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

Hólafjall and Ránargil from Laugar

Plateau circuit above Laugar, dropping into the Ránargil canyon to its waterfall

Grade breakdown

Physical 560 m ascent over 9.3 km; steepest climb 33% (18°)
Navigation The ascent is an engineered switchbacked path with stick markers, and the descent off the plateau is staked again; the climb goes faint over the rocky sections, where a side sheep trail is easy to pick up by mistake. The canyon section is unmarked and entered by leaving the trail.
Technical Several stream crossings in the canyon, stone-skippable most of the time; slow footing along the riverbed; a short unmarked bushwhack and a steep sheep-path descent into the canyon; tussock and boggy ground on the return.

How we grade

Time: 5 h (4 h moving)
Length: 9.3 km
Ascent: 560 m
High point: 515 m
Route: Loop
Season: All year

Winter needs a conditions check first.
Popularity: Low

Not busy when we walked it.
Hazards: Boggy

How we measure

Shaded-relief map of Hólafjall and Ránargil from Laugar with the route — GPS TRACK AS HIKED AUG 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 rising beneath the hillside. The walk starts at the hotel in Laugar and passes a stone-lined outdoor hotpot, Guðrúnarlaug, before climbing a marked, switchbacked path to Hólafjall's plateau. The views from the top are pleasant, but Ránargil is the reason to take the longer loop. Follow the plateau's 4x4 track over a second, slightly higher top, then admire the canyon from above before descending into it. Coloured hillsides and a charming waterfall reward the slow walk along the riverbed, with several stream crossings along the way. The return skirts the hillside back to Laugar over tussock and marshy ground.

Photos 15

The route

1 Guðrúnarlaug to the summit plateau 0.0–2.1 km · +407 m · 7 photos

0.0–2.1 km · steep climb, heading WSW · 83 → 490 m (19%)

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

The Guðrúnarlaug information board at the fence, where the path leaves the road.

Guðrúnarlaug, the reconstructed stone-lined hot pot the route passes at 0.1 km, with its turf-roofed changing hut on the slope behind. Shot early on the morning of the walk.

Cross the fence by the stile. 0.1 km

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.

An established trail, marked with stick markers.

View Typical Icelandic views — heather and rolling hills.

Cairn · 0.4 km · 155 m

The cairn at 0.4 km, with the farms of the Laugar valley below.

Laugar from 0.5 km up the climb: the hotel, the outdoor pool and the road in.

Cairn · 0.7 km · 246 m

Cairn · 0.9 km · 282 m

Bog · 1.0 km · 291 m

A wooden stake marks the line at 1.1 km, the trail a single boot-worn groove through the heather.

The wind-shelter cairn at 1.5 km, built chest-high below the escarpment.

Wind shelter (cairn) · 1.5 km · 385 m

The steep section at 1.9 km, loose dirt and gravel on the last pitch to the plateau.

2 Across the plateau to Ránargil 2.1–4.8 km · +25 m · −97 m · 2 photos

2.1–3.6 km · level, heading N · 490 → 515 m (2%)

Summit · 2.2 km · 489 m

The summit cairn at 2.2 km, 488 m, where the climb ends and the plateau begins.

The top is a plateau with a 4x4 track across it. Reached in about an hour.

View Nice views, not exceptional.

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

Cairn · 2.4 km · 484 m

Descent point (intersection) · 2.6 km · 488 m

This is the fork. The marker here takes you straight down to the hotel, the short loop in [[holafjall-laugar]]. For the canyon, turn right onto the 4x4 track and carry on across the plateau.

The 4x4 track running north across the plateau at 3.5 km, flat-topped mountains beyond.

Turn right off the 4x4 track onto a spur. 3.6 km

The spur climbs to a second top, separate from Hólafjall's own summit and about 27 m higher than it - this is the route's high point.

High point · 3.6 km · 515 m

View Breiðafjörður's inner arm, Hvammsfjörður, to the south.

3.6–4.8 km · descent, heading N · 515 → 418 m (-8%)

Cairn · 3.7 km · 512 m

The track runs along the crest, then drops away.

The spur peters out. 3.9 km

Past the end of the spur, follow the eastern edge of the Ránargil canyon.

Viewpoint · 4.7 km · 416 m

Pick up trail marker · 4.8 km · 418 m

Turn eastward here, pick up the trail markers, and start the steep descent on the staked trail.

3 Down into the canyon 4.8–6.8 km · −287 m · 4 photos

4.8–6.8 km · steep descent, heading NE · 418 → 131 m (-15%)

Looking into the canyon at 5.7 km, where the route leaves the trail and drops down the slope.

Intersection · 5.8 km · 151 m

Leave the trail here and cross the grade WNW for about 200 m. There is a faint old shortcut, but the crossing is essentially a bushwhack. Then descend steeply into the canyon on a sheep path.

Reach the riverbed and follow it west to the waterfall. 6.0 km

Terrain The path is still obvious, but progress along the riverbed is slow and takes attention.

Hazard The stream is crossed several times, doable on stepping stones most of the time.

View Multicoloured hillsides along the canyon.

The waterfall at 6.2 km, the turnaround of the upstream detour.

Waterfall · 6.3 km · 201 m

A charming waterfall at the far end of the canyon. Retrace your steps out afterwards.

Inside Ránargil at 6.3 km, looking back downstream between the coloured walls.

The streambed at 6.6 km; the way up the canyon crosses it several times on stepping stones.

4 Return to Laugar 6.8–9.3 km · +16 m · −61 m · 2 photos

6.8–7.9 km · descent, heading SE · 131 → 70 m (-6%)

Continue past the shortcut intersection and pick up the well-established path that skirts the hillside.

7.9–9.3 km · level, heading SSE · 70 → 86 m (1%)

Terrain Flat with a little altitude gain towards the end, and by no means easy: the ground varies between tussock and marshy patches.

Tussock and marsh on the flat return at 8.7 km, Laugar ahead.

Bog · 9.0 km · 94 m

The wooden stile over the sheep fence, shot on the return leg at 9.2 km; this is the same fence crossed on the way out.

Route options

Hólafjall short loop Also walked 4.4 km

Share the climb to Hólafjall, then take the marked descent from the plateau straight back to the hotel and campsite. This shorter outing leaves out the canyon.

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 65.24580° N, 21.80378° 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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