Reykjanes Peninsular Tour
The Reykjanes peninsula is one of the youngest land masses on the planet. The area of the Reykjanes Peninsular Tour is a very active volcanic area. It is a geological wonder, where lighthouses outnumber villages. Besides hosting the Keflavík International Airport and the world-famous Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes peninsula is a destination in its own right. The Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark in Iceland was honored as one of the 25 wonders of the world by National Geographic in 2012.
Currently the areas Fagradalsfjall volcano (May 2024) is slowly erupting so access to the area can be challenging and at the time of writing the Blue Lagoon is closed and access to the town of Grindavik is minimal.
Check here for the latest eruption news. https://www.visitreykjanes.is/en/volcano-eruption/eruption-information
Visit Reykjanes visitreykjanes.is is the official destination marketing office for the Reykjanes peninsula and Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark.
Things to see on the Reykjanes peninsula
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon – The Blue Lagoon is now one of the most famous places on Reykjanes peninsula and is near Keflavik the international airport. Bath in the hot water which comes as a by product of the nearby hydro thermal power plant. The lagoon holds six million liters of water, which is naturally renewed every 40 hours. The lagoon is shallow, with an average depth of 1.2 meters and a maximum depth of just over 1.5 meters. The average temperature of the water is a warm and inviting 37-39°C (98-102°F), perfect for bathing in Iceland’s cool climate.
Bridge over the Atlantic
The Bridge over the Atlantic – The Bridge Between the Continents is on the very end of the Reykjanes Peninsula. This rift separates the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Bridge Between the Continent is symbolic and in my opinion it is an excellent place to learn about the geology of Iceland.
Stampar Hornito
Stampar Hornito – Next to a small lay-by is an information sign about this Hornito Volcano. The site is an impressive mini volcano. A small pathway that leads up to a caldera. You can walk around and in this crater to give you a sense of scale of the volcanic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula. There are some incredible rock / lava formations on the walk up to the crater, look carefully to see the top of a lava tube.
Gunnuhver Hot Spring
Gunnuhver – This is an area of mud pools and steam vents located on the Reykjanes peninsula. It has a protected status that recognises the importance of its landscape. Gunnuhver, as we shall see, is a facinating place. Important for geology and folklore. Normally, geothermal springs are of the freshwater kind. Here due to to the area’s proximity to the ocean, the groundwater is sea water.
There are distinctive mud pots and steam vents known as fumaroles. The geothermal water also contains high concentrations of dissolved chemicals. Some of the most common include sulphur, silica, and calcium carbonate, which is why Gunnuhver, you’ll smell a whiff of rotten eggs in the air. It’s also common to see these deposits on the ground; sulphur has a pale yellow colour.
At Gunnuhver, it’s possible to walk up a wooden boardwalkand look down over the geothermal spring.
Folk lore
Icelandic folk tales are passed down by word of mouth. One tells of a ghost. It concerns a former resident of Reykjanes called Gudrun Önundardottir, Gunna for short. At the turn of the 18th century, she lived here. Gunna didn’t own her house, but rented it from a lawyer called Vilhjálmur Jónsson. One day she didn’t have enough money to pay the rent. Her landlord wasn’t sympathetic to her plight and needed her to pay. In place of cash, Jónsson took her cooking pot. Angry at losing such a precious object, Gunna flew into a rage and cursed him. Not long afterwards, Gunna died. During her funeral, the pallbearers who carried her coffin were puzzled that it felt surprisingly light.
Events took another strange turn when Vilhjálmur Jónsson was found dead. The community called for a pastor by the name of Eirikur. He decided to set a trap for Gunna’s ghost and to do so he had brought with him a ball of yarn. His plan was that he would unravel the string and use it to lure Gunna to a nearby hot spring.
Valahnukur Mountain
Valahnukur Mountain – Valahnúkur is a great spot to stop and look at coastal features like sea stacks.
Last Great Auk
Last Great Auk – below Valahnjúk, you can find the sculpture Geirfuglinn (The Great Auk) created by the American artist Todd McGrain. The sculpture pays tribute to the extinct bird species, Great Auk, and is a part of McGrain’s Lost Bird Project. The great auk was a flightless bird that lived across the North Atlantic Ocean and was a good swimmer. The species became extinct in the mid-18th century due to overhunting. The sculpture shows a great auk made out of bronze facing out to the sea, looking in the direction of the island of Eldey, where the last documented pair of great auks were killed.
Brimketill Sea Pool
Brimketill Sea Pool – Brimketill translates to ‘whitewater cauldron’. It is also known as ‘Oddný’s Pool’ named after a troll. It is thought that Oddný used this natural pool to wash clothes and bathe.
Reykjanes Lighthouse
Reykjanes Lighthouse – The first lighthouse in Iceland was built on Valahnúkur in Reykjanes in
the year 1878. By 1905 earthquakes and surf had damaged Valahnúkur so much that there was the risk of the lighthouse falling into the sea. A new lighthouse was therefore built in 1907-1908 on Bæjarfell hill. The lightsignal height is 69 meters above sea level but the actual height of the lighthouse is 26 metres.
Now you know all about Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsular why now check out our blogs on day trips out from the city of Reykjavik.