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
Pollurinn is a small hot spring with a few concrete pools in the hills above Tálknafjörður in the Westfjords. It is free, used all year by locals, and about 4 km from the village. Bring your swimsuit and a towel, and plan an hour or so.
Pollurinn ("the Puddle") is a simple outdoor hot spring with a few concrete pools of different sizes and depths, set on a slope above Tálknafjörður with a view over the fjord. The pools have different temperatures, roughly 36–46 degrees Celsius, and you can cool them with a hose.
There is a rustic changing room and a small shower, and a parking area above the pools. It is a local spot rather than a spa, so keep it tidy. It is a nice stop after driving the long roads to Látrabjarg or Rauðisandur.
The pools are small. The deepest is about 2 × 2 metres and 1 metre deep, and the shallower ones are 40–50 cm deep, made for lying back in. The water comes out of the ground at around 40–45°C, so the hottest pool is properly hot.
The hot water is part of daily life here. The people of Tálknafjörður use it to heat their houses and the village swimming pool, and it is used in the fish farming in the fjord. Pollurinn is the tub they built for themselves, and they still look after it. On a clear evening the sun sets straight down the fjord, and in winter you can sit in the water under the stars.
Roads in the Westfjords can be slow, gravelly and icy in winter. Check umferdin.is and vedur.is before driving.
Pollurinn fits well into a day or two in the southern Westfjords.
A simple changing room, a small shower and a parking area. There are no toilets, cafés or shops at the pools. Tálknafjörður has a campsite, a swimming pool and basic services.
There are only a few hotels and guesthouses in this part of the Westfjords, in Tálknafjörður, Patreksfjörður and Bíldudalur, and they are small and busy in summer, so book early. Camping is the easy option: there are campsites in Tálknafjörður village, in Patreksfjörður, in Bíldudalur by the shore, and at Rauðasandur, which is the only place to stay at the beach itself. Camp at the campsites, not at the pools.
Yes, guides list it as free. Locals may appreciate that you keep it clean.
Yes, a small rustic changing room and a small shower.
Roughly 36–46°C depending on the pool. A hose lets you cool it.
Yes, it is used all year by locals, but roads can be difficult.
About 4.4 km, a few minutes by car.
On the north side of Tálknafjörður in the Westfjords, about 4 km past the village on Route 617. GPS: 65.64908, -23.89486.
Small. The deepest is about 2 × 2 m and 1 m deep, and the others are 40–50 cm deep. They hold a handful of people each.
