Travel Snæfellsnes

Travel Iceland with Iceland Travel

Travel Snæfellsnes

Snæfellsnes is the peninsula pointing west like an arm outstretched towards Greenland. The pearl of the peninsula is the Snæfellsjökull glacier with its beautiful ice cap visible from as far south as Reykjanes, and as far north as the Westfjords. Every kind of volcano is to be found in the West of Iceland, but this perfectly formed crater with its glacial cap is the most recognised in the region. The peninsula’s rugged and beautiful coast is home to thousands of birds. There are golden beaches and black beaches, and lava fields swathed in shimmering green moss. Breiðafjörður alone accounts for a staggering 65% of Iceland’s rocky shoreline and 40% of its mudflats, inviting birds and birdwatchers alike. Frequently spotted are a wide variety of seabirds, waders, geese and white-tailed eagles. For some expert guidance, Seatours offers nature cruises of Breiðafjörður. As well as birds, you’re likely to see seals, and may be offered a taste of shellfish as it’s pulled straight from the water. Seatours runs fishing tours and can hook you up with fishing equipment. Besides fishing, the combination of Breiðafjörður’s many islands and its shallow waters also make it a sea kayaking paradise.

Flatey

If you’re catching the Baldur ferry from Brjánslækur, Flatey Island will be your first stop en route to Snæfellsnes (you can choose to stay on the ferry and keep going if you don’t want to explore the island). Breiðafjörður Bay has almost 3,000 islands, islets and reefs, but only Flatey is populated, and only a handful of residents stay the whole year round. It was the commercial hub and fishing center of Breiðafjörður for most of Iceland’s history up to the 20th century. Old houses, shops and warehouse buildings on Flatey reflect the prosperity of the period around 1900, and the brightly colored houses today still carry this sense of optimism. In the 16th century, the Hanseatic League in Germany ran a trading post here. The first Icelandic trader received a temporary licence in 1589 and, reflecting the island’s prosperity, Flatey received a charter as a town in 1777, nine years before Reykjavík.

Flateyjarbok (the Book of Flatey), one of the most important and impressive of Iceland’s ancient saga manuscripts, was preserved on Flatey in the Middle Ages. A photocopy reproduction is on display at the island’s library behind the church. The library is the oldest in Iceland, built in 1864 in the heyday of Flatey’s prosperity, and is among the smallest, sweetest libraries you’ll ever see. But the main attractions on Flatey are the birds and the scenery. Despite its name (Flatey means ‘flat island’) Flatey was formed when the caldera of a subglacial volcano collapsed, so there are some interesting basalt columns that are popular nesting places for birds, and popular photo subjects for visitors. The Baldur ferry crossing from Brjánslækur to Flatey takes about an hour, and another 90 minutes to Stykkishólmur. Note that you need to book in advance for cars. seatours.is

Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur is the largest town, the commercial center and the transit hub of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The village gets its name from the small island called Stykkið (meaning ‘the piece’) that is connected to the port by a narrow causeway. The town has an easily accessible and naturally sheltered harbor, and in 1550 a trading post was founded there. Nowadays, the people of Stykkishólmur make their living from fishing – especially for shellfish – and tourism. The tourist office right on the harbor can give you directions to local attractions and has maps of the town.

PICNIC SPOT TIP If you’re arriving by ferry, you’ll see the harbor’s beautiful rock formations and a hill right at the port with a bright red and yellow old lighthouse on top. This is in fact an islet in its own right called Súgandisey. It’s an easy walk to the top and a great place to get a view of some of the town’s colorful houses, as well as out to sea and across Breiðafjörður to the Westfjords. Looking towards town, the building up on the hill with big bay windows is Vatnasafn, the Library of Water (see below).

Iceland’s oldest meteorological station is in Stykkishólmur. It was first manned in 1845 by Árni Thorlacius, who in 1832 had built The Norwegian House (Norska Húsið), an elegant timber building that has been lovingly renovated and houses the local folk museum. The timber was imported from Norway,

hence the name, and the building was a palace in its time. Exhibits recount town history, assemble artefacts, and re-create the ambiance of the 19th century. The Norwegian House’s gift shop reflects this ambience and emphasises truly Icelandic ware. Hafnargata 5 – norskahusid.is

In addition to The Norwegian House, many of Stykkishólmur’s buildings are well preserved and painted in bright colors, adding to the charm of the place. The Narfeyrarstofa café/ restaurant, across the green from The Norwegian House, is in one of Stykkishólmur’s older houses and is popular for both its atmosphere and its grilled local scallops. Aðalgata 3 – narfeyrarstofa.is

Vatnasafn – Library of Water houses an unusual, fascinating collection of water, extracted as ice from 24 glaciers around Iceland. The water is stored transparent and still, in a constellation of floor-to-ceiling glass columns which reflect and refract the light outside, illuminating the interior as it becomes dark. Some are crystal clear, others opaquely murky. The library, or the museum as some might want to call it, is unlike anything else in Iceland. It was created as a multi–faceted, long-term installation and community center by American artist Roni Horn, in collaboration with Artangel, and was opened in 2007. It’s located in the building where the Stykkishólmur library once was. Sitting atop a hill, the building overlooks Breiðafjörður Fjord (in fact more like a bay) on one side and the harbor on the other, through beautiful panelled windows. Inscribed on the floor of the library are adjectives associated with weather in both English and Icelandic. With the world’s glaciers shrinking rapidly, the Library of Water is also a place for reflecting – it may even become an important environmental archive sometime in the future. The museum has several rooms and has been used for intimate music concerts, film screenings, yoga classes and town meetings. There is always a chess board ready in case any chess players drop in – chess is very popular in Iceland. Hafnargata 3. libraryofwater.is

Eldfjallasafn – Volcano Museum A unique exhibition of international art and objects related to volcanic eruptions and their impact. Aðalgata 6 – eldfjallasafn.is Just south of Stykkishólmur on Rte. 58 is a turnoff to Helgafell, ‘Holy Mountain’, which is a columnar basalt hill, thought by early settlers to be sacred. The site also features prominently in several Icelandic sagas. It’s a steep climb to the top, but only takes 15 minutes or so and rewards you with excellent views and, according to legend, three wishes. The church at the base of the hill is more than a century old. On the northern coast of the peninsula is the farm and shark museum of Bjarnarhöfn (Rte. 577). Bjarnarhöfn produces and sells Iceland’s most potent delicacy: cured, putrefied shark, called hákarl. At the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum you can learn some of the history of the

area, see the old shark-fishing boats, and get a taste of the “real Iceland” by trying hákarl for yourself – or some dried fish if you’d rather play it safe! Bjarnarhöfn is on the edge of the Berserkjahraun lava field. Bjarnarhöfn.

Berserkjahraun, the Beserkers’ Lava Field. This surreal lava field halfway between Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur was created just a few thousand years ago, making it young enough to still possess all kinds of strange shapes, made all the more fascinating by the color and textural contrasts in the rock and the thick mosses.

The Berserkjahraun lava field was named after an infamous incident dating back to the late 10th century and recounted in Eyrbyggja Saga. It is said that a farmer killed two berserker slaves there, after promising one of them his daughter’s hand in marriage in exchange for the slaves clearing a path through the lava field from his farm Hraun to Bjarnarhöfn. Once the berserkers finished this immense task, the farmer locked them inside a scalding hot sauna, spearing them as they tried to escape. A path through the lava field is still evident, and the skeletons of two men were discovered there in the 19th century—both of average height but powerfully built. To reach this path, instead of turning off Rte. 577 to reach Bjarnarhöfn farm, continue until you reach the sign for Berserkjagata, meaning Berserkers’ Way. There is a stone cairn along the trail marking the hollow where the skeletons were found. Note that even with walking trails, it is sometimes not easy to negotiate the lava.

Grundarfjörður

The village of Grundarfjörður (Rte. 54) lies in a beautiful fjord, surrounded by spectacular mountains that give the area a slightly alpine look. The oblong Mt. Kirkjufell is the town’s landmark. It looks like a volcano but is actually a piece that got separated from the main mountain strip. In 1786, Grundarfjörður received the right to commerce and soon after that, French merchants came to Iceland and lived in the village. The town became rich through its fishing industry, and a hospital and church were constructed. The town’s wealth is evident in the luxurious style of the original houses. Grundarfjörður is home to the Eyrbyggja Heritage Center where exhibits focus on the history of fishing and other aspects of rural life on the peninsula in days gone by.

Ólafsvik, Hellissandur & Rif

The fishing village of Ólafsvik is close to the glacier Snæfellsjökull. The fishing grounds near Ólafsvík are very rich, and the village has been the most productive fishing town in the Snæfellsnes peninsula since the 1950s. In the 17th century, Ólafsvík became the first town in Iceland to receive a license from the Danish king to engage in commerce. Its location at the southern entrance of Breiðarfjörður made it ideal for trading. Ólafsvík is home to the Snæfellsbær Regional Museum on the upper floor of an 1841 warehouse (Pakkhúsið) and exhibits household items and farm implements. There’s also the maritime museum Sjávarsafnið Ólafsvík, by the harbor. Ólafsbraut 12.

Hellissandur is a busy fishing village at the edge of the sea on an elevated coastal plateau near the outermost tip of the peninsula, adjacent to another

seaside fishing village, Rif, that faces the open sea. In medieval times, Rif was an important trading port. The Snæfellsjökull National Park Visitors’ Center is in Hellissandur Klettsbúð 7. snaefellsnes.is/english Ólafsvík, Rif, Hellissandur, Hellnar and Arnarstapi have now amalgamated to form Snæfellsbær.

Snæfellsjökull Mountain, Glacier & National Park

Snæfellsjökull is a stratovolcano on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, with a glacier covering its summit, 1,446m / 4,744ft high. The volcano last erupted in the year AD 250. The name of the mountain is actually Snæfell, but is generally referred to as Snæfellsjökull to distinguish it from two other mountains in Iceland of the same name. Snæfellsjökull can be seen from Reykjavík and the coast of Reykjanes 120km / 75 miles away, over the bay of Faxaflói, and has been compared to Mt. Fuji, visible 100km / 62 miles from Tokyo. On June 28, 2001, the Snæfellsjökull National Park was founded. The park covers over 170km2 / 56sq miles and includes Snæfellsjökull and the entire western tip of the peninsula. Snæfellsjökull National Park is the first National Park in Iceland to extend into the sea. The glacier is easily accessible (Rte. 570) in fine weather, but note that when the mountain is misty, driving can be quite slow and it can be difficult to see where to stop to step onto the glacier itself for that all important “Look, I’m on a glacier!” snapshot. If in doubt, or if you’d like to take a Snjófell Snow Scooter tour to the glacier, this can be arranged from Arnarstapi.

You can book your tour in your app or on the Iceland Travel website - icelandtravel.is

In any case, be careful if you intend hiking on the glacier – conditions are becoming less stable as the glacier melts, and vary from year to year. Even from a distance, Snæfellsjökull is considered to be one of the most beautiful glaciers in Iceland, and many believe it to possess supernatural powers. Snæfellsjökull first became world famous after the publication in 1864 of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Many spiritually minded people report sensing the glacier’s therapeutic powers and energy. In an Icelandic novel – Under the Glacier – by Nobel Prize winning author Halldór Laxness, the glacier seems to induce the local community’s religious transformation. Sönghellir, ‘the Singing Cave’ (Rte. 570), is famous for its echoes and for its antique graffiti. Many people have written their names on the walls of the cave, some of them very well known within Iceland. Among them are Eggert Ólafsson and Bjarni Pálsson who were travelling around Iceland in the late 18th century – quite an enterprise at the time – fighting for Enlightenment and against superstition. You may

also recognise some runes and signs of sorcery there. Note that the best echoes are achieved if you speak or sing outside the entrance to the cave, rather than inside it.

At the tip of Snæfellsnes peninsula, near Dritvík (Rte. 574), is a sign to Djúpalónssandur, an inlet used in centuries past as a landing for small fishing boats. Fishermen at the time were allocated wages according to their strength; measured on weightstones, still visible down by the landing. Here, not even the roar of the ocean can cover the sound of the seagulls constantly on the move!

Hellnar and Arnarstapi

The romantic little fishing villages of Hellnar and Arnarstapi (Rte. 574) are both known for their rock formations in the shapes of arches, caves and stacks, as well as their cliffs, swarming with huge colonies of birds. Hellnar is home to the Snæfellsjökull National Park’s Visitor Centre, where exhibits explain this part of the country’s trade history, and the geology, geography and animal life of the park. For centuries, Hellnar was one of the largest fishing villages beneath the Snæfellsjökull ice cap. At Hellnar there is a very small café Fjöruhúsið right by the seashore, worth visiting as much for its fresh soups and cakes as for its location overlooking some stunning rock formations. The café is open during the summer months.” Valasnös, a freestanding rock that extends east of the bay, contains one of Iceland’s most peculiar caves, Baðstofa. This cave is known for the unusual way light is reflected off its colorful interior, and for the cacophony of bird calls often

resounding there. There is also a cold water spring, Maríulind, at the edge of the lava here. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary because it is said there was once an apparition of her at the spring. The cliffs between Arnarstapi and Hellnar were made a Natural

Reserve in 1979. The 2.5km / 1.5 mile Arnarstapi-Hellnar trail linking the two settlements falls within this protected nature reserve and is the peninsula’s most popular coastal hiking route. One of the particularly striking forms of lava erosion visible from the trail is Gatklettur, an arch extending into the sea – magnificent in all seasons. It’s worth glancing out to sea every now and then along this whole stretch of coast in case you spot seals or whales too. If you walk the trail, be careful to walk only on the path, to avoid falling into the ravines.

Arnarstapi was once an important trading post and had a much bigger population than it has now – less than a dozen people now live here permanently. The population of elves here is said to be much healthier – the Stapafell mountain, just outside Arnarstapi, is a known elf residence, so don’t be surprised if you spot the little doorways painted onto rocks. But elves are notoriously elusive, so a walk along the coastline is highly recommended to see the relatively more obliging birds, especially Kittiwakes, as well as the superb lava formations. There is quite a large arctic tern colony in the village itself, so watch out for dive-bombers if you’re walking around! Local fishermen in Arnarstapi can often be seen fishing and landing the day’s catch.

Búðir

Picturesque Búðir (off Rte. 574 just before the junction with Rte. 54) is situated by the shore, home to an 1848 church and a stylish hotel, and surrounded by the Búðahraun lava field. This is a unique place to walk in the sandy lava fields, see the charming black church, and stroll on one of the few golden beaches of Iceland. Your camera can easily be kept busy here! A 2km / 1.2 miles trail lies between Búðir and Frambúðir, where there are ruins of fishermen’s huts and trading booths. From Frambúðir there’s also a trail that heads inland across a lava field to the Búðaklettur volcanic crater. The lava was deposited here as many as 8,000 years ago, and is now home to a rich variety of mosses, ferns and wildflowers. It’s an easy walk, but if you come this far and then return to Búðir, allow 3 hours for the round trip.

Iceland is a pool-crazy nation and no doubt has the most public pools per capita in the world, which is why we’re not listing them all in this booklet. But the pool at Lýsuhóll (Rte. 54, east of Búðir) is unique even for Iceland. At Lýsuhóll, the water is piped straight

from its mineral-rich hot spring source without removing the natural algae and silica. The result is... slimy, but bathing here sure feels natural and is likely to leave your skin feeling revivified. lysuholl.is

At the junction of Rte. 54 and 56 is a small shop and caféteria – a good place for a break. Gerðuberg is an interesting escarpment of high, hexagonal basalt columns. It is one of the longest rock faces in the country and is striking in its uniformity (a 1 km detour from Rte. 54, follow the YtriRauðamelur sign). Not far from here, but on Rte. 567 off the other side of Rte. 54 is Eldborg, a perfectly symmetrical oblong crater about 200 metres long. This was the source of the surrounding lava fields some 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, and there is a marked hiking path all the way to the top of the crater from the Snorrastaðir farm. The walk can be done relatively easily within an hour or so.

TIPS FOR SPOTTING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS was that a ghost? A swirling veil of light lingers high above in the night sky. Suddenly it moves, shape-shifting into daggers of green and red light, twinkling and teasing and then disappearing again. Most people visiting Iceland have already heard of the northern lights, or aurora borealis, but if you’re not an experienced gazer, keep in mind that you need a cool, clear night sky in order to spot them. This means the winter months are best, but northern lights have been known to grace the skies of Iceland as late as May and as early as August. They’re harder to spot from populated areas because of light pollution, so the Snæfellsnes peninsula makes an ideal location to set your camera to ‘manual’ (so you can leave the shutter open for 30 seconds), point it skywards and then cross your fingers!