On the way :) to the Snæfellsjökull National Park <3
Snaefellsjokull National Park
Snæfellsjökull National Park was established on June 28th, 2001.The Park's purpose is to protect and conserve the area's unique landscape, indigenous plants and animal life as well as the important historical relics. At the same time, the Park is meant to allow visitors easier access as well as an improved opportunities to get to know the area. National parks are amongst Iceland's finest assets and everyone is free to explore them.The Snæfellsjökull glacier lies within the national park, and the park is the only Icelandic national park that stretches to the sea. The geology of Snæfellsnes national park is diverse with formations from almost every era of Iceland’s past. The more prominent formations in and around the National Park mainly date from geologically “modern” times back to the last ice age. The hills to the north of the glacier, around Bárðarkista, are of volcanic palagonite tuff, formed during eruptions under the glacier or below the surface of the sea. Svalþúfa is most likely the eastern section of a crater that erupted under the sea, while Lóndrangar is a volcanic plug.
Snæfellsjökull National Park was established on June 28th, 2001.The Park's purpose is to protect and conserve the area's unique landscape, indigenous plants and animal life as well as the important historical relics. At the same time, the Park is meant to allow visitors easier access as well as an improved opportunities to get to know the area. National parks are amongst Iceland's finest assets and everyone is free to explore them.The Snæfellsjökull glacier lies within the national park, and the park is the only Icelandic national park that stretches to the sea. The geology of Snæfellsnes national park is diverse with formations from almost every era of Iceland’s past. The more prominent formations in and around the National Park mainly date from geologically “modern” times back to the last ice age. The hills to the north of the glacier, around Bárðarkista, are of volcanic palagonite tuff, formed during eruptions under the glacier or below the surface of the sea. Svalþúfa is most likely the eastern section of a crater that erupted under the sea, while Lóndrangar is a volcanic plug.
Volcano covered with a glacier
The Snæfellsjökull glacier lies on top of a volcano and it’s the center of the park. Its peak reaches 1446m (4745 ft) and in a clear day it can be seen from Reykjavik about 200 km away. The mountain was first climbed in 1754 and like many other volcanoes in Iceland, it is still active. The latest eruption occurred 1900 years ago. The glacier cover the summit crater to the depth of 200m (650 ft). Due to global warming the glacier has shrunken and it continue to shrink. Some researches predict that the glacier would vanish in less than 50 years.
LONDRANGAR BASALT CLIFFS
Uniquely-formed remnants 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.
Younger lava fields surround this old crater ruin. The higher pillar (75m) was first climbed in 1735 and the lower (61 m) in 1938.
Below the hill you may find Thufubjarg cliff where according to a folktale the poet Kolbeinn Joklaskald had an encounter with the Devil.
On these cliffs, puffins and fulmars have their nests.
Malarrif Lighthouse in Snæfellsjökull National Park
ARNARSTAPI
Arnarstapi was an important trading post in the past and had a much bigger population than it has now.
Columnar basalt, ravines and grottoes surround the Arnarstapi pier. There is good anchorage for small boats.
There is quite a large arctic tern colony in the village itself. A walk along the coastline is recommended to watch the birds and the magnificent lava formations. The seaside and the cliffs between Arnastapi and Hellnar have been made a Natural Reserve in 1979.
A very interesting old path follows the coastline where you can see old lending places of fishermen, lots of birds like the kittiwake, the Arctic tern and the fulmar and pass through a lavafield. If you take a guided tour, you will also hear a ghost story.
A sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson stands by the beach at Arnarstapi.
Waterfall Bjarnarfoss (Cascade). Otherside from the road to the Búðakirkja, to the West.
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