If you are considering Mosfellsbær as a destination, you can plan your days around different interests: Mosfell offers a marked circular trail, Álafoss brings together a waterfall and wool processing, and Gljúfrasteinn is associated with the residential and literary history of Halldór Laxness. Lágafellslaug adds a swimming pool with various pools and slides. When choosing accommodation, it is therefore worth first considering which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.
Hiking on Mosfell
The hiking trail up Mosfell is a well-marked, family-friendly circular route. Its circular layout offers a clearly defined hiking option, while the markings make it easier to find your way. Mosfell itself consists of layered lava flows that accumulated over time. The mountain therefore adds its own geological theme to your hiking plans.
The hiking trail also has historical associations with the legendary treasure of Egill Skallagrímsson. Alongside geology, a legend offers another way to explore Mosfell. If you are interested in Icelandic legends, you can also view the hike from this cultural perspective.
The marked hiking trail network in Mosfellsbær comprises about 90 kilometres of trails, ten parking areas, and numerous stiles and footbridges. This is on a different scale from the individual circular trail up Mosfell: the network describes the hiking opportunities in the town, while Mosfell represents a specific type of route. When planning your day, you can distinguish between setting out on a particular named circuit and exploring the wider range of trails.
Álafoss: Waterfall and Wool Processing
Álafoss is a waterfall on the Varmá; Álafoss Nature Reserve covers 1.4 hectares, and wool processing at Álafoss began in 1896. This named location brings together a waterfall and a nature reserve alongside a history of industry. For trip planning, this offers a combination of nature and culture: the waterfall and reserve provide the landscape setting, while wool processing adds a historical dimension.
Gljúfrasteinn and the Trail to Helgufoss
Gljúfrasteinn was home for half a century to Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Halldór Laxness and his family. This residential history gives the place a literary connection. It is a different cultural association from the legend at Mosfell: Gljúfrasteinn focuses on the life of a writer, while Mosfell is associated with Egill’s legendary treasure. Together, they offer two distinct cultural perspectives on Mosfellsbær.
A scenic hiking trail leads from Gljúfrasteinn along the Kaldakvísl to the Helgufoss waterfall. Unlike the circular trail up Mosfell, this hike specifies a starting point, a route along the Kaldakvísl and a destination. The two trails therefore differ in form: a loop on Mosfell or a hike from Gljúfrasteinn to Helgufoss. When narrowing down your choice of walks, you can choose between a circular trail and a route linking a named starting point with a destination.
Lágafellslaug: A Different Kind of Activity
Lágafellslaug adds a swimming facility to the hiking and cultural offerings. It has a 25-metre competition pool, three water slides, two hot tubs, a massage pool and a cold-water pool. This clearly identified swimming pool is another option alongside the town’s hiking trails and cultural attractions.
Discover more destinations: Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Garðabær, Kópavogur, Hafnarfjördur.
Go to the main travel overview: Höfudborgarsvædi.
