Hnjotur Bay is a coastal viewpoint in the Westfjords, in the north-west of Iceland. Google classes it as a scenic spot, and that is the whole of it: somewhere to stop the car, look out over the bay, and carry on. The panorama is wide, but not from every spot along the road — the view from the marked point is partly screened, and it opens out further down.
Hnjotur Bay
Local name: Bucht Hnjótur
The best view is not at the marked point — it opens up further down the road.
- Parking
- No car park mapped at the viewpoint; the nearest mapped parking is about 4.6 km away.
- Address
- Örlygshafnarvegur, 451 Hnjótur
What makes it special
There is one thing to do here: look. The bay opens below the road and ridges close it on both sides, so what you get is a panorama rather than a single landmark.
The catch is that the marked point is not the best place to stand. Part of the view is screened from there. Continue down the road and it opens out. Stop at the pin, take the photograph and drive on, and you leave with the poorer version of the same view.
Good to know
- Parking: nothing is laid out at the viewpoint. Pull the car fully clear of the carriageway before anyone gets out.
- The view: the marked point is partly screened. The open panorama is further down the road.
- Wind: this is exposed coastal ground above the water. Take a windproof layer whatever the weather looks like inland.
Getting there
Arrival is by car. The viewpoint sits at the roadside, so there is no walk in: you stop, get out and the bay is in front of you. No car park is laid out at the point, and the nearest mapped one is far enough off to be no use as a base, so pull the car well clear of the carriageway before anyone steps out. Do not settle for the first place you stop, either — the view from the marked point is partly screened, and it opens out further down the road.
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Frequently asked questions
What is there to see at Hnjotur Bay?
A wide view over the bay from the roadside in the Westfjords. It is a viewpoint and nothing more: you stop, look and drive on.Is the view good from the marked point?
Only in part. Some of the panorama is screened from the point itself. Continue down the road and the view opens out.Is there a car park?
No car park is laid out at the viewpoint. The nearest mapped one is several kilometres away, so drivers stop at the roadside.