Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.05.2017, Page 52

Ghosts & Green Lakes
A day exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula
Words: Jóhanna Pétursdóttir Photos: Art Bicnick

Sleepy and in need of some caffeine,
we’re picked up early by our guide,
Bjarni, for a day trip of Reykjanes,
Iceland’s southwestern penin-
sula. Thankfully, he doesn’t mind
stopping for coffee along the way.
Bjarni seems like the type of friend
you meet during an exchange pro-
gramme, eager to show you around
their country—he’s fun to be around,
and very fond of his homeland.
On the drive, Bjarni tells us about
how he and three friends started
their tourism business two years
ago, based on their
love of the area. “I
think people really
get what they’re
here for at the
Reykjanes Penin-
sula,” he says. “You
can kind of just feel
the environment,
and its quietness.”
Our first stop
is Krýsuvík, which
has unusually co-
loured scener y
peeking out from
a cover of snow. Spots of copper red
and bubbly blue-green puddles sur-
round us as we walk up the path.
The steam carries a hint of sulphur.
Bjarni walks around with us, with-
out any time pressure. A bit further
up, there’s a still green lake, in con-
trast to the bubbling hot spring area.
Rough and wavy
As you may know, Iceland has many
seaside cliffs and mountains. My
favourite was Arnarstapi on the
Snæfellsnes Peninsula—until I got
out of the car at our next stop, Krý-
suvíkubjarg. We walk a rocky path
to get as close as possible to the
rough waves crashing against the
rocks. We watch the sun come up
in the distance and our guide tells
us there’s a hidden pool, secluded
from the rough sea, where he goes
swimming in summer.
By the time we get to Bryggjan,
a small diner by the harbour vil-
lage of Grindavík, we’re just hun-
gry enough to warm up with some
hot meat soup. The place is filled
with decorations,
each with its own
story—tales that
the owners gladly
relate. This rus-
tic little place is
much appreciated
by locals, who sit
around talking
about the good old
days while a Chi-
nese family enjoy
their meal in the
other corner.
A r r i v i n g a t
Gunnuhver, I immediately get a
sense of mystery because of the
thick geothermal fog around the
area. Our guide tells us the story
of a ghost, Gunna, who haunted
the area for years after she died in
1703. This hot spring area, in those
times, was thought to have a close
resemblance to hell. A known sor-
cerer at that time lured the ghost
into the steam to stop the haunt-
ing—to this day, the area is named
after Gunna.
Next we drive past a lighthouse
on a hill—Reykjanesviti, the oldest
lighthouse in Iceland. It was built
1873, but collapsed, and was only re-
stored eight years later. It’s unusu-
ally located adjacent to the shoreline,
but because it’s 77 metres above sea
level, it was considered a perfect site
anyway. Bjarni notes that the light-
house keeper is also a cab driver.
The toe
The next stop we get out of the car
is called Reykjanestoe—and no, I
didn’t make that up. We walk up the
hill to view the cliff and the small is-
land of Eldey in the distance. Eldey is
also known as “the bird island.” Ap-
parently, they fill up the landscape
during summer, and only ornitholo-
gists go there.
We hop out again at one of the
area’s craters, Stampar, formed dur-
ing a 1210 eruption that expanded
the peninsula’s landmass with
lava. Bjarni explains how he never
sees anyone stop here, though it’s
actually his favourite stop of the
tour. When I get up close, I find out
why—it’s full of coloured red and
blue stones, and you can clearly see
the line of craters that have been
here for hundreds of years.
Our last stop is a bridge that
spans the gap between the Eurasian
and North American tectonic plates.
It’s the only place during our whole
trip where we see a tour bus. Bjarni
explains how the two plates move
gradually further away from each
other each year. This process is how
Iceland’s land mass formed in the
first place, and also why earthquakes
here aren’t as destructive as in other
places.
Before heading home, Bjarni of-
fers us a taste of Icelandic hardfiskur
at his fish store on the way back to
Reykjavík. I leave this trip having
developed my own enthusiasm for
this part of Iceland, thanks to our
guide’s enthusiasm for the beautiful
Reykjanes Peninsula.
SHARE & VIEW GALLERY:
gpv.is/gho08
How to get there:
Hotel pickup, or drive routes 41
and 44
Distance from
Reykjavík
69km
Tour provided by:
reykjanestours.is
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G E T Y O U R D E S I G N E R B R A N D S
T A X F R E E A T K E F L A V I K A I R P O R T
“A known
sorcerer lured
the ghost into
the steam... to
this day, the
area is named
after Gunna.”
52 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 08 — 2017