T
he first records of settlements in the Arnarstapi area come from the Bárðar Snæfellsáss saga, an ancient Icelandic saga about the history of a half-man, half-troll. Since his death, he is considered a guardian and good spirit of the region.
Arnarstapi is a small village in the southwestern part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and a number of attractive tourist sites, it is a popular stopping or lodging place for tourists visiting the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
Arnarstapi – a treat for fans of picturesque views
The village of Arnarstapi is primarily famous for its coastline. Here, beautiful granite columns descend directly into the ocean, creating a specific wall of beautiful vertical pilasters.
In addition, the ocean has carved two unusual “rock bridges” into these granite cliffs. One of them is called simply “stone bridge,” but the other has earned its own name – it is Gatklettur. Some see in it the shape of a heart, others see two kissing faces here… Interacting with the waves and light can provide a beautiful backdrop for romantic photos.
Entering Arnarstapi, we can leave the car in a convenient parking lot on the right, next to the Arnarstapi Center (tourist information center) and see the whole town on foot. First we will take the path to the Bardura statue, continue to the viewpoint of the cliffs, and going further east and northeast we will see Gatklettur and the rock bridge in turn. The entire route including the return to the parking lot is no more than 1.5 km, unless, walking along the coast, we go all the way to the port – then it will extend to about 2 km. Assuming the weather favors us, it is a very nice and scenic walk.
A Arnarstapi walk plan
T
he first records of settlements in the Arnarstapi area come from the Bárðar Snæfellsáss saga, an ancient Icelandic saga about the history of a half-man, half-troll. Since his death, he is considered a guardian and good spirit of the region.
Bardur of Snaefellsnes
On a momentous site not far from Gatklettur, an interesting monument to the giant Bardura, now considered the good guardian spirit of the area, was built. It must be admitted that it is quite difficult to see a human figure or even an ogre in this monument, but this probably makes it even more intriguing.
Bardur – the giant guardian of the peninsula
The story of Bárður is told in the Bárður Snæfellsás saga. Bardur’s ancestors were said to be both humans and giants. He himself, according to the saga, was the son of a king from Northern Helland in Scandinavia (some sources say that one of the early Norse principalities may be involved). Bardur supposedly arrived in Iceland and took possession of the “land of Laugabrec” as early as the late 9th century (i.e. at the very beginning of known settlement on the island).
For some reason, as time passed, he became less and less of a man and more of a giant. At the end of his life, he disappeared into the Snaefellsjokull glacier, but he did not perish, and became a local guardian spirit. Local residents turned to him for help and protection in all sorts of matters.
Interestingly, the giant’s name is sometimes given erroneously as Bárðar – with the ending -ar. This probably stems from unreflective copying of original Icelandic texts, often referring, for example, to the saga of Bardura (Bárðar sögu) – then the name is changed and the ending is changed. Nevertheless, in the denominator the name is Bardur, not Bardar.
Statue of Bárður Snæfellsás
Bardar’s statue
The statue itself is located on the right side of the road, shortly after entering the town, between the main road and parking lots and the ocean shore. It can be seen from a distance and is impossible to miss, but it can easily be mistaken for a small church or some kind of decorative gate – it takes a bit of imagination to see that this is a statue of a giant.
Attractions near Arnarstapi
Within a radius of less than 5 km from Arnarstapi you will find some very interesting tourist attractions. The most important of these are:
- Hellnar rock bridge;
you can drive up to it by car, but the coastal path is a lovely and popular walk (about 2.5 km); during it you’ll pass through a small lava field and see many of the basalt columns on the coastal cliffs up close; at the end (i.e., halfway) of the trip you’ll relax in a cozy cafe with a great view: Fjöruhúsið café (small beer – PLN 30; fish soup – PLN 85) - a small cave Songhellir
- the magnificent gorge Raudfeldsgja (a hidden gem, but an absolutely necessary stop!)
Slightly further west (5-10 km) you will find, among other things:
- the coastal rocks of Lodrangar
- Julisz Verne’s cave – Vatnshellir
- a beautiful black beach with the remains of a ship wrecked there – Djupalonssandur
Just outside Arnarstapi, the F570 road also begins, which can be driven to the pass below the top of the glacier and Snæfellsjökull mountain.
Large colonies of nesting Caspian terns are encountered near the village.
How to get to Arnarstapi
Arnarstapi lies slightly off the Snæfellsjökull bypass road 574, but is clearly visible from it. It is the southwestern part of the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
It is 50 km to Grundarfjordur (next to the famous mountain Kirkjufell) by the shortest route, and about 70 km by road 574 along the coast of the peninsula (however, it is on this route that there are more attractions, so it is much more popular). Reykjavik is about 200 km from here.
