Hólmavík is a small fishing village on the eastern shore of the Westfjords, and for many riders it is the gateway to the wildest part of Iceland. It sits on a little peninsula in Steingrímsfjörður, with a harbour full of boats, a church and a handful of colourful houses, and it has barely three hundred and fifty people. The landscape around it is stark and beautiful: low, rounded hills, deep fjords and bare, dark mountains beyond. In summer the light barely fades, and at midnight the sky glows orange over the water.
The ride here is a long one, since Hólmavík lies off the Ring Road, and to reach it you take Route 61 or Route 68 across a high moorland of lakes, lava and grass. The road is paved, but narrow and with few barriers, and the weather can turn quickly. In the Westfjords the tarmac gives way to gravel quite often, so check the road conditions and be prepared to slow down. The wind is a constant companion, and can be fierce on the exposed stretches.
The town has an unexpected claim to fame: a museum of sorcery and witchcraft, which tells the story of the witch hunts of the seventeenth century in the Westfjords. Almost all of those accused in Iceland were men, which is unusual in Europe, and the exhibits explain the local magic, including the grisly necropants, a pair of trousers made from the skin of a dead man that were supposed to bring wealth. It is a fascinating and slightly eerie place and a good way to spend a wet hour.
Fuel and food are available in the village, so it is a good place to fill up before heading north on Route 643 along the Strandir coast, where the road becomes gravel and the villages are few. Drangsnes, a short distance away across the fjord, has hot tubs on the shore where you can soak with a view of the island of Grímsey. The best time to ride here is June to August, when the roads are clear and the days are long, and the quiet and emptiness of the fjords are a reward in themselves.