Arnarstapi was the highlight of my Icelandic trip. We knew Arnarstapi is a small fishing village and of Gatklettur – the arch bridge but beyond that did not know what to expect.
As we arrived and started to wander around, there was something unexpected in every turn. Nesting birds, snowy mountains popping out of the clouds, blowholes, islands in the sea, reflecting water surfaces, fun where ever you looked at.
Getting there
Arnarstapi lies at the entrance of Snaefellsjokull National Park. The road to Arnarstapi leads directly to the sea. Before reaching the harbor, there is a large car park with restaurants. This is the only place where you will find bathrooms. If you drive to the harbor, there is also a small parking lot. Starting there will give you a view of the little house on the rocks.
What to see
Monuments
There are 2 monuments around the parking lot. Bardur Saga sculpture is made of rock. It is in memory of an old Icelandic saga about a half troll / half man.
The other one is in memory of Jules Verne. In his novel: A Journey to the Center of the Earth Arnarstapi was the last stop before they entered the interior of the planet through a tunnel in the volcano.
Bird-watching
However the more interesting sights are formed by the nature. There is a small volcano behind the white house and the larger Snaefellsjokull in the background. I loved to see the little bays with basalt columns and the nesting birds.
Our visit collided with the start of the breeding period for the seagulls. The birds were courting and it was really fun to watch them. Great cormorants were sitting on the edge of the rocks and summer will bring even more nesting birds.
The absolute delight
My favorite scene however was an unexpected one. The clouds were moving and sometimes the snow covered mountains were revealed from the clouds. I captured the below picture in one of this occasion. The person on the picture is a fellow tourist, providing perfect addition to my picture.
Arch bridges / photo adventures
On the path along the rocks there were a few blowholes as well. The only sign to the blowholes is in Icelandic (see below) and do not expect fences, just pure nature. This also means, use your common sense. If the rocks are slippery, do not go close to the edges. No picture is worth your life.
How well hidden these places are is well demonstrated by the below pictures. I was standing on the arch, taking picture of the blowhole without realizing where I was standing (I am in the red jacket). It is also not impossible to find – it is between the harbor and Gatklettur and for sure there will be a few people taking pictures there.
Close to the Bordur Saga monument (it is huge) is Gatklettur “Hellnar Arch” providing brilliant photo location for fellow photo enthusiasts.
Hiking
The path continues from Gatklettur to Hellnar ~ 5 km (3.1 miles) along a lava field. It reveals a lot of interesting rock formations, caves, islands. It is a place which moves your fantasy – it is easy to imagine how stories of trolls and elves were brought to life here.
What’s next
Snaefellsness peninsula also offers a unique service – you can visit a local storyteller or ask him/her to join you on the trip discovering the peninsula. Storytelling in Iceland has a long history – in the dark winters Icelanders sit together with their families and friends and tell each other old Icelandic sagas. This way generation after generations kids grow up knowing their heritage. Icelandic sagas have been the first stories documented in the nordic literature and have inspired writers like Tolkien. Unfortunately I did not have a chance to leverage this unique opportunity but I hope I will be able to do so in one of my future trips.
