Moss Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon

Ruins of farm partly covered by lava flow.

The Húshólmi area is a so called "clearing" over which the lava Ögmundarhraun didn´t flow during an eruption in the year 1151. The lava came flowing from vulcanic craters on the east side of Núpshlíðarháls hill down to the shore. According to archaeologists, in the western part of the "clearing" are ruins of the ancient Krýsuvík farm, dated back since before the year 900. Among the ruins are presumably parts of a home, a church and a semetary.

Húshólmi is a popular outdoor area and a interesting site worth visiting.

A family and port festival is held annually in Grindavík in the beginning
of june. Held on the seamens´day week end, it is an entertaining
festivity which honors earlier times which influenced the local
community since it's establishment seamanship and seagoing has
been the main source of occupation and income for the inhabitants
of Grindavík. For more information visit Grindavík's official homepage
www.grindavik.is.

A well known locality for xenolithes.

Xenolithesa are gabbroic crystal aggregates related to the host magma. The source of the lava is not known nor is its age.

Location: Near Grindavik, walk from road 427

The mud pools and steam, vents in south-west Reykjanes.

The area is close to Reykjanes lighthouse and is collectively named Gunnuhver after a female ghost that was laid there. She had caused great disturbance until a priest set a trap for her and she fell into the spring. This happened about 400 years ago.

The mud pools take form where steam from boiling geothermal reservoir water emanates and condenses and mixes with surface water. Accompanying gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide make the water acid. This causes alteration of the fresh lava rock to clay.

Steaming of the ground at Reykjanes increased markedly as a consequence of a pressure drawdown in the geothermal reservoir upon the start of production from the reservoir in 2006.

Iceland´s largest mud pool at present prominent, highest up in the Gunnuhver group. It is 20 meters wide across a rim of mud, boiling vigorously.

Two ramps are located at the Gunnuhver group, on close to Gunnuhver itself where you can look down to the spring and hear the vigorous noise, see the boiling water and feel the power bursting from the ground and the steam on your face. The other ramp is located on Kísilhól a silica hill. From there you have a good view over Gunnuhver group and surroundings.

Gunnuhver stands in the heart of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark where the North Atlantic ridge rises from the ocean, you find 100 different craters and lava fields, bird cliffs, high geothermal areas, black sand beaches, The Bridge Between Continents, geothermal power plants, lighthouses, and exhibitions.

Kalfatjörn is a former farm, parsonage and church site in the Vatnsleysa County. It was a parsonage until 1907, when the parish was united with the Gardar parish of the Kjalarnes deanery. During catholic times, the church was dedecated to St Peter. The present church was built in 1892-93 and consecrated June 11th 1893. It was built of wood and covered with corrugated iron on stone foundations. It seats 150 persons. It now belongs to the Tjorn Parish. The altarpiece, a replica of the one in the Reykjavik Cathedral, painted by Sigurdur Guðmundsson, is equally old as the church.

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Company: Keilir

About the facility

Technology

The Zoological Viking Home is in operation next door to the Vikingworld. These are some calves, lambs and goats as well as chickens and rabbits in a fun environment. All the animals have in common to be of the same kind as the domestic animals brought over the Atlantic Ocean with the first permanent settlers in Iceland over 1100 years ago.

Ásbrú - Keflavík

Name of the facility: Andrews Banquet

About the facility

Vogastapi was named "The Heifer Cove Cliff", later "The Cove Cliff" and sometimes just "The Cliff" by the inhabitants of the area. It is an 80 m. high, dolerite hillock between Coves Vogavik and Njardvik. It is precipitous towards the sea, but has a gradual gradient inland. It is mostly sparsely vegetated and somewhat barren in places. The main road to the western communities crosses it. The view from its highest point, Grimsholl, is excellent and a view dial explains the topographical names of the surroundings. Up to this date the Vogastapi Area is haunted by a ghost, which has mislead people off the brink of the cliff. During the motorized age, some of the passers by have noticed a being carrying its head under its arm and sometimes drivers travelling alone spotted it in their rear view mirrors sitting in the back seats.

A rock with three holes, shape like bowls.

Most wanted stop for travellers that had to go to either to Grindavik or Krýsuvík. It is located were these two old roads meet.

The story says that one is for a dog, one for a man and the third for a horse. The water is holy and people could always trust that there would be water to drink.

Location: Short walk from road 427.

Seaweed-coverd rocks which are part of the Þráinsskjöldur Lava Flow.

They were formed about 10,000 years ago.

Due to the pourous roks that form the foundation of this part of Iceland fresh water seeps from the ground in many places.

Located near town Vogar.

A popular recreational area.

Pounds, rich of vegetation and important resting place for migration birds.

Next to the pounds is Háibjalli, a 10 m high fault.

Location: Road 43 near Seltjörn and Sólbrekkuskógur.

The spit on which you are standing is named Hópsnes on the west side and Þórkötlustaðanes on the east side. The spit is 2 km long and 1 km wide and was formed 2,800 years ago when lava flowed into the sea.

Hópsnes/Þórkötlustaðanes was formed during an eruption from a row of craters named Sundhnúkur located just north of the village of Grindavík. Port conditions in Grindavík are excellent due to this lava flow and the lagoon (Hópið) that formed beside the spit when the sea began to erode the lava and move loose materials. If the spit were not there, the village of Grindavík would probably never have been built. The fact is that it is one of six communities on the Reykjanes peninsula that owes its existence to an eruptive fissure in a volcanic system that is still active. Eruptions could occur in this area at any time.

From its earliest days, Grindavík has been one of the main fishing centres in Iceland. Sundhnúkur, from where the lava that formed the spit flowed, has navigation signals showing the route through the gap into the harbour. Travelling around the spit, one can see a number of shipwrecks that have run aground here and in the neighbourhood in the course of the 20^th century. There are information signs by some of the wrecks.

Both the village and fishing-vessel operations flourished in the early 20^th century. Numerous rowing boats and later motor boats were operated from Þórkötlustaðanes. There are a good number of remains of the settlement that is no more, such as entrance cairns, fish-storage huts, ice storages, fish-processing houses, liver-processing and salt huts. The fishing operation moved to the location that is now Grindavík harbour in 1939, when a group of energetic Grindavík residents took it upon themselves to dig a channel through the reef that had hitherto prevented boats from entering the Hópið lagoon. The Hópsnes lighthouse was built in 1928.

Today the area is a popular recreational area with a hiking and biking trail.

Shelters made of rock, ancient paths and stacked walls.

They have been discoverd near Eldvörp, a row of scoria and spatter cones formed in the Reykjanes Fires 1210-1240 AD.

Location: Close to Eldvörp, walk from road 425.

Arnarsetur is a short monogenetic volcanic fissure with scoria and spatter craters, formed in an eruption that was an integral part of the Reykjanes Fires, a volcano-tectonic episode from 1210 to 1240. The fissure is two kilometers in length and the lava formations that originate from it cover 20 square kilometers. They are rugged and contain lava tubes and remains of human activity. The name Arnarsetur means Eagle's nest and derives from a pair of eagles that lived in the area before.

Arnarsetur is located east of the road to town Grindavík (43). The exit is about half way from Reykjanesbraut (41) to Grindavík.

Company: Hotel Keflavík

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Each summer in August a Family Day is held in Vogar in Vatnsleysuströnd. At this time the family is in the forefront and everyone is welcome. The program is mostly arranged by the locals and made to fit all ages of family members. Among other things for amusement are soap-soccer, fishing in the harbour, home-made car race and many other interesting and amusing things.
Also look for other events and more information about the festival on www.vogar.is

A crater row formed in eruption 2.350 years ago.

It created natural harbour condtions in the town Grindavík. Sundahnúkur was used as a landmark for the Grindavík harbour in former times.

Stadur is a former parsonage and a church site a short distance to the west of the town Grindavik. It was a parsonage until in the beginning of the 20th century. The catholic churches there were dedicated to the Holy Mother, St John the Apostle, St Stephan, St King Olaf, St Bishop Blasius, St Bishop Thorlakur, and St Holy Virgin Cathrine. The Stadur Church was moved to the District of Jarngerdarstadir in 1909 and named the Church of Grindavik. The semetary of Grindavík is there. A statue of the beloved reverand Oddur V. Gíslason is in the semetary who served the parish in 19th century.

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Including: Garður, Garður Lighthouse, Sandgerði.

Time: Really depends on how long each to will be. Just the driving is estimated to be:

Short version: 30 minutes

Long version: 1 hour

From Keflavík Airport you take road 45 to fishing village Garður (with 4wd it is also possible to follow old trails to the shore to enjoy rich displays nature provides along the coast).

1) There are old trails that lead to fish racks still used to dry fish. Entering the village, you will notice a monument dedicated to the families of fishermen. It depicts women looking out to sea waiting for their husbands to return with the day's catch.

2) Garður has a beautiful, old church that dates from 1863 and next to it the former pastor's home which is now educational centre for pastors and an information center about the many fascinating churches in Iceland. A trail beside the church leads down to the shore where you are in close touch with sea birds in their natural habitat.

3) Garðskagi: The headland at the tip of the peninsula at Garðskagi is a great place to observe sea birds. There are two lighthouses where you can get great sea views too. White beach and on the summertime you can play volleyball there. A museum has a unique collection of old machinery and a cafeteria with a deck that lets you observe seals and whales that sometimes are play near the coast while you have refreshments. There is a local handicraft for sale in the old lighthouse guard´s home and a tranquil free campsite with toilets and fresh water.

Next to the lighthouse there is Skagagarðurinn, a protective wall that lay between the farms Kirkjuból to Útskálar.

4) Five minutes drive south on the west coast is the busy fishing harbor of Sandgerði which has an Icelandic Nature Centre with a small aquarium and a handicraft store. There is a display about the French explorer and biologist, Jean-Baptiste Charcout, who went down with his ship the Pourquoi Pas? off the coast in 1936. The village has a well equipped campsite. If you are hungry for real local food experience we recommend the resturant Vitinn.

From Sandgerði you can go back to Keflavík on road Sandgerdisvegur (429).

You can also continue you trip on road 45

5) Heading further south, you will pass an eider duck farm. Another bird shares the farm, the small but very aggressive arctic tern which keeps away all trespassers.

6) Here further on, will see an exceptionally beautiful church at Hvalsnes built of carved stone in 1887. The nation´s greatest psalm poet, Hallgrímur Pétursson served as a clergyman here in the mid 17th century. There is also a lighthouse on the rocky coast at Stafnes. This is the region where an important fishing port thrived at Básendar during the 17th and 18th centuries until the town was literally blown away by a violent sea storm in 1799.

7) Básendar - Ruins of small marketing place and fishing harbour.

8) Gálgar - Gallow cliffs or Hanging Rocks

Return to Keflavík

Star tip: In Sandgerði and Gardur there are very good public swimming pools which are ideal for relax after or meanwhile on the trip.

High boulder ridge composed of well rounded stones.

The ridge is about 420 m long, 80 m wide and 10 m high. The rounded stones are 1-3 feet thick.

Created by powerful storms, high waves and surf.

Located: On the tip of Reykjanes, next to cliff Valahnúkur. Take road 425.

Sandvík - Grindavík

Stóra-Sandvík

Stóra-Sandvík is a small inlet with a big sandy beach, while on the inner part of the inlet is a large pond with brackish water close to the Bridge Between Continents. You can find Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus), geese, ducks, and gulls on the pond all year round. Red-necked Phalaropes congregate on the pond before the start of the post-breeding migration, with hundreds there in July.

Reykjanes-Eldey, Valahnúkur, and Karl.

Reykjanes is a small cape at the lower part of the Reykjanesskagi Peninsula. There you can find the only Arctic Tern colony in a geothermal area. Valahnúkur is a hill at the point of the cape. This site is very picturesque and great for seabird watching, along with the breeding Kittiwakes and Northern Fulmars in the southern cliff walls. Karl is a cliff just outside of Valahnúkur with breeding Kittiwakes and a few Fulmars and Razorbills. Further out is an island called Eldey. Eldey is the largest gannet colony in Iceland, with 14,000 - 18,000 pairs, other breeding species are mostly Kittiwakes (3,232 pairs), Common Guillemots (2,700 pairs), Brünnich's Guillemots (510 pairs), and Fulmars.

Víkur

Víkur is the sea area out from Hrafnkelsstaðaberg. Driving from Reykjanes, you will find a rough gravel road accessible by 4x4. Take the exit close to some old houses. Drive the road till the end and scope the sea. There are big flocks of eiders, and chance of Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra), Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca), or its close relative, White-Winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi).

Arfadalsvík

Staður is a farm west of the town of Grindavík. There is a fish farm west of Staður with a large runoff that lures in gulls and waders, but the area is closed off from the road. East of Staður is a rocky and a sandy beach that stretches 4-5 km, called Arfadalsvík. It is one of the few rocky and sandy high diversity littoral shores on the south coast of Iceland. It is an oasis on a long stretch of the lifeless sandy south coast and therefore a very important area for birds and other littoral, or sublittoral, life. Access is best either from parking near the church at Staður or at the golf course. You can on a 4x4 follow a rough gravel road east of the red fish farm to the east of the golf course. On the way from Arfadalsvík to Grindavík are many ponds and some estuaries that can hold waders, ducks, geese and gulls.

Grindavík

Grindavík is a town of 3,000 inhabitants. Due to lights and few trees, Grindavík is one of the first destinations for lost American migrants after low preassure systems coming from the west. For that reason, Icelandic bird watchers look in gardens and the shore area in and around the town. Gulls can be seen from the docks and on ponds east and west of Grindavík and one should always have one's eyes open for gull rarities, such as Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea), Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan), and Bonaparte's Gull.

Lava pile between Grindavík and Krýsuvík.

A good place to ,,read" the history of the peninsula.

Location: Short walk from road 427

VALAHNÚKUR MOUNTAIN

Valahnúkur is composed of tuff layers, pillow lava and breccia. The mountain was formed in a single eruption and shows evidence of the different phases of the eruption. The tuff forms in explosive eruption, while the pillow lava forms when the lava erupts under water.

Tuff

The mixture of lava rocks and hardened volcanic ash found in Valahnúkur is called tuff. Tuff forms when 1200°C hot lava rapidly cools in water. This forms glass fragments, as crystals do not have time to grow. The fragments quickly transform into tuff.

Breccia

Lower down in Valahnúkur is a diagonal layer of breccia. Breccia forms when slag or ash form angled slopes. Individual pillows or parts thereof roll down the slope, are covered with ash and form the breccia layer.

Pillow lava

Pillow lava is one of the most common lava types on Earth, as it is the most common lava that erupts from the oceanic crust. These strange pillows form in eruptions under water or under glaciers. Such eruptions are often where the pressure is too high to allow steam explosions to occur. They can also form when there is little or no gas in magma that rapidly pushes out from flowing lava. A glassy coating forms over the pillows as the magma cools rapidly. They are often several metres in length but only 10-30 cm in diameter. When examining a cliff wall with a cross-section of such lava, each bulbous formation looks like a ball or a pillow. The pillow lava in Valahnúkur probably formed in a sub-glacial eruption.

Hvassahraunskatlar is a hornitos in the Hrútagjá lava shield flow. Hornitos usually form due to powerful degassing at crater edges. These ones, however, came into being approximately 10 km away from the top crater.

Hvassahraunskatlar is a geosite within Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark.

One of the five major high temperature areas of the Reykjanes Peninsula.

It supplies all of the communities of the Reykjanes Area with hot water for house heating and other purpose. The famous Blue Lagoon comes from the discharge from the power station. Area of green patches north of the hill Svartsengisfell north of the town Grindavík. On summertime the people of Grindavík celebrate there.

Company: Hljómahöll

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Farms Smaller and Big Vatnsleysa were formerly manors and big fishing outfits in the County of the Vatnsleysa County. They stood on the western shores of the Vatnsleysa Cove, between spit Keilisnes to the west and spit Hraunsnes to the east. Farm Smaller Vatnsleysa is among the biggest pig farm of the country (producing the Ali-products). Among the benefits of those two farms were the rich lumpfish grounds, driftwood and thermal activity.

Vatnsleysa was a church site during catholic times, where the churches were dedicated to all the saints and it possessed a big part of the farm´s property. The churches at Vatnsleysa were served from the parsonage Kalfatjorn for a long time.

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Inlet created because of a subsidence.

Important for birdlife and marine biology.

Location: Near small village Hafnir - short walk from road 44

Company: Hljómahöll

Name of the facility: Merkines

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Technology

Protected coastline because of birdlife, marine biology and rifts.

Location is west of Grindavik by road 425.

Ásbrú - Keflavík

Name of the facility: Andrews theater

About the facility

Here are two very attractive and interesting exhibitions:

The Saltfish Museum:The exhibition Saltfisksetrið brings to light our seafaring history. The exhibition is very intriguing for foreign tourists, and it is interesting for local students, who can study the most important
profession of the country, and enjoyable for every Icelander passing through on a weekend trip.

The people of Grindavík have long been among the most prolific in the production of dried salted cod. The exhibition about Iceland's history in the processing and sales of dried salted cod and it's significance to Iceland's economy is therefore well placed in Grindavík.

The Saltfisksetrið exhibition opened in the year 2002. The exhibition offers large pictures, a text detailing the history of dried salted cod processing along with some historical objects from characteristic harbor towns of old.

The self-guided walking tour has a marked beginning and end, and is therefore outlined in chronological order. The floor is made of gravel, and there are stage sets of buildings from different periods on show throughout the exhibit.

Great care was taken to recreate the history of dried salted cod processing, and the exhibit has attracted much attention.

The Township of Grindavík was a leading force in the construction of this site, in collaboration with its founders and other donors from GrEarth Energy:
In Iceland there are unique possibilities to see and investigate most of earth's dynamic processes, such as volcanism and geothermal heat, which is the result of the young age of the island. It might be said that Iceland is a window into the past as well as into the future. By reading the history of the different
geological strata it is possible to forecast geological events that are likely to happen again.

The larges glaciers and the mightiest glacial rivers in Europe are here in Iceland and here are to be found the largest high- and low-temperature geothermal areas, unusually high volcanic and tectonic activity and magnificent and rough nature.

EARTH ENERGY has 18 boxes showing:

1 Ísland - a land in the shaping
2 The battle between sea and fire
3 The birth of Iceland
4 The earth can be compared to an egg
5 The boundaries of the plates on earth's crust
6 A Seismic model
7 The active volcanic belt
8 Earthquakes in Iceland
9 Volcanic eruptions are frequent on the
Reykjanes peninsula
10 Fissure eruptions are common in Iceland
11 The age of the earth
12 A glacier covers Scandinavia
13 Iceland was a subtropical paradise
14 Research and science
15 Energy from the bowles of the earth
16 Drilling for hot water
17 The power plant at Svartsengi
18 The Blue Lagoon

EARTH ENERGY - In cooperation with HS Orka
indavík.

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 in Reykjanes and the old one was demolished with an explosion on april 16th 1908. A survey which Rögnvaldur Guðmundsson supervised in 2007 for the Icelandic Maritime Administration led to the conclusion that Reykjanes lighthouse was the most popular lighthouse among Icelanders.
The lightsignal height is 69 meters above sealevel but the actual height of the lighthouse is 26 metres. Reykjanes lighthouse also has a radio beacon with a correction signal. There is carved rock and concrete in the lighthouse. Architect Frederik Kjørboe and engineer Thorvald Krabbe designed the lighthouse. The operation
of Reykjanes Lighthouse is under the supervision of the Icelandic Maritime Administration.

Eldvörp is the name of scoria and spatter cones in off-set sections that form a row of ten kilometers, and it's surrounding lava covering 20 square kilometers. It dates back from a volcano-tectonic episode between 1210 and 1240 called the Reykjanes Fires. At the center of Eldvörp there are geothermal features and a single borehole. Women from Grindavík used to bake bread in the steam from the lava and a trail called Brauðstígur, or the Bread trail, leads there from the town. Remains of human activity can be found in various places in Eldvörp.

• There is no safety supervision of the area.
• Visitors travel at their own risk.
• The waves can be unpredictable and unexpected.
• Ocean currents in the area are extremely powerful.
• Strong blasts of wind can be dangerous and unforeseen.
• Never leave your child unattended. Hold it at all times on the viewing platform.
• Entering the sea may be life-threatening.

Travel safely in Iceland. SafeTravel.is

Cove Sandvik, south of the Hafnarberg Cliffs, is a popular recreational area of the passers by travelling through the southwesternmost part of the Reykjanes Peninsula.

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One of the oldest and largest lava shield on the Reykjanes peninsula. Formed in late glacial time, about 14.000 years ago, when sea level was about 30 m lower than today.

Only recommend going there on well-equipped jeeps. By foot it is possible to walk on road between Svartsengi and Reykjanes

The normal fault and tension fracture, Hrafnagjá, is the longest of its kind at the Reykjanes peninsula. It is 12 km long and up to 30 m high. The set of fractures east of Vogar village forms a typical rift valley.

Location: Hrafnagjá is visible from Reykjanesbraut (road nr. 41) to Keflavík International Airport. A hikingtrail leads to the location from the parking place by the intersection of the town Vogar.

Hrafnagjá is a geosite in the Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark.

Mt Fagradalsfjall, the westernmost part of the mountain ridge of the Reykjanes Peninsula, is really a small plateau. Some hyalocaslite ridges protrude, especially in the western part. Its highest elevation is 385 m. above sea level.

Frank M. Andrews, the commander in chief of the American forces in the North-Atlantic area during World War II, with several other high ranking officers, was killed there in a crash. They were arriving from USA and preparing for landing on Keflavík Airport. Only one man survived the crash. He had to wait more than 24 hours for rescue. There can still been found items from the plane.

Location: In the center of Reykjanes Peninsula, north-east of Grindavík.

Frank Maxwell Andrews

Keflavík

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A green patch near a pond next to the old route at the southern edge of Afstapahraun which is a lava field up of Vatnsleysuvík. Reykjanesbraut (41) lies around the patch. There used to be a farmstead and a known place to rest at. Kuagerdi means "Cow Grazings". Today there as been put up a memorial cross for those who have died in traffic accidents on Reykjanesbraut.

This is a deep southern inlet of the big Faxi Bay between spit Keilisnes in the east and the Stakkur Peak of the Holmur Cliff in the west. The Stakkur Peak is crowned with a lighthouse. The bay was named after a freestanding rock in the sea off Cliff Holmsberg.

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Vatnsleysuströnd - Reykjanesbær

Vatnsleysuströnd is one of few vegetative places on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It is a coastal area from Vatnsleysuvík to Vogar. The peninsula has little or no running surface water so the ponds in that area attract many birds. The main road is paved and good for all types of cars but the access to the coast is mostly through private roads. Vatnsleysuvík has a fish farm that attracts many gull species and the farm Stóra-Vatnsleysa has an Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) colony, breeding Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) and waders.

Kálfatjarnarkirkja

Traveling west towards the village of Vogar you will see a church and a golf course where you can park and walk down to the coast. Near the shore you can find a little pond where ducks and waders are often seen and on the sandy beach and rocky shore beyond the rocky boulders you can find feeding waders in spring and autumn. The landfill holds passerines like Meadow Pipits and Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) and one should always keep a lookout for vagrants in these areas. On the road to Vogar there are a few ponds seen from the road that are worth a look. The best way to look at this area is to walk the whole coast and go on top of the landfill to scan the ponds on the way.

Vogar

Vogar is as small village on the east side of Stakksfjörður. There is large pond close to the harbour with sedge and a small island. In summer, there are breeding ducks such as Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) hiding in the sedge with feeding Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus). The harbour is a good stop for gulls and waders and the occasional wintering Harlequin Ducks. The sandy beach next to the pond is good in the migration period but the hidden pearl is the mudflat west of Vogar. Turn left when entering the village; you will drive through the village and end up on a gravel road that will lead you to a big fenced off fish farm. Go towards the gate and take another left until you are in a parking area. From there on you will follow a walking path next to the fish farm that will lead you to a big mudflat with patches of seaweed with many waders and gulls and breeding Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) in the cliffs above. This is a hot-spot during migration.

Þorbjörn and Sólbrekkuskógur

There are very few trees in Reykjanes, or in Iceland for that matter, and long may it be so but the Suðurnes Forestry Association has been trying to introduce alien and native trees to the peninsula with some success. These plantations are big attraction to passerines that have lost their way migrating both in the Eastern and Western Hemisphere. The largest ones are located inland between Vogar and Grindavík. The bigger one, Þorbjörn/Selskógur, is on the north side of the hill Þorbjarnarfell, north of Grindavík. The other one is called Sólbrekkuskógur and is next to the pond Seltjörn, between Vogar and the Blue Lagoon.

Reykjanesbær

Reykjanesbær is a town divided into two districts, Njarðvík and Keflavík. Njarðvík has a salt-marsh and ponds close to the coast that attract waders, ducks, geese and gulls, especially on high tide. American Wigeon (Anas americana) is seen almost annually on the biggest pond, and many vagrants have been spotted there. The harbours in Keflavík and in Helguvík (west of Keflavík) are good places to scan for vagrants such as King Eiders (Somateria spectabilis), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) and Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca) in large flocks of Eiders. Fulmars and Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) nest on the cliffs north of Helguvík and you can see auks and other seabirds from the lighthouse on the edge of the cliff. In search of vagrants one should always target towns on the peninsula and look for passerines in gardens and parks.

Annually, The Blue Lagoon and the town of Grindavík sponsor a Midsummer night hike on the mountain Þorbjörn. On the top of the mountain there is entertainment which includes singing and camp fire. The walk ends at the Blue Lagoon which is open past midnight that evening. This is an entertaining recreation for the whole family. For information about the forthcoming Midsummer day hike visit the official website of Grindavík www.grindavik.is or www.bluelagoon.com.

Patterson Airport was built in 1942 by the usa navy.

The airport was mainly used to maintain the aircrafts. Next to the airport can be found Subfossils shells, since 20.000-22.000 years ago. They lived shorly before the Late Glacial Maximum at about 18.000 years age. The sea level at that time was about 5-10 m. The airport was closed 1945.

Location: Road 44 at fence on Patterson. Walk north from old ammunition supplier

Company: Ráin

Name of the facility: Brúin

About the facility

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Sea cliffs with colorful birdlife.

Accessible and very interesting 15 km wide and 40 m high sea cliffs which attract over 57 thousand seabird couples every year to breed.

Location: Close to Hælsvík, walk from road 427

Giganta in the mountain moved to Reykjanesbær during the family and cultural festival the Night of Lights in 2008 and is now located in Black Cave at the marina in Gróf. There Giganta has been settling in her nice cave with its superb view over the bay of Keflavík and Faxaflói.

Giganta is originally the creation of author Herdís Egilsdóttir who has written 16 stories about the little girl Sigga and her friend Giganta in the mountain. The last one describes her migration to Reykjanesbær. The Giganta is in full size and sits sleeping in a rocking chair in the kitchen.

Open every day from 10:00 -17:00. Free Admission

Contact:

Tel.: 420-3245
Email: duushus@reykjanesbaer.is
Website: www.skessan.is

The southwest corner of the Reykjanes peninsula.

There the Mid-Atlantic Ridge comes ashore. At this location it is literally possible to see the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rise out of the sea.

Reykjanes is a part of Suðurnes which is the largest urban in Iceland. Almost all travelers go around the area entering or leaving from Iceland.

The nature is magnificent. Various volcanic formations are found on Reykjanes Peninsula, such as mountains and hills chiefly made of volcanic tuff, large and small lava flows plus different types of volcanoes and volcanic edifices.

Marine birds are common on the Reykjanes Peninsula. A number of high sea cliffs attract many individuals of different species during the breeding season. In addition, gulls and Arctic terns are common sight.

Agriculture and fishing were the main activites on the peninsula for more than a millennium. Today, cultivation revolves around gardening, reforestation and reclamation of soils and vegetation. Land for outdoor activities and tourist service is considered to be a valuable resource.

THE REYKJANES VOLCANIC SYSTEM

The Reykjanes peninsula volcanic zone is a direct continuance of the North Atlantic Ridge that surfaces from the ocean at Reykjanes. The peninsula has four volcanic systems that become active in eruptive series, approximately every 1,000 years. Each series lasts for around 200 to 350 years.

The western-most system is the Reykjanes system. This system extends from the west side of Reykjanes to Grindavík in the south and thence to the north-east over the peninsula along Vogar to Kúagerði. Approximately 35 km of the system is on land (40-45 km if the undersea part is included), and is 5-15 km in width, broadest in the south. The system is believed to extend 5-10 km under water to the south-west.

The most recent eruptions in the system were the Reykjaneseldar (Reykjanes Fires), which were in 1210 to 1240. The preceding eruptive series occurred 1,500 to 1,800 years ago.

There are between 40 and 50 volcanic outlets in the system from several drift and eruptive series, as well as 14 shield volcanos or shield volcano tops. Signposted hiking trails lie to Háleyjabunga and Skálafell shield volcanos. Picrite, a rare, primitive basalt variant akin to that which forms in Earth's mantle can be seen near Háleyjabunga mountain.

The surface within the system is rather fissured. The system contains numerous faults, including the large rift valley near Valahnúkur and another that lies alongside the Reykjanesbraut highway near Vogastapar.

The most active part of the system is here, in the south-west, where volcanic rock quickly piles up and where the geothermal area is liveliest.

"Darkness in the middle of the day"

The Sturlunga Saga and several other compilations mention the winter of 1226-1227 as being the "Sand Winter" and a significant "Winter of Famine". There was an undersea eruption off the coast of Reykjanes, and the ash-fall was so great that in some places, it was pitch dark in the middle of the day. Numerous farm animals in Iceland were killed, and it was said that Snorri Sturluson lost 100 cattle that he owned in Svignaskarð in Borgarfjörður. Karlinn (the Man), a 51 m sea pillar just off the coast of Reykjanes, was formed in this eruption.

Cliffs known as Gallows Cliffs or Hanging Rocks.

The cliffs were used to execute thieves captured in Þorbjarnarfell according to an old folk story.

Location: From road 43 there is a short walk.

Company: Hljómahöll

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A lava flow formed in an eruption in the year 1151 AD.

In that year a 25 km long fissure opened obliquely acorss the Reykjanes peninsula. The lava field is located in south of ridge Nupshlidarhals(Vesturhals) and craters in the northern part are part of crater row in the north of Ridge Nupshlidarhals. Ogmundur is a male name in Iceland.

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Háleyjarbunga is a small, flat lava shield with a large, 20 to 25 meter deep crater.

The shield is at least 9,000 years old. It was formed during a highly effusive lava eruption. The basalt-type is a primitive deep-mantle derived picrite that contains much of the green mineral olivine.

Location: The Háleyjarbunga is close to Reykjanes lighthouse on the tip of Reykjanes. A hikingpath is marked form Gunnuhver over the lavafield to Háleyjarbunga.

Háleyjarbunga is a geosite within Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark.

A eroded subglacial volcano.

A section of a small hyaloclastite hill is exposed in the costal cliffs. A dyke named Festi(ladder), evidently the feeder for Festarfjall, passes up through the basement and the Festarfjall sequence, branching towards the base of the lavas. The story say that Festi is a neckless of a woman-troll.

The story also say that it is impossible to walk on the beach downbelow without getting wet! Try and see if you can!

Location: Near highway 427

A free standing, hyaloclastite mountain north of Grindavik.

It offers great panoramic view over most of the Reykjanes Peninsula on fine days. The northeastern part of the mountain depicts thermal activity an to its north and northeast is an extensive high temperature area. It is split by a fissure called "The Thieves´ Gap" (Thjofagja), occupied by 15 thieves according to the legend. They were eventually overwhelmed and killed by trickery.

Company: Hljomaholl

Name of the facility: Felagsbio

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Earthquake fissures in a shield that built up in several eruptions.

In a narrow fissure system. Can find there small caves.

It is most common to walk to Skálafell from parking at Gunnuhver.

A pond with good walking paths, picnic facilities and a barbecue.

Next to Seltjörn is Sólbrekkuskógur, a small forest, but sheltered and lovely as it is situated hugging small slopes, with interesting rock formations in a few places.

Bridge between Europe and North America on Reykjanes Peninsula.

The lava-scarred Reykjanes peninsula lies on one of the world's major plate boundaries, the Mid Atlantic Ridge. According to the continental drift theory the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are continuously drifting apart with great forces under the gaping rifts. As the plates diverge, linear fractures, known as fissures form due to stresses created by the tension that builds up as the plates move away from each other.
The Bridge between two continents at Sandvík is a small footbridge over a major fissure which provides clear evidence of the presence of a diverging plate margin. The bridge was built as a symbol for the connection between Europe and North America.

One can cross the continental divide on Leif the Lucky's Bridge and take home a personalised certificate at the Reykjanes information center and Reykjanes Geopark visitor center at Duus Cultural house.