Hornstrandir
The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve was established in 1975. Its boundaries are in the Skorarheiði moor between the fjords of Hrafnsfjörður and Furufjörður. The Reserve area thus covers the Hornstrandir region, part of the Jökulfirðir fjords (or the rural district of Sléttuhreppur) and part of the district of Grunnavíkurhreppur. The Environment and Food Agency is responsible for the Reserve.
A deserted area – still utilised
Social changes resulted in the abandonment of all farms during World War II and in the post-war period. The land is mostly private property and the landowners are entitled to its traditional utilisation, i.e. eider farming, fishing in rivers and lakes, hunting birds and gathering eggs. A few dozen houses are located within the Nature Reserve area, both old, renovated farmsteads and new summer cottages. People often spend the whole summer in these houses, and it is important that tourists refrain from pitching their tents too close to them.
History
Through the ages, nature and human life in Hornstrandir were closely interwoven. Traditional agriculture was always limited; instead, the inhabitants based their livelihood on the sea and bird-cliffs. Trips between farms were difficult, during the wintertime. Outlaws travelled to Hornstrandir in order to board foreign ships and leave the country. On top of all this, attacks of polar bears could also be expected. As a result of these conditions, the history of the region assumes a depth which gives an added dimension to visits to the Nature Reserve. The primary factor that made farming in Hornstrandir different from that of other parts of the country was the struggle with the bird-cliffs. The cliffs were an important source of food, but their utilisation was hazardous.
Flora
About 260 species of flowering plants and ferns are known to grow in the Nature Reserve area. Most of these species are common in the West Fjords, but there are also rare species in the region. The region has been totally preserved against grazing for several decades. Continuous growth reaches an altitude of no more than 300-400 metres, Examples of beautiful plants in the reserve are sea pea and sea lungwort, which can be seen on the beaches. Because of the heavy snowfall, the land is in the process of shedding its cover of snow throughout the summer. The vegetation is therefore extremely sensitive and must be approached with great care.
Fauna
Field mice are common in the area, but foxes are the prevailing mammals. Seals, are a common sight on the beach. About 30 species of birds nest in the Nature Reserve, and many more species can be observed. The most interesting points for bird-watching are the bird-cliffs, Hornbjarg, Hælavíkurbjarg and Riturinn, with their superabundance of birds.
Getting to the Nature Reserve
The simplest way to approach the area is by boat from the west (from Bolungarvík or Ísafjörður) or from the east (from Norðurfjörður or Hólmavík). The most popular stops are Hrafnsfjörður, Veiðileysufjördur, Hesteyri, Sæból and Látrar in Aðalvík, Hornvík, Bolungarvík and Furufjörður.
Rules of conduct in the nature reserve
People are welcome to explore the area on foot as long as they do not cause any damage to the flora, fauna, soil or man-made structures. Traversing the area on horseback is not allowed and motor vehicles are prohibited. Everything brought into the area has to be taken out again. The camping ground should always be left in the same condition as it was on arrival. Guns are prohibited and all animals are protected. However, landowners are entitled to the traditional utilisation of the amenities of their land.
Weather and equipment
Tourists must bring along tents and good clothing. Snow can be expected at any time of the year and storms can break with little warning. Thick fog often occurs in the region. Being able to use a compass can come in handy. All food must be brought along, and visitors should be prepared for delays. Boats are not always available to collect people at scheduled times. There are radios in emergency huts. A trip to Hornstrandir must be well organised. Good maps are essential, and excellent brochures on hiking routes are available. Further information can be obtained from the Nature Conservation Agency, the West Fjords Natural History Institute and the Tourist Information Centres in Ísafjörður and Hólmavík.
Suggested routes in the Hornstrandir nature reserve
There are numerous hiking routes in the Nature Reserve of which only a few are described here.
Hesteyri – Sæból in Aðalvík bay – across the Sléttuheiði moor
The tour begins with a walk along the Hesteyrarfjörður fjord past the farm Slétta up to the Sléttuheiði moor (200 m). The route across the moor is well marked with cairns, and part of the route is a footpath. From the moor, the route lies past the Staður vicarage and from there to Sæból (5-6 hours). If a detour is made to Slétta, the walk is 1-2 hours longer.
Sæból – Látrar in Aðalvík bay
This tour begins along the bay past a small cliff, which must be passed at low tide, and onwards past Mt. Hvarfnúpur and Mt. Mannafjall to Látrar. Two rivers need to be forded on this route (4 hours).
Hesteyri – Látrar in Aðalvík bay – via the Hesteyrarskarð pass
This route follows a footpath from Hesteyri up to the Hesteyrarskarð pass, and from there a route marked by cairns leads to the edge of the Stakkadalur valley. The Stakkadalsós estuary is forded just south of the Stakkadalsvatn lake. Látrar is within short walking distance from there (3-4 hours).
Látrar in Aðalvík bay – Fljótavík bay – across the Tunguheiði moor
From Látrar the road to Mt. Straumnesfjall is followed until it turns west towards Rekavík Bay. The route joins a track across the Tunguheidi moor to the edge of the Tungudalur valley. It then leads to a track down a steep slope into the valley and onwards to Lake Fljótavatn. The estuary can be forded at two different places, depending on the tide (6 hours).
Fljótavík bay – Kjaransvík bay – via the Þorleifsskarð pass
This route lies through marshland on both sides of Lake Fljótavatn, up a steep slope with loose screes to the Þorleifsskard pass. The tour proceeds over large boulders down into the Almenningar area, through the Almenningaskard pass and into the Kjaransvík bay. This route is slow going and quite challenging (8-10 hours).
Hesteyri – Kjaransvík bay – Hlöðuvík bay – via the Kjaransvíkurskarð pass
This tour begins at the deserted village of Hesteyri and follows a route marked with cairns northwards over Hesteyrarbrúnir up to the Kjaransvík pass (426 m). North of the pass, another route marked with cairns lies down into Kjaransvík Bay. From there the route heads eastwards along the beach to Hlöduvík Bay. An alternative to the first part of this route is to follow the beach to the Hesteyrarfjördur fjord past the ruins of the whaling station at Stekkeyri, but this route is subject to the tides (6-7 hours).
Hlöðuvík bay – Hornvík bay – via the Atlaskarð pass
From Hlöduvík Bay this route heads up a steep slope on Mt. Skalakambur. From there, a route marked by cairns proceeds south of Hælavík Bay leading into the Atlaskard pass (327 m). From the pass, the route lies down into Rekavík Bay and onwards in a steep path cut into the side of the mountain past Mt. Kollurinn to Höfn in Hornvík Bay (4-5 hours).
The Veiðileysufjörður fjord – Hornvík bay – through the Hafnarskarð pass
From the bottom of the Veiðileysufjörður fjord this route leads through the Hafnarskarð pass (519 m). There are few cairns on the way up to the pass but the way from the pass to Hornvík Bay is well marked with cairns (4-5 hours).
The fjords of Hrafnsfjörður and Furufjörður – across the Skorarheiði moor
This route lies from the bottom of the Hrafnsfjörður fjord across a low moor, Skorarheiði (200 m), into the Furufjörður fjord. Part of it follows a trail and there are occasional cairns (3 hours).
The Furufjörður – Hornvík bay
From the bottom of Furufjörður this tour heads along the northern side of the fjord past the Bolungavíkurófæran ('the Bolungavík obstacle'), where account must be taken of the tide. From Bolungavík Bay the tour proceeds through the Göngumannaskörð pass (366 m) into Barðsvík Bay, across the Smiðjuvíkurháls ridge into Smiðjuvík Bay and onwards north along the Almenningar area to Mt. Axlarfjall. From Mt. Axlarfjall, the route proceeds down to the Hornbjargsviti lighthouse in Látravík Bay, and from there to Hornvík Bay (2-3 days).
An alternative route from Furufjörður is to walk through the Svartaskarð pass to the fjords of Þaralatursfjörður and Reykjafjörður, and from there onwards to the fjords of Ofeigsfjörður and Ingolfsfjörður (4-5 days).
Hornvík bay – the Hornbjarg bird-cliffs
This route starts off along the bay to the Hafnarós estuary. After 
passing the estuary the route proceeds along the beach to the northernmost part of the bird-cliffs and on to Mt. Miðfell. Skilled climbers can scale Mt. Kálfatindur (534 m), the highest peak of the bird-cliffs, and view the Jörundur peak (8-10 hours).
