Grótta Lighthouse, Reykjavík

Grótta Lighthouse sits on a small tidal island at the north-western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, around 4.7km from central Reykjavík. A white lighthouse marks the point where the city runs out and the North Atlantic begins. The island is only reachable on foot, and only when the tide allows it, which is part of what makes it feel further from the city than it actually is.

What is Grótta?

Grótta is a nature reserve covering the tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, including the tidal island, the lighthouse, and the surrounding shoreline and ponds. It has been protected since 1974 because of its bird life.

A lighthouse has stood on the island since 1897, with the current structure dating to 1947 and connected to the electricity grid in 1956. It is still an active navigation light, guiding ships through Faxaflói Bay.

The island is separated from the mainland by a stretch of sand and rock that floods at high tide and clears again at low tide, usually for a window of around three hours. Outside that window, Grótta is genuinely cut off, and people are stranded there most years.

What to see at Grótta

The lighthouse and causeway

The lighthouse itself is not open to the public, but a walk out across the causeway at low tide allows you to explore the area around the lighthouse. From the island, you get open views back across Faxaflói Bay towards Mount Esja, and on clear days, towards Akranes and the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Black sand beach

On the mainland side, a black sand beach curves from the lighthouse causeway round toward the golf course. It is volcanic sand rather than the pale beaches found elsewhere in Reykjavík, and low dunes with wildflowers and grasses edge it in summer. It is one of the larger beaches in Reykjavík to get to and explore.

Along the path near the beach you’ll find old wooden fish drying racks, known in Icelandic as hjallar or trönur. These were used to air-dry fish, historically one of Iceland’s main export goods, and dried fish is still sold as a snack in supermarkets today. The racks near Grótta are not in active use but remain as a visible piece of that history, close to the Kvika footbath.

Wildlife

Grótta is one of the better birdwatching spots in the Reykjavík area. Around 106 bird species have been recorded at Seltjarnarnes.

Arctic terns nest on the island in summer, in large enough numbers that the reserve closes to protect them (see Visiting, below). Eider ducks, oystercatchers, and redshanks are also regularly seen along the shore. Autumn brings migrating flocks through, and a few hardy species stay through winter.

Seals are occasionally reported off the rocks near Grótta, although sightings are not guaranteed and this is not a resident colony in the way that, for example, Ytri-Tunga on Snæfellsnes is. Treat any seal sighting here as a bonus rather than the reason for the visit.

Northern lights

Grótta’s position away from the main body of the city, combined with its open, west-facing outlook, makes it one of the more convenient spots near Reykjavík for northern lights viewing. It is best suited to the darker months, roughly September to April, on clear nights with low light pollution and no cloud cover.

Visiting Grótta

Access and tides

The causeway is only passable at low tide. Check a Reykjavík tide table before you go, as timings shift daily and the water can come in quickly. Being caught on the island as the tide turns means waiting several hours for it to clear again.

Breeding season closure

The island and immediate shoreline are closed to visitors from 1 May to around mid-July to protect nesting Arctic terns and other birds. During this period you can still view the lighthouse from the mainland side, but you cannot cross the causeway.

Getting there

• Driving: around 10–15 minutes from central Reykjavík. Free parking is available near the shore.
• Bus: route 11 runs to Seltjarnarnes, from which it is a short walk to the lighthouse.
• On foot or by bike: a coastal path runs the whole way from central Reykjavík, roughly an hour’s walk.

Facilities

There are no shops or toilets at the lighthouse itself, so plan accordingly before you set off.

Photography notes

The combination of lighthouse, open sky, and tidal flats works well for both wide-angle shots (lighthouse against sky, using the tidal pools as foreground interest) and longer exposures at dusk or during the aurora. A telephoto lens helps with birdlife, particularly the terns, which are protective of their nests in summer and are best photographed from a distance rather than approached.

What else is nearby

A walking and cycling path circles the peninsula, and following it from the lighthouse car park is the easiest way to take in everything else the area has to offer.

The Kvika footbath sits right by the parking area, and from there a path runs along the edge of the black sand beach past the old fish drying racks.

Continuing round the coast past the golf course brings you to Suðurnesvarða and the Spotlight House, and the path then loops round to Bakkatjörn.

From here you can follow the shore back to the car park or carry on along the coast and return via the first residential road. The whole route is flat and easy underfoot.

Kvika geothermal footbath

Grótta sits right beside the Kvika geothermal footbath, a small circular seawater pool heated to around 39°C, built into the coastline a short walk from the lighthouse. It is a natural stop before or after a visit, particularly in colder months. When we visited, it was empty, so don’t make the trip just for this small soak.

Bakkatjörn

Bakkatjörn is a small pond just inland from the lighthouse and is worth a look for waders and waterfowl. Follow the coast around from the lighthouse towards the golf course. A small bird hide is just off the road on the edge of the lake, or continue round past the entrance to the golf course and park in the pull-in just past the lake.

Suðurnesvarða

A short walk south along the shore brings you to Suðurnesvarða, a beehive-shaped stone cairn built as a navigation marker for sailors. It appears on nautical charts from the late 18th century and was used as a survey point by a Danish naval surveyor working in Faxaflói Bay in 1776, making it older than the lighthouse itself. It has been repaired more than once over the years, most recently by a local rescue team, named after a former Grótta lighthouse keeper.

Ljóskastarahúsið (Spotlight House)

Close to the cairn is the Ljóskastarahúsið (Spotlight House), a small concrete building constructed by British forces during the winter of 1940–41 to house a searchlight that defended the approach to Reykjavík harbour during the Second World War. It was designed by Lloyd Benjamin, an engineer with the British occupation force who also designed Reykjavík Airport’s original control tower.

The Spotlight House is the last surviving structure from a wartime military camp that once stood on this part of the peninsula, and it was given protected heritage status in 2019. Similar structures are known to survive in the Faroe Islands, Scotland, and Australia, but this is the only one of its kind in Iceland.