Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir

We meet at our Service Center  for a briefing, where we will answer any questions and make final preparations. We depart at 9 am from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry.

After about an hour scenic boat ride over fjords and along mountain cliffs, towards our drop off in the bay of Aðalvík. Across the shore we can see Látrar, a once thriving fishing village in the far north of the reserve. From here we follow the jeep track which leads up the mountain towards the WWII Base on the summit. We strafe the funicular path up the mountain with beautiful views of hanging valleys,  berry bushes, and trickling streams.

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.

This is where we can also 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 colourful Puffins can be seen soaring high above the ocean, using the vertical draft from the cliffs to fly effortlessly.

We follow these cliffs, gently descending towards a small lake called Teistuvatn, where we can see graceful Whooper Swans and Kittiwakes swimming on the water.

We will be picked up at Slétta, where there is a beautiful sandy beach, a lighthouse and we often see curious seals swimming along the shore. From here we will take the boat back to Ísafjörður. Keep your eyes open for whales on the way home!

This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change depending on the weather and the ability of the group.