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
Reykjafjarðarlaug is a concrete geothermal pool with a small natural hot pool beside it, by the shore of Reykjafjörður, a small fjord off Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords. It is about 20 km from Bíldudalur on Route 63, free to use (there is a donation box), and has a basic changing room. The water is warm all year, though the road is easiest in summer.
This is one of the quieter hot springs in the Westfjords, set at the head of Reykjafjörður with views out towards Arnarfjörður. There is no resort feel here: a plain concrete pool, minimal facilities and a handful of visitors on a busy day. If you prefer remote places to busy ones, this is a good one.
There are two places to bathe. The blue concrete swimming pool, built by local volunteers in 1975, is fed by the spring and sits at about 32°C. Just behind it, a small stream runs down from the source through a shallow, turf-edged natural pool that is much hotter, usually 42–45°C or more. Most people warm up in the natural pool and then move to the big pool to cool off and swim. The concrete pool is large enough for a group, so it works well for families and friends travelling together.
The setting is the main draw. Very little has been built here beyond the pool and a couple of summer houses, and mountains rise steeply on both sides of the fjord. In good weather the water is calm and reflects the surrounding hills. It is a good stop for anyone driving the Westfjords who wants a bathe without a crowd.
This is a remote part of the Westfjords. The mountain road onwards from Arnarfjörður towards Dynjandi and Þingeyri has traditionally been a summer route, and Route 63 itself gets ice, fog and strong wind in winter. Check road conditions on umferdin.is before setting out, especially outside June to September. There are old farms, ruins and viewpoints along the fjord if you like to stop on the way.
The water is geothermal: groundwater heated deep in the bedrock and rising at the spring just above the pool. It runs warm all year, so the pools never freeze.
Nobody looks after the site day to day. There is no caretaker, no lifeguard and no lighting, and the pool is cleaned by locals. Rinse off as best you can before getting in, take all rubbish with you, and leave a few coins in the donation box, which pays for upkeep.
The natural pool varies in temperature from day to day and can be too hot near the inflow. Test it with your hand first and keep children close.
A small changing room by the pool and a donation box. There are no toilets, showers, café or shop, and no staff. The nearest services are in Bíldudalur.
Bíldudalur, Tálknafjörður, Patreksfjörður and Þingeyri have guesthouses and hotels with meals and are the closest bases for this part of the Westfjords.
Yes, there is no entrance fee. There is a donation box for the upkeep of the pool.
The pools stay warm all year and are never closed, but the road can be icy, difficult or closed in winter.
Yes, a basic changing room by the pool, but no toilets, showers or other facilities.
The concrete pool is about 32°C. The natural pool behind it is hotter, usually around 42–45°C and sometimes more.
Drive about 20 km from Bíldudalur on Route 63 along Arnarfjörður. The blue pool is beside the road at the head of Reykjafjörður.
No, but parts of the road are gravel, so a 4x4 is more comfortable. In winter, check umferdin.is first.
