Fjallabyggð is an area of spectacular natural beauty. The mountains and the fjords are awe-inspiring and the opportunities for outdoors activities and recreation are almost inexhaustible. Travellers who visit Fjallabyggð will not be disappointed. The closeness to nature is always within reach, whether you wish to go on a hike, play golf, try ocean swimming, go skiing, surfing or angling on the lakes, rivers or the ocean.
The main attractions are angling on Ólafsfjörður Lake and Ólafsfjörður River, the variety of lively birdlife at Leirurnar in Siglufjörður and the many hiking trails in mountains and valleys. The nearly untouched and peaceful nature of Héðinsfjörður heightens the attraction for visitors to the area. In Iceland, different locations and parts of - nature have almost countless words and place-names. For instance, there are around 1300 place and nature names registered in Héðinsfjörður and Siglufjörður.
There are many interesting trails in Fjallabyggð which have been demarcated and plotted in recent years. These trails are of varying lengths and difficulty, so that everybody should be able to find something to their liking. Maps and descriptions of these trails and hiking routes are to be found on Fjallabyggðs website.
The snow-avalanche barriers in Siglufjörður and at Hornbrekka in Ólafsfjörður have received acclaim for their good design. The barriers are well-suited to the surroundings and there are very popular hiking trails along them.
The climate in the northern part of Tröllaskagi peninsula
Meteorological information is based on data for temperature, precipitation and wind conditions for the period 1991-2005. The climate in the northern part of Tröllaskagi peninsula is to a large degree a cool coastal climate. There are many locations where there is heavy snow, in particular the further up north you go, and the snow in the mountains remains long into the summer. The difference in climate conditions can be huge because of the gigantic and massive highlands. The mountain range is then able to soak up the precipitation which comes along. This becomes particularly marked in north-easterly winds during the winter and precipitation is then many times greater in the north than in the south. In the summer, there are often warm winds that blow in this area with sunlight and thaw. These conditions can cause tiny streamlets to turn into harmful rivers in a short period of time. Cool winds can also have an impact and fog becomes a frequent feature around mountain tops and in mountain passes, even if the sky is clear in the inhabited areas.