Natural Hot Spring
Nauteyrarlaug
Westfjords
Tucked away in the scenic Westfjords, Nauteyrarlaug is a charming, old, rock-lined geothermal pool, naturally dug into the landscape and spacious enough for a group. The water, typically around 40°C, is fed by a hose and remains remarkably clear even with use, offering a serene bathing experience next to a simple, green changing hut.
Soak in a spacious, rarely visited stone pool deep in Ísafjarðardjúp, far from the Westfjords' more-traveled routes.
Story
On the shore of Ísafjarðardjúp, past the church at Nauteyri and a working salmon farm, a rock-and-stone pool holds geothermal water at a steady 40–42°C — big enough for a group, and usually empty but for the sound of the fjord. A small changing hut stands beside it, the only sign that anyone maintains the place at all. The water once ran straight from a borehole; today it arrives by pipe after a nearby fish farm redirected the source to its hatchery, yet visitors report it stays remarkably clear. Few tourists make the drive out here, which is exactly the point — Nauteyrarlaug rewards those willing to go well past Ísafjörður into one of the quieter corners of the Westfjords.
History
No documented founding history was found for Nauteyrarlaug itself. The pool sits near Nauteyrarkirkja, a former church built in 1885, and its water source has changed over time — originally fed more directly from a geothermal borehole, it is now piped after a nearby salmon farm redirected water to its hatchery. (Source: guidetoiceland.is)
Did You Know?
The pool's water supply changed when a nearby fish farm redirected the original borehole source to its salmon hatchery — Nauteyrarlaug is now fed by pipe rather than running directly from the source, though visitors still describe the water as remarkably clear. (Source: icelandspots.com, guidetoiceland.is)
Admission
Free
Practical Information
Best Time
Year-round, weather and road conditions permitting; summer for easiest driving.
Duration
30–45 minutes.
Getting There
On the shore of Ísafjarðardjúp near Nauteyri farm and church in the Westfjords, via Route 61 (Djúpvegur) to Road 635; about an hour's drive from Ísafjörður. One source notes the surrounding land is privately owned near a working salmon farm, so visitors should be respectful of the site.
Transport
Private car via Route 61 then Road 635.
Budget
Free — no admission fee (unverified whether landowner permission is formally required).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Nauteyrarlaug?+
On the shore of Ísafjarðardjúp in the Westfjords, near Nauteyri farm and church, about an hour's drive from Ísafjörður and roughly 51 km from Hólmavík. (Source: guidetoiceland.is)
How do I get there?+
Take Route 61 (Djúpvegur) to Road 635, drive past Nauteyrarkirkja church and a salmon farm, then a short distance further to the pool. (Source: guidetoiceland.is)
Is it free, and is there parking or facilities?+
There's no admission fee. There's a small cabin beside the pool that serves as a changing room; sources differ on whether the surrounding land is private, so be respectful of the working farm nearby. (Source: guidetoiceland.is, marinatravel.is)
How hot is the water?+
Reports put it around 40–42°C year-round, fed via pipe from a nearby borehole. (Source: icelandspots.com, guidetoiceland.is)