Rauðisandur

Westfjords

Rauðisandur beach or the Red Sands Beach is a one of a kind beach in Iceland located in the Westfjords. What makes this beach so special is that it is not black like most beaches in Iceland but it is red or golden. The sand changes color from red to golden-yellow and that is probably where the beach gets its name from, but according to Landnáma "the book of settlements" the settler of the area is Ármóður rauði Þorbjarnarson or Ármóður the Red and maybe the beach was named after him.

Rauðisandur is one of the most incredible and peaceful places to visit in Iceland and a barefoot walk along the ocean is an amazing experience. The beach is about 10 km long and on a clear day there might be a view over to the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the magnificent Snæfellsjökull glacier. For those interested in Icelandic crime stories you should look for the farm called Sjöundá but that's where the famous murders at Sjöundá happened.

Directions:

The drive from Reykjavík to Rauðisandur takes about 5 hours (390 km) and about 3 hours (180 km) from Ísafjörður. From road nr. 62 in the westfjords take road nr. 612 and then road nr. 614. The road to Rauðisandur is a gravel road and it can be steep with narrow turns so drive slowly.

Note: The Westfjords are usually only accessible in the summer months, from May to October. There is a heavy snowfall in the region and the roads are not maintained as in the rest of Iceland. The main roads are kept open six to seven days per week, but sometimes the weather gets very bad and the roads stay closed. The mountain roads Dynjandisheiði and Hrafnseyrarheiði are closed most of the winter. When traveling during winter in Iceland it is important to travel in appropriate 4X4 vehicle with good winter tires.