Photo spot in Westman Islands
Herjólfsdalur
A green bowl of a valley ringed by cliffs on the west side of town — sheltered grass, a reconstructed turf house and the island's calmest light.
About Herjólfsdalur
Get directionsHerjólfsdalur is the natural amphitheatre where the islanders hold their August festival: a flat green floor, steep grass and rock walls on three sides, and the sea open on the fourth. Because the cliffs block most winds, it is the place to work when the rest of the island is unmanageable — and on Heimaey that is not a rare situation.
The valley gives soft, even light through most of the day and a background of pure green that flatters clothing of any colour. A reconstructed turf-and-stone longhouse on the valley floor adds a historical anchor, and the golf course occupies part of the bowl, so a session here works around play rather than through it.
Paths lead up the ridge for the view back over the valley and out to sea, a steady climb rather than a scramble. In summer the grass is long and damp in the mornings; in winter the valley is one of the few places on the island where a shoot is comfortable at all.
Best time to shoot
Any hour — the cliffs give even light and shelter
Tips
The fallback when wind stops everything else. Work around the golf course, and use the turf house as the anchor in wide frames.
Other spots in Westman Islands
The harbour entrance
The gap in the cliffs the ferry threads through — sheer walls on both sides, boats passing beneath, seen from the quay or the deck.
Eldfell's cinder slope
Half an hour up a red volcanic cone that erupted in 1973, with the town, the harbour and the new lava field spread out below.
Stórhöfði and the puffin cliffs
The southern headland — the windiest place in Iceland, open ocean on three sides, and the world's largest puffin colony from May to August.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know Herjólfsdalur — free of charge.