Grettislaug and Jarlslaug

What to expect

Grettislaug sits on a strip of shingle beach at Reykir, the last farm on the Reykjaströnd coast, where the road runs out below the cliffs of Tindastóll. In front of you is the open water of Skagafjörður and the sheer-sided island of Drangey. Behind you is a small farm settlement with a café, a campsite and a guesthouse.

There are two pools, both lined with stones and edged by a low breakwater against the sea. Grettislaug is the main one. Wikipedia gives its size as roughly 4.5 by 3.75 m (15 by 12 ft) and about 80 cm (2.6 ft) deep, with water around 108°F42°C. Jarlslaug, the second pool, is smaller. Travel guides put both in the 102-108°F39-42°C range, which is properly hot by Icelandic hot-pot standards, so most people move in and out rather than sit for an hour.

This is a working, privately run site rather than a wild spring. You pay to use the pools, there are showers and basic changing areas, and the café is where you settle up. It still feels remote. On a calm evening the only sounds are the waves, the birds on the cliffs and the conversation in the pool.

The saga connection

The pool is named after Grettir Ásmundarson, the outlaw at the centre of Grettis saga. In the story he lived on Drangey with his brother, and when their fire went out, he swam to the mainland to fetch more and warmed himself in the hot spring at Reykir afterwards.

Until the 20th century there were two springs here, Reykjalaug, used for laundry, and the smaller Grettislaug. A storm in 1934 shifted a sandbar, waves broke both pools apart, and the hot water ran into the sea. In 1992 the farmer Jón Eiríksson, known locally as Drangeyjarjarl (the Earl of Drangey), rebuilt the pool in stone with a breakwater around it. The newer pool, Jarlslaug, is named in his honour.

Getting there

Reykir is on the western shore of Skagafjörður, north of Sauðárkrókur, at the end of Route 748 (Reykjastrandarvegur).

• From Sauðárkrókur: Drive north out of town and follow the signs for Reykjaströnd onto Route 748. The road runs along the coast at the foot of Tindastóll. It is paved for the first part and gravel for the last stretch, and it ends at the car park at Reykir.
• From the Ring Road: Leave Route 1 at Varmahlíð and take Route 75 north to Sauðárkrókur, then continue onto Route 748.
• From Akureyri: Take Route 1 west to Varmahlíð, then follow the directions above.

Park at the farm. The pools are a short walk from the car park and the café, right on the beach. The gravel section can be rough after rain and slippery in spring and autumn.

When to go

The North Iceland tourism office lists the season as 1 April to 13 October. In those months the café is open, the campsite runs and someone is around to look after the pools.

June to August is the best time. The road is in good shape, and in late June the sun barely sets over the fjord. It is also when Drangey Tours runs daily boat trips to the island from Sauðárkrókur marina (1 June to 20 August, departing 09:30, about four hours), so you can see the island up close in the morning and soak while looking at it in the evening.

April, May, September and early October are quieter and colder, and you are more likely to have the pools to yourself. Check road and weather conditions before you go.

Winter falls outside the published season. Route 748 is not a priority road, the site is not run, and a winter visit is not something to plan around without calling first.

Prices and booking

The operator does not publish prices online. Several travel guides report about ISK 2,000 per adult, covering both pools, paid at the café. Campers at the Reykir campsite are reported to get pool access as part of their stay. Ask about children’s rates when you arrive. To confirm current prices and hours, call 841-7313 or check the Reykir and Grettislaug Facebook page. No booking is needed for a soak.

Rules and etiquette

• Shower first. The tourism office lists showers at the site. Wash without your swimsuit before getting in, as at every Icelandic pool.
• Swimsuits on. This is a family-run farm site with a café and campsite next to the pools.
• Pay before you soak. The café is the place to pay.
• No glass. You are on a stony beach.
• Share the pools. Both are small. Move between them and keep turns short when it is busy.
• Respect the farm. Keep to the paths and park where you are told.

Where to stay nearby

• Reykir campsite: Right beside the pools, with toilets, showers, a shared kitchen and a common area. Pool access is included for campers.
• Reykir guesthouse: Rooms at the farm, listed by the North Iceland tourism office. Ask about it when you call.
• Sauðárkrókur: The main town of Skagafjörður, back along Route 748, with hotels, guesthouses, a supermarket, fuel and the town swimming pool.
• Varmahlíð: A service village on the Ring Road with accommodation and a good base for touring the rest of Skagafjörður.

Safety notes

• Heat: At up to 108°F42°C, these pools are hotter than many Icelandic hot pots. Keep soaks short, drink water and get out if you feel dizzy.
• The sea: The pools sit right on the shore. Waves can wash over the breakwater in storms. Keep children close and out of the sea.
• Footing: The stones in and around the pools are uneven and slick. Step in carefully.
• Road: The gravel end of Route 748 is narrow in places with drops toward the shore. Drive slowly and give way to oncoming cars.
• Out of season: If you go outside the published dates, there may be no one at the farm. Do not count on help.

Nearby stops worth adding

Drangey is the obvious pairing, with the boat trip from Sauðárkrókur and a climb up the island’s path to the top. In Sauðárkrókur, the town centre and harbour are worth a walk. Further into Skagafjörður, the turf farmhouse museum at Glaumbær and the horse farms around Varmahlíð round out a day in the region.