Hvalfjörður
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About Hvalfjörður
Hvalfjörður is a fjord in West Iceland between Mosfellsbær and Akranes, about 30 km long and 5 km wide, and roughly 40 minutes' drive north of Reykjavík. The name means Whale Fjord. Nobody knows for certain why: one theory is that early settlers found whales beached here, another links it to the mountain Hvalfjall at the head of the fjord, and a folk tale tells of an elf woman who turned her lover into a vengeful red-headed whale called Rauðhöfði.
Most traffic skips the fjord through the Hvalfjörður tunnel, opened in 1998. It is about 5.8 km long, runs 165 m below sea level and has been toll-free since September 2018. Driving the old 61 km Route 47 around the fjord instead adds roughly an hour but takes you along quiet shores and past farms, beaches and mountain valleys.
The main natural sight is Glymur, a waterfall of about 198 m near the head of the fjord. The hike to its viewpoints crosses the river on a seasonal log, which is only in place in summer, so June to September is the practical window. Hvammsvík, on the shore of the fjord, has geothermal pools by the sea.
The fjord also has a history. During the Second World War it was an Allied naval anchorage, and the British base HMS Baldur stood on the Hvítanes point. Today Iceland's only whaling station operates from a former US Navy pier in the fjord, and the Grundartangi industrial area with its aluminium smelter is also here.
Outside summer, check road and weather conditions before choosing the Route 47 loop over the tunnel, and allow extra time for photo stops along the shore.
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Good to know
How far is Hvalfjörður from Reykjavík?
The fjord starts roughly 40 minutes' drive north of Reykjavík, and the old Route 47 runs 61 km around it.
Do you have to pay for the Hvalfjörður tunnel?
No, the tunnel has been toll-free since September 2018.
Is it worth driving around Hvalfjörður instead of using the tunnel?
Yes, if you have time: the Route 47 loop adds about an hour and gives access to Glymur, Hvammsvík and the fjord's wartime sites.
Why is it called Hvalfjörður?
The name means Whale Fjord, possibly after whales found beached there by early settlers or after the mountain Hvalfjall at its head.
When can you hike to Glymur?
June to September is the practical window, as the log across the river is only in place in summer and the trail is drier.
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