Latest / Explore Iceland Travel Podcast / E.9: Snæfellsnes Peninsula – Why You Should Add It to Tour itinerary
Transcript
- Monika: Welcome to Explore Iceland Travel Podcast. If you're thinking of visiting Iceland or planning your next adventure there, you're in the right place. I'm Monica the creator of Plan Pack Explore, a travel blog where I help readers plan unforgettable trips to Europe. and I'm here to inspire you to travel to Iceland. And to plan your trip in a fun, stress free way. I'll share all the must know details about places to see, both the iconic landmarks and some hidden gems, proven itineraries tested by me and my family. and practical trip planning tips based on my own experiences and mistakes we made while exploring this incredible country. I'll cover everything I wish I had known before our first trip and things I've learned from all the trips that follow. And I'm not done yet. Think of it as travel advice from tourist to tourist. Honest, helpful, firsthand insights designed to make planning your Iceland adventure much easier and much more enjoyable. Tune in and let's explore Iceland together. If you're looking for a place where you can experience a little bit of everything Iceland has to offer, today's episode is for you. We're heading to the Sneffelsnes Peninsula in West Iceland, a place that's often called Iceland in miniature. And I think that's a pretty accurate description. Here you'll find dramatic cliffs, black sand beaches, lava fields, charming fish and villages, waterfalls, a glacier, and let's not forget the iconic Kirkufell mountain. Plus so much more all packed into one beautiful peninsula. It was one of my favorite day trips during our first visit to Iceland, and today I'm going to take you around some of the best places to see, along with some lesser known stops and a bonus little gem, a spot where you can make your own souvenir that I just discovered on my most recent trip when I returned to that peninsula. So listen to the end. Let's get started. Like I said, Sneffelsness Peninsula is located in West Iceland and it's an easy road trip from Reykjavik. it's about an hour and a half drive to the first stop on Earlist. The easiest way to get there is by car. You can probably tell I'm a big fan of self-driving and independent exploring. And if you need a rental car for your trip, use the Blue Car Rental and Lava Car Rental links in the show notes to get an instant 5% discount on your reservation from these reliable local Icelandic companies. But there are also many tours that will show you the highlights of the peninsula and I have the best ones listed in the article that I'll put in the show notes. Most travelers will start exploring Snifflesness Peninsula at the famous Black Buddhir church and we'll get to that in just a minute. driving along the coast clockwise and ending at another famous spot, the Kirkuflay Mountain I mentioned, or a little bit beyond there. You can drive around the peninsula counterclockwise, but it's just not as common. We drove it clockwise. from Reykjavik You can take the Khalfjordor tunnel. It's a six kilometer long tunnel under the fjord and that's the fastest way. Driving through that tunnel is an experience in itself. You can feel it gently go down very slightly and about halfway through you'll start going up just as gently. and it's free, you don't have to pay any tolls for it. Or if you have more time you can drive around the fjord and that's a very scenic route with its own attractions along the way like hiking to Glimmer Waterfall and Fumsfake Geothermal Bats, which are wonderful. We just did that drive on my most recent trip and the scenery is amazing, but it does add about an hour or even a little bit more to your drive without stopping anywhere. So if you're just doing a day trip from Reykjavik, you should probably just take the tunnel. And if you're driving from Reykjavik, one helpful tip is to stop in Borgarnes It's the last major town before you enter the peninsula and a good place to fuel up and pick up any snacks or groceries you may need because your options become much more limited once you're further into the peninsula. So what can you see and do on Snuffles Nest? Here is my list. and the stops are listed in the clockwise direction the way we drove and explored So step one is called Gerdaburg Cliffs. it's just a quick little stop just as soon as you enter Snifflessness Peninsula. They are just a wall of cliffs made up of almost perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt columns. They're about 500 meters long and make a really impressive and fun first stop. You can walk along the bottom of the cliffs or follow a path to go up to the top and get some views. We did climb when we visited and it was fun to stretch our legs after being in the car for about an hour and a half, so it's a good first stop. Shortly after that, you'll see a visitor center with a two-pump self-service gas station. So if you haven't gotten your gas in Borgarnes, that is a good place to do so. And also I recommend to go inside the visitor center and get a map of a peninsula. The one we got was really helpful listing all the attractions in a fun graphic way that was easy to follow so that definitely helped us with our exploring. Stop two on the peninsula will be Itritunga beach. It's also called a seal beach because it's where the seals like to hang out and lounge in the sun. And it is not a black sand beach. it is actually a golden sand beach. you'll have beautiful coastal scenery and great views towards the glacier. we haven't seen the seals when we visited. It was a really windy day. As you can probably gather, I mentioned wind a lot in my episodes. Wind is no joke in Iceland. It's very common. It should not prevent you from exploring as long as there's not an official severe wind warning. But just be ready. This wind was strong. So the seals also decided not to show up that day. but the beach was beautiful and the views were great. And then your next quick stop is Bjarnefoss Waterfall. You can actually see it from the road. It's a really quick stop. There's a parking area where you can leave your car and walk closer to the waterfall if you have the time. we didn't stop. We drove straight to the next one. but like I said, you can see it from the road, And your next stop is the famous Boudir Black Church. it's a tiny black wooden church sitting almost completely alone in the lava field. It is just an amazing sight to see and there's something really beautiful about the isolated setting. there is a little cemetery right next to it and the only other building in that area is Hotel Boudir, which is a good place to stay on the peninsula if if you want to spend the night. If you have the time and if it's not as windy as during our visit, you can take a short walk. There's a lot of paths that will lead you to Budir Beach. And again, it's not a black sand beach. It's a golden sand beach. we didn't walk, it was way too windy. but if you have the time, just take a short walk. from what I've seen from pictures, it's a beautiful little beach. Next you will come across Route Felgzia Gorge. just look for the signs. as I'm not sure if I pronounced it correctly. But you'll recognize it by a split in the mountainside. You'll see an opening, a vertical opening in the mountain, and that's what it is. there's a driveway leading to it. So we just drove in there and just checked it out. and that very narrow opening leads into a ravine with a waterfall at the end. we only peeked inside when we visited, but if you have more time, you can explore it farther. We actually had every intention of doing so on the most recent trip when we went back to the peninsula. But there were warnings about rocks falling from above. So we decided for our safety we're just going to skip that. And then you will arrive to the village of Honor Stuppy. And this is where one of my favorite experiences on the peninsula starts. The onor steppy to Hilnar coastal walk. it's really an easy walk. It's about two and a half kilometers each way, and it just follows the coastline. The scenery is fantastic, and you'll have the cliffs, the lava fields, different rock formations and ocean views. just a beautiful, beautiful walk. So when you get to Honor Stappy, just leave your car in the parking lot, and you will see a statue of Bardor Sneffelsas. It's a half-man, half-troll figure after whom the peninsula is named. You'll see it looks like a little small arch on the path. That's where the walk begins. But before you start walking, if you're facing the ocean and the statue. just go to the left, take the path to the left. Just a couple of minutes after your turn, you'll get to a famous stone arch. it's called Gat Clacor. I saw that arch in the pictures but from all my research before our first trip I couldn't figure out where exactly it was so we missed it. So don't miss it. There are actually signs for it now so you cannot miss it. When you're facing the ocean, just go to the left and you'll have a viewpoint for the arch. So just check it out. It's beautiful. there's a lot of birds flying around and nesting in the little nooks and crannies. So just take a look at the arch and then you can head back towards the statue and then just keep following the path. It's a really clear path, you cannot get lost towards Helnar. there's viewpoints and different places where you can stop and just admire the cliffs, the mountains. You'll be walking through a lava field and towards the end of your journey you'll pass by a cave on your left side is going to be a part of what almost looks like a really rocky beach and there's going to be a cave. So that's a beautiful place to check out. And then just continue and on the right side up a little hill you'll see a house. and it's not a house, it's a cafe. It's called Fjord Houseed. It's a small family-owned cafe. It may look closed, but if you're there in the summer, it is open. So just walk up there. It's a great place to have a snack and some coffee and a small meal before you head back to Honor Steppy. The whole journey will probably take you about a couple of hours unless you make a lot of stops. But with all our photo stops and we take a lot of photos, that's all it took us. plus I don't know about twenty minutes, maybe half an hour to have a meal at the cafe. So this is definitely a coastal walk not to be missed on the peninsula. Once you're back in the car, continue driving and you will get to a parking lot for a viewpoint for Lawn Dragnar cliffs. Those are two enormous basalt pillars rising from the ocean and according to local legend, the elves use them as their church, which is why that area was never developed or turned into farmland. so you can just take a look at them from the viewpoint and from the parking lot for that viewpoint you also get amazing views of the Sneffelsekle glacier. So that's also something to keep in mind worth stopping. very close by to those cliffs is Vatnasheler Cave. It's a lava tube formed during an eruption thousands of years ago. the cave goes down about thirty two meters underground. and you go down by a spiral staircase. You cannot visit on your own. You have to do a guided tour for your safety, but if this is something that you think you enjoy, just make sure you plan ahead, book the tour and allow time for that. Your next step as you drive along the coastline of Sniffles' Peninsula is Dupal and Sand or Black Beach? you may notice that I'm not saying black sand beach, it's actually more like a pebble beach. when you get to the parking lot, you will have to go down a little path through a lava field. along the way you'll see an opening that you can peek through over a small lagoon. There are pieces of a shipwreck there, and then the landscape opens up and you'll see the beach. like I said, it's not a black sand beach. There are small black stones. They're covering that area. They're called Pearls of Dupulon, and they are protected. So please take a look at them, admire them, but don't take them home. that's where you'll also find. Four historic lifting stones. Those were ones used to test the strength of the fishermen. They are four different size round rocks And if man couldn't lift them, they were considered unfit for life at sea. Of course, we had to give them a try when we visit it. I won't tell you what the result is, but I would not be a fisherman at sea in Iceland. and then you can just go on towards the water, see other lava rock formations, just check out the coastline and head back. Your next stop on the route will be Saxhole Crater. that's a really fun stop. It's a volcanic crater. You reach it by a quick ride on the gravel road and then you climb 385 metal steps to the top of the crater. and once you're up there, you can just walk around the edge and look down into the crater and then just check out some really nice views of the surrounding area. it's a bit of a workout to climb those stairs, but definitely worth the climb. And then we have another stop which is Fortuloft lighthouse and Anver Darnes lighthouse. There's two lighthouses off of the same access road. this Fortuloft lighthouse is the more famous one or the better known of the two. it's a bright orange lighthouse just sitting on top of the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The drive to it is along a pretty bumpy gravel road through a volcanic landscape. but if you drive slow you'll be fine in any car. The views there are great and you may also see some seabirds nesting in the cliffs. It's a really beautiful spot. And then on your way back, don't turn back to the main access road, but instead Continue driving straight along the coast and you'll reach the other bright orange lighthouse, a smaller one. It's the one that's called Onverdarness. And there's actually a sign for it at the intersection. So the access road ends in like a T, and to the left you'll go to the Sportaloft, and to the right you'll go to the other one. Again, it's a really bumpy drive, a little shorter than to the other lighthouse. but once you get there, it's just so beautiful. Go past the lighthouse, follow a wooden boardwalk. we saw sheep grazing on the grass. There's just like a big meadow back there, and then even more sheep resting between the rocks by the shore. It was just so peaceful and quiet. We did not want to leave. It was just beautiful. and on the way to the lighthouses Before the road splits, you'll also pass by Skardsvake Beach. it's again one of the peninsula's golden sand beaches. We stopped there and took a quick walk down to the ocean to stretch our legs. the golden sand against the dark volcanic rocks is definitely a beautiful sight, so don't skip that. make that little stop as well. And then you're gonna go back on the main road and continue driving and the road will take you to Heli Sandor. it's a charming fishing village. what a creative twist. It's also known as the street capital of Iceland. There's actually a big sign announcing that in the village. because of the colorful murals painting on buildings throughout the village. it's a completely different experience from the dramatic scenery you've just been seeing all day and it just makes a fun little stop. We didn't get there during our first Snifflesnells day trip, but I did visit during my most recent adventure. You can park your car at the visitor center. It's a pretty big visitor center at the edge of the village. Go inside and grab a map. The houses with murals are marked with red dots. So you can follow the map and find them. We had a lot of fun with that. And then your next stop will be Ingiotroll Church or Ingiotrolkirtia. it's a tough one to say. So just read the name in my guide. This is the white church with a red roof that you often see in a lot of pictures online sitting on the hill with a narrow road leading to it. we just visited recently and to make that picture complete just add massive fields of lupines on both sides of the road and the view of the sniffles glacier from the church. It is beautiful. it is really as beautiful as it all those pictures suggest. Just be aware. It gets very busy. There were a lot of people there when we went and a lot of tour buses. and the road gets taken over by everyone who wants that Instagram picture in the middle of that road leading to the church. So just be mindful of that. If you can time your visit to maybe early in the morning or later in the afternoon, that's better. We did not have that chance. We visited around 1 p.m. and it was busy. But it didn't take away from the experience, it was still great. Your next stop is Olavsvik. It's just a short drive, and Olavsvik is another traditional fishing village. It's particularly known for the whale watching tours. So if you'd like to add that to your experience, that's a good place to do so. We were lucky enough to get on a last minute whale watch tour in Aubsvek with Laukey Tours. that's how I've learned its pronounced, although it's spelled L A K I, so I would pronounce it Lucky, but it's Lauke. And we took advantage of this beautiful sunny day that we had and had a great time on the water. So definitely recommend the company. They are wonderful. And we spend good four hours with them on the water, seeing all kinds of water animals. and then you'll finally get to the signature mountain of the peninsula, Kirkufala Mountain. It's one of the famous landmarks, I think, of this area. you've probably seen it in many photographs. It's one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland. It's also called Church Mountain just because of its shape, and it's also famous because it appeared in the Game of Thrones series. It's just a short walk from the parking area to the viewpoint, for the mountain and for the Kirkfeld Falls waterfall. They're the signature two streams that are seen in the pictures next to the mountain. If you want a different perspective, you can also book a kayaking tour around the bay and see the mountain from the water and potentially see some seals along the way too. now here is the promised bonus stop. Kirkufell is located near a town of Grunderfjorder. And right there is a little stop that's called the Iceland Mint. It's just a small shop in Grunderfjorder where you can make your own souvenir coins. We had a great time swinging the big hammer to mint our coins, and it's not as easy as you may think. So we had some laughs about it. The owner of the shop is super nice and helpful and usually has a couple of designs to choose from. You can also get some other souvenirs there, like a keychain to put your coin in and things like that. it was one of my kids' favorite things of the day, and they are young adults, not little kids, so it's fun for everyone. so make sure to stop by. I do recommend using their online booking system, especially if you're planning to come later in the day like we did. You don't have to stick to the book time too strictly, but it simply lets the owner know that you're coming, so he'll keep the shop open for you. But it's definitely something I recommend. It's one of those unusual, unique souvenirs, and the fact that you can make it yourself makes it even more special. And then past that you have Bezer Kearn Lava Fields. this is about a four thousand years old lava field that has almost a lunar appearance. we actually ran out of time to drive into it, but you drive past it, you drive alongside it and we can see some of it. and then I also skipped it on my return. trip to the SnefflesNuz because by then I have driven and visited so many other lava fields that I just skipped that and went straight to the next stop that I'm gonna mention here. But if you haven't been to another lava field, definitely recommend to have that experience. So that's one place you can do it and you can just drive through it. There is a gravel road that leads into the lava field and when you're finished it takes you right back on the main road. I think the drive takes about half an hour The road is unpaved and can be bumpy, but it's accessible for any car, so the next stop right near the lava field, it's called Salvalafoss. it's a waterfall also known as the Sheep's Waterfall, and it's beautiful. It's just a few minutes past the lava field, and after you park. You just go down on the path and you'll see the waterfall. You can also see the lava field right around it. So that's also your chance to see the Bezarker hound lava field. We went early in the morning and there was only one other couple there with us. And then they went their own way, not even towards the waterfall. So we had that area all to ourselves. it's another waterfall in Iceland that you can walk behind, just like the Cellulanspos Kernifos waterfalls off the south coast. Except you virtually have no one there with you. Or even if you come on the busier time of the day, there's not gonna be nearly as many people there as on the south coast. now we made a mistake of not taking our rain gear with us as it was a gorgeous sunny morning. we just hopped out of the car excited to see the waterfall, but we regretted not having our rain pants and raincoats. Because we weren't able to walk behind the water. So make sure you have that with you. then you can walk a nice loop behind the waterfall and then around it and back up to the parking lot and you're most lucky going to share your walk with some sheep that often graze in that area and that's how the waterfall also got its name. so it's just beautiful. If you come early in the morning the way we did, it's just going to be really peaceful, definitely worth a stop. We loved it. And then another stop on that route is in Stickies Hallmore. It's called Helgefell Mountain Hike. the Helgafel Mountain, it's more a hill. Then it is a mountain, but it's considered a very important and sacred place in Iceland. the name literally means a holy mountain. And according to tradition, those who hike to the top, and the whole hike takes about maybe twenty minutes, not more, but those who hiked at the top for the first time have to do so without speaking, in silence and without looking back. And you can make three wishes at the summit and they will be granted for you. I have to say I really wanted to do this hike but by the time we got to Kirkufil Mountain in Grundraf Fjorder it was already past eight PM and our new friend at the Iceland Min mentioned something about opening hours for the trial and we checked online and it did say that it was closed at six PM and would reopen at ten AM the next morning. So We decided to spend the night at the campsite in Grunderfjorder and skip the hike as we wanted to head out well before ten AM. Well, I found out later that what closes at six PM is the payment hut. The trail is on a private land and you do have to pay the access fee to hike. But after hours you can leave a fee in an honesty payment box, but the trail remains open. so the hike is something I will have to do next time I visit Iceland. But that's a good piece of information for you that even if It's later past the opening hours, especially if you visit in the summer where the days are really long. you can still hike, just leave your money in the payment box and that's where having some cash in Iceland will come in handy. also Stickies Holmer is a town where you can get a ferry to the West Fjords, which is exactly what I plan to do as the West Fjords are still on my to do list. So I will hike the Helgafell Trail when I return. so what else can you do on Snefflesness Peninsula? If you have some extra time, there's some extra activities you can add. You can soak in Lisu Laugar Geothermal Mineral Algae Pool that is only open during the summer months. It's in the vicinity of Budir Church and The Itri Tunga Seal Beach. I haven't visited that one, but it's there for you. You can look up the hours, and I believe it's very affordable. So if that's something that you want to do, you can do that. you can also go horseback riding on Icelandic horses. There's many tours available for different experience levels on the peninsula, and of course, there's The Sniffel Seacool Glacier. it was made famous by Jules Verne's book, Journey to the Center of the Earth. And it is considered by many one of Earth's main energy centers. Again, you cannot go on that glacier by yourself, but you can book a glacier hike to the summit to experience some of that mystical power and get some breathtaking views of the area. And the link to that tour is in the guide that will be in the show notes. So how long do you need to visit Snifflesness Peninsula? As I mentioned earlier, you can visit Snifflesness as a date trip from Reykjavik. That's what we did on our first trip. We saw a lot, but we definitely didn't see everything. There's just too much to see. So if you want to explore at a more relaxed pace and see it all and add hikes and activities like a whale watch or kayaking, I recommend spending at least two days there. Where should you stay? Where should you spend the night? Borgarnes is a good base if you want lots of accommodation choices and amenities, but it would involve some backtracking. You can also stay right on the peninsula in places like Budir or Arnestapi, Helnar area, and if Kirkufell is your main focus, Grindrafjordor is a very convenient place to stay. So that's the end of the tour of Snefflesnest Peninsula. I hope I encouraged you to visit that amazing area. I think the reason I love this part of Iceland so much is that you really get to experience a little bit of everything there. And you'll find a lot more details about everything that I've covered, including a ton of photos and maps for easy navigation in the guide that I'm gonna put in the show notes. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions and I will see you in the next episode.