211 km • Ride the Best of the Westfjords in a Day • July 5


Endless waffles, waterfalls,
Gravel & midnight Sun.

midnight start, July 5, 2025

ride the final stage of
the arna westfjords way Challenge

Register here!
2025 Race Handbook

Get ready for the Arctic Fish Midnight Special

July 5, 2025

211 km [131 m], 4,040 m [13,250 ft] of gain.

The Arctic Fish Midnight Special is a brand new one day gravel race that incorporates the final and most challenging stage of the Arna Westfjords Way.
After following along with the challenge all week, 100 new riders will join the race in Patreksfjörður for the midnight start of Stage Four, which features a 3am waffle party at the Icelandic Sea Monster Museum, a stop for food at the must-see Dynjandi waterfall, the famous Svalvogar low-tide road, and if we’re lucky – the snow bridge across the final mountain pass before descending back into Ísafjörður for the finisher’s party.

registration

The 2025 race entry fees are as follows:

  • 25.000 ISK early bird pricing till January 1st
  • 30.000 ISK after January 1st
Entry fee includes: 
  • Entrance to the race
  • Entrance to the Adventure Day Basecamp
  • Light snacks at basecamp
  • Plokkfiskur and rúgbrauð (Icelandic fish-stew with Icelandic rue bread)
  • GPS tracker+tracking
  • Coffee + Waffles in Bíldudalur waffle party (limit 2 servings)
  • Refreshments at Hrafnseyri
  • Coffee + Pastries at Kaffi Sól (limit 2 servings)
  • Entrance, first beer, and dinner at the finisher’s party

getting here

The Arctic Fish Midnight Special race begins in Patreksfjörður, a picturesque and remote village in the Southern Westfjords.

There are a few ways you might choose to get here: 
  • Driving from Reykjavik takes about 5 hours, 387km. You might also choose to drive to Ísafjörður first to explore the rest of the Westfjords, and then take the two hour 150km drive to Patreksfjörður. 
  • Flights from Reykjavik to Ísafjörður run twice daily.
  • Bus drives between Ísafjörður and Edingborg during the summer, but the schedule wont be available till closer to summer.

The Arctic Fish Midnight Special is presented by Arctic Fish. Look forward to tasting their locally and sustainably farmed fish throughout race week!

Get ready for the westfjords.

Explore race Day highlights.

Patreksfjörður Adventure Day

The Race begins in Patreksfjörður, a picturesque village in the Southern Westfjords. Arna WFWC riders will be enjoying an Adventure + Rest day, and you are welcome to join by setting up bikes at the Adventure Day Basecamp, heading to the pool, or taking the day to explore. 

Midnight Group Start

The race begins with the pass from Patreksfjörður to Tálknafjörður (wave hello to the Arctic Fish headquarters), and then straight into the next pass which drops you in Bíldudalur. 

Waffle Party at the Bíldudalur

Descending into Bíldudalur, riders will be greeted with an early-morning waffle party. Fuel up on coffee, waffles and local folklore before the day’s first stretch of beautiful gravel which follows the inside of the next fjord and passes some of the best stops of the day.

Reykjafjarðarlaug

Next up, right off the road you’ll find a perfect spot for a mid-ride dip before ascending the next mountain pass. Choose from the natural hot spring, or manmade pool featuring a hot and cold side. 

Dynjandisheiði

The longest mountain pass of the day traverses fields of lakes and incredible views of the fjords far beneath. Rolling hills at the top seem never ending before the epic descent that follows the massive river feeding the Dynjandi waterfall.

Dynjandi Waterfall

Finish your descent and turn into Dynjandi, the thunderous pearl of the Westfjords. No trip to the Westfjords is complete without a stop here. Take a moment to walk up and enjoy the mist, and enjoy a light snack provided by the race before getting back on the bike for even more gravel.

Svalvogar

Ask anyone who has ridden the Westfjords Way and they will tell you this is the most beautiful road in the world they’ve ever ridden. Svalvogar is a gravel road cut straight into the side of the cliff by a determined local farmer. At high tide, part of the road is swallowed by the sea, and you’ll be riding right at the water’s edge. Prepare for numerous river crossings (knee-deep) and some technical portions where the road turns beach full of large, loose stones. As you navigate around the remote peninsula, you will eventually make your way back to civilization where a warm coffee and meal await you.

Hrafnseyri

Hrafnseyri, is the birthplace of Jón Sigurðsson, a national hero and leader of Iceland’s independence movement in the 19th century. This location holds a museum and preserved historical site that tells the story of Iceland’s journey toward freedom and self-identity. After exploring, warm up with a bowl of traditional Icelandic fish soup (vegan options available), made with local ingredients and a hearty taste of Icelandic heritage.

Simbahöllin

Simbahöllin is a cozy, old-style coffeehouse at the edge of the world.Located in an old grocery store from 1915, the house was restored and converted into a coffeehouse. Most of the original shop interior is still intact today. Quality coffee and tea are served, as well as home-made cakes and soups. Their Belgian waffle with homemade rhubarb jam and cream has become legendary!

Kaffi Sól

The last stop before the final climb. Guðrún will make sure you are well fueled with coffee and pastries before one of the hardest climbs of the event.

Breiðdalsheiði

The final climb + descent, and location of the infamous snow-bridge. We save the best (and toughest) for last with the highest and chunkiest mountain pass of the race. Push up the gravel road to the final peak, where you may just have to hike-a-bike across the final bit of snow-covered road. Finally, enjoy your last descent of the day, with Ísafjörður in the distance and the finisher’s party within reach.

Finisher’s party

Celebrate the epic day! The finisher’s party will be held in Ísafjörður in Edinborg. Your first drink is free, and we will spend the evening welcoming riders, announcing winners and sharing stories from an incredible day (and week, for those that raced the full Arna WFWC). 

Ísafjörður Pier Jump

After all of the celebrations and awards  have been made, solidify your ride the Westfjords way! Jump into the fjord at Ísafjörður pier along with Arna WFWC riders! All jumpers will receive a Cycling Westfjords towel to get dried off with.

see you at the start line!

Questions?

Send us an email at cyclingwestfjords@gmail.com