Should You Drive Around Hvalfjörður?
How to Fit Route 47, Glymur and Hvammsvík into One Day

ICENAVI · HVALFJÖRÐUR MAP How the tunnel, fjord road, waterfall and hot springs fit together

Hvalfjörður Route 47 Hvammsvík Eight natural seaside pools Glymur Botnsdalur hike Steðji Rock landmark Borgarnes Western exit

Fast route: The Hvalfjörður Tunnel saves time when driving north. Scenic route: Route 47 follows the fjord. Activities: Hvammsvík and Glymur each need their own time slot.

Let tomorrow’s base decide whether Route 47 earns the time

Heading north from Reykjavík, the Hvalfjörður Tunnel takes you directly towards Route 1. Route 47 makes a slower circuit around the entire fjord. If you are staying in Borgarnes tonight before continuing to Snæfellsnes or the Westfjords tomorrow, the scenic road can turn the journey to your next stop into a half-day experience. If you need to reach Akureyri tonight, the detour will only delay dinner and check-in. This is an accommodation decision as much as a preference for scenery.

The Hvalfjörður coast has many bends. What looks like a simple arc on the map is broken up in practice by parking, photographs and sheep crossing the road. Allow more time than the navigation estimate so Route 47 can feel leisurely rather than becoming a race to reach the tunnel entrance.

Glymur is a hike; Hvammsvík is a timed soak

The Glymur hike begins at Botnsdalur and takes roughly 2–3 hours return. The route includes a river, steep slopes and a seasonal crossing point. The trail leads into the valley for views of the Botnsá waterfall; your shoes, socks and trouser hems may be wet afterwards. Even in summer, pay attention to the water level and wind. Read the detailed route on the Glymur waterfall hiking page. This page focuses on placing the hike within a full day around Hvalfjörður.

Set aside a dedicated bathing period for Hvammsvík. Eight natural pools line the black-sand shore, and the tide temporarily covers one of them with seawater. Early morning, dusk and winter light each create a different mood, but your reserved time slot will anchor the rest of the day. To compare it with Reykjavík swimming pools or other geothermal experiences, see the Hvammsvík decision guide. If you have already completed the Glymur hike in the morning, bathing in the afternoon is usually more comfortable than reversing the order.

Steðji, also called Staupasteinn, is an easy roadside stop. The rock landmark has an information board and bench nearby and is accessible throughout the year. It gives companions somewhere to pause before or after the hike, or keeps a little of the fjord in your plans when rain forces you to cancel Glymur. Do not make a special detour simply to add another sight. It only makes sense as a short stop when you are already driving Route 47.

For accommodation, Reykjavík works when you want to return to the city for dinner after bathing. Borgarnes brings you closer to Snæfellsnes or the Westfjords for the following day. If you are returning from West Iceland, review the supply stops at Flókalundur and Búðardalur before deciding whether to save Route 47 for the return journey. Planned this way, Hvalfjörður genuinely changes the route instead of merely adding one more photograph of the sea.

Route 47 is a deliberate coastal choice, not a default shortcut. Use it when the fjord, a hike or the bathing stop is part of the day’s purpose.

Glymur needs more than a pin on the map. Check the trail condition, river crossing arrangements, weather and the time you still need to reach the next room before committing.

Hvammsvík is easier to plan around a confirmed session than around a vague promise of a spare afternoon. Keep the booking, drive and changing time in one line.

The fjord can absorb a quiet first or final day, but it does not offer the same service density as Reykjavík or Borgarnes. Carry what the route needs before leaving the city.

Wind and rain can change the appeal of the coastal road quickly. A short viewpoint stop and an earlier return are valid outcomes when the hike or bathing window no longer works.

If the next morning is an airport transfer, compare the fjord detour with the cost of protecting that departure. A scenic final night is only useful if the road margin remains comfortable.

Hvalfjörður suits travellers who want one focused detour. Adding Glymur, Hvammsvík and several viewpoints to an already full Ring Road day removes the flexibility that makes the fjord appealing.

Choose the overnight base by the next hard clock: an early flight favours a shorter route, while a later westbound start can leave room for the fjord.

Before setting off, check Route 47, the trail information and the bathing operator’s current instructions. The landscape remains in place, but access and safety conditions do not.