area has been a protected nature reserve since 1975. The only way in is by boat, and what you find is a landscape of steep fjords, flower-filled valleys, empty beaches and huge seabird cliffs.

The route from Hesteyri to Hornvík covers 23–24 km over two to three days, crossing the Kjaransvíkurskarð pass (426 m), the Skálakambur ridge and the Atlaskarð pass between bays and finishing beneath the towering cliffs of Hornbjarg. Arctic foxes are protected here and unusually unafraid of people, and you may see seals and whales offshore. Trails are faint in places and marked only by cairns, so map and navigation skills matter.

This is an expedition rather than a hut-to-hut walk. You carry everything, including a tent, stove and all your food, and must be self-sufficient for several days in a place where help is far away and weather can close in for days. The reward is solitude on a scale that is hard to find anywhere else in Europe: you may go a whole day without meeting another hiker, with only foxes, seabirds and the sound of the surf for company.

Highlights

• The abandoned village of Hesteyri and the ruins of the old whaling station and herring factory nearby
• Arctic foxes, often curious and unafraid
• Wild, empty bays such as Hlöðuvík and Hælavík
• The bird cliffs of Hornbjarg towering over Hornvík
• Total remoteness: no roads, no services, few people

Hornstrandir itinerary

Getting to the trailhead

Hornstrandir is reached only by boat. Scheduled summer boats run from Ísafjörður and Bolungarvík to Hesteyri, Hornvík and other bays, and from Norðurfjörður in the Strandir region to Hlöðuvík, Reykjarfjörður and other eastern bays. Boats usually operate from early June to late August or early September, with fewer departures early and late in the season, and can be cancelled in rough seas, so build a spare day into your plans. Book in advance, especially for a pickup. Ísafjörður has an airport and bus links; you can leave a car there.

Where to stay

This is a tent trip. Camping is allowed only at designated campsites, which usually have a simple toilet and a water source but no other facilities, and a tent may stay at most one week in one place. There are no huts on the trail itself. The only services are summer lodging and meals at the Doctor's House (Læknishúsið) in Hesteyri, at the start, and FÍ's hut in the Hornbjargsviti lighthouse at Látravík, beyond Hornbjarg (late June to August, book ahead). A few private houses in the old settlements are used by their owners in summer. In Ísafjörður, before and after the trip, there are hotels, guesthouses and a campsite. Carry all your food plus extra in case boats are delayed.

Best time to hike

The practical season is late June to mid-August, matching the boat schedules. In June there is often snow on the passes and in the gullies; by late July most routes are clear. Days are almost endlessly light in June and July, and the bird cliffs are at their busiest in early summer. Even in high summer, expect cold, wet and windy weather, with fog that can sit for days.

Safety

Rescue can take many hours or longer, and there is no mobile coverage in large parts of the reserve. Carry a satellite messenger or PLB, a map and compass or GPS, and full waterproofs and warm layers. Leave a travel plan at safetravel.is. Outside high summer (1 March–15 June and 1 September–1 November) you must register your trip electronically with the Environment Agency (Umhverfisstofnun) in advance. Campfires are banned, dogs are not allowed and drones need a permit. Cross rivers where they spread out across beaches, check tides before rounding headlands and keep away from cliff edges. Polar bears are very rare, but sightings have been reported; if you see one, keep your distance and call 112.