We spent three nights in Hellnar on the Snæfellsness peninsula in the western Iceland and made a few trips around: views, waterfalls, beaches, churches, cemeteries, cafés…
But our stay was somehow dominated by the famous Snæfellsjökull glacier situated on the very tip of the peninsula. We planned a climb with a group organised by GoWest agency and looked each second hour towards the omnipresent glacier — is the weather improving? And it turned very, very well, as our group guide told us, “I know you know that we are very lucky with this kind of weather here, but I am sure you are not fully aware how lucky you are!” The gallery of pictures contains also a few photos from Klofningsnes penisula we visited on the way further north towards Vestfirðir, the West Fjords, with a visit to a very atmospheric Dagverðarnes church on the way. Gallery (145 images)
Snæfellsnes :: driving towards Snæfellsjökull
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull :: the lenticularis cloud formes above the glacier
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull and Stapafell below
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull zoomed
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull -- the lenticularis cloud joins the upper cloud layers
Snæfellsnes :: Breiðavík :: southern coastline
Snæfellsnes :: by Arnarstapi :: Snæfellsjökull :: it must be windy there
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar houses
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar :: our house cozy interior
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar church as seen from the upper level window
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar :: Hellnavík
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar :: Hellnavík and Snæfellsnes mountains
Snæfellsnes :: Malarrif lighthouse
Snæfellsnes :: Malarrif beach
Snæfellsnes :: Malarrif beach
Snæfellsnes :: Lóndrangar by Malarrif
Snæfellsnes :: Lóndrangar by Malarrif
Snæfellsnes :: Lóndrangar by Malarrif :: bird rocks
Snæfellsnes :: Djúpalónssandur :: remnants of the trawler Epine sunk 1948 :: a sweet water lake
Snæfellsnes :: Djúpalónssandur :: remnants of the trawler Epine sunk 1948 :: a sweet water lake
Snæfellsnes :: Djúpalónssandur
Snæfellsnes :: Dritvík beach
Snæfellsnes :: Dritvík :: rescue house
Snæfellsnes :: towards Sauðhóll
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi lighthouse
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi lighthouse
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi :: Snæfellsjökull in thick clouds
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi :: rocky coast
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi :: rocky coast
Snæfellsnes :: Skálasnagi :: bird rocks
Snæfellsnes :: rocky coast
Snæfellsnes :: Öndverðarnes :: lighthouse
Snæfellsnes :: the 412m high long wave radio mast Gufuskálar by Hellisandur, 189kHz, 300kW power
Snæfellsnes :: Öndverðarnes :: Fálki source, the only reliable sweet water source in this coastal area
Snæfellsnes :: northern slopes of Snæfellsjökull by Hellisandur
Snæfellsnes :: Lárdalur
Snæfellsnes :: Látravík before Brimlárhövði :: Kirkjufell appears
Snæfellsnes :: Kirkjufell
Snæfellsnes :: Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfossar
Snæfellsnes :: Kirkjufellsfossar
Snæfellsnes :: Kirkjufell and Grundarfjörður
Snæfellsnes :: Grundarfjörður, fjord and town
Snæfellsnes :: Kolgrafafjður
Snæfellsnes :: Kolgrafafjður :: Hlöðuvogur bay and surrounding mountains
Snæfellsnes :: Berserkjahraun
Snæfellsnes :: Berserkjahraun
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss :: behind the courtain
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss :: behind the courtain
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss :: behind the courtain
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss :: a happy girl
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallavatn with a lone angler
Snæfellsnes :: Selvallafoss in the full beauty
Snæfellsnes :: back on the southern coast :: Snæfellsjökull clears from clouds
Snæfellsnes :: Bjarnarfoss
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir church
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir church
Snæfellsnes :: just another Snæfellsjökull portrait, the clouds clear from the tops
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir cemetery
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir cemetery
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir cemetery
Snæfellsnes :: Búðir :: the omnipresent Snæfellsjökull
Snæfellsnes :: our sturdy car
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull :: all the rocky tops (Jökullþúfur) in sight
Snæfellsnes :: by Arnarstapi :: Snæfellsjökull :: the tip is Miðþúfa, the very top
Snæfellsnes :: by Arnarstapi :: Snæfellsjökull :: the route for tomorrow :: eastern approach
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar :: the leisure houses and the church
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar church :: southern peninsula coast behind
Snæfellsnes :: Hellnar :: the penisula tip on the map
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the eastern approach road :: the group led by a GoWest guide
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the glacier ahead
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the abandoned ski area
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the ugliness of an abandoned ski lift
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the penisula looks like... a peninsula
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Búðahraun with Búðahelli crater and Hraunlandarif beach
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: the rope team
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: some crevasses to the north of our route
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: a big and deep crevasse on our way
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: a big and deep crevasse on our way
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: a big and deep crevasse on our way
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: a big and deep crevasse on our way :: the tops in sight
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: a big and deep crevasse on our way :: the tops in sight
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: passing some rocky outcrops to the south of our route
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: approaching Miðþúfa, the main top
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: approaching the pass between Miðþúfa and Norðþúfa ridges
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa, the main top itself
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: on the pass east of Miðþúfa :: the view northeast to Blágilsjökull
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: on the pass east of Miðþúfa
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: on the pass east of Miðþúfa :: our guide from GoWest
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view to the west :: can we see Greenland from here...?
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view to the east :: the whole peninsula
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view to the northeast to the Norðþúfa
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the obligatory photo with the guide from GoWest
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the obligatory photo with our guide from GoWest
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view to the southeast :: the whole peninsula and our approach route
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view to the west :: crevasses below Vesturþúfa
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the view northeast to Blágilsjökull
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: Miðþúfa :: the rocky outcrops below we passed on our way
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: back on the pass east of Miðþúfa :: looking northeast
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: in a cloud :: looking back from the descend northeast
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending northeast in a cloud :: icy ridge
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending northeast directly towards Arnarstapi below
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending :: omitting a crevasse
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: crevasses below Norðurþúfa
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending :: scaling a crevasse
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending :: scaling a crevasse
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending :: back on the dirt road, looking back
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull climb :: descending :: back on the dirt road, looking back
Snæfellsnes :: a dark morning in Hellnar :: the weather worsened
Snæfellsnes :: Breiðavík by Arnarstapi in clouds
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull farewell view
Snæfellsnes :: Snæfellsjökull farewell view
Snæfellsnes :: Berserkjahraun the other day...
Snæfellsnes :: Berserkjahraun the other day...
Snæfellsnes :: by Straumur :: Hvammsfjörður
Snæfellsnes :: by Straumur :: Klofningur behind the fjord
Snæfellsnes :: by Straumur :: zoomed Klofningur behind the fjord
Snæfellsnes :: by Straumur :: looking west, northern peninsula shores
Snæfellsnes :: by Straumur :: the road east to Skógraströnd :: Klofningur behind
Klofningsnes :: Krosshólaborg behind a fence
Klofningsnes :: Krosshólaborg :: Landnám explained
Klofningsnes :: Krosshólaborg
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: lagoons :: Snæfellsnes behind
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church cemetery
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church cemetery
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: one of the gravestones
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church cemetery :: a well-tended for grave
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: her tomb
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: her tomb
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: his tomb
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: his tomb
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church interior
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church entrance
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: lagoons, Snæfellsnes behind
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: church
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: lagoons, Snæfellsnes behind
Klofningsnes :: Dagverðarnes :: lagoons, zoomed Snæfellsnes behind
Klofningsnes :: Saga circle
Klofningsnes :: Skardströnd :: the open Breiðafjörður :: southern shores of Vestfirðir appeear
Klofningsnes :: Skarðströnd :: the open Breiðafjörður :: Latrabjarg far away
Klofningsnes :: Skardströnd :: Breiðafjörður :: Reykhólar in sight
Klofningsnes :: Skardströnd :: the top of Breiðafjörður :: the road towards Vestfirðir
By the way, the cloud above the Snæfellsjökull in the featured image is altocumulus lenticularis.
And yes, this is the same glacier which plays the somehow central role in two books: Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne and Under the Glacier by Halldór Laxness. To the latter, an excellent essay by Susan Sontag in The New York Times is recommended.