Westfjords-South It's a wonderful place

The Ketildalir valleys are on the southern shore of the fjord Arnarfjordur. The best know of those valleys is probably Selardalur, a very popular destination because of the sculptures and buildings raised by the naivité artist Samuel Jonsson. Samuel is referred to as "the artist with the infantile heart". When he retired at the age of 72 in 1958, he pursued his dreams and became an artist. Mostly he created sculptures from concrete and carried the sand on his back from the shore to his farm Brautarholt. In his backyard, among other things, he has replicated the Lions Court in Alhambra.

Selardalur also offers a wonderful panoramic view across Arnarfjordur, over to the 1000 metres high Kaldbakur Mountain, the highest mountain in the Westfjords.

The swimming pool in Reykjarfjodur, a fjord that is part of the Arnarfjörður fjord system, is a full size swimming pool heated by natural water that runs through the pool all year around.

A small shed beside the pool where guests can get changed into their bathing gear.

Just above the swimming pool there is a smaller natural pool.

Rauðasandur (Red Sand) is precisely that: a beach with endless red sand. Well, not endless but 10 km is a lot. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight and weather, and the beach is the biggest pearl in a string of coves with sand ranging in colours from white through yellow through red to black, and in coarseness from very fine to sole-hurting chips of seashells. Just pure sand enlivened by countless seabirds and seals, an oasis with unique tranquility. Forget everything, except maybe getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.

Here's just pure sand and unique tranquillity. You might want to step out of the car, get the camera out and start walking on the seemingly endless beach.

If no, why not enjoy a cup of coffee in the French café and look at the spectacular view were Snæfellsjökull glacier in Sæfellsnes peninsula imperiousl rivets your attention in the background.

The hot natural pools close to the town of Talknafjordur are called ?Pollurinn? by locals. It is in good use throughout the year by the local people who love to visit the pools to admire the extraordinary view over the fjord.
The Pools are situated few minute drive from town just above the road number 617. A small cabin is besides the pools for undressing and storing your clothes.

Admittance is free but there is a donation box.

There are no restrooms on the location and camping is forbidden.

Iceland owes its name to Hrafna-Flóki or Raven-Floki. After a long navigation from Norway, he took land in Vatnsfjörður fjord. As a navigational aid, he brought some ravens along, which he let loose at sea, directing him to land (hence the nickname). Flóki only stayed for one winter, as he was not prepared for the cold and hardship. They lost many animals during the stay and understandably got disgruntled. In the spring, Flóki hiked to a nearby mountain top. Seeing the surrounding fjords all full of ice, he announced that this cold and inhospitable place should be called Iceland.

There is a hotel at Flókalundur with a restaurant and gas-station. A memorable natural pool is down by the sea.

Vatnsdalsvatn (e. Vatnsdalur lake) is situated in Vatnsfjörður, Barðaströnd. The lake is 2,2 square kilometers and 8 meters above seaa level. You can fis in the lake unless where the little river that connects the lake to the ocean. The places that you can't fish in have been specially marked. The lake is mostly inhabited by Trout but Salmon checks it out quite often and the size of the fish is mostly 1-3 pounds but you can get up to 10 pund fishes.The allowed fishing time starts at 7 and the lake closes at 22. The lake opens the first of june and closes when september ends. If you plan to fish, you are advised to get yourself a Veiðikortið (e. fishing card) and let Hótel Flókalundur know that you plan to go fishing. Vatnsfjörður is a nature reserve so fishermen are asked to leave no tracks of themselves, for example trash. Kids that are under 14 years old fish for free if you have Veiðikortið.

Surtarbrandsgil (e. Lignite canyon) was put on the Icelandic environment protection list as a natural phenomenon in 1975. The main reason for the protection was to pretect the fossils of the flora which was to be found in mud and lignite layers between the basalt layers. Thease plant fossils are from the tertier time.

One of Europes biggest bird cliffs, a home to birds in unfathomable numbers. This westernmost point of Iceland is really a line of several cliffs, 14 kilometres long and up to 441 m high. And it's as steep as it gets, dizzyingly so. Safe from foxes, the birds are fearless, and provide stunning photographic opportunities from close range. Bird photography for dummies, you might say. The puffins are particularly tame and are the ones frequenting the grassy, higher part of the cliffs. But look out, the edges are fragile and loose and the fall is high.
Látrabjarg is thus deservedly the most visited tourist attraction in the Westfjords. The cliffs are easily accessible by car and when you're there, a walk along the cliffs awaits. The whirling sensation will not fade, and neither will the memories.

On the southern shore of Patreksfjörður fjord you will find beautiful Örlygshöfn - a wide vista of seashore encompassing a thick finger of yellow sand, which makes the fjord water look tropical blue on sunny days. Here you are also very close to the Egill Ólafsson museum, which is a fascinating and eclectic look at aspects of life in the southern Westfjords - including an American plane and a Viking boat! The museum has been there for over 30 years and also features a café and various temporary exhibitions.

Suðureyri is located in the district of Tálknafjarðarhreppur. Suðureyri is situated on the south side of the fjord of Tálknafjörður and was the location of an old whaling station built at the end of the 19th century by Norwegian whale hunters. The station was on and off operation for around 50 years until the year 1939 and is now deserted. During its busiest times around 110 people lived and worked at the station. Today the great buildings are grand monuments of times past.

If Patreksfjörður town is just too urban for you, then you can escape to beautiful Hænuvík, at the seaward edge of Patreksfjörður fjord. Hænuvík is one of the best places to view the midnight sun, and it is one of the few places inIcelandwith a golden sand beach. Despite its extremely isolated location, you can stay at Hænuvík, where there are self catering cabins for up to 12 people.

Samúel Jónsson´s outstanding naive sculptures and buildings in Selárdalur valley in Arnarfjordur had been rapidly decaying when a society for it´s restoration was founded in 1998. This society is a non-profit organization and has had collaboration with the German sculptor Gerhard König and some others to work on the restoration during the past years in cooperation with the landowner, the ministry of agriculture. Groups of volunteers from Germany have been working together with Gerhard König during the past summers. In the summer of 2008 the plan is to pull down Samúel´s living house in order to build there a new house with a similar front that can serve as a guesthouse for artists and scholars. It´s planned to have the museum ready in 2009.

Breiðavík is situated on the way to Látrabjarg. When you drive over the mountain pass from Örlygshöfn you will come down in the creek of Breiðavík. In the creek there is a church and a Hotel, named Hótel Breiðavík. We recommend that you should stop there on the way to or from Látrabjarg and walk down to the beach. It's also quite unique to see the sand that the wind has blown all the way to the mountaintops on eiter end of the beach.

The cliffs of all cliffs, Látrabjarg, are home to birds in unfathomable numbers. This westernmost point of Iceland (and Europe if Greenland and the Azores are not counted) is really a line of several cliffs, 14 kilometres long and up to 441 m high. And it's as steep as it gets, dizzyingly so. Safe from foxes, the birds are fearless, and provide stunning photographic opportunities from close range. Bird photography for dummies, you might say. The puffins are particularly tame and are the ones frequenting the grassy, higher part of the cliffs. But look out, the edges are fragile and loose and the fall is high.
Látrabjarg is thus deservedly the most visited tourist attraction in the Westfjords. The cliffs are easily accessible by car and when you're there, a walk along the cliffs awaits. The whirling sensation will not fade, and neither will the memories.