I mentioned in my last post how super varied Iceland is. In summer, when you’re in the south or east, you can sometimes forget that you’re so close to the Arctic Circle. But not here, where I live - it’s pretty hard to forget that!
It doesn’t bother me at all. I actually really love these raw, almost monochromatic landscapes, sometimes broken up by a bit of color like fresh green moss or purple lupins in the summer. It’s simple and beautiful.
When I come back from a trip and drive into the northern part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, I always feel the same emotion and awe. The same feeling I had when I came through here for the first time. Back then it was a trip into the unknown - now it feels like coming home.
When you drive through the mountain pass leading to northern Snæfellsnes, it feels like entering another world. It's not just me who feels this way – many tourists staying at our guesthouse say the same.
Berserkjahraun
When I drove this road for the first time, I especially remember a vast lava field, partly shrouded in mist, yet at the same time illuminated by the rays of the setting sun. It felt like a dream.
This place is called Berserkjahraun - the name comes from one of the Icelandic sagas. The lava here is around 4000 years old. It’s still a very special place for me. I often drive through it on my way to the town of Stykkishólmur, where I do a big grocery shop about twice a month.
There are huge fields with soft moss, black craters, and rough mountains in the background - and every time I see it, it feels like the first time again. I never get bored of it.
Lava fields in Iceland all look different. This one looks like ruins of some ancient buildings, destroyed by a giant bulldozer. Sharp, jagged rocks stick out everywhere, like guards ready to attack. They are huge - some are several meters tall. But for me, they feel friendly - ever since they welcomed me here two years ago, in mist and mystery.
Stykkishólmur
Talking about memories - I also remember very well my first time driving alone in Iceland. Of course, it was a grocery trip to Stykkishólmur. It was very windy and I was holding the steering wheel like it was a lifebuoy ;)
The town is really cute and I love coming here.
One of the best places to visit is the small hill by the harbor, with a tiny red lighthouse on top.
From there, you get a great view of the town, the harbor, and the many small islands in Breiðafjörður Bay.
Fishing boats and also ferries to Flatey Island and the Westfjords leave from this harbor.
Stykkishólmur has a special, kind of old-school vibe, mostly because of the buildings. There are many colorful wooden houses from the 19th century, and they’re still in great shape. Maybe that’s why they picked it to play a Greenlandic town in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. But don’t worry - the fame didn’t change it :) It’s still calm and charming, even though more tourists visit it in summer.
What else pulls me to Stykkisholmur? Alright, I’ll be honest :) Tasty fish and chips from the food track at the harbor. They’re supposed to open it at the start of summer, so in just a month. I can’t wait!
Icelandic stories:
A year of transition - small trips and moving to Iceland
Where my home is - "Iceland in miniature"
Winter at my place - not as scary as they said
Chasing spring in Grundarfjörður
Wolf Beans: purple beauty or invasive species? A trip to Ingjaldshóll
Welcome to Mars: Kerlingarfjöll Mountains
Katla's tongue – Sólheimajökull Glacier
In the shadow of the glacier: the stunning Þakgil campsite
Moss and ice: the road east
Basalt and turquoise: Stuðlagil Canyon, East Iceland