This is Hornstrandir National Reserve in the Westfjord region of Iceland.
It’s only accessible by boat. Most people take the boat from Ísafjörður. You can take a plane to Ísafjörður from various places in Iceland including Reykjavik and Akureyri. My home bases in July are right outside Akureyri. Here’s a better idea of where it is situated in relation to the rest of the country.
Next time I go to Iceland I’ll have to explore the eastern region. Not this time, though.
It’s about a 5 1/2 hour drive to Ísafjörður from Akureyri, or else a 40 minute flight on Air Iceland Connect for about … oh damn 500 dollars!? Yikes. Maybe I’ll drive. Would be cool to take my time and make a day of it driving there. It’s not like I have to race sunset. The sun won’t set.
You can camp there. It’s called the most remote and wild part of Iceland.
I think I want to camp there. For a night or two.
Now I’m trying to figure out how to make that happen.
Arctic foxes live there. They’re the largest mammals on Iceland but still they are pretty small.
They’re not scared of people and they are curious and like to play. They also like to steal your food so you have to keep it out of reach/packed away any time you leave your site.
Their fur changes with the season for camouflage, if you’re wondering why they are both black/brown and white in the photos.
I rented an SUV yesterday for the last week I’ll be in Iceland, so I can take rented camping gear with me if I drive (and if the weather turns bad, car camp). Assuming I can find rentable camping gear in or near Akureyri or somewhere along the way. I have my own gear here but getting that on a plane from the states and back is ehhhh… I don’t know about that. Maybe, though. All I really need is a tent, a sleeping bag and stuff to make a fire. I can bring water in, and food. If there’s a place in Ísafjörður to rent camping gear, may just do that.
UPDATE: there is.
Here is some great info on how to get to the preserve and what to expect. This is my go-to guide for Westfjord research right now. Thank you, Ju Ker! 🙂
Here’s the Arctic Fox Center site where I got those photos. I like how it doesn’t even list an address, just GPS points.
Imagine waking up in a place like this.
There are a handful of things keeping me going through this pandemic right now. This trip, the epic parties and shows that are going to happen once we can see each other again, my new job (signed my offer letter Monday!), all my new seeds that are sprouting, and a few others too personal to mention. Sometimes when I start feeling hopeless and angry, I look at my photos from last year’s trip and remember. I just found out my work from home arrangement has been extended til the beginning of May. Kinda going stir crazy in my house right now. It may sound silly but Iceland is helping me get through it.
My Scandinavian Summer 