Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.05.2018, Page 35

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Best Bathing Spot
Heydalur
Mjóifjörður
With four choices: two indoor polls, a
regular warm swimming pool, and a ba-
sic hot tub, Heydalur wins. What makes
them special is that they’re housed in a
greenhouse surrounded by fruit-bear-
ing trees, creating a little oasis. The real
treasure is the vaguely slimy 40-degree
natural hot pot, accessed by rolling up
your pants and wading across a cold
but narrow glacial stream. As several
panellists have pointed out, low-key
suffering is part of the charm of the
Westfjords. D7
Runner Up
Reykfjarðarlaug, Route 63
Being a bit out of the way, these pools
are more likely to be deserted. There
are a series of three hot pots dammed
up from the original source as well
as one full-size pool at the end, each
cascading into the next. With four
options, one of them is bound to be
the perfect Goldilocks temperature for
every bathing booty. C8

Krossneslaug, Strandir
The remote Krossneslaug is on the
way to Hornstrandir. This beautiful
old-school pool is built on the shore. It
offers beautiful views, looking straight
up the mountainside on one side and
out to sea on the other. Despite its lo-
cation near the end of the known world,
you might see a curious fox or, as one
panellist experienced, Ólafur Arnalds.
(No guarantees!) F6
Best Road Trip
Djúpið
Ísafjarðardjúp
The system of fjords in the central
Westfjords all open into one giant fjord
called Ísafjarðardjúp. Djúpið is its local
nickname, meaning simply “The Deep.” It
has the best-maintained and least terri-
fying stretch of road in the Westfjords,
and each fjord has its own hidden
treasure that’s typically missed by
visitors zooming straight to Ísafjörður—
Arngerðareyri “castle,” Reykjanes pool,
Litlibær turf house, a seal colony, and
Valagil canyon to name just a few. D6
Runners Up

Hrafnseyrarheiði
This gravel road between Dýrafjörður
and Álftafjörður has switchbacks and
rapid climbs that'll churn your stomach,
and bless your eyes. As you begin the
descent into Álftafjörður, the mountains
reflect in the water, and Dynjandi can
be glimpsed in the distance. The road
ends at Hrafnseyri, with the Museum
of Jón Sigurðsson, a little church, and
three turf houses where you can stop
for a coffee. C8

Rauðasandur
A remote beach on the southwest
shore of the Westfjords, named after
its reddish-orange sandy beach. It’s a
popular summer spot, and the site of
the most doomed music festival in our
history—winds so strong that tents
blew away, and the festival had to be
evacuated. Cross the mountain gravel
road—only open in summer—you’re
rewarded with a rainbow of colours. A9
Best Hike

Kaldbakur
Dýrafjörður
Between Dýrafjörður and Arnarfjörður
there is a range of mountains known as
the “Alps of the Westfjords," because
they are pointy, unlike most of the other
glacier-scraped, flat-topped mountains
of the region. Don’t worry, it’s not be-
cause they come anywhere close in ele-
vation. Kaldbakur is their highest point
(and the highest in the Westfjords) at
1167 metres. Described as “half-hike,
half-scramble” by one panellist, this
hike is no joke, so plan accordingly. You
feel like the Westfjords are yours. B7
Runner Up
Djúpavíkurhringur
Djúpavík
If you want something much easier
with an equivalently triumphant feel, try
Djúpavíkurhringur. This two-hour loop
begins and ends in Djúpavík. It’s a fairly
easy for travellers of all abilities. With
views out to the Arctic Ocean, and you’ll
even see bits of Hornstrandir in the
distance. F7
Easy Option

Naustahvilft, Ísafjörður
This accessible hike is possibly the
most popular in the Westfjords.
Just across the fjord from the town of
Ísafjörður there is a giant crater-like
bowl sunk into the top of the mountain.
It is officially called Naustahvilft but is
better known by its colloquial name
“The Troll Seat,” because it looks as
if a gigantic butt sat on the
mountaintop. C6
Best Bar

Vagninn
Hafnarstræti 19, Flateyri
Like everything else in the Westfjords,
bars have to double up as something
else, namely restaurants. That doesn’t
stop one, however, from having its
clear-cut reputation as the best and
liveliest bar in the Westfjords. Vagninn
in Flateyri is known second for its excel-
lent and interesting food, live music
and rowdy crowd. Combined with a
good beer selection, and you can find
that sweaty, smiley bar ambience, even
in the middle of nowhere. C7
Runners Up
Húsið
Hrannargata 2, Ísafjörður
Húsið in Ísafjörður is almost certainly
the most-frequented bar in the West-
fjords. A café by day, the vibe changes
after the kitchen closes, the taps
floweth over, and everybody is already
drunk. With a lovely big patio and a
dark, cavey backroom with TVs showing
sports, it is another of the few properly
pubby gems of the Westfjords. C6

Edinborgarhúsið, Ísafjörður
“Edinborg” is a large, ornate building
that houses a restaurant and bar, and
acts as a cultural centre of sorts, with
events, exhibitions, and performances.
Notable parties in Edinborg’s history
include many gigs during Aldrei Fór Ég
Suður, and Pallaball with Iceland’s queer
pop emperor Páll Óskar—it’s the only
disco-party-glimmer of hope in the
Westfjords. C6