Hiking to Hegranesviti Lighthouse in Iceland: How to Get There
Iceland is an absolutely breathtaking country with expansive, captivating views practically everywhere you look. Because of this, the country is a very popular destination for hikers of all levels. While Iceland offers many beautiful hikes across beaches, mountains, glaciers, and to waterfalls and hot springs, there are also many hikes that highlight the allure of the simple and unique architectural style you can find throughout the country. Many buildings in Iceland contrast with its scenic landscape and have a grip on travelers around the world. One in particular I had the pleasure of visiting on my trip was the Hegranesviti Lighthouse located in the Northwestern region of the country.
When I hiked the trail, we started around 8PM, taking advantage of the sunlight that remains throughout the entire day during the summertime in Iceland. Because of this, there weren’t too many others out at the time which made for a serene hiking experience. However, we also had no one to ask for directions which proved to be a slight issue as we could not locate the start of the hike for quite some time. Nevertheless, she persisted (lol), and we were able to make it to the lighthouse in the end.
We started off by parking in a nearby lot; this lot is close to the beach. If you’re coming from South of the lighthouse, it’s just passed the bridge over the water; if you’re coming from North of the lighthouse, it’s just before the bridge. For reference, when we used GPS to route to the lighthouse, it took us to a gate directly align with the lighthouse, but there’s no place to park (note: you cannot park on the side of the road in Iceland, it obstructs traffic and you could get a ticket which is no fun).
Once you’re parked in the lot, start by hiking down to the beach and following the sand towards the water. Be sure to stay on the same side of the beach where you parked; do not cross the bridge. From the beach, there is a small trail leading up the hillside; follow the path back up to the top of the hill and follow it along the fence. You’ll soon reach some steps that lead you safely over the fence, further onto the plain.
To be fully transparent, this is where we felt like maybe we were trespassing, so we took a pause and did some internet searches for a while and here’s what I’ll say: the site is marked as a historical landmark online, there are many others who have been to the lighthouse on our course, and there were no signs indicating private land or trespassing. That being said, always be respectful of the land, don’t leave any trash or ruin the landscape, and respect any new signage that might be there (and apologies if we accidentally trespassed, but what’s done is done I suppose).
After crossing over the steps, there is a small trail, mostly covered by the long grass, that leads you along the cliff side to the lighthouse. I always recommend staying on a trail; in this case, if you don’t, you likely won’t get lost because you’re able to see far into the distance, but I still recommend remaining on the trail. Closer to the lighthouse, there is a second set of stairs you will need in order to cross over another fence, so staying on the path will aid in finding that more easily. At this point, the lighthouse will be in sight, so you can walk the rest of the way over with no issues and take the same trail back to your vehicle!
