Walking paths/Hikes
Grímsey is 5.3 square kilometres and 5.5 kilometres long, it is comparatively flat, lowest on the West side by the harbour and village and highest on the East side rising up to about 105 meters above sea level. There are several different hiking trails/paths to choose from.
Map of the island (pdf - Icelandic).
All the tours descriptions start and end by the harbour.
1. Blue Trail: Across the Arctic Circle
Covering the north part of Grímsey
Distance: About 6,86 km (4,26 miles).
Time: Approximately 3 hrs.
Terrain: Gravel road, tracks and paved road in the village
Map of the trail
Start by the village center and go towards the airport, pass the airport service buildings and the guesthouse Básar. On the Básar guesthouse north side you find the old Arctic Circle marker "the viewfinders and the bridge". Continue along a sheep track along the airport fence to the north until arriving to the gravel road, turn right and continue along the road until you reach Básavík. Enjoy the view of this majestic bay where thousands of seabirds habit the cliffs, make sure though not to go too near the edge as the nest burrowing of the puffins has made the ground loose.
Return back to the dirt road and up the hill and follow it along the coastline to the north part of the island called Fótur (Eyjafótur). Here you find the new Arctic Circle marker "ORBIS et GLOBUS" (Hringur og kúla).
Return the same way, but by the airport fence, don't return on to the sheep track. Instead continue along the road along the coastline and enjoy the view. This road will lead you back to the village and to the same place the walk started.
2. Red Trail
Covering the north part of Grímsey
Distance: About 7,6 km (4.9 miles).
Time: Approximately 3 hrs.
Terrain: Gravel road, tracks and paved road in the village
Map of the trail
Start by the harbor and go towards the airport, pass the airport service buildings and the guesthouse Básar. On the Básar guesthouse north side you find the old Arctic Circle marker "the viewfinders and the bridge". Return towards the coast again along a path through the grass field until you arrive to the gravel road, turn right and continue along the road to the north until you reach Básavík. Enjoy the view of this majestic bay where thousands of seabirds habit the cliffs, make sure though not to go too near the edge as the nest burrowing of the puffins has made the ground loose.
Return back to the dirt road and up the hill and follow it along the coastline to the north part of the island called Fótur (Eyjafótur). Here you find the new Arctic Circle marker "ORBIS et GLOBUS" (Hringur og kúla).
Continue as north you can get, at this point there is nothing between you and the North Pole except the ocean.
Return back up the hill and when you find a track to the left follow it until you reach the east side of the island. Continue along the track until you se a radio mast, there you take the track to the right to return back to the village to the starting point. On the way down to the village you will pass the southern end of the air stripe and enter a gate close to a house with a mast on its southside.
3. Green Trail
Grímsey south part
Distance: About 6,4 km (3,8 miles).
Time: Approximately 3 hrs.
Terrain: Gravel road, tracks and paved road in the village
Map of the trail
Start by the village, pass the restaurant and the shop turn left into the street Vallagata and just before the house with the big radio-antenna turn right. Here a path goes up to the heights to the east of the island. Well at the top of the heights you see a radio mast on your right, pass it and when you reach a crossing track turn right. This track runs all the way to the lighthouse on the southern end of the island. From the lighthouse walk straight across the island to its west side and continue along the coastline towards the village. On this south west side of the island there are quite beautiful basalt columns along the coastline. As you start to encounter a house (its name is Borgir) turn right on its south side and return back to gravel road leading back to the village and the starting point of this walk.
4. Yellow Trail
The central part of the island
Distance: About 4,2 km (2,5 miles).
Time: Approximately 2 hrs.
Terrain: Gravel road, moors, tracks and paved road in the village
Map of the trail
Start by the village, pass the restaurant and the shop turn left into the street Vallagata and just before the house with the big radio-antenna turn right. Here a path goes up to the heights to the east of the island. Almost reaching the top of the heights you see a radio mast on your right, take the first track towards the mast, but don't go all the way to it, insted follow the track going towards south on the mast west side.
The route passes the pond Hólatjörn along some grassy hills and down to the gravel road between the church Miðgarðar and the farm Sveinagarðar.
When on the gravel road turn right and follow it pass the church, the school and finally back to the starting point in the middle of the village.
5. The Circle Tour of Grímsey
A full circle tour of the island
Distance: About 10 km (6.2 miles)
Time: Approximately 6 hrs.
Terrain: Gravel road, tracks and paved road in the village
Start by the harbor and go towards the airport and across the Arctic Circle. The path follows the cliffs of Básavík, walkers should take good care not to go too near the edge as the nest burrowing of the puffins has made the ground loose.
Continue along the tracks to the northern most point of the island, Fótur (Eyjafótur) and then on to the eastern high cliffs. This path runs all the way to the lighthouse on the southern end of the island.
From the lighthouse take a short detour to the southernmost part of the island where you find the Century Stone dated 1717. Return back to the road and cross the island to the western side of it. Here one can enjoy the view of basalt columns along the coastline. Just right before the house Borgir, return back to the road and follow it back to the village and back to the starting point. There is plenty of opportunity for wildlife and landscape photography during this hike. Remember to bring some refreshments and water along with you!
