28.05.2021
The Freezer Hostel & Cultural Center Ríf
I parked the car in front of the colourful building. The rain had subsided to a drizzle, but the sky was really dark over the village and the coast … My funny little car was soooo dirty now. Mud from the gravel tracks was sticking to it everywhere …
Check-in at this cool place was quick since I had booked and paid via booking 2 nights for €42 total. I got a bed in a colourful 4-bed-mixed-dorm themed Gimli. The word Gimli means “heavenly abod” or “home of the Gods” in Icelandic. It is an Icelandic variant form of Gimlé – in Norse mythology, Gimlé – alternately Gimli in Icelandic – was a place where the worthy survivors of Ragnarök were foretold to live. It was mentioned in the Prose Edda and the Eddic poem “Völuspá” and described as the most beautiful place in Asgard – more beautiful than the sun. I was alone for the moment and took the lower bunk near the window.
The place was a former – renovated – fish factory that now served as an award winning social hostel & culture centre where Icelandic arts, culture and local hospitality came together to create a complete West Icelandic experience. The atmosphere inside was cosy and comfortable – it was warm and it was also a pub, a theatre and a social centre. The social lounge had comfy retro furniture with books and games and corners to chill. The place was almost empty, at this time of this strange year … there was just 2 more people around.
There was a well equipped kitchen and I made dinner. Before I cooked the ready-made Plokkfiskur I had bought earlier quickly in the microwave, I laughed about the snack dispenser … the slots for chocolate bars were empty … but earplugs were on offer for ISK 300. Not that I needed any, but I though it a great idea … we should install one on the ships I work on since there were always guests who did not like the regular ships noises …
My dinner was actually quite good. Plokkari – as it was often called – was a simple dish. Traditionally it served a purpose – to make do with yesterday’s leftovers … Usually made from the dry-boiled haddock and potatoes from the day before and put into a sauce made of milk and flour. Plokkfiskur was not an Icelandic dish as such, though it was doubtful that it was consumed in as much quantity anywhere else, per capita. Plukkfisk is the Norwegian equivalent. The British have their fish stew which is not far off from Plokkfiskur, but usually has some smoked fish in it. The Mediterraneans have their versions in Occitanie and east Spain which is called Brandade de Morue and Brandada de Bacalao respectively – a stockfish and olive oil emulsion flavoured with herbs and spices.
And I was well stuffed afterwards. When I posted the photo, my friends made fun of me since Plokkfiskur looked somewhat like a mashed up pile of baby food … but I like all mashed up piles of Icelandic food …
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Confucious
I splurged in a couple of carrot & Vodka drinks while lounging in my bed sorting and posting photos. It was really raining hard outside now. An American girl named Katy arrived. She was actually travelling in a camper van, but figured she can use a warm bed instead oft he cold van in the rain. The guy at reception told her, it would cost the same to park the camper outside and use the facilities in side, she might as well use the bed as well …
I only chatted a little with her, then I slept early again. Tomorrow I did not have anywhere to go, but I wanted to tour Snæfellsnes peninsula a bit – like circle the head of the peninsula. There was so much to see around here – it was often referred to as “Iceland in miniature” … I was excited and hoped for better weather …
29.05.2021
149 km around Snæfellsnes peninsula
Guess what! I woke up very early … Yeah well … But I fiddled about with the photos and the journal and Katy who was from Indiana/USA was up as early and we chatted. Since I had no destination today and not really a plan yet … surprise! … I was in no hurry. I left by 08:00, though. I put plenty clothes on and stuffed more in the car … I even dug out the camera poncho and my rain poncho just in case … It was raining as I hopped in the car … the weather app stated clear sky and sunshine … well … I just hoped, the weather would listen to the app eventually …
Nevertheless, I got going. My rough idea was to circle the head of Snæfellsnes peninsula counterclockwise, take in the sights and find some secret boxes. If the weather was too miserable, I would find a hotpot instead … For now I was hopeful the weather would improve …
The first funny encounter this morning was a huge sign warning of birds on the road … why was it that Arctic Tern liked to sit in the middle of the road? I had seen this already in the far north … Were they secret relatives of the Icelandic Sheep who like to hang out in the middle of the road as well?
My first stop was at the end of a short road. I had spotted the lonely, white-washed and red-roofed Ingjaldshólskirkja from afar and turned off the main road to have a look. Ingjaldshóll was one of the historic sites in Iceland – it was in the possession of the powerful and wealthy Sturlunga Clan who controlled this part of Iceland during the 12th and 13th centuries. It was also said to be the setting of the Víglundar saga – one of the latest of the Icelandic family sagas, dating to the end of the 14th or beginning of the 15th century. The saga tells the story of the love between Víglundr and Ketilríðr who were attached to each other since childhood.
On the way up to the church I passed Katy in her colourful camper van. She was a few minutes ahead of me and waved hello. Braving the wind and rain I got out to see if the church was open. Ingjaldshólskirkja was the oldest stone church in the country. It was built in 1903. Evidence shows that there had been a church at this site since 1317. It was considered the 3rd largest in the country after the cathedral churches of Skálholt and Hólar until the 19th century. In the church was room for about 400 believers – a number that was unique for the island. These proportions have been estimated based on the corner stones of the old church that have been preserved in the churchyard.
Legend has it that in the summer of 1477 a worthy gentleman arrived in Ríf by ship and spent the winter on Ingjaldshóll. It was said to have been none other than Christopher Columbus, who wanted to find out more about the Scandinavian shipping routes in the western Atlantic. However, this often repeated story has not yet been proven. However, a painting depicting his possible visit was still in the church. Unfortunately, the church was locked and I could not really see anything through the small windows.
So I got back in the car and drove the few kilomters to Hellissandur – one of the first and oldest fishing villages in Iceland traced back to the 16th century and the last village before Snæfellsjökull National Park. Hellissandur also became the so-called Capital of Street Art of Iceland! Of course, I had to go and check it out! I am a sucker for street art murals and remember vividly visiting Lodhi Art District in India and searching for murals in Reykjavik. And there even was a geocache dedicated to it here …
The secret box was hidden on privat ground at the back side of the Restaurant and Art Café RAM which was run by a German family since 2020. The listing said that the owners knew about this cache and not to be shy and chat with them when stopping by. I should not have worried … While the weather had cleared up considerably and the sun had come out, the wind was persistent and strong. Before I even had turned off the engine, the lady owner came out of the café and gestured me to turn the car around in order to be able to open the door more easily. Otherwise the wind might rip off my door. She immediately spoke German to me … when I asked her why, she said she spoke German to all tourists first … and she recognized tourists because they park the car the wrong way. Icelanders would never do that … park the car so the wind could rip off the door …
Having parked the car correctly I followed her in and ordered a coffee. It was quiet this early in the morning, only 2 other people were in the cozy café having breakfast. I found a nice table near the window and admired not only the view but also the artwork in the room.
The friendly owner sat with me and we chatted a bit. She told me what not to miss seeing around here. The geocache was behind the building so I told here I had stopped for that and if she knew where it was. Of course she did. She pointed out several more interesting locations of geocaches on the peninsula as well. When I left she gave me the coffee for free and waved me to go around the house to find that secret box.
She must have watched me from inside … I was not successful … by now a light drizzle had started again and the wind was still pulling at my jackets … but she came out to the back porch and pointed me towards the stairs … it should be under the stair … I had to get down not only on my knees but lie down flat on my stomach in order to be able to peer under the porch construction … and then I spotted the box in the farthest corner of the stairs. I had to stretch a lot to be able to reach it with my fingertips … and then I had it! Success! Second to find! It had been placed only a few weeks before …
That achieved I waved the lady good-bye and took a drive to have a closer look at the streetart. The first mural I had already spotted in the distance – a color-splashed ram with a background of mountains. This art piece was made by the Canadian team Lacey Jane and Layla Folkmann. It looked fantastic … and so real!
With a small tangle of streets, the windswept Hellisandur occupied a narrow 400m shelf of land between a lava field and the sea shore. In the beginning of 2018, Kári Viðarsson, the creator of The Freezer, got a new idea – to give the village an artsy facelift. The Hellissandur: Street Art Capital Of Iceland project was born. 10 international artists from all over the world came and spruced up the town with over 30 big murals placed in various locations.
Each mural was inspired by a local story – from Iceland’s only recorded serial killer Áxlar-Björn to Jules Verne’s “The Journey to the Center of the Earth”, where a professor, his nephew and a guide try to reach the center of the Earth through the Snæfellsjökull volcano located a couple of kilometers from Hellisandur. Most of the murals were concentrated around the abandoned fish factory, but a walk around town would probably have revealed several more.
A small house nearby owed its colorful decoration to the artists Ban Pesk and Laureen Burlat – arious depictions of birds, such as the Arctic Tern, enthroned in a sea of colors on the side of the building, make all walls unique.
In Hellisandur there was also a Maritime Museum with the oldest exhibit from 1826. Unfortunately, it was closed. But I found in the village center a cool sculpture. It reminded me of the Sun Voyager I had visited in Reykjavík and it turned out to be “The Ship” of the same famous Icelandic artist Jon Gunnar Arnason who created it in 1986. It depicted a Viking ship. Gleaming in the sun, it looked almost as impressive as the Sun Voyager.
Leaving the small settlement and the few rays of sunshine behind, I turned back onto road #574 – which was here called Útnesvegur – and headed west past Gufuskálar with its longwave radio mast – with 412-metre-height among the tallest structures in Western Europe and built in 1963. I only had a fleeting glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye … I was rather looking for natural wonders … The weather had changed to grey, rainy and very windy as soon as I had left the village, though …
Only a few minutes later I turned onto Öndverðarnesvegur #579 towards the westernmost point of Snæfellsnes. The narrow road started out asphalted for the first kilometer or so and led through an old lava field. I was looking out for Skarðsvík Beach which the lady from the art café in Hellisandur had mentioned as a spot worth stopping even in this weather.
Despite the drizzle I found and stopped at Skarðsvík Beach which was said to be an exceptional, natural gem, even by Icelandic standards. So I braved the stormy wind, grabbed the camera and went out for a few quick photos. In stark contrast to the majority of black sand beaches in Iceland, Skarðsvík almost resembled a Mediterranean shoreline – enforced by its aquamarine, turquoise water and the surrounding dark, volcanic landscape. Even in the grey weather the colours were stunning.
Skarðsvík was a beautiful spot with huge basaltic rock formations and a golden sandy beach. It was an extremely picturesque sight. In better weather I would have taken a walk along the shore, but I could hardly hold the camera still in the wind today.
From there the road was a gravel track again. I saw Katy in her colourful campervan coming back already. Slowing down I waved and we stopped and chatted for a few minutes. She had not spent as much time in Hellisandur and was already on the way to the next sight. We figured we might meet again today … in the end we did not. Anyway, she mentioned, the road ahead was getting worse and I might have a problem, because my funny little car was lower than hers … But I was not worried … yet …
Heading carefully down the track, I eventually reached a junction and turned right onto an even rougher track … but I was brave after navigating the Westfjords … The drive through the huge lava field that a volcano had left here and that was now overgrown with moss, lichens and other herbs, was simply beautiful. I saw the small lighthouse ahead and could always stop and walk the rest if the track looked too challenging ahead.
Of course, it was no problem and I made it safely to the small parking lot next to the stubby orange lighthouse – Öndverðarnesviti – built in 1973 and only 4 m high. It stood at Öndverðarnes Cape – the westernmost point of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Öndverðarnes used to be a vibrant fishing station back in the olden times with fishery and a lot of fisherman’s huts – all long gone now. Since 1945 Öndverðarnes has been deserted.
It was so stormy here – my funny little car shook! I remembered the advice from the lady earlier and circled around with the car to point the nose into the wind. Following the sign at the car door to always hold onto it when opening, I carefully climbed out without letting go of the door. Putting on my jackets was a great challenge as well, but I managed. The wind was strong and cold! But I wanted to have a look around, take some photos and … naturally … find a geocache!
The secret box was hidden near the lighthouse … under rocks … and there were sooooo many rocks … the wind was ripping at me … more than once I almost lost my balance climbing around the rocks strewn everywhere … more than once I nearly gave up …
I searched for a very long time and sometimes even climbed on all fours over the rocks … the wind was pulling and pushing at me … and then all of a sudden I saw something which did not quite fit … that looked like a box … could it be? … to reach it I had to climb up a pile of rocks again and the reach way down into a crevice … and there it was! Carefully I opened it and pulled out the logbook. Holding tight as so not to have the wind blow it over the cliff side, I quickly signed the logbook and packed the box back into its hiding place.
There was no way I could have gone for a walk along the cliff, though. I saw the waves crashing up … it was beautiful, but there was no visible path and clambering over the rocks was not an option in these conditions … anyway … I still had places to visit today … if I was lucky I would see more crashing waves …
Instead I got back in the car carefully and backtracked a couple of kilometers to that junction and then continued south on another bumpy track to the orange coloured lighthouse on Saxhólsbjarg cliff – Skálasnagaviti lighthouse and Svörtuloft less than a kilometer further on. Funnily enough, the weather changed. It had stopped raining, the clouds opened to some blue sky and even a bit of sun … only the wind … the wind persisted …
This was a ruggedly beautiful place to visit. I do not have to tell you, I probably only ended up here, because there was an Earth Cache marker here … But I ended up totally in awe of those cliffs … The name Svörtuloft – or the Black Ceiling – sounded ominous and a bit scary, but the name stemmed from the cliffs being formed of pitch-black lava. Here the lava flow did not stop until it reached the cold sea and the surf has eroded it through the centuries. Wrapped up in all my warm clothes and decked out with all camera gadgets I wandered up the boardwalks to the cliff edge … taking numerous selfies on the way…
From out at sea the lighthous Skálasnagaviti is called Svörtuloftaviti lighthouse. It has really 2 names – one from land and one from the sea. The concrete lighthouse – built in 1931 – 12.8 m high – was the successor of the first iron bar lighthouse erected here in 1914. I was not so interested in the history … I was happy with the blue sky, fighting the wind and having a selfie frenzie …
The Boardwalks provided an excellent and safe view of the black lava cliffs of Svörtuloft with the cliff dwelling seabirds. The natural arch just below the lighthouse was a spectacular part of the cliff. The sea was rough today with the waves crashing high on the lava stacks. The view of the bird colony was not as great as the other day at Látrabjarg since I could not get as close, but still the number of seabirds was impressive.
Just below, a lone lava sea stack stood right at the shore. A stack or sea stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column of rock in the sea near a coast, formed by wave erosion. Stacks are formed over time by wind and water, processes of coastal geomorphology – when part of a headland is eroded by hydraulic action, which is the force of the sea or water crashing against the rock.
The lava here looks like it had been cut and made into a massive, sheer black wall – the almost 4 km long Saxhólsbjarg. It was magnificent … the roaring wind and waves … the sun came out for a bit and the views were breathtaking.
Even with the cold wind … I could hardly tear myself away from those spectacular views. I marveled at the colours and the waves … If the wind had not been so cold I would have stayed the day … it was so beautiful here …
Heading back to the parking lot, I collected more details for the Earth Cache to make up the answers later. A few more photos with the lighthouse … when the angle was right, the face was wrong … when the face was right, the angle was wrong … typical selfie problems …
On the way back down the gravel track to the main road, I stopped by the road side … more or less in the middle of the track in hope no other car would come within the next few minutes … and it did not … The track skirted the cliff side and while on the way there I had concentrated on the lighthouse ahead, now the view was along the seemingly endless cliff and the huge waves crashing up the lava walls were just awesome.
I walked up a bit closer to the cliff edge and sat down in the grass to watch the spectacle below. Huge waves washed up the entire cliff side which was a good 20 m or so highI guessed … and the waves even crashed above it …
Fascinated by the colours I looked around me. With the sun playing hide and seek with the clouds the ocean below sparkled in an awesome shade of turquoise. The grass on the plateau was still brownish from winter, but cushions of pink Arctic Thyme were sprinkled around me.
Soon I was back on the main road #574 driving south across the Neshraun lavafield towards the Snæfellsjökull National Park. I could not help it, but from the distance the mountains there looked like a face to me … Storm clouds hung low over the mountains. There are only 3 National Parks in Iceland – this one was with 170 km² the middle-sized one, simply surrounding Snæfellsjökull glacier/volcano and extending all the way to the seashore – the only National Park in Iceland to do so. The most famous example of the many folklores surrounding the area was a saga depicting the adventurous tales of Bárður Snæfellsás – half-man, half-troll. Maybe that mountain was him?
My next goal was an Earth Cache at Saxhóll Crater – a scoria cone – the most common type of volcano, but also the smallest type – with modest heights of generally less than 300 m. They often occur as single volcanic edifices on basaltic lava fields or as parasitic cones generated by flank eruptions on much larger – and older – shield volcanoes and strato volcanoes. Saxhóll rose dramatically approx 100 m above the north-western corner of Snæfellsnes in the center of an otherwise flat lava field. To collect the details for the logging requirements for the Earth Cache I had to climb to the top …
There was only one other car in the parking lot … another funny little white car … It was said to be easy to climb Saxhóll Crater and the view from the top was supposed to be spectacular. Considering the stormy weather, I quarreled with the little voice in my head telling me to skip it, it was just another cache … but I overcame my inner temptation and bundled up … At last the rain had completely stopped for now …
A low-set metal staircase followed the path´s course to the top in order to make the ascent as easy as possible for guests … that helped … The stair project had been awarded several International landscape awards, by the way. It was indeed easy to climb. Some sections were in the lee of the wind. Quickly I reached the top …
Then I was in the center of the wind! Gosh, it was blowing like hell up there and it was freezing … Scoria cones are composed almost wholly of basaltic tephra – ejected from lava fountains or mildly explosive eruptions from a single vent which shoots melted rock fragments into the air. These cool rapidly as they pass through the air and fall back to earth, landing around the vent and accumulating in the typical cone shape. Unlike the other two main volcano types, scoria cones have straight sides and large summit craters, relative to their overall size.
In order get the required photo and information I had to circle the small crater on the top. Scoria cones are often sources of lava flows, commonly of much greater volume than the cone itself. The lava almost always issues from the base of the cone, not from the top crater. This is because the cone is not strong enough to support the rise of lava within the central conduit. The lava, being much denser than the scoria, burrows beneath the cone, escaping from the more downhill side. This can result in parts of the scoria cone being torn off and carried away on top of the lava.
Most scoria cones only erupt for a single period of activity – which of course can vary from a few days to several years – before passing rapidly into extinction, unlike shield volcanoes and strato volcanoes, which usually display many eruption episodes over many thousands of years. The views were despite the grey weather awesome!
Quickly I collected information and took a few photos – I did not dare pulling the selfie stick out … the wind would have probably taken my mobile flying if I had not held on to it with an iron grip … The big camera I had hanging around my neck and the small camera was attached to me by a lanyard … I should have gotten one of those fashionable things to attach my mobile as well …
In no time I was down the stairs and in the car again … Continuing on Útnesvegur #574 I soon reached the southern coast of the peninsula. And with that the sun was out and the sky was blue all of a sudden … The best weather to visit the coast. Turning onto Dritvíkurvegur #572 it was just 2 km to the parking lot for Djúpalónssandur – another one of the recommended sights … and there were 2 geocaches to be visited here as well.
From the parking lot a path led through a lava field with huge lava formations. Not far off the path a secret box was hidden … under rocks … of course … This time I was quick to find it and signed the logbook.
I walked down the path through beautiful scenery. The weather was really favourable now and even the wind was a little less. And it was like stepping into a lava wonderland here. I could spot Djúpalónssandur – the Black Lava Pearl Beach – in the distance. The name of the path was apparently Nautastígur – the Path of the Bulls – and derived from bulls being led down this path and watered by the lagoon.
There were 2 small freshwater lagoons behind Nautastígur – called Djúpulón – the Deep Lagoons. Only the surface water there was freshwater as the water rose and fell with the tide. Djúpulón lagoon was measured by the noted Eggert Ólafsson in the 18th century and turned out not to be abysmal – as previously believed – but approx 5 m deep. Bishop Guðmundur góði or Guðmundur the Good was said to have blessed this lagoon in his time in the 12th century, but he blessed many springs around Iceland. An Earth cache was dealing with the geology of the area and I collect the necessary details and photos … of course.
The beach got its name from these lagoons – Djúpalónssandur – the Deep Lagoon’s Beach. It was strewn with rusty iron pieces from a British trawler – The Epine GY7 – which was wrecked in a winter blizzard east of Dritvík cove in 1948. 14 sailors lost their lives and 5 were saved by the Icelandic rescue team. The iron remains of the ship – washed up on the beach – were now protected and should not be touched. They are kept here in memory of these brave fishermen from England.
As soon as I had walked out of the lava formations and reached the lagoon, I had also reached the black lava pearl beach – so called as the whole beach was made up of small black smooth pebbles called Djúpalónsperlur – Pearls of Djúpalón. The photos do not even begin to do these pebbles justice – they were ever so smooth and pitch-black like they were polished.
This beach was also known for its very wild and unpredictable waves. The waves were grandiose today! The sun had them gleaming, the sea was a brilliant turquoise and the contrast with the pitch black beach and the blue sky … I was awestruck.
I stood well back of the wave line, but watched intensely as the waves roared up the beach. Only once I ventured quickly forward – when I figured the waves would wash up high on the beach – to carefully dip my toes in the North Atlantic Ocean … Here the ocean was much more unpredictable than when I tried this on my Escape to Madeira … and got more than I bargained for …
Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way
the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline,
no matter how many times it’s sent away.
Sarah Kay
There were several strangely – but outstandingly beautiful – formed lava rocks on Djúpalónssandur. Like the one called Kerling – the Troll woman. Many eons ago, huge, hulking trolls fiercely prowled Iceland’s volcanic landscape. Folk tales tell that Kerling and her Troll man Karl were thought to be trolls that were turned into stones when they were caught in the sunrise – as this is what happens to trolls in Iceland, they get petrified when they see daylight – everybody knows!
I could clearly make out Kerling who was said to be carrying a bundle of fish on her back, but Karl was said to be located a bit further east and cannot be seen from Djúpalónssandur … The Troll woman was stunning, though … It was obviously high tide and the waves crashed high up the lava stack … I probably took a hundred photos or so …
Leaving the beach and walking back up towards the parking, there was another distinctive huge lava rock on the beach – Söngklettur – the Singing Rock. It was somewhat reddish in parts and so majestic looking – it was apparently said to be the Church of the Elves. Respect for the elves was deep-seated in the soul of the Icelandic nation and Icelanders learn about them already as children, so they always show respect and fear their wrath if their locations are disrespected. There are many stories of misfortune happening if this rule was not followed …
At the top of the trail there was a viewing platform … the sky was azure now … the vistas were just breathtaking. Below the many strange lava formations – who knew what secrets and mysteries they hide? There was one special formation with a hole in the middle – a portal into Elve lands maybe?
It was really warm now. When I reached the car, I shed one layer of clothes. The car display only stated 11°C … but I was feeling hot … OK, I was wearing several layers of clothes … Driving back to the main road I actually should have had a grand view of Snæfellsjökull glacier … only … the weather I had encountered this morning on the northern coast was now still hanging over the mountains and I could only guess … but the sun was still on the coast and the Lighthouse of Malarrif – Malarrifsviti – shimmered in the brilliant sunlight as after only some 7 km I headed down the side track towards it and the coast.
For centuries and even up until the end of the 20th century most places on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula were isolated, because the road was tough and often considered dangerous. Today there was the information center for the Snæfellsnes National Park at Malarrif where once the farm Malarrif used to be quite isolated. The visitor center was open, but I did not go in … I just used the facilities located outside.
I took a nice little walk to the coast and the old farm. It was still spring here – the Daffodils were in full bloom. It was windy but sunny and warm. The old lighthouse was first built in 1917 as a 20 m high iron frame lighthouse. In 1946, the current lighthouse – a concrete cylindrical tower with 4 retaining walls 24.5 m high – replaced it. The lighthouse always had an important role for Icelandic fishermen as they fished in the rich fishing grounds by the shore. It had a gas light until 1957 – then it was electrified.
Several small footpaths were leading to the black pebble beach and the old fishermen’s house with old relicts of former times. There were huge old whale bones and rusty machinery … and of course there was a secret box hidden near the remains of an old winch. It was a really quick find …
The view along the coast in either direction were stunning. But towards the east it was just spectacular. I wandered along for a bit and thoroughly enjoyed the sun and the clear ocean air.
In the distance, Lóndrangar – a pair of rock pinnacles – stood proud at the shoreline. They were volcanic plugs of basalt, hewn out from softer surrounding rock by erosion. At 75 and 61 m tall, they were a singular sight. There actually was a hiking trail along the coast to Lóndrangar … but I decided against it … it was on the way around the peninsula and I would just drive there …
And so I did. It was just a kilometer down the main #574 where the parking lot and viewpoint for Lóndrangar were located. I parked the car and just took the cameras for the quick walk to the view point platform over the cliff. There was a proper path and real platforms … While I took my woolly hat, I sure did not need it now! It was almost summery warm … if still really windy!
The vistas towards Lóndrangar were outstanding from here as well. The dramatic scale has earned this incredible formation the nickname The Rocky Castle. The taller of the stacks was first climbed in 1735 and the other in 1938. Together they have stood over 1200 years since the island was first settled – legend has it that as Laugarbrekku-Einarr passed by here, he spotted a troll sitting atop the taller stack.
The smaller one was called Lóndrangur rock or Karl, the Troll. Trolls were renowned for their legendary ferocity. But it was the King of the trolls and his lover, who made history. One night, they walked together to the edge of the sea and sat, enjoying the ocean air and staring deeply into each other’s eyes. Finally, the sky began to lighten, but neither of them saw – so consumed were they by their passion for each other. By now, I was already familiar with trolls and well knew … these giant creatures turn to stone in the presence of the sun. And so … the troll king and his loving lady now stand forever at Lóndrangar and Djúpalónssandur …
Another story was that one of the stacks was believed to be the church of the elves and the other one to be their library … according to an Icelandic medium … Also the surrounding lands were steeped in folklore – farmers have never made use of the fields around the Lóndrangar basalt cliffs due to the elves that were rumored to live there.
From the platforms I also had a great view of the sea-birds in the cliff – they were mostly Kittiwake which I had seen plenty and more close up the other day at Látrabjarg in the Westfjords. I also had left the long lens in the car … shame … It was always the same … when I take all gadgets, I might not need them … but the moment I left only one behind … I could have used it … Still, the bird cliff was a fabulous sight!
Walking back to the car I was supposed to have the best view of Snæfellsjökull – a 700 000-year-old, 1446 m high stratovolcano. The mountain was one of the most famous sites of Iceland – primarily due to the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) by Jules Verne, in which the protagonists find the entrance to a passage leading to the center of the earth on Snæfellsjökull. Unfortunately, I was not granted the view of the glacier-capped top of it today … thick clouds covered the entire volcano top … But I was absolutely stunned by the tourist bus on the parking lot … Could it really be a tourist bus? … In those strange times I could not remember seeing a big tourist bus anywhere in a very long time … and I work on cruise ships … usually … This was certainly the first one I saw in Iceland since I arrived … somehow even this sight made me happy …
Now that the crowd of maybe 20 American tourists flooded the path to the viewpoint, it was time for me to head towards the next point of interest – in my case an Earth Cache which was located at Hellnar some 8 km along the coast. The drive was beautiful as to my left the clouds hung over the hills and to my right the ocean sparkled under an azure sky.
Soon I reached the turn-off for Hellnar and it was only another couple of kilometers to the end of the road where the parking lot for the viewpoint was at. Hellnar was an old fishing village and used to be one of the largest fishing stations of the peninsula. Historically, the settlement was a hub of activity, with many trading and fishing vessels pulling in and out of the harbour daily. Nowadays there was hardly any fishing from here. People here live from agriculture and tourism, some summer houses and a hotel.
The parking lot was right at the coast and there was a picnic table! I was delighted! The sun was strong, it was not much wind here and the view was outstanding! Just what I needed! It was approx 13:30 now and this spot just called for a picnic. So I pulled out my usual essentials and settled down to munch. It was beautiful.
This spot also called for my newly discovered Volcano Skyr! Imagine that! They even made a Skyr celebrating the volcano eruption … or at least this is my story. And … it is salted caramel flavoured … my favourite! It was soooo good! I should have bought more of it yesterday … Damn … hopefully I would find it in another supermarket before I left Iceland.
Refreshed I went for a little hike after my picnic. The Earth Cache marker was located a little along the coast near a cave. The Hellnahraun lava field – just north of Hellnar and the next village Arnarstapi – was thought to be around 4000 years old and to have flown from a crater that was now under the glacier of Snaefellsjökull. At the shores were spectacular rock formations – in fact I have noticed today that much of Snӕfellsnes Peninsula was incredibly dramatic along its coast – due to the previous volcanism of the area and the waves shattering the brittle lava rock that made up the land.
There was a comfortable path and quickly I had gathered the necessary information and photos to be able to log the cache. It dealt with the geology of a basalt cave close to shore – especially with the different layered basalt formations around it. They were definitely special.
I continued towards Arnarstapi for a bit before turning around. I was summery hot now … probably about 14°C … but I was wearing my winter attire … so I was sweating … The path wound through amazing basalt formations and offered stunning views of the ocean. A single colourful house was sitting in the middle of nowhere – it was brightly painted in a screaming red with a dazzling blue roof … the contrast with the surrounding scenery was … conspicious … but somehow it was absolutely beautiful.
It was a short 5 km hop to my next stop of today’s road trip – the village Arnarstapi. The area had several old and charming houses dotting the landscape. Records of settlements around Arnarstapi date back to the Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss, an ancient Icelandic Saga that tells of Bárður Snæfellsás, a semi-mythological figure. Since his death, he had been considered the area’s guardian spirit. The region was popular with settlers due to its natural harbour, which meant fishing in the rich herring grounds of the surrounding waters was easy. When Norway – and to a much greater extent when they took over – Denmark, were in control of Iceland, Arnarstapi grew increasingly as a trading port. Denmark invested a lot of money into Arnarstapi throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the resulting buildings still stood today, being some of the oldest in the country.
I drove to the parking lot for Arnarstapi Cliff viewpoint and took a little walk. There was a secret box hidden in the statue of Bárður Snæfellsás located half way to the viewpoint. The Bárður saga Snæfellsáss is a relatively late Íslendingasaga, probably dating to the early 14th century. Bárður’s mother was human, but his father was half giant and half troll. Bárður, his wife and his daughters were said to be one of the first settlers in the area around Snæfellsjökull and came ashore at a lagoon on the south shore of the peninsula. He became a prominent figure in the region. Bárður initially called Snæfellsjökull Snjófell and founded a farm in what was now the settlement of Hellnar. After a collision with his half-brother he vanished into the Snæfellsjökull ice cap, where he was still supposed to sit and guard his treasures. He became known as Bárður Snæfellsáss – meaning the guardian spirit of Snæfell, because “they practically worshipped him on the peninsula and called upon him in times of difficulty. For many he also proved to be a source of real help in need”. He wandered the region “in a grey cowl with a walrus-hide rope around him and a cleft staff in his hand with a long and thick gaff”.
Of course, I found the secret box quickly. It was hidden … under rocks … but in the statue. Easy to find – the log book was swiftly signed and the box hidden again. The statue was on a little hill overlooking the settlement and the view was beautiful. Nice spot for a geocache.
It was shortly before 15:00 by now and I had circled the peninsula by two thirds approximately. And somehow I had another hotpot in my mind. The guy at the hostel had not known about any hotpots when I asked this morning. He just said that the Sundlaug Ólafsvíkur – the public pool – had hotpots as well. So maybe on the way back I could have a dip. Therefore I only took a few photos of the cliff, held my nose in the ocean breeze and soaked up the atmosphere before getting back to the car.
I had set my eyes on driving road #570 back up to Ólafsvík. The turn-off was just outside of Arnarstapi … and I did turn off the main road … only to find a screaming sign – Impassable! – a couple of hundred meters down the gravel track … Hmm … I am not one to ignore such a sign … especially not with my funny little car … I quickly googled and found out – Road #570 was indeed an F-Road! In fact one of the most scenic roads in the country, but a very tricky, challenging road only for a 4 wheel drive vehicle with high clearance allowed. Quickly I turned the car around and was back on the main road #574 in no time.
Taking the main road around back to Ólafsvík would take certainly longer, but it would be for sure safer. And anyway, clouds persistently hung over the hills. Instead I followed the main road #574 east along the coast and was still driving in the sun.
I came past a horse farm with many Icelandic Horses in the wide pastures of the lowlands. I had a chance to have a close look at those warm yet hardy creatures. Their unique gait, resilience to harsh weather conditions and friendly nature granted them a cherished position in Icelandic culture.
For over 1000 years, the Icelandic Horse has been purebred in Iceland. Throughout history only the best Horses were chosen for breeding – picked according to specific characteristics, such as color and equine conformation – meaning that the modern Icelandic Horse is the result of many centuries of selective breeding. Today, to keep the species purebred, an Icelandic Horse can only leave the country once … and that is then forever. Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return ever. Here on the pasture they were happy and obviously in spring mood …
There is no more sagacious animal than the Icelandic Horse.
He is stopped by neither snow, nor storm,
nor impassable roads, nor rocks, glaciers or anything.
He is courageous, sober and surefooted.
Jules Verne
A lot of Sheep were around as well. Of course close to the road or even on it … How could it be different? And most of them had this funny hair cut again … By now I have found out, that this maybe the result of rooing instead of shearing the Sheep. The Icelandic Sheep is a breed of sheep that does not shed in the way that hair sheep do – but also does not require regular shearing. Rather than shedding or needing to be sheared, Icelandic Sheep undergo something called a wool break. During that period, they can be rooed – or left to their own devices when they are ready to drop their heavy coat of winter wool and their caretakers are not. In wool break they get itchy, but not all over their whole body at the same time. They tend to start first up in the neck area and then down the topline and sides … rubbing at gates, fence posts and fences more than usual … some farmers help this process along by gently plucking the loose wool out … so therefore the sheep have this funny haircut … Mystery solved.
Most ewes will start to shed after they have dropped lambs. There was very little intervention necessary on the part of the shepherd. But the majority of sheep farmers shear in the fall, because then the fleece is usually the nicest. It is clean, as the Sheep usually have been out on pastures grazing during the summer and it is usually also the best quality as they have had the best nutrition. In the spring the fleece is usually a lot dirtier from winter conditions, full of hay and what-not and often somewhat felted.
It was about 17 km until I reached the junction of Snaefellnesvegur #54. Several farms lined the road now, the white buildings contrasting with the green pastures of the lowlands. I had left Snæfellsjökull National Park a little while ago.
Right opposite the road junction was the 79 m high Bjarnarfoss – the most famous waterfall on the south coast of Snæfellsnes – and I had a fantastic view of it. It was said, that when the wind blows strongly from the south here, sometimes hardly any of the water reached the bottom, but was blown back up the rock face by the winds … I could not see that, but the waterfall sure looked impressive from afar.
I turned north on Snaefellnesvegur #54 to cross the peninsula via the Fróðárheiði – a plateau and pass road with the highest point at the Rjúpnaborgir at 361 m. The road led over a steep ascent on the eastern slope of Mount Axlahyrna up to Rjúpnaborgir, only to then slowly lead back down into the valley towards the northern coast and Ólafsvík. The pass road was now well developed and asphalted all the way.
Reaching the northern coast, I turned east once more to back track the 15 km to Kirkjufellsfoss which I had passed yesterday due to the rain. While with the southern coast I had also left the sunshine behind, it was not raining yet, but thick clouds hung over the northern coast line – with only a tiny blue speck above Kirkjufell.
Kirkjufellsfoss was located 1.5 km south of the eponymous mountain and 2.5 km west of Grundarfjörður. Parking the car I bundled up and went for a short hike. Slightly uphill from above the waterfall I had a great view of the village of Grundarfjörður in the distance.
It would have been a pleasant walk, if the wind and cold had not returned. After the brilliant weather on the south coast, I was cold now. But I wanted to collect the answers for the Earth Cache located here and I wanted a photo of the falls with the famous mountain.
The Kirkjufellsá River fell in 2 stages by a total of 16 m. Shortly after, it flows into Grundarfjörður. For the past few years, Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss have become the most popular place for a photo stop here in Grundarfjörður. Even today there were a few tourists around. The old road had been located on top of the waterfall, where there was still the old bridge from 1955 – the waterfall was not that apparent until the road was moved in the late 1980s when a dam was built to cross the head of the bay.
To get the mountain and the waterfall in one good photo was not easy. I was not really inspired anymore … I would rather have had the sunshine still … I was cold and it looked as if it would start raining soon again … But I managed at least one good photo … I think … thanks to the panoramic option on the mobile phone …
The drive back to Ólafsvík was quick. I wanted to go to the hotpool at Sundlaug Ólafsvíkur. At the village entrance I stopped and googled the location and opening hours … it closed at 17:00 … A quick look at my watch assured me … I was too late … It was 16:30 … before I found it and changed and all … Damn … No hotpot today, then …
So instead, I looked up the geocaches nearby … there was only the one near the Bæjarfoss – meaning Town Falls – situated right behind the charming town of Ólafsvík as the waterfall’s name would suggest. I parked the car next to Ólafsvíkurkirkja – the town’s church consecrated in 1967. It was one of those modern churches I had come to admire in Iceland. This one was made entirely of triangular pieces – a skeletal spire and separate matching bell tower, faceted triangular walls and roof elements. It looked really interesting, but it was closed as well.
The secret box was located another short hike away from the church close to Bæjarfoss. Lucky I was – I had refreshed the downloaded offline cache listing when checking the map earlier! I had downloaded most of the cache listings already at home. But only a few days ago the coordinates and cache location had obviousely changed from one side of the fall to the other. If I had gone up the wrong side, I would not have been able to cross the small stream below the falls, I would have to return to the church and come up the other side again.
But I was spared that and came up the correct side of the water. However, it was a bit of a search. The hint was … as usual … under rocks … and … as usual … there were a lot of rocks … of course … fortunately, there was also a spoiler photo in the listing and with that I eventually located the secret box … which was a makeshift container … I had encountered quite a few makeshift containers in the last days, but this one was probably the most Icelandic … an empty Skyr cup … but the logbook was dry and I signed it happily.
Having put back the secret box in its hiding place, I soaked up the view of Ólafsvík with its church and Breiðafjörður in the distance. It had started drizzling when I had arrived at the church, though.
In the increasing rain I hurried back to the car and drove the last bit back to The Freezer Hostel Ríf. I was back there by 17:15 and I was done for the day. I had only driven 149 km today, but I had seen a lot and hiked quite a bit … It had been surely an amazing day. I needed a quick shower … there were only 2 showers for all the dorm rooms and it seemed busier today than yesterday …
That done I was ready for dinner and got straight to cooking – my last package of Tomato Mozzarella Pasta from Germany – very yummy! I cooked my last carrots and onions to go with it as well – also yummy! The kitchen was busy today – a group of 5 students who had arrived late last night were cooking as well. I only chit chatted a bit with them, they were on a team building weekend …
Dinner was great and afterwards I donated whatever was left in my provisions bag to the free food shelf – some and 3 packs of cheap instant noodles. I had 2 more nights in Iceland and I was not going to stay in a hostle with a kitchen. So here was the best place to pass on whatever I did not want to take home.
Later I sat in the big common room and went through my nightly ritual of sorting some photos, posting and jotting down notes for the journal. But soon I was ready for bed. Only one other person was in my room today – he introduced himself as Harry – like Dirty Harry – from Cameroon. He was travelling as well and we chatted a bit.
I lounged in bed and finished my notes for the journal, posted some photos – and finally I wrote some postcards! Then I started thinking about tomorrow … I had no plan yet … I had booked for the last 2 nights a room in Njarðvík near Keflavík Airport to be close to the volcano and the airport. And I wanted to hike the volcano at least twice more … other than that I had no real plans.
However, I figured, if the weather prevailed as the forecast predicted … it was not going to be much fun hiking the volcano … or anywhere else … But … for tomorrow night the forcast showed some breaks in the clouds over the volcano at least … That was when Martha and I wanted to meet for the hike. I could – or would – go Monday again, but Martha was leaving Monday morning.
I tried to book the Blue Lagoon online for my last day, but the booking did not seem to work. So I figured, I could always pass by tomorrow to make a booking for Monday … then again … I did not assume they would be as busy as in regular times when online bookings were absolutely essential to be able to get in at all.
Sleeping late there was much going through my head … It would be an early start tomorrow … what else? … I had in fact much lined up now … find a few secret boxes, go to the hotpot in Akranes, buy some souvenirs in Reykyavík, go to a hot footbath Katy told me about this morning, check into the new room, go hike the volcano … What a plan!
Always plan for the fact
that no plan ever goes according to plan.
Simon Sinek
