NatureInterest 4/5Guide required
Drangey
Drangey is a steep-sided tuff island rising about 180 m from the middle of Skagafjörður in North Iceland, ringed by sheer cliffs and huge seabird colonies. Boat trips from Reykjaströnd land at the base, and a guided climb aided by chains and ropes leads up to the flat top and its views over the fjord.
Region
North Iceland
Coordinates
65.9467° N, 19.6883° W
Important to know
- High danger
- Steep chain-assisted climbing, sheer unfenced cliff edges on top, and an open-water boat crossing make this hazardous; stay with the guide and back from the edges.
- Guide required
- Access is by organised boat tour from Reykjaströnd, and the ascent is made with the operator; independent visits are impractical.
- Seasonal access
- Boat tours run in the summer season, roughly May to August.
Plan the stop
- Who it suits
- 8+
- Best for children who can manage a boat trip and a steep, chain-assisted climb; the cliff-edge top needs close supervision.
- Effort · Hard
- A boat trip followed by a short but very steep climb using fixed chains and ropes to the plateau.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair · None
- There is no accessible route; the visit involves a boat landing and a steep climb.
- Limited mobility · None
- The ascent uses fixed chains and ropes on steep ground unsuitable for limited mobility.
- Sensory · Limited
- Open-water boat travel, wind, dense noisy bird colonies, and steep heights make an intense outing.
- Cognitive · Limited
- A guided trip, but the exposure and cliff-edge summit require following instructions closely.
Why it matters
Drangey is central to Grettis saga: the outlaw Grettir the Strong spent his last years hiding on the island because of its unclimbable cliffs and was killed here around 1031. For centuries islanders harvested eggs and seabirds from the cliffs, a practice that continued into the 20th century.