Bleak and beautiful, that’s how I would describe the Snæfellsnes Peninsular to the west of Reykjavik. We have dipped into this peninsular a couple of times now. The first time was on a very cold February and most recently as a detour on our Ring Road trip when it was lovely and warm in August. So the photos on this page show how different the countryside can look in different seasons. We intend to revisit the peninsular again in the near future as we feel we have only scratched the surface.
You may pass near Borganes on your way to the peninsular and it’s worthy of a stopover for a night or two which we did as part of our Road Trip. I have more information here.
The nearest gateway to the peninsular from Reykjavik is via a 6km long Hvalfjörður Tunnel beneath the fjord. The other way is to follow R47 around the fjord which takes longer but is more scenic.
Landbrotalaug hot springs.
There’s a natural warm lake and hot tub hidden near R54, the road that takes you towards Stykkishólmur. The area around the lake was very squelchy when we visited in a warm august day. There’s no proper footpath to the hot-pot which was on the far side so we took off our shoes and socks and got our feet wet in the warm water. There is only room for one person in the hot-pot but I found it rather pleasant in a stinky kind of way.
Gerðuberg
As you enter the peninsular, just off the main road there are interesting basalt cliffs known as the Towers of Gerduberg which are worth a brief stop before you continue West. The tall columns reminded us of Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik.
Stykkishólmur
Stykkishólmur is a lovely town on the northern coast of the peninsular. It has a natural harbour and a population of around 1200 people. The church- Stykkishólmskirkja dominates and looks amazing. The Lutheran church which was built in 1990 offers great views over Breiðafjörður Bay. Súgandisey Island, adorned by a red lighthouse can be reached via a causeway by the harbour is also a great place to go to admire the views.
If you have the time I would recommend visiting the local pool- Stykkishólmur Pool which is really lovely. On our visit there were very few visitors so it felt like it was all ours.
If you stay on Route 54 it will take you east along the rugged coastline. When we were there in mid February we saw hardly any traffic, or people, but we did see a coach in a ditch and lots of ponies.
The coast between the the hamlets of Hellnar and Arnarstapi has some marvellous coves and rock formations. There is a lovely cliff walk which we attempted but were driven back when it started to snow heavily. Watch out for Bardur the troll!
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