Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.12.2011, Blaðsíða 31

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31
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 18 — 2011
Given the variety of sights contained in a single
place, it’s no wonder that Snæfellsnes is some-
times called a miniature of Iceland. Surrounded
by fjords, sea cliffs and beaches, this 90-km long
peninsula in western Iceland has diverse land-
scapes, including lava fields, colourful rocks and
sands. Not to mention, it features a mountain
range dominated by the Snæfellsjökull glacier,
which is believed to be a mystical place with a
magical energy.
“We have everything that you could have in
one place,” our tour guide Hörður Harðarson says,
explaining that a day trip is not enough to explore
the whole peninsula, but it gives you an idea of
what you can do there. “It is one of the hidden
paradises in Iceland,” he says.
CHATTING WITH THE SEALS
After departing from Reykjavík bright and early,
the tour to Snæfellsnes begins with a stop at
Gerðuberg—a row of columnar rocks and basalt
formations. We get out and admire what looks to
me like a huge unfinished building. And this is just
the beginning of a great number of natural won-
ders.
Next we stop at Ytri Tunga, where Hörður tells
us we are guaranteed to see seals, and he is defi-
nitely right. At first, it seems like we are simply
looking at a bunch of rocks, but upon closer in-
spection, we can make out the seals, which blend
in well with the rocks. They look at us for a while
and it’s like we are having a one-minute eye-con-
versation.
bEING IN THE MIddLE OF NOWHERE
We continue along a road surrounded by lava
fields, and the romantic scenery out of the window
captivates me. One gets a sense for how sparsely
populated Iceland really is. It’s like being in the
middle of nowhere and suddenly the beauty of na-
ture just appears all around.
The Snæfellsjökull glacier and volcano seem
to follow us and Hörður says there is something
about that glacier that is difficult to explain. It’s
like it’s always pulling you, he tells us. “To be on
the glacier during the midnight sun is like a stand-
ing on a top of the world,” he adds. No wonder
writers like Halldór Laxness and Jules Verne were
inspired by it; Jules Verne's novel ‘A Journey to the
Centre of Earth’ leads you right to the centre of it.
Our next stop brings us to Arnarstapi, a fish-
ing village with an astonishing view. As you can
imagine there are many rock formations along the
coast and driving the steep cliffs is awe inspiring.
ROCKS ANd SEA
At nearby Djúpalónssandur, we continue to learn
about fishing. There we find four lifting stones
once used by fisherman to measure their strength.
The weight of the heaviest one is 155 kilos and
the smallest one, 23 kilos. You must to concen-
trate, keep the stone close to you and use your
whole body to lift them; otherwise you just can’t
do it. Our group is only able to lift the smallest one,
which would have been useless to the fishermen.
Alas, it’s time to go home and we leave the
peninsula behind us and make our way back to
the city.
One of the passengers, Ingrid from Latvia, tells
me though she didn’t understand everything the
guide was saying, though she still enjoyed the tour
where the nature speaks for itself.
Snæfellsnes proves to be dream-like, peace-
ful, and relaxing. With its mountains and volca-
noes, it’s a place where you reenergize yourself.
“I’ve been coming to Snæfellsnes for many years,”
Hörður tells us, “and I never grow tired coming
here because there is so much to see.”
Travel | Snæfellsnes Words by Monika Domeniková, photography by Alísa Kalyanova
beyond The Middle Of Nowhere
A miniature of Iceland explored in one day
The Wonder of Snæfellsnes can be booked by emailing main@re.is or
by calling +354 580 5400. See www.re.is for more info.