West Iceland · Laugar í Sælingsdal, Dalabyggð · Hiked September 2026

Hólafjall loop from Laugar

Short marked loop over Hólafjall, down a quieter line of moraine mounds to the hot pot

Grade breakdown

Physical 410 m ascent over 4.4 km; steepest climb 31% (17°)
Navigation Marked throughout, and the path is engineered rather than merely staked — the climb is switchbacked. Following it is the work, since it goes faint over the rocky sections and it is easy to pick up a side sheep trail or to cut through the switchbacks.
Technical Sheep paths cross both halves of the loop and can be mistaken for the route; steep ground below the mounds.

How we grade

Time: 2.5 h (2 h moving)
Length: 4.4 km
Ascent: 410 m
High point: 491 m
Route: Loop
Season: All year

Winter needs a conditions check first.
Popularity: Low

Not busy; the marked descent sees much less traffic than the main path up.

How we measure

Shaded-relief map of Hólafjall loop from Laugar with the route — GPS TRACK AS HIKED SEP 2026 · Elevation: ÍslandsDEM (Náttúrufræðistofnun / Landmælingar Íslands, CC BY 4.0)

Overview

Laugar í Sælingsdal lies in a grassy valley among low mountains at the head of Hvammsfjörður, with hot springs beneath the hillside. This short loop climbs from the hotel and campsite, past Guðrúnarlaug, to Hólafjall's plateau before returning by a quieter, prettier marked path. The ascent is steep but switchbacked, with rocky ground lower down and grass and dirt towards the top. From the plateau, Hvammsfjörður, the inner arm of Breiðafjörður, lies to the south and south-southeast. The descent follows grassy mounds, presumably old moraines, beneath a layered basalt wall, then drops more steeply towards the hotel. Both halves are marked, but sheep paths cross the route and the main path can be faint over rock, so take care to stay on it.

Photos 11

The route

1 Climb to Hólafjall 0.0–2.2 km · +406 m · 5 photos

A tent at the Laugar campsite; the loop starts from here.

0.0–2.2 km · steep climb, heading WSW · 85 → 491 m (19%)

From the hotel, start towards Guðrúnarlaug and carry on past the hot pot.

Cross the fence by the stile. 0.1 km

Then keep left at the trail intersection. 0.2 km

Terrain Rocky at the lower altitudes, turning to grass and dirt near the top. The climb is switchbacked, and the engineering is what keeps it manageable.

Hazard The path goes faint over the rocky sections. It is easy to pick up a side sheep trail by mistake, or to cut through the switchbacks.

0.4 km up the climb, looking south over Sælingsdalur to Hvammsfjörður, the inner arm of Breiðafjörður.

An established trail, marked with stick markers. This is the same ascent as [[holafjall-ranargil]].

View Typical Icelandic views — heather and rolling hills.

Intersection · 2.0 km · 483 m

The junction at 2.0 km, where a 4x4 track runs along the plateau rim.

High point · 2.2 km · 491 m

The top is a plateau with a 4x4 track across it.

View Breiðafjörður, by its inner arm Hvammsfjörður, to the south and south-southeast.

Cloud driven up the face from the valley, from the top of the climb.

2 Descent by the moraine mounds 2.2–4.4 km · −414 m · 6 photos

2.2–4.4 km · steep descent, heading ENE · 491 → 77 m (-19%)

From the peak, continue SE for about 200 m to the marker for the descent path. It drops back to the hotel and campsite on a different line from the ascent.

Cairn and stake marking where the descent path leaves the plateau.

The descent is marked and the trail is obvious, but it meets sheep paths at points; take care to stay on the trail.

The descent path swinging down below the rocky wall.

Terrain The trail follows a series of mounds, presumably old moraines, running parallel to the rocky wall to the south.

The line of mounds, presumably old moraines, that the descent follows.

Intersection · 3.1 km · 289 m

The trail leaves the mound to the right here and starts descending more deeply.

The trail veers sharply left, crosses the grade for a little, then drops again. 3.2 km

The trail across the grade carries on past that point and presumably rejoins the ascent path, which would let you return that way instead. It heads in that direction, but we did not follow it through, so the connection is unverified.

Hotel Laugar and the spruce plantation, from 3.9 km on the descent.

Stile (gate) · 4.0 km · 85 m

The stile at 4.03 km, back into the hotel property.

Cross the stile back into the property, skirt a patch of evergreen trees, then continue north on a level path back to the hotel parking lot.

The evergreen patch and autumn heather near the end, Hólafjall's rim behind.

Route options

Ránargil canyon loop Also walked 9.3 km

Share the ascent, then carry on across the plateau and descend into Ránargil for the coloured canyon walls and waterfall. This longer outing includes unmarked ground and several stream crossings.
Traverse towards the ascent path Variant Not walked

At the sharp left on the descent, a trail continues across the slope and presumably rejoins the ascent path. We did not follow it through, so the connection is unverified.

Logistics

Directions

Head to Laugar í Sælingsdal, north of Búðardalur, and Dalahótel beside the campsite.

Parking

At the hotel in Laugar í Sælingsdal.

Directions in Google Maps 65.24608° N, 21.80394° W

Facilities

The hotel, campsite and outdoor swimming pool at Laugar, with a children's pool, hot tubs and a steam bath; Guðrúnarlaug is free.

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