Green Cliffs Of Hornstrandir

We meet at our office in Aðalstræti 17 (downtown main street) for a briefing, where we will answer any questions and make final preparations. We depart from the harbor in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry Bjarnarnes.

After about an hour's scenic boat ride over fjords and along mountain cliffs, we will be dropped off at Slétta, where there is a beautiful sandy beach, a lighthouse and we often see curious seals swimming along the shore.

We begin our hike by making our way slowly up to a small lake called Teistuvatn, where we can see graceful Whooper Swans and Kittiwakes swimming on the water.

We continue over a mixture of easy grassy terrain and some rocky patches along the tops of the cliffs. This is where we can peek over the edge and see the waves crashing against the rocks, almost 500m below. Many bird species nest on the cliffs. Birds such as Fulmars, Gulls, Guillemots and even the colorful Puffins can be seen soaring high above the ocean, using the updraft from the cliffs to fly effortlessly.

We then reach the British naval radar station which was constructed in 1943. We can explore the ruins of the generators, warehouse, and barracks and even see the turret which housed the Oerlikon 20mm cannon. This was a very secret operation during the war and the purpose was to watch out for any enemy planes or ships coming into Icelandic waters.

From here we follow the jeep track which leads down the mountain towards the bay of Aðalvík. We reach the shore at Látrar, which was once a thriving village, where we will take the boat back to Ísafjörður. Keep your eyes open for whales on the way home!