Heading to the Vestfirðir
A long day of driving awaits us today as we head toward the West Fjords. For practical reasons, we could have taken the ferry from Stykkisholmur, passing through Flatey, but the ferry schedule didn’t suit us.
We planned to do a hike in the morning, and since the ferry doesn’t offer afternoon departures, we’ll be driving to the fjords instead.
Sogin: The "Little Landmannalaugar"
The planned hike is at Sogin on the Reykjanes Peninsula. After a 45-minute drive, we arrive near Kleifarvatn and have to take a bumpy road to reach the site’s parking area.
The trail is poorly marked, but it quickly becomes clear that we need to climb eastward toward a small hill to reach the viewpoint. The colors are indeed very reminiscent of Landmannalaugar, and it’s possible to continue to the left for a great view of Mount Keilir and the distant, still-smoking lava flow near Grindavik.
A Stop at Grabrok
We hit the road again in the late morning, heading north, and after a quick lunch stop near Borgarnes, we decide to take a break at Grabrok. We’ve often passed by this site along Route 1 without stopping, so this is the perfect opportunity!
Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable today, and the sky is very cloudy. We had planned to do the few-kilometer hike around the site, but as it starts to rain heavily, we settle for climbing to the top of the first crater (only about a 30-minute walk).
Arrival in the Fjords and Their Hot Springs
The road to the fjords is long but beautiful and is only partially paved. We arrive around 5 p.m. at Hellulaug, a stunning hot spring near the southern fjords' road. Unfortunately, other tourists had the same idea, so we decide to continue to our guesthouse "Mora," located a few kilometers away and with another hot spring right in front.
After a 20-minute drive, we drop off our things at the guesthouse and walk to the Krosslaug hot spring, located a hundred meters away. There’s no one there, the view of the fjords is splendid, and we decide to take a dip in the hot spring despite the cloudy weather. It’s pure bliss!
The peace and quiet here are astounding. Overall, we clearly noticed, upon leaving Route 1, the difference in traffic compared to the northwest fjords. Here, there are very few tourists, cars are rare, and that’s exactly what we were looking for in coming to the Vestfirðir, so it worked out perfectly!
