Today we saw the Snaefellsnes peninsula – at least the outer edge. It is about 80 km in width, and 10 to 20 north to south. The edges are flat coastal plains of 0 to 5 km width backed by high rugged mountains. Some of the plain grows hay, but much is inhospitable lava fields.
The west end of the peninsula is a park, dominated by the glacier topped Snaefells volcano, made famous in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Of course it was cloud covered but we assume it is still there.
With the weather being rain showers mixed with sunny intervals, it was a day of rainbows – most intense, and many a full arc. We have a lifetime’s worth of rainbow photos now.
One of the outstanding pieces of geology is the huge stratified rock monolith Kirkjufell in the bay off Gundarfjorthur.
Another geological excitement is the climb up the cinder cone of the long dormant volcano Saxholl.
Due to a tip off from a craft shop lady we had the most wonderful fish soup lunch at ‘the green house in Hellissandur’. Not to be missed.
There were several of the by-now-familiar churches, plus one black one. Several of the beaches had outstanding surf displays on the rocks. The tour of the peninsula is a very dramatic way to spend a day – or more if you could. A highlight of Iceland.
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