Aðalvík

Aðalvík Bay is one of the most beautiful places in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. The vegetation is surprisingly rich despite its Northern latitude and the valleys and beaches make the perfect setting for a great outdoor adventure. Almost 200 people lived in Aðalvík around 1920 but he population declined until the last people left in the fifties in hope for a better life. Hikers have many options to choose from. You can hike up to Mt. Darri where the British Army built a base during WWII to keep watch on German ships passing NW Iceland. The remains of buildings and a big air defense cannon can easily be seen on top of the mountain. The hike up to Mt. Straumnesfjall is easy since there is an old road all the way built by the US Army in the fifties. There you’ll find the remains of the US radar station that was in use for a short period during the Cold War. Listen to the birds and the Atlantic waves crashing the beach, either in Sæból or Látrar. The walk along the sandy beach is easy and you can see ancient ice hidden under the insulating sand under the sand hill in the middle.