Reykjavík Grapevine - Nov 2019, Page 26

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
26
Good Weather
Not Needed
Exploring the Snæfellsnes peninsula
in autumn
Words: Josie Gaitens Photos: Art Bicnick
Autumn. An elusive season in Ice-
land, it briefly makes an appearance
as the endless summer days draw
to a close, and before it’s necessary
to don full polar survival gear to
leave the house. While the American
name is less relevant—there aren’t
many trees for leaves to ‘fall’ from—
those who dismiss travelling at this
time of year are missing out on one
of the most beautiful iterations of
Icelandic scenery. Sure, the weath-
er might not be as reliable as dur-
ing the summer months, but seek
out the right spots and you will be
rewarded with a countryside alive
with colour—at least, that’s what I
found on my recent autumnal jaunt
to Snæfellsnes.
A hidden gem
Off of the main ‘Ring Road,’
Snæfellsnes is sometimes overlooked
by visitors. And yet, it showcases
many of the elements that Iceland is
famed for—hot springs, black sand
beaches, dramatic sea cliffs, water-
falls, majestic mountains, and more.
Our first stop was the natural hot
spring Landbrotalaug. Set in the
most idyllic location, with the Eld-
borg volcanic crater as a backdrop,
you’d be hard-pressed to find a more
beautiful spot to take a dip. The orig-
inal hot pot is very small, with only
room for a couple of people, but at
the other side of the small lake are a
few pools fed by piped spring water.
There are no changing facilities and
a lot of mud, but somehow the rus-
tic feel makes the whole experience
better. Lying in the hot water, with
the hills around us ablaze in colour,
we rejoiced at the gentle rain misting
our faces.
Kanye West?
Slightly damp, and significantly
soothed, we headed along the south-
ern edge of the peninsula, briefly
stopping at the photogenic black
church Búðakirkja, before continu-
ing further along the road, where a
window in the weather allowed us to
take a walk up Rauðfeldsgjá gorge.
This dramatic crack in the world is
thought to be the place that inspired
Jules Verne when writing ‘Journey
To The Centre Of The Earth.’ The fa-
mous novel begins on Snæfellsjökull,
the glacier that perches high on the
western tip of the peninsula. On a
clear day, it’s visible from Reykjavík,
but we only caught half glimpses of
it through the heavy cloud cover, de-
spite it being right above us.
The appeal of Snæfellsnes is not
limited to its natural beauty, how-
ever. A thriving arts scene also ex-
ists here, and no place is this more
accessible than Hellissandur. Once
a busy fishing town, the village has
experienced a significant decline in
fortunes over the years. Hellissan-
dur native and owner of the Freezer
Hostel in nearby Rif, Kári Viðars-
son, had a vision about how to re-
vamp the town’s image. Over the last
couple of years, in connection with
organisation Artrvl, visiting interna-
tional artists have adorned the walls
of the abandoned fish factory and
other buildings with colourful mu-
rals depicting local stories, Icelandic
folklore, native wildlife—and, sur-
prisingly, Kanye West.
We made the most of the rapidly
dimming light to take in a couple
more spots before heading home.
Djúpalónssandur beach—normally
rammed with tourists in the sum-
mertime—was deserted, bleak and
beautiful. We watched the seabirds
wheeling in the wind and cheered
the waves as they crashed into the
black basalt cliffs. Weather depend-
ent? Weather independent, more
like.
Distance from
Reykjavík:
175 km
How to get there:
Route One North, Route 54
Car provided by:
gocarrental.is West
WELCOME TO
ANOTHER WORLD
– a remote luxury
hotelbudirhotelbudirhotelbudir.is budir@budir.is +354 435 6700
One of the most beautiful places in
Iceland, just two hours drive from
Reykjavik. A charming atmosphere, and a
restaurant known for its exquisite cuisine.
Check out our selection of gift cards on
hotelbudir.is/gjafabref2018
A great idea and well rembered for any
occasion.