The Strandir coast north of Holmavik is one of the least-visited stretches of road in Iceland. The gravel track winds along the edge of the Westfjords peninsula past dramatic cliffs, empty fjords, and occasional abandoned farmsteads, eventually reaching Djúpavík — a remote settlement with a ruined herring factory and one of Iceland's most atmospheric small hotels. Beyond Djúpavík the road continues to Norðurfjörður, the last settlement before the mountains close in.
This is not a drive to rush. The road is rough in places and the distances deceptive on maps. But the landscape — raw granite, crashing sea, no human presence for long stretches — is unlike anything else in a country full of dramatic scenery. In summer you can drive through the night in the midnight sun. In winter the road may be impassable without a 4WD vehicle. Fill up with petrol before you leave Holmavik.