The Westman Islands also known as Vestmannaeyjar, were formed in a series of volcanic eruptions occurring under sea level. This is quite common in Iceland and its surrounding areas as the island is located right at the schism between two continental plates. Subsequently, there’s a lot of earthquakes and eruptions.
Heimaey is the largest and is the only one of the islands that is inhabited. The island was first settled in 930 A.D., although some sources (with evidence supporting) claim that fishing village had been established there 300 years earlier and that, by that time, Irish monks had already been to Heimaey, too.
The standout of these islands is Elephant Rock. Believing that the enormous rock was formed naturally is quite difficult, especially once you have been face-to-face with the giant elephant. The elephant rock is located at the edge of Heimaey. The island is 200 meters (656 ft) from the sea. It is only 13.4 square kilometers (5.2 sq mi) of which 2,2 square kilometers (0.85 sq mi) were added in a voluminous volcanic eruption in 1973. The Elephant Rock is located at the west jutting out from the Mountain Dalfjall.
A small sanctuary in the center of the lava field called Eldfellshraun is cultivated by Erlendur Stefánsson and Guðfinna Ólafsdóttir. It throws into high relief the great contrasts in Vestmannaeyjar landscape. Every year during the first weekend in August, a huge festival is held in Vestmannaeyjar, called Þjóðhátíð. Then, thousands of natives join to party and enjoy the musical acts bringing the population of the island up by about 10,000. This is an excellent time to explore the islands.
When traversing Elephant Rock, you’d begin at Blátindur summit, the second-highest point on the islands. When you reach the summit, connecting to safety lines fulfills security measures on the mountain. When the weather is clear one can experience an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding islands and the northern mainland. Areas such as Mount Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull glacier – both active volcanos can be seen and photographed.
Next, you can hike along the ridge to the west from Blátindur to Halldórsskora slope. At the bottom of Halldórsskora, attached to fixed safety lines and hike the western cliffs of the island. To make the trail easier there are fixed rims into the cliff along the way, down to the Elephant Rock. When reaching the top of the Elephant Rock, you can have your picture taken from a distance, where the whole Elephant Rock can be seen with you standing on its head.
Holuhraun Eruption – An Aerial View
How to get there
Herjólfur ferry which sails from Landeyjahöfn with 7 scheduled trips each day. The sailing time is 45 minutes.
Tours
4-Hour Clifftop Hiking & Boat Tour
Hiking Tours and Information
- The largest puffin colony in Europe most active from May to August
- The Beluga Whale Sanctuary – Klettsvík bay in Heimaey was chosen as the location for this new beluga whale sanctuary because of its rich marine wildlife and its cold coastal waters. The Sea Life Trust Visitor Center is open daily and provides information about how to get to the sanctuary.
The Westman Island Golf Club is a golf club located on the island of Heimaey off the southern coast of Iceland. The club was established in 1938 as a nine-hole course and is the third oldest golf club in Iceland. The course was changed to 18 holes in the early 1990s by Hannes Thorsteinsson. It is the southernmost golf course in Iceland and is located in between an extinct volcano and the Atlantic Ocean.
Other Points of Interest on the Island
- Volcano Tour
- A golf course ranked in the top 200 of best golf courses in the world.
Favourite Haunts 
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