Why we like Hestfjall

Hestfjall ("Horse Mountain") is one of those mountains you start noticing on every drive once you know its shape — a clean triangle rising to roughly 320 metres, with its high point at the northern end in a spot called Hesteyru, "the horse's ears". It's a little further from the cabin than our other hikes, around half an hour, so we tend to treat it as a planned day out rather than a spur-of-the-moment leg-stretch. When the forecast lines up, though, it's the one we'd push you towards first.

The thing that makes it special is the water. The mighty Hvítá river curls around its eastern and southern flanks, and Hestvatn ("Horse Lake") sits to the west and northwest, so the mountain stands almost like an island rising out of a moat. That's exactly why the views are so good in every direction once you're up top — there's very little in the way to block them.

A bit of local history

Here's the detail we always mention to guests before they set off: in June 2000, two of the biggest earthquakes our region has seen — both around magnitude 6.5 — had their epicentres right here in and around Hestfjall. They were felt for miles and rattled farmhouses all across Grímsnes. There's nothing to worry about today, but it does add something to the walk. Standing on this quiet, windswept ridge, it's hard to picture it as the source of the strongest tremor most Icelanders alive have ever felt.

The view — and why we save it for a clear day

This is the reason we keep banging on about checking the forecast. Locals will tell you that from the summit you can count more than 20 churches dotted across the lowland farms, and on the clearest days the view runs all the way out over the Atlantic to the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar). On a grey day you'll get none of that, which is the whole reason we treat Hestfjall as a "wait for the weather" hike rather than a sure thing.

Look west across Hestvatn and you've got Ingólfsfjall and Búrfell in Grímsnes. The fuller ring of peaks you can pick out from the top includes:

• Lyngdalsheiði, Kálfstindar, Laugarvatnsfjall, Efstadalsfjall
• Hlöðufell, Bjarnarfell, Jarlhettur, Bláfell
• Vörðufell, Mosfell, Langjökull glacier
• Búrfell in Þjórsárdalur, Hekla, Tindfjöll, Þríhyrningur
• Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers

What the hike is like

The route we'd point you to starts from the farm Vatnsnes, whose home fields run almost to the foot of the mountain. From there you climb the slope onto the long summit ridge, follow it north to the Hesteyru high point, and come back down the same way. It's a steady ascent rather than a scramble — plan on 3–4 hours and don't rush the top.

There's also a 4×4 jeep track that climbs partway up. If you've brought a proper 4-wheel-drive vehicle (a Land Cruiser, Hilux or similar) and conditions are dry, you can drive a chunk of it to shorten the walk — handy if you're setting off later in the day. We'd only suggest it if you're genuinely confident in the vehicle and the conditions: check the track first, and never drive it on closed roads during the spring thaw.

A story for the climb

Like its neighbour Búrfell, Hestfjall comes with its own old legend, and we love telling this one on the way up. Folk tradition says a tunnel runs under the mountain, with a monster (skrímsli) hiding inside it that's sometimes spotted out in the middle of the Hvítá river. Whenever the creature slithers out of its tunnel, the story goes, the river follows it down into the depths — and the bed of the Hvítá below the mountain runs dry until it returns.

Whether you believe in monsters or not, it's a wonderful detail to keep in mind as you stand on top of Hestfjall and look down at the river curving around the mountain. Combined with the nykur water-horse legend at Búrfell, it's clear that Grímsnes has its share of supernatural inhabitants — a fitting backdrop for a hiking day in the Golden Circle.

From Northern Lights Cabin

• Drive time: ~25–30 minutes
• Direction: Drive south towards Borg and Hvítárbrú (the bridge over the Hvítá river).
• Trailhead: The hike starts from the farm Vatnsnes, which you'll find on the way to the mountain. The farm's home fields run nearly all the way to the base of Hestfjall.
• Parking: Park near the farm — but respect the working farm and do not block farm tracks or gates.
• 4×4 option: A jeep track climbs part of the way up the mountain. If you have a Land Cruiser or comparable 4-wheel-drive vehicle in dry conditions, this can shorten the hike considerably.

Good to Know

• Wear sturdy hiking boots — the upper slopes are rocky and the summit ridge can be uneven.
• Bring a windproof shell — the ridge is exposed and noticeably windier than the valley below.
• Pack water, snacks and a charged phone with offline maps.
• Best season is late May through October. In winter and early spring, snow on the upper slopes makes navigation harder and the 4×4 track is impassable.
• Always check the weather at vedur.is before heading out — South Iceland's weather can change in minutes, and a bad day on Hestfjall robs you of the very thing you came for: the view.
• Pair it with Búrfell the day before — they make a fantastic two-mountain pairing in Grímsnes, both with their own folklore.
• Respect the land and the farm: stay on tracks, take all rubbish back with you, and close any gates you open.