ICENAVI WESTFJORD FIT · ENTRY SIDE
Your entry choice decides which coast you can see without turning back
The scores weigh ferry dependence, concentration of sights, accommodation changes and the direction in which you leave the Westfjords.
Brjánslækur connects directly to the southern coast and saves a detour; you must follow the sailing and arrive at the port early.
It links more easily with the Ring Road and Ísafjörður; reaching the southern headlands takes an additional return drive.
Látrabjarg, Rauðasandur and Patreksfjörður each get a full day, creating a more manageable short trip.
You can line up the southern headlands, Dynjandi and Ísafjörður, but keep one flexible day for the ferry or weather.
Map the two entry points before booking your nights
The southern approach starts at Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Baldur travels via Flatey to Brjánslækur, from where you can continue towards Patreksfjörður, Rauðasandur and Látrabjarg. The northern approach usually follows Route 61/60 from Hólmavík, reaching Ísafjörður, Súðavík or Dynjandi before turning south-west. Both roads take you into the Westfjords, but they create completely different first nights.
StykkishólmurBaldur departure portBrjánslækurSouthern entry / FlókalundurPatreksfjörðurLátrabjarg / RauðasandurDynjandiCentral Westfjords waterfallÍsafjörður / HólmavíkNorthern entry and town baseFerry information belongs at the top of your route plan. Baldur’s departure port, arrival port, vehicle policy and sailing on the day all change your first-night hotel, dinner plans and the next day’s headland route. Once the car is on board, luggage can stay inside it, but you still need to reset navigation, supplies and parking after disembarking; travellers without a car need to arrange onward transport from Brjánslækur. Together, these details make “we’ll decide after arrival” an unreliable afternoon plan. If the sailing does not fit, the northern road approach can sometimes preserve a cancellable room and more flexibility the next day.
Choose the south when the headlands deserve your longest daylight
If your Westfjords list starts with Látrabjarg and Rauðasandur, the southern entry is the natural fit. Baldur sails on the dates and times published by the ferry company, so allow time on departure day for arriving early, queuing with the vehicle and reorganising after you disembark. Once you reach Brjánslækur, stay the first night in Flókalundur or Patreksfjörður; use the following day for Látrabjarg’s seabird cliffs or the red sands of Rauðasandur.
The trade-off is less choice on the southern approach. If the ferry is delayed or sea conditions change the sailing, the entire southern opening shifts later, so keep accommodation flexible. For a closer comparison of southern Westfjords hotels, see Flókalundur, Fosshotel Westfjords and southern accommodation; if seabirds and headlands are the priority, Breiðavík, Patreksfjörður and Látrabjarg accommodation options are a better match for your first morning.
Choose the north when Ísafjörður and tomorrow’s exit matter more
If you are arriving from the north-western Ring Road or Hólmavík, the northern entry lets you resupply, eat and organise your gear in Ísafjörður before continuing to Dynjandi and the southern headlands. It works well for three nights when you still want a taste of life in the northern Westfjords: spend the first night in Hólmavík or Ísafjörður, move south on the second, then leave by retracing the southern road or by connecting to the ferry.
The northern entry does not make the southern headlands closer by itself. Látrabjarg is in the south-west; leaving it until the end can mean repeating part of the drive. Read the five-day Westfjords itinerary first, then use the Ísafjörður destination guide to decide how many nights belong in town. If you need to return to Route 1 the next day, let your final-night location follow the exit and departure time, then fit in the waterfall you most want to see.
Three nights and five nights create different Westfjords trips
| Nights available | More sensible entry | Accommodation plan | What to leave out deliberately |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights | Choose the south or north according to your priority | One entry night + two core nights | Do not chase Látrabjarg, Dynjandi and Ísafjörður together |
| 4 nights | Either southern or northern entry | Two southern nights + two central/northern nights | Keep one afternoon flexible for weather or roads |
| 5 nights | Link south and north | Brjánslækur/Patreksfjörður → Dynjandi → Ísafjörður → northern exit | Drop one remote spur road in exchange for avoiding a backtrack |
| Ferry date not locked | Enter by the northern road | Cancellable room in Hólmavík; change plans once the sailing is published | Do not prepay a non-refundable southern-headland stay |
An extra Westfjords night can separate your entry and exit, giving a four-night-or-longer route room to place Dynjandi in the middle: headlands in the south, town time in the north. With three nights, accept that you can cover one small area rather than the whole peninsula. That choice also affects the accommodation cost in three or four Westfjords nights: the extra night removes one long return drive and gives you an afternoon you can adjust around the weather.
Keep activities and the ferry out of the same tight morning
If the same trip includes a boat activity, puffin watching or a southern day experience, put the ferry and meeting time into the calendar first, then add the free coastal sights. Baldur runs to a fixed schedule; Látrabjarg, Rauðasandur and some trails give you more flexibility. In strong wind, keeping Patreksfjörður available for supplies and a night in town is more practical than staking every hour on one remote spur.
For a ferry-first Westfjords plan, read Baldur or Route 60: how to divide the decision; if you are more concerned with luggage and the long drive after leaving, the accommodation index can be reordered around Ísafjörður, Patreksfjörður and Hólmavík. Once the route is settled, place each activity’s meeting point at the start of the relevant day.
ICENAVI · WESTFJORDS ENTRY CHECK
Your starting point decides whether the final day is on a headland or in the car.
Enter by Baldur in the south to cover Látrabjarg/Rauðasandur first; enter via Hólmavík in the north to secure Ísafjörður/Dynjandi and the Ring Road exit. Choose one side for three nights; four to five nights lets you connect them. Start with the five-day Westfjords plan, then choose a base in Patreksfjörður or Ísafjörður.
Q&A | Southern or northern Westfjords entry
Where does the Baldur ferry run?
Baldur connects Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula with Brjánslækur in the southern Westfjords, with a possible stop at Flatey; check the ferry company’s page for dates and seasonal sailings.
With only three nights, should I enter from the south or north?
Choose the south for Látrabjarg and Rauðasandur; choose the north for Ísafjörður, Dynjandi or a Ring Road connection. Do not try to cover both ends in three nights.
Can I enter from the south and leave from the north?
Yes, usually with four to five nights, placing Dynjandi or Ísafjörður in the middle. Keep one flexible day for the ferry, roads and accommodation.
Can I book accommodation before the ferry schedule is published?
Hold a cancellable room near a route you can still drive; once the sailing is confirmed, commit to a non-refundable room in Brjánslækur or Patreksfjörður.
Will I miss Látrabjarg if I enter from the north?
You can still see it, but you will need to place the southern headland in the middle or at the end and accept some repeated road. If it is your main sight, the southern entry usually removes one return drive.
References
- Baldur Ferry | Sailing schedule (sailing information for Stykkishólmur, Flatey and Brjánslækur).
- Baldur Ferry | Route information (vehicle-ferry route and service details).
- Visit Westfjords | The Ferry Baldur (background on the southern Westfjords entry).
- Umferðin | Road conditions (road conditions for the day of travel).
- OpenStreetMap contributors (base map for the real-location map in this article).