Neskaupstaður Nature Reserve is a protected coastal area at the eastern edge of Neskaupstaður, in East Iceland. It is a place for walking and for the view. Easy, well-maintained paths run along the shore and link a number of little spots, with the fjord in sight for most of the way. The best known of them is the Easter Cave, a shallow hollow in the rock reached by a marked route. Dogs are allowed, and the paths suit children.
Neskaupstaður Nature Reserve
Local name: Fólkvangur Neskaupstaðar
The Easter Cave, the reserve's best-known stop, is a shallow hollow in the rock rather than a cave you can walk into.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- Mostly easy paths; cliff sections uneven
- Parking
- Free at the reserve car park
- Difficulty
- Easy, well-maintained paths; the marked walk to the Easter Cave is short.
- Transport
- Self-drive through the Oddsskarð tunnel to Neskaupstaður
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Bakkavegur, 740 Neskaupstaður
What makes it special
The view is what most people stop for, and it holds from the paths as well as from the road in. Walking is the other reason. The paths are easy and well maintained, and they link a number of little spots along the shore, each one a walk of its own. The best known is the Easter Cave (Páskahellir). The route to it is marked and the walk is short. The cave itself is a shallow hollow in the rock rather than a chamber you can go into, and the view from the trail is better than anything inside it. Come for the walking and the fjord, and treat the cave as one stop among several.
Good to know
- The cave is not much of a cave. The Easter Cave is a shallow hollow in the rock. Go for the marked route and the views, not for the cave itself.
- Dogs are allowed, and the reserve suits children: the paths are easy and kept in good order.
- In bad weather there is little reason to stop. The reserve is a view and a walk, and nothing here is under cover.
- The road in goes through a long tunnel. Reaching Neskaupstaður means driving through it.
Getting there
Getting to Neskaupstaður means driving through a long tunnel, and there is no way round it. The reserve is on the coast at the eastern edge of the town. From there the rest is on foot. The paths are easy and well maintained, the route to the Easter Cave is marked, and the smaller stops along the shore each take a walk of their own.
Sun & daylight
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Neskaupstaður Nature Reserve on the map
Paths run close to unfenced sea cliffs and the coastal rocks are slippery when wet — stay on the marked trail and keep children close.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Easter Cave worth the walk?
The cave itself is a shallow hollow in the rock, not a chamber to enter. The path to it is short and marked, and the views along the way are the reason to go.Is there more to see than the cave?
Yes. The paths link several little spots along the shore, each a walk of its own, and the fjord stays in view for most of the way.Can dogs come along?
Yes. Dogs are allowed in the reserve.Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The paths are easy and well maintained, and the walk to the Easter Cave is short and marked.