Stokksnes and Vestrahorn

What makes it special

Vestrahorn is a dark rock mountain whose jagged ridges start at the beach itself, with the whole saw-toothed wall in front of you as you stand on the sand. Low cloud often covers the summit, so the peak shows only on a clear day.

Below it the headland is black volcanic sand, heaped into dunes patched with marram grass. In summer the grass turns green against the dark sand, and on winter nights the ridge is a foreground for the northern lights.

Under the mountain stands a replica Viking village, built in 2009 as the set for a film that was never made and later used for The Witcher: Blood Origin. Look closely at the walls: most of the timber is beach driftwood and old telephone poles. Beside the houses lies a longship named DRAKAR, a copy of the Gokstad ship.

Visiting

Turning in at the Viking Café, you buy your ticket at the counter, or at the self-service kiosk outside when the café is shut. The ticket covers the private road across the headland and the Viking village.

The village is about ten minutes' walk from the café, and you can wander it at your own pace. The buildings are closed inside for safety, so you see them from outside, and the set itself has no facilities.

Then drive on along the gravel track to the parking areas by the beach. Walk out through the dunes to the wet sand and follow the shore. The radar station at the tip of the headland sits in a restricted area, so turn back before you reach it.

Tips

Check the forecast before you set out. If fog or low cloud is down, you will see little more than a black beach, so wait for a clearer spell. Check a tide table for Höfn too, and time your walk for a falling tide.

Wear a windproof, waterproof jacket over layers and waterproof boots, because blown sand stings your face and eyes. Keep to the gaps between the dunes and off their grassy tops, which are fragile. At the water's edge, never turn your back on the sea, because sneaker waves come in without warning.