Hólsskarð

Distance: 15-16 kilometres. Route: Hólsdalur – Hólsskarð – Ámárdalur - Héðinsfjarðarvatn - Vík.
Maximum elevation: 630 metres. Hiking time: 6-8 hours.

The hike begins at the Siglufjarðarbær town water supply. You walk along the Fjarðará river southwards along the slopes of Hólsfjall mountain above the Stórhóll hillock and the Gálgafoss falls. The trail lies in a curve towards the south-east and there you see the Almenningshnakki mountain (929 m), the highest mountain in Siglufjörður fjord. High up in the bottom of Hólsdalur valley under the Hnakki mountain is a prominent rock protuberance, the Draugaklettur rock. Before you reach Hólsskarð pass, the trail leads up a short but rather steep scree. On this trail, it is very easy to lose one's way in dark cloudy weather. From the pass you may see the mountains in the bottom of the Héðinsfjörður fjord and to the south-east between the two Ámárhyrnur peaks (upper and lower) lies the ancient Botnaleið trail to Ólafsfjörður where people used to follow the uppermost mountainside ridges and descended into the Skeggjabrekkudalur valley. From the pass, the trail leads down to the uppermost foothills of Ámárdalur valley, where the trail goes along a gravel plain with sparse vegetation. You can follow the brooks that flow into what ultimately becomes the Ámá river, which falls in several cataracts and cascade pools before it reaches the Héðinsfjarðará river. South of the river are the overgrown ruins of the abandoned farm Ámár. Now the trail goes along the land and banks of the Héðinsfjarðará river, which winds its way north to lake Héðinsfjarðarvatn. East of the river you can see the ruins of the Möðruvellir homestead opposite Ámá and further down the concrete bare walls of the Grundarkot farm are standing. At the south-eastern corner of the lake stands the farm Vatnsendi which was abandoned in 1949. The way to Vík is easily passable.