Visit of the Grábrók Crater on our way to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Day 16 in Iceland started wet and would stay that way with a few breaks in between. Our final destination of the day was the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. A peninsula located between Reykjavik and the Westfjords.
On our way to the peninsula, we visited some other interesting sights. Our first stop of the day was just on the side of the Ring Road. We walked up to the Grábrók crater from where we had a panoramic view of the moss-covered lava fields of Borgarfjörður. The path towards the top was steep but well laid out so easily reachable for anyone with a normal condition. Just be careful as it can get very windy at the top.
Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls
We took a small detour to visit the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls. The place seemed to be quite popular, the beauty of nature had definitely something to do with it! To get there, we drove through an area with hot springs and saw the steam rising from the ground.
As both falls were situated next to the parking lot, it was only a short walk to see them. First we visited the Hraunfossar falls, also known as the Lava Waterfalls, which appear to be the widest waterfalls in Iceland. They are considered a hidden gem, but given the number of visitors, they are not so hidden anymore. Then we continued to the Barnafoss Waterfall where we crossed the Hvitá river to view the area from both sides.
By now we were getting a bit hungry and decided to have lunch in the restaurant on site. We opted for the soup buffet and were happy with our choice.
The last stop on our way to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula was Borgarnes. Here we did some shopping for the next days as there was no supermarket in the area where we had rented an apartment. Around half past three we reached our accommodation, Eiðhús Apartments. A cool find with a nice view!
Discovery of Selvallafoss and Stykkishólmur
After leaving our bags and supplies in the apartment, we headed straight out to explore part of the peninsula before dark. On the way to Stykkishólmur we stopped at a very beautiful waterfall called ‘Selvallafoss’. It was hidden and could not be seen from the road so we had to walk down. A real treasure, so definitely worth a stop !
The town of Stykkishólmur is very picturesque because of its colourful houses. It’s a fishing village where the ferry service from the Westfjords arrives.
On our way home, we stopped at the church of Stykkishólmur. The church is known for its modernist architecture and definitely worth a photo stop as it is quite unique.
It was a long day with many highlights, satisfied we returned to our apartment and prepared dinner. Then it was time to go to bed as tomorrow would be another busy day.
Discovery of the Southern part of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Seals at Ytri Tunga
Day 17 was all about exploring the rest of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. First stop of the day was ‘Ytri Tunga’, known as a good place for spotting seals. The rain was poring down when we arrived, we parked the car and waited patiently for the weather to improve. After half an hour, we got out and walked to the left side of the bay where we had seen some seals in the water. Unfortunately they were too far to get a good view, only the heads were sticking out of the water.
We met some other tourists that told us the seals could be seen on the other side of the beach. They lay on the rocks in front of the water. Along the way, we found a dead whale on the shore that seemed to have been there for some time. Wanting to see the seals a bit better, we had to clamber over some slippery, seaweed-covered rocks. We got close enough to get a few decent shots with the camera. My day was already a success ! Luckily we did not break anything.
The impressive Bjarnarfoss waterfall and the insta famous ‘Búðakirkja’
Next stop was Bjarnarfoss waterfall where a paved road led to a viewpoint. We saw people further along closer to the waterfall, but we made the tough choice to stop here as we still had a lot to see and we only had one full day to drive around the peninsula.
Next we went to the most photographed church on the peninsula, Búðakirkja. It was a small black church with a white fence around it. The place was verrrrry popular as we were not the only ones here…
The beautiful Rauðfeldsgjá gorge
We continued our journey and drove to the Rauðfeldsgjá gorge. After parking the car we walked towards the entrance and took some pictures of the outside. We wanted to see the secret canyon from the inside as well and for this we had to walk through some shallow water. Preferring to keep our feet dry, we had to step on some slippery stones scattered in the stream. We were really happy that we had not turned back like some other tourists, as it was really beautiful inside.
Arnastapi, a fishing village at the south side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Next stop on our agenda was Arnastapi, a former fishing village at the southern side of the peninsula. Here we decided to stop at the local restaurant for some fish and chips. Luckily we had only ordered one portion for both of us, as it was quite a lot.
We started our visit of the place at the Bárður Saga Snæfellsás Statue that represents half a man, half a giant.
From there we walked to Gatklettur, a rock formation in the form of an arch, probably the most popular sight of the area. The views were spectacular, a photographer’s dream.
Hellnar, Lóndrangar Cliffs and Djúpalónssandur beach
After a quick photo stop at the church of Hellnar and the Lóndrangar cliffs, we continued our way for a walk on the Djúpalónssandur beach. It was a black sand beach known for the remains of the Epine GY7 Fishing Trawler (dating back to March 1948). Visitors were specifically asked not to remove the iron debris which were scattered all over the place. Only 5 of the 19 crew members survived !
At the start of the walk we found several stones of different weights, used to test the strength of the fishermen.
Discovery of the Northern part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
We continued our drive around the peninsula passing a number of fishing villages, one of which, Hellissandur, was famous for its murals.
It was already late afternoon when we finally arrived at Kirkjufellsfoss where we tried to take the famous photo of the waterfalls with Mount Kirkjufell in the background. A great end of a great day !
The Snaefellsnes Peninsula was amazing and should not be overlooked when planning a trip to Iceland, as it was truly one of the most beautiful area’s that we visited during our stay.
The end of our holiday was approaching quickly, tomorrow we would return to Reykjavik.
Thanks for these wonderful impression of the Icelandic scenery. It’s certainly one of the most special places on earth.
Indeed, it’s so beautiful, a paradise for nature lovers and photographers!