Osholar Lighthouse is a small orange lighthouse on the coast at Bolungarvík, in the Westfjords of Iceland. It works as a viewpoint as much as a landmark. From the point you look over the town and its old fishing huts, out along Ísafjarðardjúp, and across to the Hornstrandir nature reserve. The tower is kept in good condition. With luck, whales pass in the fjord below.
Osholar Lighthouse
Local name: Óshólaviti
The lighthouse was built in 1915 in memory of 32 Spanish whalers who died in 1615.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible entrance.
- Parking
- No car park at the lighthouse itself. The nearest mapped car parks are about 1.5 km and 1.9 km away.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop: Hvíta húsið, about 1.9 km from the lighthouse.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Djúpvegur, 416 Bolungarvík, Iceland
What makes it special
The lighthouse itself is small: an orange tower in good order, standing above the water. What holds people is what lies behind it. The road in gives the first open look down on Bolungarvík, and from the point the water widens into Ísafjarðardjúp. Old fishing huts sit in the foreground, and the Hornstrandir nature reserve fills the far shore. When cloud is down, Hornstrandir disappears into it. Birds are few here. Whales pass through the fjord, and so do cruise ships.
Good to know
- No facilities: no toilets, drinking water or information boards are mapped anywhere around the lighthouse.
- Weather decides the visit: in low cloud the far side of Ísafjarðardjúp and Hornstrandir are not visible at all.
- Two stops in one: the walk between the museum and the lighthouse is easy, so the pair works as a single stop.
Getting there
Come by car and walk the last stretch. No car park is mapped at the lighthouse itself, and the nearest ones are over a kilometre away. The walk in is easy. It also links the lighthouse with the museum, so the two can be taken together on foot.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
What can you see from Osholar Lighthouse?
Bolungarvík and its old fishing huts, the water of Ísafjarðardjúp, and the Hornstrandir nature reserve on the far side. Birds are few, but whales pass through the fjord, and cruise ships come by as well.Can you get to the lighthouse by bus?
The nearest bus stop, Hvíta húsið, is about 1.9 km from the lighthouse. The rest of the way is on foot.Are there toilets or drinking water at the lighthouse?
No. Nothing of the kind is mapped in the area around the lighthouse, so bring water with you and plan the stop accordingly.Is the lighthouse suitable for children?
Yes. The site is suitable for children and the walk in is easy.