11. Towards Snaefellsnes peninsula
We began our next day by searching for seals. Unfortunately, here too, we had to swallow a bitter pill. We were on the beach around 9 am, and maybe it was too early or too cold, or too high tide or maybe all together, but we didn’t come across any trace. We didn’t hang around too long.
The plan was tight, so after an hour, we went on to … Viking museum in Eiríksstaðir! Yes! That was a small hut, built on a Viking settlement model found nearby, faithfully reflecting the interior’s layout and equipment, including weapons, costumes, and toys. In the hut, the guide talks about the customs and history of the Vikings in Iceland😉. Paweł was delighted, he was learning to play the horn… A special session with the Norwegian axe was also made :D.
We continued our journey on the northern shore towards the Saefellsnes Peninsula. It was the most beautiful car route we’d made during this trip. The islets scattered along the shoreline, coves attracting numerous bird species. The sun emerged from behind the clouds, and the water shimmered from bright green through blue, turquoise to deep blue. It was a real feast for the eyes. We would like to stay there forever, but Mount Kirkjufell called us before her majesty.
After reaching the parking lot, we noticed that the waterfall attracted crowds of tourists to capture one of the most popular shots with the camera. Some of them were only going for a walk around the mountain, and only we approached the summit.
The mountain is not high but quite outstanding. From a distance, you don’t know exactly which way the route runs. The route turned out to be very exciting. We were practically glued to the rock almost all the way, the narrow path was strewn with gravel, and on the other side, the wall dropped steeply. In some passages, we literally entered or descended on all fours. The final section was typically climbing with little difficulty, but the exposure and altitude did their job. In the final fragments, you find belay ropes hanging from the top. We don’t recommend relying only on them, especially since some are already heavily worn! The 360st view stretched from the top. It can’t even be described! It was just a fairy tale! We came down concentrating hard and headed towards Arnarstapi.
12. Snaefellsnes
We’ve had no plan for Snaefellsnes. It was forecast to rain in the morning, we wanted to go out on a glacier with a guide, but the prices scared us. We were late with the reservation for whales, so we’ve decided to sleep and think later about what to do next.
The forecasts were right. It rained all morning, we dug out of the tent quite late, and just before 12, we landed on the beach of Djúpalónssandur. Then we headed towards the Malarrif lighthouse and from there for a long walk towards Lóndrangar rocks and Hellnar. It was another great location for bird watching. Paweł also left a picture in a local, abandoned fishing hut. 😀 Yes, it’s me below 😀
In the meantime, the weather improved significantly, so we decided to put our foot on the Snæfellsjökull glacier in the afternoon. Nobody said it out loud, but the goal was to get to the top. I didn’t really believe that we could make it. For a long time, the mountain was hiding behind the clouds.
But, the road turned out to be easier (in my opinion) than we’d expected. The crevasses were clearly visible and appeared in the final approach, so the main task was to stay as far away from them as possible. On the other hand, snow/ice turned into tar paper. With each step, the legs parted on wet snow, so you had to dig stairs. Around 7:30 pm we reached the top…
Already at the end of the road, the clouds parted, revealing the view of the entire peninsula! It was absolutely magical! I felt great gratitude and happiness that we had the chance to meet the mountain in such beautiful circumstances. It was a dream come true, the climax of the whole trip. The goal seemed so distant. With each passing day, it became closer and more real. After returning for a long time, I couldn’t sleep … I was so excited 😊
And the next day we almost overslept for the whales! Yes, it was my fault. I switched off the alarm clock :D. Fatigue kept getting worse. After express packing and breakfast, we drove to Olafsvik. From here, we went by boat to look for whales. After less than an hour, we were swimming right next door, watching these amazing animals! How emotional it was! This meeting was a wonderful culmination of adventure on the peninsula.
13. Reykjavik
Our journey was slowly coming full circle. That day we stayed for a night in a small ecological farm literally in the middle of nowhere 😊. It was probably one of the best camp sites! Nice, home-like atmosphere, books to read, handicrafts to buy, animals let loose, all living side by side, chickens, dogs, goats, sheep. Rural-idyllic atmosphere.
But we did not give up! Upon arrival, we chose the Glymur waterfall as our next destination. The trail to this 200-meter-high waterfall runs along a picturesque canyon. The whole route takes about 2-3 hours. We did it in almost 5! We were in no hurry to the point that we lost the trail twice! At the top of the canyon, Paweł took his millionth step with the App. 😀
This time, we were ready to cross the river, carrying water shoes in a backpack. Although I already had the last two days of walking in the mountains, it was worth mustering up more energy to approach the waterfall. Iceland once again surprised with the landscape … so different from what we saw just the day before.
We spent the last two days in Reykjavik visiting the National Museum, the Viking Museum Saga, and roaming the city. The National Museum very interestingly tells the fate of Iceland over the centuries. We saw the most important places, architectural gems, and even more souvenir shops. Shops for tourists were virtually the same at every corner. Personally, two days in Reykjavik were too much, so on the day of departure, we went to the sulfur fields Krísuvík. Then we put a finger on the map finding a spot to observe birds. In this way, we arrived at the seat of the President of Iceland 😀
I must admit, the location is a very good. 😉 That was our last attraction of the day 😊
And so, it’s been two weeks on an enchanted island. At this point, I’d like to add that the holidays wouldn’t have been so good without the support of local elves. Their presence literally feels in the air, and all the signs in the sky told us that they provided us with so much sun in the most important moments of this trip 😊
Below you find a compilation of our trip to Iceland! Enjoy 🙂
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