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Vöðlavík Hiking Trails

Eskifjörður

Vöðlavík, which is sometimes called Vaðlavík, is a deserted cove south of Gerpir, where there used to be several farms. A road leads to Vöðlavík from Eskifjörður, which is only open in the summer for four-wheel drive cars.

There are two marked hiking trails to Vöðlavík from Eskifjörður / Reyðarfjörður, one over Karlsskálastaður and on the other by Krossanes. From Vöðlavík there is a hiking trail to Sandvík. It is about a five-hour walk around Gerpisskarð, peaking at about 700 m.y.s.

From the cove and the heath, Vöðlavíkurheiði, two mountain peaks are the most prominent: Snæfugl and Hestshaus.

Disastrous maritime accidents have occurred at Vöðlavík in the past. For example, the ship Bergvík SU ran aground in Vöðlavík in December 1993. Many people still remember that in an attempt to get the ship afloat, the rescue ship Goðinn ran aground in the bay on January 10, 1994. One died at the wreck, but the Defense Forces' helicopter squadron at Keflavík Airport rescued other crew members. These events are discussed in the documentary Háski in Vöðlvík.