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Latest update: 23 December 2024
It feels a little like no man’s land. While many travelers do a mini road trip of Snæfellsnes, West Iceland seems almost deserted further inland from Borgarnes. But if you look carefully, you will find Icelandic gems here. I am happy to give you some tips for this part of West Iceland.
What to do in Borgarnes?
The town of Borgarnes on the Borgarfjörður fjord connects Reykjavík with the north of Iceland and the Snæfellsnes peninsula. For me, Borgarnes is mainly a stopover, but you could also use it as a base. If you drive from Reykjavík, the petrol stations and supermarkets are the most noticeable as soon as you cross the bridge. You must drive into Borgarnes to get a better feel for and about the town.
Some blogs describe Borgarnes as picturesque. I don’t see that, but the location on the fjord is fantastic. I’m there in April, and it’s still wet, cold, and bleak, so I might have a completely different opinion of Borgarnes on a summer’s day.
Borgarnes Settlement Museum
I highly recommend visiting The Settlement Museum. It’s expensive: 3500 ISK, but you’ll get an excellent audio tour – on an iPod Shuffle and even available in Dutch. The first part is about the Scandinavians’ colonization of Iceland. The second part focuses on the saga of Egil, written by Snorri Sturluson. Egil wasn’t such a nice guy and actually argued with everything and everyone his whole life. From his family to the Norwegian king. But with his beautiful poems, he often managed to get out of difficulties. According to the saga, Egil buried a treasury with coins just before he died. It was never found, but some believe it does exist. So people are still looking for it.
Have a coffee in Borgarnes
Fancy a cup of coffee or panini? Then Blómasetrið – Kaffi Kyrrð is a rather… uh… hysterical option. The interior is quirky, to say the least. A kind of Christmas-at-your-granny look. But at least you have something to look at.
Horse riding in West Iceland at Hestaland
About 15 minutes north of Borgarnes lies the horse farm Hestaland. A beautiful piece of land where you can book a farm visit, horse riding tour, riding lessons, or accommodation. Horse riding is always possible from May to October, but sometimes it is also possible outside the season.
I get to do a simple ride in April through the snow. For 13,500 ISK, you can ride for 1.5 hours. But because of the cold, we go a little shorter. A friendly German intern takes us in and first introduces us to our horse. Petting, brushing, and a first lap in the paddock. Once we feel comfortable and she is convinced that we will not fall off the horse immediately, we go outside into the snow.
The trail is adapted to the riders. So if you have little experience, you mainly stay at a walk. Fortunately, we are also allowed to try the ‘fourth’ gait of the Icelandic horses. That is the ‘tölt’ – between the trot and gallop, where the horse always keeps one leg on the ground. It’s a unique gait for these horses, so it is cool to experience that for once.
Do you also want to go horse riding? Then contact the horse farm in advance to discuss your wishes. If you stay at Hestaland, you will receive a 10% discount.
Visit Snorri’s Reykholt (or don’t)
If you have been to the Settlement Museum in Borgarnes, you know who Snorri Sturluson was. The writer of Egils Saga, one of the most famous Icelandic sagas. Snorri lived in Reykholt and was also murdered here. Snorri was also a ‘law speaker,’ but he did not do the job as Hákon, the king of Norway, wanted him to do. He preferred to write. Hákon became so irritated that he had Snorri murdered.
The only reason to visit Reykholt is Snorri. There are a few small sights and a museum. We have just visited the Settlement Museum and are so unimpressed by Reykholt that we skip it. So no, I would not recommend a detour to visit Reykholt unless you are highly interested in Snorri.
What might be nice in Reykholt are the geothermal baths of Krauma.
Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfall
If you drive further inland, it’s time for two waterfalls. We choose the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfall. The first is a kind of elongated waterfall where the water flows from the lava wall.
Barnafoss is a little further on and is a waterfall in a narrow gorge. Barnafoss means ‘children’s waterfall’. This is due to a sad legend: as a surprise, two children left their farm on Christmas Eve to visit their parents in church. That went terribly wrong: they fell and drowned in the river. Their mother then destroyed part of the natural bridge that was here. Going to Barnafoss now, you can cross the river on a sturdy wooden bridge.
These are not the largest waterfalls you will see in Iceland, but they are gorgeous ones. There is a paved path with several viewpoints. We are there early, and then it is wonderfully quiet; it is also outside the Golden Circle, offering a bit more space and freedom to walk around.
By the way, you can park here for free, and there is a restaurant – although it was closed during my visit.
Husafell: hot springs for yourself!
Oh, I am so happy with this find in West Iceland! I would make a detour for this. The Husafell Canyon Baths are even deeper inland in Iceland, in the Icelandic Highlands. At first, I found it a bit strange that I had to book a tour to visit hot springs, but I decided to take a chance anyway. And it turns out to be really fun, because the guide explains a lot and takes good care of us.
From the starting point, it is a short drive with the van. Then follows a short walk, and you can get a walking stick if you want. I accept it, but ultimately, I do not find it necessary. You mainly take the stairs – 70 steps – no rough terrain.
The Husafell Canyon Baths were built by a local family. They had to drill eleven holes before they found warm water. Now there are two small baths (36 and 38 degrees) and a section by the river that is a mixture of cold river water and hot spring water. The hot spring refreshes the water in the baths every 2 to 3 hours.
There is a heated, wooden changing room with a shower, and you can buy beer, wine, or soft drinks from the guide. The rock walls around the hot water baths are still covered with snow and ice. You can enjoy the baths for about an hour before it is time to change again.
Accommodation: Hestaland Guesthouse Horse Farm Stay
I am staying at Hestaland Guesthouse Horse Farm Stay, the same place where I also do the horse riding tour. Very convenient and I get a 10% discount on the horse riding because I stay overnight.
It is a small-scale accommodation with eight rooms in the guesthouse, and it also has two cabins. I am traveling out of season, so there is no breakfast, but I can use the kitchen. It could do with a good cleaning, but I can still make a plate of pasta. The room has its own bathroom with a nice shower. There are beautiful pictures of horses everywhere in the guesthouse.
There is a hot tub outside. Hestaland can possibly provide you with a bathrobe; please ask for it before you arrive. There is no reception, so everything is ready with a welcome note.
More Iceland inspiration?
Useful links for your Iceland trip
- Accommodation. Favorite remains Booking.com. Would you rather stay in a hostel? Check Hostelworld.
- Activities. Book the best tours and activities at GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator. ‘Free’ walking tours can be booked at Freetour.com or GuruWalk.
- Car rental. If you want to compare more prices, try Discover Cars and Rentalcars.com.
- Guidebooks. I like paper travel guides to flip through, available for sale Amazon and others.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high phone and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Flights. Compare all your options! Be sure to check out Trip, Skyscanner, and Kiwi.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? See what Expedia or CheapOair has on offer.
- Yoga retreat or horseback riding vacation. Or treat yourself to a yoga retreat in Iceland or a horseback riding vacation.
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First published: August 2024 The article has been updated since.
