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 shapedKirkjufell mountain.
Return to Reykjavík over the Kerlingarskarð mountain pass and the impressive road
tunnel under the Hvalfjörður
bay in the late afternoon.
Duration of tour:10 - 11 hours,
Departures
: Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.,andby request.
Price per person, (for 4 passengers
or more):
Price per.person:
(click inside box to select your currency)
Conditions
of sale.
Services included: Transportation and guidance.
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