Hraundalur

East, Iceland
Photos and videos
360° view

Hraundalur is a beautiful valley extending from the mouth of Loðmundarfjörður. The valley is one of several in this otherwise remote location. The landscape is desolate and magnificent, enveloped in melancholy. The ancient, colourful hot spring hills of the mountain Skúmhöttur lend a picturesque quality to the surroundings, and large cliff walls dominate the top. The thick stack of lava layers made of dark basaltic rock forms the shapes of the mountains. There is also an unusually large amount of silica-rich and light-coloured rock on the surface,in an area that is the second largest of its kind in the country. Below, streams and rivers wind down from the moors above, and the bright green moss forms a beautiful contrast in this otherwise poetic landscape.

  • Get access to all location details for free

    Get access to all location details for free

    Each location on Massif includes detailed information about climate, lighting conditions, accessibility, nearby services, permits, visitors, risk factors and much more.
  • Climate

    Climate

    Get location climate information which includes temperature, wind speed, amount of rain, snowfall and ice coverage through the year.
  • Lighting conditions

    Lighting conditions

    Find out precise information about daylight, Sun position, visibility and clouds throughout the year.
  • Accessibility, services and permits

    Accessibility, services and permits

    Learn about location regulations, how to get to the location, what conditions to expect, and what services are nearby.
  • Visitors and risk factors

    Visitors and risk factors

    Find out if location is frequently visited, if there is any danger in the location area and how to stay safe.

Accessibility

The road leading to this location is a very rough gravel road through a high mountain pass to get to Loðmundarfjörður. From the bay is a 3.5-kilometre-long rough gravel road to the mound of the valley, and superjeeps or 4-wheelers should only be used to travel there. During the winter months, it would be wise to check the weather forecast, as this region has lots of snow that tends to stay.
Public transportation unavailable
There is no public transportation available in this area
Specialized vehicle required
Very difficult terrain inaccessible by conventional transportation
Bad phone coverage
Poor phone coverage with frequent interruptions
Guide recommended
Guidance is suggested, but not required

Services nearby

The nearest hospital is in Norðfjörður, 169 km away. The village of Borgarfjörður Eystri is only 32 km away, with most of the services you might need, such as hotels, restaurants, and gas stations.
Accommodation
< 50 km
Gas station
< 50 km
Hospital or emergency room
More than 50 km away
Parking
< 30 km
Restaurants
< 50 km
Shopping
< 50 km

Permits

Want to film hassle-free? Partner up with the local production studio through Massif and let them handle all the paperwork. Learn more
There are Eider duck breeding grounds close by, so that needs to be taken into consideration with regard to traffic and permits.
Ask the property owner for shooting permission
You would otherwise need a two- to three-way permit.
Shooting requires both the permission from the property owner and the local government permit

Basecamp and facilities

There is a farm at the entrance to the valley with fields and lots for medium basecamps. The valley is further up a very rough gravel road, 3.5 km away. You would use shuttles or superjeeps to transport equipment or people to the valley. Phone coverage is dismal at this location.

Risk factors

The road to Loðmundarfjörður is treacherous, even in good conditions. The road is not serviced by the government during the winter. Phone coverage is bad at this location.

Visitors

This location is very delolate with few farms close to it that are not lived in during the winter months. Loðmundarfjörður has one of Icelan´s largest Eider duck breeding grounds that is underway from last week in April to June, depending on the weather.

Where does all this information come from?

In collaboration with a team of experienced producers, we scoured through every location on massif.network to bring you the most relevant and up-to-date information. We provide photos and videos and all other location information.

Know something we don’t?

Noticed wrong information about permits? Is there a restaurant closer nearby? Tell us anything that may be wrong or missing.