Vatnsnes Peninsula

Vatnsnes is a peninsula between two bays in the north-west, circled by road 711, and it is the most reliable place in Iceland to see seals from land: harbour seals haul out on the skerries at Illugastadir, Osar and Hindisvik, and a seal centre in Hvammstangi runs counts and research on the population. The other draw is Hvitserkur, a fifteen metre sea stack off the eastern shore with holes worn through its base, so it reads as an animal drinking - basalt whitened by generations of nesting birds, and now underpinned with concrete to keep the sea from taking it. The road is gravel for most of the loop.

History

The peninsula holds one of Iceland's largest seal colonies, and the seals at Hindisvík have been protected for many years; a stone hut was built at Ósar on the eastern side for watching them. Among its landmarks, Borgarvirki, a volcanic plug, is mentioned in the Sagas of Icelanders for its use as a fortress (Wikipedia, Vatnsnes).

What you'll find

• Seals hauled out on skerries - at Illugastadir, Osar and Hindisvik.
• Hvitserkur - a fifteen metre stack with holes worn through its base.
• A research centre in Hvammstangi - counting and studying the seals.
• A gravel loop road - most of the 711 is unsurfaced.

When to go

May to September; the seal counts and services are seasonal. A full day.

Good to know

Seals are wild and often distant, so binoculars matter more than a camera. Approaching haul-outs is discouraged and disturbs pupping. The stack is best at low tide; at high tide the beach access disappears. Road 711 is washboarded and slow.

Nearby

Hvammstangi is on the west shore; route 1 crosses the base of the peninsula.

Key facts