Day 1: The ferry from Ísafjörður departed at 9am sharp. I watched the colorful houses shrink against the mountainside as we motored into Ísafjarðardjúp. Two hours later, we rounded the headland into Veiðileysufjörður, and I stepped onto the black sand beach with seven days of food on my back. Day 2: The trail from Veiðileysufjörður climbed steeply through Hælavíkurbjarg pass, 500 meters of switchbacks in thick fog. I couldn't see more than ten meters ahead. Navigation was by compass and intuition. Made camp at Hælavík bay as the fog finally lifted, revealing towering sea cliffs. Day 3: The coastal traverse to Hornvík was everything I'd hoped for. The trail hugged cliffs that dropped 400 meters to the churning Atlantic below. I spotted my first Arctic fox near Látravík – a curious blue morph that followed me for an hour, darting between rocks. Days 4-5: Hornvík Bay. I set up a base camp on the black sand beach and simply existed. No agenda. I watched the midnight sun paint the Hornbjarg cliffs in impossible shades of gold. The silence here is different – not empty, but full of wind and waves and distant bird calls. Day 6: Side trip to the abandoned whaling station at Hesteyri. Rusted machinery and collapsed roofs slowly returning to the earth. I met the only other person I'd see all week – a ranger doing wildlife surveys. Day 7: The walk back to Veiðileysufjörður felt different. My pack was lighter, but so was everything else. Caught the afternoon ferry back to Ísafjörður, already planning my return.
Photo Essay
The morning ferry pulling away from Ísafjörður harbor. The town looked impossibly small against the mountains.
Day 2 conditions at Hælavíkurbjarg pass. This photo barely captures how disorienting it was – I navigated by feel as much as compass.
The blue morph fox who kept me company near Látravík. These foxes have never learned to fear humans.
Hornbjarg cliffs at midnight. The sun just dips to the horizon before rising again. I sat here for three hours.
Journey Route
Route: Solo in the Westfjords: 7 Days in Hornstrandir
Route Waypoints
- 1 Ísafjörður - Ferry departure 66.0750, -23.1350
- 1 Veiðileysufjörður - Landing 66.4170, -22.7500
- 2 Hælavík Bay - Camp 66.4330, -22.5830
- 3 Látravík - Fox encounter 66.4500, -22.4330
- 4 Hornvík Bay - Base camp 66.4670, -22.3500
- 6 Hesteyri - Whaling station 66.4500, -22.2500