Norðfjörður

The residential areas extend eastwards to a nature reserve, which in 1972 became the first in Iceland to be officially protected. Included in the reserve is Nípan, the islands's highest sea promontory, towering 819 m high. Trails lead you through much of this park, for example to the popular shoreline cave Páskahellir.

Neskaupstaður, the most northerly town of Fjarðabyggð, received its trading rights in 1895. By then a small settlement had already formed, due to the excellent fishing grounds nearby. The village grew in keeping with the expansion of fish salting, which started as an industry around 1870.  A milestone was passed in 1905, when motorized boats were first introduced in Neskaupstaður. Today it is the most pouplated town in Fjarðabyggð with about 1,500 residents.
 
The principal field of employment is fishing, fish processing and related services; in fact, the headquarters of one of Iceland's leading fishing industry firms, Síldarvinnslan, are located here. This company runs one of Europe's largest, most modern fish-processing plants, producing pelagic fish for the table. The valley has a number of farms, and the regional hospital is another major employer.

What to do

Places of interest