The SNAEFELLSNES Peninsula

I travelled to SNAEFELLSNES from the northeast in a counterclockwise direction.

Coming from BUDARDALUR on the 60, turn right onto the 54 heading west towards STYKKISHOLMUR. Another gravel road, sometimes really bad, but the route is worth it. Beautiful views of the sea, the surrounding islands and mountains. Saw about 500 swans in the ALFTARFJÖRDUR Fjord, I stopped counting at some point. STYKKISHOLMUR is a really nice harbor town with great restaurants and cafes. Another location for whale watching tours.

Continue to GRUNDARFJÖRDUR for the famous photo motif of the KIRKJUFELL waterfall, it lives up to its promise. Great view of the KIRKUFELLS mountain and Grundarfjördur.

Here, the wind blew so strong again that I parked behind a fish factory in the wind shadow in the harbor of Grundarfjördur for 2 full days because it was not possible to drive any further. I spent the time reading, swimming and in hot springs.

Continued to OLAFSVIK, RIF, HELLISANDUR, past the SNAEFELLSJÖKULL glacier, to SNAEFELLSBAER to the volcanic craters and through the bizarre lava landscape, to the beautiful rock formations LONDRANGAR and to the steep coast of SVALPUFA at MALARIFF. Continued over HELLNAR to ARNARSTAPI and further along the 54 always heading east until BORGANES.

A truly impressive peninsula, with views of the SNAEFELLSNES glacier (many trekking opportunities here), volcanic landscapes, volcanic cones, sensational steep coast with hundreds of thousands of seagulls, terns, shorebirds, cormorants, ducks, and more.