Rauðanes Point

Rauðanes Point-where the puffins live

Great hiking trail

Rauðanes Point in Þistilfjörður district is a beautiful and unique nature pearl. A marked trail, 7 km long, circles Rauðanes. Bringing a bottle with water for the hike is advisable, as no freshwater is accessible on along the way. The trail leads you to bizarre rock formations, natural arches, caves and secluded beaches. This small and scenic headland is edged by steep cliffs, full of nesting birds, caves and offshore sea stacks.
Seastacks and stone bridges

Háabjarg is a 60 meters high cliff, where you can see how the rock layers have piled up over the centuries.

Amongst the cliffs fortifying Rauðanes point, you can see Lundastapar which are made of very beautiful basalt. Until a few years ago, Lundastapar had quite a big puffin colony but the mink has almost uprooted it.

Gluggur is a stone bridge which was formed when part of the roof of a cave, hollowed out by the surf, collapsed leaving only the bridge of stone standing.
Gatastakkur Volcanic Arch

Not far away is a small beach called Flæðifjara, from where you have a great view over Gatastakkur. Centuries ago, volcanic eruption pressed a small flow of lava into a crack in the existing soil. With time, the forces of nature have eroded the surrounding soil, leaving only the lava sculpture behind.
Sailor cave and sociable Puffins

On the next beach, Stakkabásar, there is a small cave called Hannesarhellir. The name Hannes is carved on the wall inside the cave. Word has it, that in the last years of the nineteenth century, two sailors found shelter there in a violent storm. One of them carved his name and his partner’s initials on the wall, with his pocket knife.

Off the north shore of Rauðanes are Stakkar, two big pillars of rock rising out of the sea. A puffin bode can be found in Stakkatorfa. Puffins (Fratercula Arctica) belong to the auk family (Alcidae) and are very sociable. They also enliven their environment with their colourful bills.