Holar Webcam – Catch the Northern Lights in North Iceland

The Holar Webcam looks across Hjaltadalur, a valley on the east side of Skagafjordur in North Iceland, from Holar, the old bishop’s seat at its heart. By day the frame takes in a gravel track, pale grass, a string of shallow ponds and a long, flat-topped ridge on the far side of the valley, with a steep mountainside climbing out of the right edge. Horses can often be seen in the fields near the ponds, which suits a place known for horse breeding. After dark the camera changes jobs. Its operator, TokAir Iceland, runs it as a northern lights cam, and on a clear night between autumn and spring the sky above the ridge can fill with green aurora. The main camera pans, tilts and zooms, so its angle can shift from the view described here. A second TokAir camera at Holar runs in its own tab, a wide-angle view that gives more of the frame to the sky.

About Holar

Holar was an episcopal see, the seat of a bishop, from 1106 to 1798. Its two best known bishops sit on either side of the Reformation. Jon Arason, the last Catholic bishop, was taken to the south of Iceland and beheaded with two of his sons in 1550. Gudbrandur Thorlaksson became the best known of the Lutheran bishops who followed.

The present cathedral was completed in 1763 and is the oldest stone church in Iceland. It is built of red sandstone from Holabyrda, the mountain that rises to 1,244 meters (4,081 feet) above the settlement. Its separate tower stands 27 meters (89 feet) tall and was built to mark 400 years since Jon Arason’s death.

Today Holar is home to around 100 people and lies 379 kilometers (236 miles) from Reykjavik. The agricultural college founded here in 1882 became Holar University College in 2003, and it specializes in horse breeding and riding, fish farming, fish biology and tourism. The Hjaltadalsa river runs down the valley from Hjaltadalsjokull, the small glacier at its head, and most of Hjaltadalur is walled in by mountains more than 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) high.

Weather and Climate in Holar

Climate figures for Saudarkrokur, on the coast about 30 kilometers (19 miles) away, give a fair guide. July there averages about 10.5 C (51 F), and in January and February average lows sit around -5 C (23 F). Summers are short, cool and mostly cloudy, much like the grey late September sky over the ridge in the frame, and winters are long, snowy, windy and overcast. Autumn turns the valley grass gold and rust before the first snow arrives.

Holar lies about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the Arctic Circle. Around the June solstice the sun only just slips below the northern horizon, and from May into July the sky never gets fully dark, which is the midnight sun half of the stream’s title. Winter is the reverse. Daylight shrinks to a few hours around the December solstice, and from roughly September to April the nights are long enough for aurora. The operator links several aurora forecasts in the stream description, including the NOAA 30-minute forecast, so it is worth checking one before tuning in on a dark evening.

Things to Do Near Holar

The cathedral is the first stop, and a number of historically important items are on display inside. Beside it, the Icelandic Horse History Centre was founded in 2001 and occupies the old Holar stable, built in 1931. Holar also keeps a traditional turf house, Nyibaer, among the buildings of the old bishop’s seat, and the red slopes of Holabyrda that supplied the cathedral’s stone rise directly behind them.

Further up the valley, Reykir is the innermost settlement in Hjaltadalur, about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from Holar. Other farms named in the valley include Hof, Nedri-As and Vidvik. Heading out toward the coast, the village of Hofsos is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) away, and its swimming pool draws hundreds of glowing visitor reviews. Saudarkrokur, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Holar, is the other coastal town within easy reach.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

Three more cameras for aurora nights and Icelandic views:

• Adaldalshraun Webcam
• Abisko Webcam
• Reykjavik Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Holar located?

Holar is in Hjaltadalur, a valley on the east side of Skagafjordur in North Iceland. It is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Hofsos, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Saudarkrokur and 379 kilometers (236 miles) from Reykjavik.

What can you see on the Holar Webcam?

The camera looks across the valley floor at Holar: grassland, a gravel track, a line of ponds, a few buildings among trees and a long mountain ridge on the far side, with a steep slope on the right. At night the sky above that ridge becomes the subject. The page carries two cameras: the main pan, tilt and zoom camera and a wide-angle second camera in its own tab.

Can you see the northern lights on the Holar Webcam?

Yes, on clear, dark nights with enough solar activity. The operator runs the stream as a northern lights cam, and the season lasts from roughly September to April. Cloud is the usual spoiler, so check an aurora forecast first.

What is the weather like in Holar?

Cool and changeable. Nearby Saudarkrokur averages about 10.5 C (51 F) in July, while average lows in January and February are around -5 C (23 F). Winters are long, snowy and windy.

Does Holar have the midnight sun?

Almost. Holar is about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the Arctic Circle, so the sun sets briefly around the June solstice, but from May into July the sky stays light all night.

What is Holar Cathedral made of?

Red sandstone from Holabyrda, the 1,244 meter (4,081 foot) mountain above the settlement. Completed in 1763, it is the oldest stone church in Iceland.

What is Holar University known for?

Founded as an agricultural college in 1882 and renamed Holar University College in 2003, it specializes in horse breeding and riding, fish farming, fish biology and tourism.

Source: TokAir Iceland