North and West Coasts

25-27 August 2026

Two short trips. One-night stands.

First Stop—Hofsos

We took the east route around the peninsula. Most scenic,

On the way to Hofsos

We spent one day driving around the Troll Peninsula. That’s the Trollaskagi Peninsula, pronounced TREW-tiah-sky-eye. The route skirted the shoreline, with the paved road interrupted by occasional sections of gravel. Far less cars here.

**One-lane tunnel with pullouts, several miles long**

The Herring Museum!

The museum is a must stop along the route in Siglufjörður! While the town’s population is a little over 1,000 today, it was once a major harbor that processed tons of herring during the two-month summer season. The population swelled to 3,000. Its heyday was the late 1930s. In some years this spot was responsible for 44 percent of the country’s export income. Unfortunately, because of overfishing, and some claim climate change, the fishery collapsed.

The terrific Herring Era Museum offers great insights into the process and the people who worked and lived here. A highlight is the emphasis on the “herring girls” who worked outdoors 20+ hour days cleaning the fish. They were paid by each barrel of fish they processed, and although the hours were long, the pay was excellent. We were lucky to see a live demonstration. The museum also has an impressive cafe, whose menu includes many flavors of pickled herring.