Hellnafell Guesthouse

Kolgrafarfjörður has a lot of wildlife. A large part of the black-backed gull population lives there with 38 other bird species. There are also killer whales, white-beaked dolphins and seals. Hraunsfjörður fjord come from it, long but narrow. At high tide, the flow is so great that the current resembles a rushing river

Búlandshöfði falls steep into the sea. There you find strata from the first half of the ice age, hardened glacial rock and fossils of seashells. On top of the sea sediment with ice seashells and glacial till there is a clayey sedimentary layer with remnants of warm seashells that lava has flowed over during warm periods.

Kirkjufellsfoss is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland. It is located near Grundarfjörður at the northern side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland.

The river Kirkjufellsá runs down from the volcano Helgrindur and has three waterfalls in it, all called Kirkjufellsfoss.

Grundarfjörður's beautiful landmark is the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Its isolated position jutting out into the sea makes it a focal point for tourists and seamen alike.

Kirkjufell (Church Mountain) is 463 meters high and visible from all angles in town.Grundarfjörður is the ideal place to enjoy the amazing colours of the sunset behind the mountain.

Home to Mt Kirkjufell

Though Grundarfjörður is not the most well-known town in Snæfellsnes, its mountain is certainly one of the most famous mountains in Iceland, if not the world. It is not unusual for photographers from all over the world to make their way to Grundarfjörður for the sole purpose of photographing this unique landmark which has even starred in a number of films, most recently The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Once the increasing number of visitors have had their fill of Kirkjufell, they quickly discover that there is a lot more on offer in Grundarfjörður than merely magnificent mountains. Nature abounds, with vibrant birdlife, spectacular waterfalls, great hiking trails and exciting marine visitors such as seals and whales putting in an appearance every now and then. During the long summer days, there are daily boat trips where visitors can go deep sea fishing, see puffins and other beautiful birds and perhaps even catch sight of a whale or two.

Grundarfjörður is conveniently located in the middle of Snæfellsnes and provides easy access to Stykkishólmur, Snæfellsbær and the Snæfellsnes National Park. There is a great selection of accommodation available, with a high quality hotel and hostel, two guesthouses, a farm holiday guesthouse and a campsite by the swimming pool.

The swimming pool with its hot tubs is just one of a number of exciting services around the town. There is also a golf course, a family restaurant, a hotel restaurant, a coffee shop in the culture and heritage centre (where the information centre is also located), horse rentals, a pharmacy, a liquor store, a dry cleaning and laundry service and a well-stocked grocery store.

Though most visitors to Grundarfjörður arrive by road, there are also thousands that come by sea. Grundarfjörður Harbour makes every effort to make a cruise ship's visit comfortable and memorable for passengers and crew alike and as a result the number of cruise ships visits have increased from 2 in 2001 to no fewer than 18 scheduled for this summer.

During summer the town truly comes alive in a number of different ways. The local Viking Association are building up a Viking "village" in the centre of town and Viking-age re-enactments are often the highlight of the day for cruise ship passengers.

During the town festival, Á góðri stund, which is held the last weekend in July, the town literally changes colour when inhabitants and their guests decorate their houses in red, blue, yellow and green and indulge in a range of activities for all the family, from art exhibitions to fighting Vikings to concerts on the pier.

From Mt Kirkjufell to the sea, Grundarfjörður welcomes all its visitors equally. See you in summer!

Berserkjahraun is a 4000-year-old lava field situated on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

It covers the western part of Helgafell, between Stykkishólmur and Grundarfjörður.

The name Berserkjahraun comes from one of the Icelandic Sagas, Eyrbyggja-Saga. According to the saga, a farmer brought two berserkers from Sweden to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. He later gave the berserkers to his brother, Víga-Styr, who lived on the other side of the lava field.

One of the Swedes fell in love with Víga-Styr's daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. Víga-Styr made a deal with the berserker, he could have his daughter's hand if the two Swedes could clear a path through the lava field, connecting Víga-Styr's farm to his brother's.

The feat was considered impossible but the berserkers managed to complete the path quite quickly. Instead of keeping his promise, Víga-Styr had the two Swedes killed and buried them near the path.

The lava field was created after four scoria craters erupted in short intervals around 4000 years ago. The lava ran from the mountain slopes of Bjarnarhafnarfjall and out to the sea at Hraunsfjörður and Hraunsvík.

When visiting Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a round tour is a good idea because this 90 km long circle comprises a world of diversity. On the northern side you will find friendly towns and villages, spectacular mountains and waterfalls, galleries and museums and much more.