Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Hörgshlíðarlaug is a little-known hot spring in the Westfjords: a small concrete pool right on the shore of Mjóifjörður, beside Route 633 off Ísafjarðardjúp. The water is around 40°C and there is a simple changing shed. It is free, but the pool is on a private farm, so ask the owners at Hörgshlíð for permission first. Allow an hour or so.
Hörgshlíðarlaug sits on the shore of Mjóifjörður, a long, narrow fjord that opens onto Ísafjarðardjúp. The sea is a few metres from the edge of the pool and steep mountains rise on both sides of the fjord, so you bathe with a clear view down the water.
Many of Iceland's out-of-the-way hot springs are left more or less as nature made them. This one is different. It is a well-built concrete pool, about 6 metres long, 2 metres wide and 80 cm deep, shallow enough to stand or sit in comfortably. Three sources feed it, two hot and one cold, which are mixed to keep the water at around 40°C.
Beside the pool is a simple shed that serves as a changing room. It is basic, but the place is never crowded, so it does the job.
The pool is on private land and has been kept open by the owners. Ask permission before you use it, keep it clean and do not linger if others are waiting. Even if you do not want to get in, it is a fine place to stop and look at the fjord, especially on a clear, sunny day.
Route 633 is gravel in places and parts of it can be closed at times. Westfjords roads are slow and can be shut by snow in winter. Check umferdin.is before you set out.
The water is around 40°C, a good bathing temperature. Because it is mixed from hot and cold sources it can vary a little, so test it with your hand before you get in. Some visitors have found it a few degrees cooler.
This is a rustic pool by the sea, not a serviced spa. Expect some algae on the walls and floor, which can also make them slippery. Many people like to take a quick dip in the cold sea between spells in the warm pool; the shore is only a few steps away.
The pool is free of charge, but you need the owner's permission. Some visitors feel shy about knocking on a farmhouse door, expecting to be turned away. There is no need. Icelanders in the countryside are generally glad to see visitors who ask politely, and that courtesy is what keeps pools like this open.
In return, leave no mess. Take everything with you, and leave the pool and the shed as tidy as you found them. Bring your own swimsuit and towel, because there is nothing to rent or buy here.
A small changing shed and a nearby parking area. There are no showers, toilets or shops. The nearest services are at Heydalur (farm, restaurant and campsite) and in Ísafjörður.
Heydalur farm in Mjóifjörður has a guesthouse and campsite. Ísafjörður has hotels, guesthouses and restaurants, and is the best base for the northern Westfjords.
Yes, but it is on private land, so ask the owners at Hörgshlíð farm for permission first.
Around 40°C, mixed from two hot sources and one cold one. It can vary a little, so test it before you get in.
About 6 metres long, 2 metres wide and 80 cm deep. It is a concrete pool, not a natural rock pool.
There is a small changing shed next to the pool. No showers or toilets.
Take Route 61 from Ísafjörður and turn onto Route 633 into Mjóifjörður. Follow the signs for about 2 km to the pool by the sea.
Yes. The pool is a few metres from the shore of Mjóifjörður, with mountains on both sides of the fjord.
The water is hot all year, but the road can be snowy or closed. Check road conditions first.
