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Snaefellsness is the peninsula in the west of Iceland. At a 1.5-hour drive from Reykjavík you are already on the beginning of the peninsula. This piece is not called Iceland in small for nothing. There is so much to see on this small piece that you can see in the rest of the country. Think of craters, hot springs, rock formations, a rough coastline and fishing villages. Enough to spend 2-3 days and see everything. Here is a nice route for your mini tour of mini Iceland.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
ELDBORG CRATER
We start at the beginning of the peninsula with a hike to the crater of the Eldborg volcano. This enormous crater can already be seen from road 54, which is a few hundred meters inland.
A hiking trail has been created to the crater. This starts at the farm Snorrastadir Farm Holidays. We rent a cottage here for 2 nights. You can find more about the accommodation in here. Have you found another accommodation yet? No problem. You can still park your car perfectly and for free on this property. Then cross the bridge and walk along the meadows. At one point, the sign below indicates that this is the start of the path to the Eldborg. Continue until you reach the fence that should stop the sheep. You cannot go wrong after entering the gate. A walking path has been created that you have to follow completely. This is about 3 kilometers long.
Once you arrive at the crater you feel very small. The crater is about 50 meters deep and has a diameter of 200 meters. Time to face this boy! Yes, you can also climb the Eldborg! The first meters are easy to walk with a natural stone staircase. Slowly these steps change into rocks and you have a shaky pole with a chain on it as the only grip. Be careful which step you take and do not climb the crater in bad weather! It is definitely worth the climb because the view is beautiful! The entire crater is still intact and from the inside the crater is also special to see.
GERDUBERG
Gerduberg’s 400-meter-wide basalt bars are a special phenomenon. These are located at the beginning of the Snaefellsness peninsula. This peninsula is full of volcanoes and especially the beginning of the peninsula. Thousands of years ago, the cliff’s lava flowed in an even flow. Because the sea cooled it, the basalt got the shape of these beautiful columns up to 14 meters high. When you stand for it you see it for real. For the contrast you see me in the first photo between the giant columns.
You can already see Gerduberg from road 54 on the right. At a certain point you can take a dirt road to the right. You drive this. At a certain point you will see a road where 1 to 3 cars can park. This way you can admire the columns in peace. A bit further there is a beautiful church called Raudamelur.
SVÓRTULOFT LIGHTHOUSE
A nice photo spot is the lighthouse Svórtuloft. This is a bright orange lighthouse on the edge of a cliff by the sea. It’s a beautiful piece. The bright orange colour of the lighthouse contrasts beautifully with nature. This provides a nice shot! In addition, it is very quiet and you can take a walk here and enjoy the sounds of the birds, wind and waves.
You can park for free directly at the lighthouse. You do have to drive a long bumpy path for this. If you don’t have a 4×4 rental car, this may cause problems.
INGJALDSHÓLSKIRKJA
Churches in Iceland are all worth photographing! But the most idyllic church for us is really the Ingjaldshólskirkja. A beautiful church situated on a hill with a huge access road. The location of this church makes it one of the most popular churches in Iceland. In the spring, beautiful purple flowers bloom on the sides of the road, which completes the picture!
The Ingjaldshólskirkja was built in 1903, making it the oldest concrete church in Iceland. The story goes that Columbus spent a winter in the town of Ingjaldshóll. There is also a painting of him with this church in the background.
KIRKJUFELL
The most photographed mountain in Iceland is the 463 meter high Kirkjufell. The mountain is shaped like a gnome’s hat and you can walk or even climb around this mountain. Don’t you want this? Then you can view the Kirkjufellfoss on the other side of the road. When you are in front of this you walk up and go to the left side of the waterfall. From here you have a beautiful view of the waterfall and the mountain! From this point most photographers capture their images. From a beautiful summer day and also the night with the Northern Lights in the background. It is truly beautiful. This was also the setting for Game of Thrones in seasons 6 and 7.
This mountain is located in the fishing village of Grundarfjörður where you can also find beautiful hiking trails and boat trips to spot whales, seals or puffins, for example.
The parking lot is on the road between the mountain and the waterfall. It is therefore not far to walk and parking is free here too.
ANARSTAPI
Anarstapi is a former fishing village which is characterized by the cliffs and beautiful views and nesting birds. You can also see the basalt bars in some cliffs. During our visit the sun was shining and it was very quiet. We enjoyed ourself hours here. This place can not be missed!
In Anarstapi you can walk for miles along these cliffs all the way to the next village Hellnar. This walk is 6 kilometers return and you can start the walk from the parking lot in both villages. You pass through meadows and lava fields. A few hundred meters to the left of the parking lot you will find the Gatklettur. This is a huge rock formation with 2 holes in it.
Whales and porpoises can occur off the coast. Find a nice spot and see if you can spot them!
LANDBROTALAUG HOT POT
We end the route again at the foot of the peninsula, enjoying peace and quiet in a natural bath. We brengen een bezoek aan de Landbrotaulaug hot spring! It is not without reason that this is called the most romantic hot spring in Iceland. A small hot spring can be found in the middle of nature and is just big enough for 2 people. The temperature is great! 36-40 degrees on average. Here you can hold out a few minutes/hours.
Because the Landbrotaulaug is so small and virtually unknown, it requires some searching work. You won’t get there with Google Maps. The Landbrotaulaug can be found on the Snaefellsness peninsula. We stayed at Snorrastadir Farm Holidays, which was only a 5 minute drive. When you reach the peninsula, you are on road 54. The Elborg crater can already be seen from a the distance. Once you have passed this crater you have to take the first left. This exit is indicated with Stóra Hraun. Drive on the bumpy road for a few minutes and you will reach the parking lot.
But then you are not there yet! Since this is not a tourist attraction, the hot spring is not indicated anywhere. This is how you get there:
Cross a water. This can be recognized by the narrow path with stones that serve as a crossing place. Then walk straight ahead for a while. Then you run into the hot spring. Enjoy!
The parking and entrance is free. If you are lucky there are no other tourists. There is no changing room available. Again, this is pure nature. It is useful if you already have the swimwear under the clothes. Bring towels and slippers!
BEAUTIFUL ROUTES ON THE GO
The Snaefellsness peninsula is beautiful! The views along the way are wonderful. Never we enjoy the car trip so much. In addition to the above attractions, you will regularly stop at beautiful places. It is tempting not to stop constantly after every 100 meters. Your camera is making overtime. Take your time and enjoy all the beauty, because you’ll remember this forever!