MOORLANDS of the WESTFJORDS

MOORLAND BREIDADALSHEIDI
Moorland Breidadalsheidi (610 m) is among the highest lying roads of the country between the bays Onundarfiord, Skutulsfjordur and Sugandafiordur. Avalances often caused accidents and loss of lives. Sometimes the travellers tried to trigger avalances by shouting out loud before they entered the dangerous areas.The so-called Westfiord Tunnel was officially opened in September 1996 after it had been open for traffic since the autumn of 1995. It connects the town Isafiord with the villages Sudureyri and Flateyri. The total length of the tunnels is 9,120 m. and about 2,000 m are double laned. The elevation of the road through the tunnels is 199 m.Mt Road EYRARFJALL Eyrarfjall (360 m.) is a summer shortcut between the bays Isafiord and Mjoifiord. Just of the headland between the bays is the third island of the gulf Isafjardardjup, Borgarey.

MOORLAND DYNJANDISHEIDI
Moorland Dynjandisheidi (500m) lies between cove Dynjandisvogur of the Arnarfiord Bay, above cove Geirthjofsfjordur cutting the slopes of the steep Mt Botnhestur, across Mts Hornataer and the southern shoreline of the Westford Peninsula at Bardastrond.

MOORLAND GEMLUFALLSHEIDI
Moorland Gemlufallsheidi (283 m.) lies between the Bear Valley of the Onundarfiord Bay and the Dyrafiord Bay. This area is one of the stages of events of the so-called Gisla Saga. In the Bear Valley are the ruins of the farm Arnkelsbrekka, also a part of the events of Gisla Saga. The ruins of the summer and winter pasture houses of the reverends of Holt are also in the valley. The shepherds had to stay there alone for long periods of time during winter and had noone to talk to other than the ghosts.

WESTFJORDS & STRANDIR SAGA TRAILS

MOORLAND GLAMUHEIDI
Moorland Glamuheidi was a much travelled mountain area between the Borgarfiord and Dyrafiord bays. Its starting point from the north was farm Botn on the Dyrafjordur Bay. From there people travelled to the bays Skotufjordur, Mjoafjordur and Isafjordur in the north and Arnarfiord in the south.
This morland area is mentioned in the so-called Sturlunga Saga, and it probably was one of the most travelled mountain area of the Westfiords in the past.

MOORLAND HALFDAN
Moorland Halfdan (Tunguheidi; 500 m.) lies between the village Bildudalur and the Talknafiord Bay and then continues to the south across the short moorland area Mikladalur (369 m.) all the way to St Patrek’s Bay.

MOORLAND HRAFNSEYRARHEIDI
Moorland Hrafnseyrarheidi (552 m.) lies between Valley Brekkudalur of the Dyrafiord Bay and Valley Hrafnseyrardalur of the Arnarfiord Bay. Closest to the Dyrafiord Bay the road crosses the mountain shoulder Brekkuhals of Mt. Sandafell. This moorland has demanded many lives of travellers, who have become disoriented in blizzards and stepped over cliffs.

MOORLAND HORNATAER
Moorland Hornataer is an ancient mountain trail between the bays Vatnsfiord and Arnarfiord.

MOORLAND KLEIFAHEIDI
Moorland Kleifaheidi (404 m.) lies between the Bardastrond Coastline and the St Patrek’s Bay. The road workers built a cairn in the shape of a man on its northern edge with a member of parliament and a farmer in mind.

MOORLAND KOLLAFJARDARHEIDI
Moorland Kollafjardarheidi (462 m.) lies between Valley Laugabolsdalur on the Isafiord Bay and the Kollafiord Bay. This 23 km long road was much travelled and well marked.

MOORLAND STEINGRIMSFJARDARHEIDI
Moorland Steingrimsfjardarheidi (439 m.) lies between the Steingrim’s Bay up to Moorland Thorskafjardarheidi and Valley Langidalur at the end of the Isafiord Gulf. The road connecting the small fishing town Holmavik with the inhabited areas on the gulf was opened in 1984. The moorland is flat and dotted with small lakes.

MOORLAND TROLLATUNGUHEIDI
Moorland Trollatunguheidi (420 m.) lies between Valley Geiradalur and the Steingrim’s Bay. It is undulating, rocky, boggy, and dotted with many small lakes. On a fine day the panoramic view from the moorland is excellent, and its highest point is Midheidarborg (470 m.). Just west of the moorland is Valley Arnkotludalur with it s two abandoned farms. The distance between farms Gautsdalur and Trollatunga on each side is 23 km.

MOORLAND THORSKAFJARDARHEIDI
Moorland Thorskafjardarheidi (490 m.) lies between the bay Thorskafjordur and the valley Langidalur at the end of the Isafjordur Gulf. The road across was constructed in 1940-46. During summer the road is much travelled and the panoramic view from up there on a fine day is excellent.

MOORLAND STEINADALSHEIDI
Moorland Steinadalsheidi (300 m) lies between the Gilsfiord Bay of District Bardastrandasysla and the Kollafiord Bay of District Strandasysla. It is passable by big 4wd vehicles and jeeps during summer.