The Snaefellsnes peninsula is located on the western side of Iceland. Home to a national park, the stone rock bridge and small towns, this area of Iceland is one for the books! From the regions natural beauty to its homely feel, this part of the country is simply stunning but very different from the South coast which I detailed in my last post about Iceland (check it out if you haven’t).
As noted in a previous post, I don’t typically join tours, but the nature of the beast in Iceland is that you either drive or join tours. This trip was through Your Day Tours. They picked me up promptly at 8 AM in from on my hostel and we were on our way. The journey became by driving about an hour and a half outside of Reykjavik to the northwest. We made a quick stop for snacks before heading onto the first destination. For the purposes of this post, I will be covering the three most noteworthy places that we visited on the tour: Djúpalónssandur beach, Kirkjufell waterfall / mountain and Arnarstapi’s stone rock bridge and related attractions.
Djúpalónssandur Beach
Djúpalónssandur beach is located near a small fishing village. Here there are stones on the beach where fisherman used to test their strength in order to become eligible to enter the profession in that particular town in Iceland. This beautiful black sand beach is a bit treacherous to reach as you have to descend a winding path lined by rubber traction, but snow remains in some patches. However, if you’re unwilling or unable to descend the path, they have a lovely viewing spot that looks down on the beach.
Kirkjufell waterfall / mountain
The following attraction was the Kirkjufell waterfall and mountain. This is one of the most photographed mountains in all of Iceland due to its natural beauty and waterfall feature. During the summer this winter landscape it transformed into green grass, yet this snow-capped mountain was magical in its own right. To reach the waterfall, you walk along a path for about 10 minutes that is lined with rubber traction. It is easy to reach and there are no major patches of snow or steep inclined.
Arnarstapi’s stone rock bridge
Finally, the last noteworthy attraction of the day was the stone rock bridge and related viewpoints. This beautiful formation appears to be a bridge. Once you arrive near the restaurant and toilet stop area, you should see a stone house that you can walk to within 5 minutes. From here you simply follow the rubber-lined path along the walkway and find out the numerous hidden gems along the way including the stone rock bridge.
There you have it: From the stone bridge to Djúpalónssandur beach, the Snaefellsnes peninsula is a sight to behold!
Stampchaser Photography 