“That we leave our homes, that we step through our doors to the world, that we travel our whole lives not because we want to collect exotic T-shirts, not because we want to consume foreign adventure the same Western way we consume plastic and Styrofoam and LCD TVs and iPads, but because it has the power to renew us—not the guarantee, not the promise, just the possibility. Because there are places our imaginations can never construct for us, and there are people who we will never meet but we could and we might. It reminds us that there is always reason to begin again.” - Stephen Markley, Tales of Iceland or "Running with the Huldufólk in the Permanent Daylight"
This weekend we had the PERFECT weather for exploring Snaefellsnes, the “hand” of Iceland as the children call it. This peninsula is often referred to as Iceland in miniature. In a small area you can see glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and geothermal springs... it is breathtaking. We started the morning by stopping and walking around Arnarstapi. This village by the sea was a perfect place to break out Tommy and let him fly. Being a visitor, not everyone knows my particular brand of crazy so I have been reluctant to let him out to play but not so this weekend! Arnarstapi is home to a rather large colony of arctic tern and you can sure appreciate them up close and personal here. There is also a sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson, the guardian of the glacier of Snaefell and tribute to one of Iceland`s famous sagas. It feels like Icelæand`s version of an inuksuk. From there we spent the day hopping in and out of the car. Londrangar and Malariff were next! Londrangar is a uniquely-formed remnant of ancient basalt volcanic dikes sticking out from the sea. Londrangar and the hill Svalthufa are the remains of a crater, which has been eroded to its present form by the sea. The farmers in the area never made or make hay on the hill, because it is said to belong to the elves living in the area. (Thank you Google!) How many of you know that when I travel a beach I often look down and spot a heart-shaped rock. Thus was the case with our next stop but I wish it had been bigger. I am not sure how I am going to fit “Djúpalónssandur” on this rock! This site held a beautiful black sand beach, the ruins of an old shipwreck and a set of strong man rocks bored fisherman used to move from A to B when they were testing their strength. Needless to say, I am no viking and would die at see at the first requirement for strength! Dori, our driver extraordinaire, has boundless energy. I admire his quick wit and easy laugh but marvelled at his athleticism as he bounded up all 362 steps of Saxhóll and waved to us resting one third of the way up! This crater, well within snaefellsjökul national park, offers a spectacular view of the surrounding area, complete with rust-coloured award-winning staircase, sundial and 360 panorama that takes your breath away. Next up was Skarðsvík, a hidden gem on the western most point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. This quaint little spot offers a golden sandy beach with an excellent front row seat to the tides of the west coast. So beautiful!! When you think of Iceland, you often think of it`s mountains. Kirkjufell does NOT disappoint! Kirkjufell, or 'Church Mountain', is a distinctly shaped peak found on the north shore of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, only a short distance away from the town of Grundarfjörður. It is often called ‘the most photographed mountain in Iceland’, due to its dramatic formation and perfect coastal location. (Yup, stole that right out of Guide to Iceland: https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/kirkjufell This beautiful peak is 463 metres high, a mere baby by Canadian standards, but resting on top of the ocean floor it is rather spectacular to see firsthand. Standing there, roadside, feels a bit like a religious experience...you know you are in the presence of something amazing. Bad weather started to creep into the day as we approached the fishing village of Stykkishólmur. Located in Breiðafjörður Bay, this village is surrounded by innumerable islands and offers a stunning harbour for fishing trawlers and a large fjord ferry alike. Here we stopped for the BEST seafood soup I have ever tasted! It warmed us to our toes after a day spent hiking around in the howling wind. With full bellies and an iPhone camera suffering from overuse we made our way back home. Thank you to our driver Dori and the in-flight service! ;O)
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AuthorAubrey: "Leader of the Elves"....that's me. Mom of two amazing guys, wife to one bigger (yet no less amazing) guy and teacher of little ones. Blogging about the adventures (usually with my rubber chicken in tow) is one of my favourite things. Archives
April 2019
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