The puffins
In nesting season.
Hansueli Krapf — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hansueli Krapf — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Steinninn — CC BY 4.0 · Hansueli Krapf — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Christian Bickel — CC BY-SA 2.0 de · Steinninn — CC BY 4.0
Látrabjarg is a promontory in the Westfjords, the westernmost point in Iceland, and Europe's largest bird cliff. It runs 14 km and rises up to 440 metres, home to millions of birds including puffins, northern gannets, guillemots and razorbills, which makes it a dream for bird lovers. It holds one of the largest kittiwake colonies in Iceland. At its western end stands the Bjargtangar headland with its lighthouse. The site is remote and the road long, so it is less crowded than the south. A solar eclipse was visible here in 2026. From the car park near the lighthouse you climb a grassy path along the edge, with dark layers of rock dropping to the sea and waves striking below. In nesting season birds fill the cracks with sound and movement. Puffins are usually best seen from late spring into summer. The cliff is 90.4 km in a straight line south-west of Ísafjörður, and the road is long and gravel in parts. The edge is dangerous and crumbling, so never go close, do not lie down at it, and do not chase the birds. Bring a jacket and food, as facilities are few, and check the road before setting out.
In nesting season.
A dark cliff above the sea.
At the far west.
Bjargtangar headland, Westfjords, Iceland
Usually late spring into summer, with numbers varying each year.
It is long and gravel in parts, so check conditions.