Leaving early for a leisurely drive through
western Iceland, via Hvalfjörður,(the Bay of Whales), with it's majestic
scenery and World War II relics, we will arrive in the middle of the morning at
the regional capital Borgarnes
which is splendidly situated on bay of Faxaflói.
Pursuing
our trip northwards through the county of Mýrar which adorns one of the
country's most beautifully shaped volcanic craters, the Eldborg, we will continue
our journey through lava
fields on southern side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, to Gerðuberg
which is an impressive cliff of basaltic columns about a mile long.
Ölduhryggur
ridge marks an ancient sea level for many miles in this area, and between it and
the mountains lie countless lakes and ponds giving sanctuary to dozens of species
of birds, some of which are quite rare.
At the
farms of Ölkelda and Lýsuhóll we can taste some delicious,
sparkling mineral water, which flows freely from their wells. Nearby, the landmarks
of Bjarnafoss, Búðir with it's lava-field and
sandy beaches are an endless source of inspiration to creative photographers.
Another such place is Arnarstapi, where the view to mount Stapafell, with the
famous Snæfellsjökull glacier in the background, irresistibly draws
the attention of the visitor. There, on top of the cliffs, we set off on a hike along seaside, among the thousands of kittiwakes, cormorants
and seagulls which make those cliffs their home.
Reaching
the tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, we find the eerie rocks at Malarrif,
the lava caves at Purkhólar and then we will walk down to the seaside at
Djúpalónssandur and examine the wreck of the British trawler Epine,
which ran aground here in 1948.
At Gufuskálar,
we can see the tallest structure in Iceland,(which for decades was also Europe's
tallest) and a further on, at the edge of the lava field behind the village of
Hellissandur, lie the oldest remains of a fishing industry in this country, the
stockfish drying sheds which have been dated back to the early 13th century. A
small folk-museum in the village, dedicated to ancient fisheries , is well worth
a visit.
The town of Ólafsvík, on
the northern side of the peninsula, is ideal for stopping over and getting refreshments,
as well as to watch a busy fishing village in action.
Heading
back eastwards along the northern shores of the peninsula, we will first arrive
at the impressive Búlandshöfði mull, which is geologically renowned
for being one of the most important finding places of fossilized plants in Iceland
and from the high passing road , we will get a splendid view of the northern coastline.
The
town of Grundarfjörður and it's vicinity are justly reputed for splendid
scenery: waterfalls and especially the conically shaped Kirkjufell mountain.
Return to Reykjavík over the Kerlingarskarð
mountain pass and the new road tunnel under the Hvalfjörður bay in the late afternoon.
Duration of tour:10 - 11 hours,
Departures: Saturdays
at 8:30 a.m.,and by request.
Tour Price:
Price per
person, (for 4 passengers or more):
Price per.person:
(click inside box
to select your currency)
Conditions
of sale. (please read carefully)
Services included: Transportation
and guidance.
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