ICELAND IS FILLED with rugged nature and swirling stories—history, legends, and folklore that cover this land as thickly as its winter snows. Until recently, most travelers searched for the island nation’s cultural and natural charms along the Ring Road, the famed 828-mile highway circumnavigating the country. In normal times, Iceland’s most famous highway comes with big thrills—huffing volcanos, exploding geysers—but it also comes with swarms of tourists.
Not so the recently launched Arctic Coast Way. Created in 2019, it links existing auto routes in Iceland’s rugged north into one epic road trip. For now, it’s still a less-traveled gem of otherworldly basalt cliffs, pebble beaches with basking seals, and utter solitude.
From May to September, you can rent a car and spend several days traversing the 560-mile route of dirt and paved roads.
The Arctic Coast Way starts in the village of Hvammstangi and follows the filigreed coastline of seven peninsulas—each with their own geological marvels, stories, and wildlife—ending in the hamlet of Bakkafjörður. Signposts mark the way: a white infinity symbol over a sketched outline of Icelandic territory. Here are some of the drive’s highlights, from whale watching to a Nordic spin on Stonehenge. Most places are open; call ahead to check about COVID-19 related closures.
Off-the-beaten-track beauty and historic battles
Tourism has yet to gain a foothold in these parts, and a four-wheel-drive is obligatory for tackling the gravel tracks. Hvammstangi may be only a half-day’s drive from Reykjavík, but these lonely shores feel a million miles from the capital and the south’s popular geological hotspots.
“The north won’t change; it’ll never be Reykjavík,” says Dagný Marín Sigmarsdóttir, the proprietor of the Museum of Prophecies in the village of Skagaströnd, about 50 miles northeast of Hvammstangi. The museum explores the history of a legendary 10th-century fortune teller, and Sigmarsdóttir herself can read your palm. “We’d love more travelers to come this way to share the beauty,” she says.
Whales and waves near the Arctic Circle
Getting out onto the water offers further insights into Iceland’s marine ecosystems. Onboard a traditional wooden schooner from the cozy town of Húsavík, you can go north across the Skjálfandi, meaning “shaky bay.”
Most people think the name comes from the swell of the water, but it’s actually because the area is prone to earthquakes. The town’s chocolate-box church, clifftop geothermal pools, and riding stables fade to a whitish smudge as the schooner gets farther from shore. The bay is flanked by mountains. Up ahead—just 30 miles north, beyond the gaping mouth of Shaky Bay—lies the Arctic Circle.
Still, Iceland is one of just three countries in the world allowing whale hunting in its waters—a surprising blight on an otherwise largely progressive political agenda.
Inland lakes and steamy baths
It’s also worth taking an inland detour from the quiet majesty of the Arctic Coast Way to visit one of the region’s show-stopping attractions: Mývatn. The tranquility of this lake and the bird-filled wetland surrounding it belies the seething, subterranean forces at work here. The 14-square-mile lake rests on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—the meeting point of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Circle the lake, and you’ll pass bird nesting grounds and scattered islands on the way to its eastern shore. There, you’ll find an embarrassment of geological curiosities—and, maybe, other travelers. Hverfjall, a towering crater, dominates a landscape of belching mud pots, sulphurous fumaroles, and sculptural lava fields. Hike through this wonderland for insights into the violent forces lurking at the planet’s core.
In the far north, elves and amazing views
It’s a spectacular half-day’s drive from the Mývatn region back to the Arctic Coast Way with its unpaved roads, weather-beaten lighthouses, and iridescent ocean.
On the way to the sparsely populated peninsulas of the northeast are two welcome pit stops: Europe’s most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss, where rainbows arc through the almighty spray, and the canyon of Ásbyrgi, with its forested hiking trails and emerald-hued lake.
According to early myths, the horseshoe-shaped gully was created by the hoof of Oðin’s (aka the Norse god Odin) huge, eight-legged steed. Ásbyrgi later became considered the capital of the Huldufólk—the hidden people, or elves. Legends say they look much like humans, only taller, more beautiful, and clad in fine gowns.
